Fondler's Honour

Well, we have finally got around to the next chapter in The Compleat Fondler, chapter 12 where Richard Fondler and his British troops are trying to stop a French force from capturing Major O'Stereotype whilst he is spying on the French army in the valley below.

Here's the Major looking down from a tower in the hill top village

A bird's eye view of the terrain the French have to climb

The four British characters or "Big Men"

and here are the French Big Men, lead by Major De La Merde

The head of the French column enters  

A group of Rifles watch their Chosen Man take a pot shot at a French officer

Missed ! but not by much.

As the column proceeds, a group is detached to head across the fields

French troops exchange fire with the Rifles at long range

Second time lucky for the marksman, he's hit the French officer but its only a light wound

British on the hill side reveal themselves by opening fire

Two groups of Rifles open fire on the French column

 as one group of French making a dash ahead

The French pressure increases as they drive the Rifles back from the walls at the base of the hill

The French start to advance up the hill

As the Rifles retreat section by section

Fire and retreat is the watchword

The French are led up the hill road

with troops firing from below to try and keep the Rifles heads down

Smoke obscures the road for three bounds

as the Rifles get to the final bend in the road

O'Stereotype rings the bell to announce he is ready for the full retreat 

but Fondler decides to lead his men in an heroic charge to stem the French advance

and true to form the only casualty on the British side is Fondler himself - stone dead !

following O'Stereotype's signal, the Rifles effect their escape up the hill side

leaving the French cast adrift further down the hill

A victory of sorts for the British ... but the main character of the series has been chopped - a bit like Game of Thrones then !

Guess another heroic leader will have to emerge for the next episode ...

Rebel Yell !

Another stab at Regimental Fire & Fury in 15mm. This time, both Union and Confederates are intent on capturing and holding a vital bridge, so a classic encounter game.

Here the Rebs arrive heading purposefully town the lanes

But Union troops are spied heading towards them

A Rebel battery moves up in support

Union infantry pass white snake fencing

Rebs deploy into a field and the Louisiana Tigers occupy some high ground behind them

More Rebel infantry arrive on the battlefield

As Confederate cavalry screen the approach to the bridge

Federal troops fan out on the left of the big barn

as their guns and more infantry take position the other side of the barn

The Union guns prepare to fire

whereas the Rebel guns are yet to get into position

The Rebel cavalry mount the high ground in front of the bridge

Union troops try an outflanking manoeuvre

but more Johnny Rebs rush down the lane to stop them

First fire from the Federal artillery

Just as the rebel cavalry charge deployed Union infantry below the hill

Undeterred by the infantry fire, the charge goes in

Union infantry in line in the centre await further orders

The rebel cavalry push the Union infantry back

and before they know it are upon the guns

Union officers desperately try to reform their scattered troops

Union troops attack across the snake fencing

watched by a staff officer

The Rebs throw back an oblique flank to face them

Rebel guns are dragged up the hill side

Meantime, the Confederate cavalry threaten the disordered Union troops behind the barn

but the undeterred Reb cavalry continue to attack anything near them !

and yet again scatter Union infantry before them

Confederate guns open up on attacking Federal infantry

As Rebel infantry wade in on their right

as Rebel regiments hurl themselves against Union infantry in the wheat field, centre of the battlefield

initially, the Rebels push back the Feds

and the Stars and Bars is flourished aloft

The unstoppable Rebel cavalry join in the wheat field fight

 The high point for the South - Union troops falling back on all fronts

but the Rebels on the right then fall back

and the Union troops in the wheat field regroup

exhausted Rebel regiments recoil with heavy losses

and  Union troops cross the fencing to attack in the centre

view from behind Union lines at the height of the action

Rebs retreat across the bridge

key to the Union victory was the combined effect of artillery and rifle fire on the enemy battery

resulting in such severe damage that the Confederates ordered the guns off the hill and withdrew them from the battle

so despite the early promise, the Rebels were worn down by the Union and a retreat the only way out for the brave boys from the South.