Beneath the Lily Banners

Yesterday, I went to Rafael's place to try out "Beneath the Lily Banners" his current favourite set of rules for the Tricorne period.

He'd set up a British v French scenario - but no pikes in these units, just muskets ! Rafael took the French army.

The French are defending, cavalry on both wings

The British and Allies are on the attack

Here's the British commander

and this is the French one

each side had two artillery pieces

and the French guns start to play havoc with the Allied cavalry

Undaunted, the Allies press forward

French troops are positioned behind a wood which dominates the centre of the battlefield

British cavalry begin a charge down the right flank

the whole brigade has been ordered forward

French Swiss troops are stationed beside the right hand French gun

The British have chased off one enemy cavalry unit but more are coming up

The Swiss are advancing - I thought they were defending !

a cavalry clash on the British left flank

as more and more pile into the cavalry melee out on our right flank

the French eventually win and what remains of the British cavalry hurled back disordered

the cavalry clash on our left wing continues but the French are getting in more supports

again, the Allied cavalry are beaten and one unit has been destroyed

but the real meat of the battle will be between the infantry in the centre

British troops charge the French in the woods

French horse grenadiers are now fighting whats left of the Allied cavalry on the British left flank

Dutch and Swiss troops have been exchanging fire, left of centre as the melee for the woods continues

right of centre, the British lines have struggled to cross the open ground and they have taken a pounding from the French artillery

At the woods, the British are taking the most casualties

and the inevitable happens - they break disordered.

To add insult to injury, the French horse grenadiers having chased off the last of my cavalry, proceed to capture a gun which had just been limbered to move off !

Game over for the British with both wings gone and the centre collapsing.

It has to be said - yet again, my dice throwing was pants !  Failed to get hardly any artillery hits during the game and then failed each and every hand to hand combat.

When will the dice gods look favourably upon me again ?!!

Great looking figures, Rafael and thanks to Joyce for providing a delicious lunch too.

And Beneath the Lily Banners ?  Yes, I liked them - despite the result !