This was our club game on Sunday involving 12 players. Played out on a 18' x 6' surface.
The French are faced with a combined Russian & Prussian force (four Russian infantry divisions, two cavalry plus two Prussian divisions)
The French start with two infantry divisions & three cavalry but Ney's Young Guard Voltigeur Division is arriving soon.
Black Powder rules with the Russians needing a six or lower to activate each time whereas the French activate on eight or nine (using two dice six), so the French are the more active.
Set up time, Russians on the left, French on the right.
This is the other end, Prussians on the right, French on the left.
Mike is issuing general instructions to those gathered around the table - some are missing making coffee !
French Guard artillery deployed on their extreme left flank backed up by a strong force of infantry
Recklessly, I send my Russian columns forward to tackle them (a rare moment of throwing six or less on the command roll !)
Steve has not only the French left flank (Ricard's Division) but also forces facing the village of Marchais (Defrancet's Division). He is aided and abetted by Peter.
Here we see Friant's Imperial Guard Division charging across the centre against Stawitsky and Sass's Russian Divisions
as the French cavalry under Guyot head for the Prussian lines
This is Colbert's cavalry division facing the Prussians of Von Horn
The Prussian lines, von Horn and von Pirch beyond.
The French have hit Sass full on in attack columns.
French Guard light cavalry attempt to charge the Russian infantry supported by "order mixed" infantry on their left.
Further over, massed Guard columns hit the Russians
as the artillery engage in counter battery fire.
Meanwhile, only one of my Russian battalions has made it to the French Guard guns and they are about to receive a dose of canister !
The others are either disordered or in combat with Ricard's columns.
Tallisin's division are fully engaged whilst Bernodossov's wait to receive a lone French battalion which has broken through
Tallisin's men are being ground down by Ricard but he will still have to contend with Bernodossov afterwards.
Casualties are mounting on both sides.
and the battle in the centre with Friant's Imperial Guard is a real tangle !
and Ney's men now arrive.
Tallisin's depleted force charge again
but to no avail, the way is clear to Bernodossov
The fight in the centre is wearing down the Russians as big gaps appear
The Prussians are hardly faring any better with enemy cavalry marauding around them
Infantry columns join the attack on the Prussians
and their cohesion is breaking
French cavalry now punch through one of the holes that has opened up
as Russian cavalry await developments
what can they do ?
Behind you ! French cavalry and guns now threaten the Russian cavalry in flank and rear
Russian infantry recoil from the attacks
and the French columns keep coming supported by cavalry which have forced the Russians into defensive squares.
Martin looks as if he is wilting under all the pressure !
The Russians are getting separated by the French
A rare French error - the Guard artillery has limbered up and advanced to support their infantry attacks on the left - but miscalculated
as their infantry are thrown back,
Bernadossov's Russians charge and catch them unawares
Result ? No more French guns left on the left !
One lone disordered French battalion remains on this flank
But it makes no real difference as the Imperial Guard infantry crush the enemy centre
Russian squares are hit by charging French attack columns
and the Russian cavalry are trapped behind the shrinking lines
And its no better for the Prussians on the Allies' left
With the French in complete charge of the centre and right of field
the Russian cavalry try to evade marauding French cavalry
Only the Russian right stands firm.
The Russian centre is mercilessly "rolled up" by the Imperial Guard
All resistance has gone around the farm.
The Guard cavalry leave the infantry to mop up and head over to shore up the French left
At this point, umpire Mike declares that the French have won the day - we had fought out this game over five hours so were all exhausted !
Good game ! (as Bruce Forsyth would have said in the old TV game show).
