Big Peninsular War Battle

 The Herts Volunteers recently put on a big Napoleonic Peninsular game on a 24' x 6' table at Quendon Village Hall. Graham was the British C-in-C, assisted by brigade commanders, Mike Ormerod, Ian Clunie, Steve Clarke and Me. David McKenna took on the role of French C-in-C, assisted by Mick Hoddy, Steve Lampon, Steve Marriott, Craig Willcox and Mike FitzSimmons. Black Powder rules with Peninsular stats from the Albion Triumphant supplement No.1.

The French will attack from the right hand side with the British on the defensive left side of the board.

The French have 7 infantry brigades (29 battalions in all), 17 cavalry regiments split into 5 brigades, 4 foot batteries and 3 horse artillery batteries.

The British & Allies, 27 infantry battalions split into 8 brigades, a heavy cavalry brigade of 3 regiments, a light cavalry brigade likewise plus an independent cavalry brigade with 1 heavy and 1 light regiment. This supported by 3 foot batteries and 4 horse batteries.

The troops are being brought to the table.

The troops begin to appear - French columns and cavalry lines against static British lines

My command was the Guards Brigade in the centre and a Portuguese Brigade to their right - we are about to be attacked by French columns !

Steady lads ! Punch home those volleys !

Ian Clunie has the brigades on my left and our light cavalry in reserve behind him

French cavalry mass opposite Ian's troops

Two batteries of French artillery appear on the high ground opposite my command - not good !

Here's a view from the far end - Mike has French cavalry on the extreme left flank either side of the water. The British have but a weak brigade up this end which is a concern.

Everyone is watching Mike move his cavalry !

Wellington has a good vantage point

and this is the French Commander with his ADCs

Graham brings on the British heavy cavalry brigade

David's lancers have been causing mayhem having got past my brigade in square, he proceeds to roll up my horse artillery battery and then catch Ian's Rifles who are in skirmish order in the flank.

They then make it back to their own lines with much applause from the rest of their brigade - David had launched a "Follow Me" order for this one regiment, leaving the rest watching his antics !

Despite this moment of excitement, Ian's troops on the British left wing hold firm and remain undaunted

Graham has now brought on his Spanish brigade and they march to support Steve C's men on their right

Right of centre (from the British aspect) French infantry and cavalry mass for an attack

and out on the French left, Mike's troops are attempting to outflank our extreme brigade 

Our lines do look thin and exposed up this end !

Here's a rare shot from the French side 

All attention is on the British weak right wing in this shot

Steve C's men are now under attack from French and Italian columns

Graham has launched the British heavy cavalry against the opposing French cavalry brigade

Here we can see the Italian flags flying as their attack hits the British line

On our left, the British light cavalry reserve has been released to charge the French infantry heading for Ian's troops

Graham's cavalry having defeated the French cavalry now follows up with a charge against the French infantry

This saw off the Italian attack - Portuguese and Spanish artillery working together

A shot from the left end of the British line

Another view from the French ranks. Looks like the pressure is building up again against my Guards Brigade !

In this shot, all attention is on the French attacks against Steve C's brigade

Is Mike Ormerod asking Steve Clarke for some support ?!!

The British right has pretty much collapsed at this point

and the French are really going for broke against Steve Clarke now

but our centre is standing firm

Graham's heavy cavalry definitely put a spanner in the works of the French attacks for a while - they have shaken this French battalion hit in line

French cavalry are going to be used to force the Guards brigade into square and then hit them with the infantry

Here we go !

Here's a view of the Voltigeurs screening French columns

We are now in square and vulnerable

My Portuguese brigade engages the enemy skirmish line

We are grimly hanging on for dear life against repeated assaults

Our flags are still waving and the centre is strong

 and Ian's flank has handled everything thrown against it so far

Graham and I look concerned as Steve C shuffles the ranks

French cavalry had tried a charge against my horse artillery on the high ground - but a good shot forced them to take a break test so they bounced back to their own lines

Here's a good shot of Graham's foot battery in front of the heavy cavalry

Graham and I consult the rule book as David ponders his next move

By five o'clock, it was decided neither side had gained the ascendancy - repeated French attacks had been repulsed, except on our right.  The British lines were weakened but still refusing to give ground.

With the day over, here's the motley crew outside the hall

including photographer, Mick Hoddy

Wars of The Roses : Back at the Club !

With the first hesitant steps towards full re-opening, Essex Warriors had a much restricted and masked re-opening after lock down restrictions allowed.

Rafael and I had booked a table and he brought along some of his Wars of the Roses collection.

Rafael had a Lancastrian force holed up in a built up area and my Yorkists have been besieging them.  They have been content with bombarding them with cannon and archery so far.

He too has artillery firing back !

However, word has reached the Yorkist commanders that a relief force is on the way and things have become that more urgent - we must attack !

The fire eases up as assault troops are instructed

No doubt the Lancastrians have heard tooso their resolve will have stiffened

My mounted knights are at ease up on some high ground - they will not be called upon to assault the town

Our cannon fire had created a gap in the defences and Yorkist foot assault the town

but it already late - Lancastrian reinforcements head for the town 

and mounted troops arrive too

Indeed, a sizeable force now menaces my attacking troops - and the town has not fallen

The buildings have been removed to make the fighting clearer in the town.

We have the numbers but the Lancastrians are stubborn

The Lancastrian cavalry is about to cross the water thus threatening my archers and cannon

Yorkist cavalry prepares to meet this threat

But our town attack has faltered and the Yorkist troops have been pushed back.

Realistically, with this failure and the numbers of Lancastrians now present the objective of taking the town is now impossible for the Yorkists - I concede.

Rules were an adaptation of Lion Rampant devised by Rafael. 

Quatre Bras

 Last week, Mike and I played the Quatre Bras scenario at the back of the Black Powder 2 rule book.

We diced, and I chose the French attackers. Mike had the Dutch Belgians and the British.

Here we see the table set up with Dutch Belgians in position and the French about to dice for arrival. There are three French infantry brigades (14 battalions), one heavy cavalry and one light.  The Dutch Belgians have five battalions on the table supported by a light cavalry brigade. The British have been summonsed and will arrive on turn three.

The Defenders have occupied cottages and line field walls 

The local tavern owner has been told to move out !

The French get a successful roll and immediately charge in force

All along the line

Except the right hand brigade has to cross the stream which costs it some movement

The French light cavalry are out on this flank and they have already got across the stream

and are met immediately by the Dutch Belgian cavalry

The French brigade delayed by the stream now gets into contact with the enemy in the fields

Two Dutch Belgian battalions not engaged move up in the gap

The defenders hold all along the line, much to the frustration of Marshal Ney 

The French lancers have thrown back the opposing light cavalry and charge again

The French infantry suffer disorder in all their combats and battalions are pulled back to recover

but it gets worse - more units suffer in the same way. Indeed, the centre brigade is broken

The French cuirassiers had hoped to turn the left flank but in the nick of time, British heavy cavalry have arrived and charged into contact, supported by an RHA battery

No break throughs anywhere

The French lancers had recoiled with casualties and are now pursued

The "heavies" battle it out on the French left wing, just beyond the fields

The French right hand infantry brigade has also now broken

So French units are pulling back, including their artillery

At last, a French success, they throw back the enemy in the left hand field and advance - but British infantry have arrived just to the right of the road

British troops pour onto the table - and the lead French attack column has just become disordered

With the centre and ring wing gone and British infantry arriving, the moment has passed when Ney could have broken through

The cavalry have failed in their attempts too, so the day has clearly been won by the Allies - in fact, the Dutch Belgians hardly needed the British !

Ney has to retire with his tail between his legs !