Black Powder at Graham's

Yesterday, Graham hosted a Napoleonic game, attended by Mike, Steve C and I.

Mike used some of his Russian forces and I had the Bavarians on his right.

Steve brought along his Poles and he fought alongside Graham's French.

Here's the set up - my Bavarians are in the left foreground, Mike's Russians beyond.  Facing us, Steve's Poles and Graham's French in the distant right. 

Steve has a light cavalry brigade on his flank

Two guns and a Polish infantry brigade of five battalions

Beyond them, a French cavalry brigade consisting of two Cuirassier regiments and a Chasseur regiment.

I had two Bavarian infantry brigades, each of five battalions with artillery support on the high ground

Beyond them, a Bavarian light battery and Russian heavy battery dominate more high ground. Further to the left flank, a Russian heavy cavalry brigade.

The Russian cavalry consists of two dragoon units and one hussar. on their left, the Russian infantry - four regiments.

My right flank, beyond the stream consisted of a lancer unit supported by Chevaux Legers - and they have already charged the enemy cavalry !

My lancers are thrown back with casualties and the French lancers now continue their charge into the Bavarian Chevaux Legers

My cavalry commander has managed to halt the retreat of the lancers as the Chevaux Legers attempt to hold the enemy lancers

Both sides have now withdrawn to lick their wounds

Another French light cavalry regiment has advanced intending to charge my cavalry but they draw up short and find Bavarian light troops taking pot shots at them from across the stream - the parent battalion is just behind them.

The rest of this brigade has advanced towards the main enemy lines, rifle armed light infantry out front in a mixed formation.

The second Bavarian brigade follows suit

Mike's Russians have advanced to the hedges and the cavalry support them

Opposite, Graham's French infantry having initially blundered off the battlefield, have now recovered and got their skirmishers into the fields ahead of their formed battalion columns

a fire fight develops 

the French seeming to hesitate to commit their columns to attack across the field and the Russians content to hold the hedge line opposite

Graham's French cavalry now advance in the centre

Meanwhile, Steve has withdrawn his cavalry hoping his horse artillery can hurt the Bavarian infantry that dared to advance upon them

The Bavarians are using their light infantry rifles to shoot at the enemy cuirassiers at long range

Their commander now needs to decide on what to do - but his rear has now been occupied by a blundering Polish brigade which has moved right instead of forwards !

The French Chasseurs wonder what is going on !

At last, Steve has managed to get his Poles moving in the right direction and they launch an attack against the Bavarian infantry

The centre is now a mass of columns 

The fight swings one way towards the Poles 

and gaps appear as units flee

but more Bavarians get engaged

and the battle swings the other way favouring the Bavarians

Holes appear in the Polish ranks

Another charge by my cavalry has broken Steve's cavalry brigade

a general advance around the right is ordered

The centre has thinned out noticeably as battalions have routed and the Polish brigade has broken and forced with withdrawal but two Bavarian battalions have been forced into square by Graham's cuirassiers

and now the Chasseurs sensing another Bavarian unit is disordered charge hoping to break into their hastily formed square 

The Bavarians survive but have taken enough casualties to see their brigade having to withdraw as broken too. But the centre ground is still held by the remnants of the other Bavarian brigade.

At last, Mike commits his cavalry into a charge towards the French infantry and guns

the guns are defeated and Graham decides he needs to pull out as Steve's forces have all gone on his left flank leaving his forces dangerously exposed.

A great day's gaming with lots of troops deployed on a 10' x 5' table.

Thanks Graham !