Four Fighting Steves !

Well, to be honest one was a Stephan but unusual nevertheless to have four players all with the same name. Steve C and Steve S took the French side, Stephan and I had the Prussians.

This was Sunday's club game, a Franco-Prussian war one using 10mm troops and "Bloody Big Battles" rules.

The French need to stop the Prussians capturing the four towns on the main road to win, if the Prussians capture and hold at least one that will be a draw.

Here's the battlefield viewed from the Prussian side

Two brigades of Prussian infantry begin the attack

and Prussian cavalry charge the French dragoons which are the nearest enemy unit in the centre.

a large French infantry force lines the woods out on the Prussian right

and more French infantry and guns advance to protect a town 

As the Prussians ignored the French in the woods and headed for the centre, the French infantry debunk from the woods and threaten the Prussian flank

Fresh Prussian columns dash up the road to capture the town out on the left

The two towns in the centre are firmly under French control already

The French continue to advance from the woods towards the centre of the battlefield

Prussian artillery fire has had some effect on the French lines - this is marked by the yellow pipe cleaner !

The French have managed to press the Prussians into the left of the battlefield 

and they have more troops too

but lo and behold - ,ore Prussians arrive on the road leading past the woods behind the French !

Prussian columns try to beat back the French 

Some French have retired hurt from the gunfire but plenty more are there to protect the towns

Prussian troops in a village in the centre are prepared to attack one of the towns in the centre

but none have any success

Prussian infantry fire on the flank of a French brigade sent back towards the woods

and Prussian infantry try again and again to push back the French over on our side of the battlefield

but this French brigade hangs on tenaciously

Time and again they refuse to budge

a Prussian gun has been forced to withdraw behind the woods as their infantry try to press on to attack the town beyond the woods

Instead of being able to attack towns, two brigades of Prussian infantry are stuck in this eternal fight with the heroic French brigade 

a formidable line of Prussian guns "peppers" the town in the centre

but there is no sign of the French retreating from there

and this story is the same all along the line

French troops now advance towards the town in Prussian hands

the road is guarded by Prussian cavalry

Eventually, the stubborn French brigade in the Prussian centre gives some ground

French attacks on the one town held by the Prussians are rebuffed and night falls, leaving a drawn situation.

and here's the rule book by Chris Pringle 

First time of using these for Steve C and I - we are sufficiently enthused to send off for some FPW troops for ourselves and we will pick up the rules at a show soon.