Three Armies & Three Crossings

This week's lock down game - Napoleonic Black Powder.

Michelle has a combined Saxon & Bavarian Army, I have the Russians.

Both sides want control of this important river crossing.

Michelle has the initiative and is attacking from the right with two Bavarian infantry brigades, a Saxon infantry brigade backed up by a Saxon Cuirassier brigade and a Bavarian cavalry brigade of Cuirassiers and Chevaux Legeres.

The Russians also have three infantry brigades plus a brigade of Lancers & Cossacks plus a brigade of Dragoons and Cuirassiers.

A wide river runs the whole length of the table and two crossing points are visible - a substantial stone bridge and at the far end a ford. Other crossings will be scouted for.

An early skirmish across the bridge showed that both armies were present in numbers so the cavalry and skirmish infantry withdrew to their respective river banks

Alosius Murio, an enterprising local tavern owner looks on as Bavarian cavalry move past.

A Bavarian infantry brigade arrives and moves towards the river on the Allied left flank 

Another Bavarian brigade advances down the road towards the bridge as Saxons reach the river line in search of another ford - away in the distance Bavarian cavalry reach the known ford.

Saxon Cuirassiers join the "traffic jam" heading for the ford

The Saxons ignore enemy skirmish fire whilst they try to find another crossing - without luck.

Russian infantry now arrive beside the church

and Cossacks appear on the road

more and more Russians arrive - a Russian heavy cavalry brigade and Lancers on the road

Horse artillery deploy on the hill beside the Lancers

as a Bavarian column marches over the bridge, the Cossacks decide they look too strong and evade !

A Russian infantry brigade appears left of the big hill and marches towards the river

A third Russian brigade advances in column towards the ford

Bavarian Chevaux Legeres attempt to cross the ford but get disordered by Russian cannon fire

The Russians have found an unmarked ford just ahead of the church and Dragoons charge over

Closely followed by an infantry column which is quickly engaged by Bavarian infantry

The Russian Dragoons get disordered from enemy fire

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The rest of the cavalry and infantry brigades have failed to get across to support them

Russian columns fire again at the Chevaux Legeres as one unit occupies the cottage

This Russian brigade has failed its command roll and refuses to move !

Russian commanders are trying to get some semblance of order beside the church

The Cossacks have withdrawn saving the road clear for the Lancers

They need to try and stop the advancing Bavarians

At last, the hesitant Russian brigade has made it to the river

Bavarian and Saxon cavalry continue to try and gain access to the Russian river bank

Over on the other side of the battlefield more Russian infantry have got across the ford

Michelle's General figure sees Bavarian cavalry move away and a gun disordered and destroyed

The Bavarian infantry have broken the Russian attack across the ford

One Russian battalion has broken and the other retreats across the ford

With the Saxon and Bavarian cavalry attack thwarted, Russian infantry reorder their lines

The hesitant brigade has been trading shots with the Saxon Grenadiers opposite

A second Bavarian battalion joins the assault across the bridge

 The Russians have got an artillery piece up to the ford to support the infantry who will now have to defend instead of attack

Saxon Cuirassiers are now ordered to charge across the ford

The hesitant Russian brigade has lost the fire fight and with one battalion broken and a second now disordered and morale limit exceeded, the whole brigade will go. 

The Bavarian attack at the bridge is thwarted by enemy cannon fire

they will have to take a break test 

Russian Cuirassiers attempt a charge across the church ford

For now the bridge is clear but Bavarian Cuirassiers are coming

The Russian brigade commander has ordered the Opolchenie Militia to charge across the ford. Regular infantry are slow to support them

They receive closing fire from the Saxon Light Battalion

Bavarian infantry have now massed on the river bank by the church ford as the Russians fall back before them

The Saxon Cuirassiers have been disordered by Russian cannon fire just as they gained the bridge

One Russian gun is involved in counter battery fire with two Bavarian ones as the clash at the church ford goes on

The Opolchenie break from contact due to closing fire

With this hesitant brigade going too, things are not looking good for the Russians on their left wing.

A charge by Russian line infantry meets a similar fate at the ford

Russian Lancers choose this moment to charge the Cuirassiers on the bridge

and the Cuirassiers are broken

but the Lancers are now shaken so unable to pursue - and more Cuirassiers lurk behind the tavern !

Three Bavarian battalions now face off against the Russian infantry at the ford

The fresh second regiment of Russian Lancers now charge over the bridge

they complete the rout of the Saxon Cuirassiers

Russian Cuirassiers now cover the river bank in an attempt to shield the disordered and shaken Russian gunners

The Russian Lancers have withdrawn so once mere the street looks clear

With the ford clear, Bavarian infantry now prepare to attack

Saxon Cuirassiers are the latest to charge the bridge

The first regiment breaks but the second hold

Russian fire attempts to break up the Bavarian infantry attack

they come on but Russian closing fire takes it toll

The Saxon Cuirassiers charge

just as the Saxon infantry try their luck at the far ford

but here too, the Russian closing fire is devastating

The Russian commander has switched the Dragoons over from the right flank to the left in the hope that the might be able to add some punch

At last the Allied cavalry have a success - the Russian Lancers have broken

and the Cuirassiers make a sweeping advance into the already shaken 1st Regiment of Lancers

they too break

Bavarian infantry break at the ford

Closing fire prevents them from making contact

and history is repeated at the far ford - as the Saxons cross the water, Russian artillery smashes into them

Chaos at the church ford as Bavarians stream away

undeterred, at the far ford, Saxon Grenadiers charge

the final Bavarian brigade is now ordered to take the church ford

the Saxon Grenadiers have been hurled back

in comes the Bavarian columns

but yet again, they fail and break

by now, the Allied army morale has collapsed, repeated attacks have failed and the Russians have stubbornly held the fords and although the bridge is open, Russian cavalry is able to cover this. Game over. 

The Russian Commander trots across to the tavern and orders Alosius to bring out the vodka