On The Road To Nowhere

 As our first game on Tuesday finished early, we decide to fight another using the same terrain. This time a straight forward encounter battle with both sides marching down the road towards each other.

The French enter in column

As do the British at the other end of the road

The French column is now five groups strong 

British Rifles make for the goat field

As French Voltigeurs head for the woods

The British column of four groups reaches the gap between hill and field

All's well !

The Voltigeurs make their way through the woods

An artillery piece has joined the tail of the French column

The Voltiguers take up firing positions on the edge of the woods

The British column passes the hill, lead by their CO

The French Commander decides to fan out three groups into line

and the British follow suit

The two remaining French groups try and negotiate a way around the right of the line

The line shifts left, allowing them passage

The gun moves up too but still limbered 

The British line opens fire at long range

knocking off a couple of men in the column and racking up some shock too

One group of Rifles with a line of sight join in too - they have received fire from the Voltigeurs in the woods and the junior officer has taken a wound

Until this point, the Rifles were unaware of the presence of the Voltigeurs hidden in the woods

The French line proceeds in front of the damaged column

The French get off a controlled volley at closer range and the British line feels the full effect 

Both sides blaze away at each other

The small French column edges forward, hoping to outflank the British line

But disaster strikes the British !  Their CO has been hit and killed outright leaving them leaderless as there is no junior officer with the redcoats and the Rifles officer has enough to do as his deputy is down and out.

Even though morale is not the issue yet, the reality is that the British force has a complete breakdown of command and control, so I call it a win for Steve's French force at this point.

So there it is, two games of Sharp Practice in one day !