Tuesday, October 21, 2014

2014 Autumn Big Napoleonics Game - Montmirail pt 3 (mid day)



As we rejoin the action (Bottom of Austrian turn 4) we have the French line stretched out across the board with no reserve. The old guard has taken a drubbing from the Prussian grand battery but are close to engaging them at last. Nansouty's cavalry corp is strung out facing overlapping squares, and the advance of the Hanoverians (not Hessians as I noted before).

The Austrians on their own right flank (left side of the picture, to the left) have cleverly pulled back their artillery and line, allowing for more punishment of the french advance. One artillery unit is left within engagement range though, as there was insufficient command points and space to rescue it.



Bottom of French 4. (right)

One artillery base was hit by two stands of old guard. Surprisingly (or not given their very worn status) it avoided destruction and retreated behind some infantry. Both units take some attrition damage. How humiliating. 








The infantry in Richards command, advance close to the forest. This will hold up the Prussians as if they advance through the forest they will become disordered, and easy meat for the French.

This essentially halves the forces that can attack Richard until they are driven back.




The cannon in the centre continues to do nothing against the prussians lodged inside the town.

Up above you have a better view of the flank attack (only by one unit, the second was too far away) against the empty spot where the artillery was. This now threatens the flanks of the reserves for holding the town.





Nansouty is largely parked in front of endless lines of squares. The Prussian cav is hiding in reserve and sweating that the French will swing around the end of the line and hunt them.

The Hanoverians are close to close the gap and threatening the French right flank by now.









 Missing photo.Full table of prussian end of turn 5




We can see the next move of the Hanoverians is to deploy their artillery to short range of the cavalry. I seem to recall it being awkardly just out of range of the lancers. The infantry that is in range goes to square. Meanwhile the rest of the corp aggressively advance to take open fields behind Nansouty.




The Prussians are hit by some poor command rolls. They manage to cover their flank, and continue to plink at the guard with cannon.










Bob realizes the conundrum the troops in the trees are in and pulls them back.
















Meanwhile the far flank continues to advance against Richard in the village.










End of French turn 5.

It's the french turn to suffer poor command rolls.

Richard shakes his columns out into lines to further complicate Bob's job on the far flank (bottom of pic).

Nansouty does not much at all, just wheeling around the lancers to take better aim at the cannon and/or infantry. This does open his flanks to the Prussian cav corp.



In the centre one guard unit destroys the flank guard. A column of two units beeline for the village. This is to threaten the cannon and to try and provoke a response by the Prussians to either relieve pressure on Richard, or to make a mistake and open an opportunity to attack Bob's command (Prussian right flank).

Bob played a cagey conservative game all day which worked very well for the Prussians.



Given the extreme wear on the guard, two to one corp advantage against Nansouty AND Richard, things are looking dicey in the extreme for the French. And then, Barry showed up from work. I had no idea that reinforcements were on the way (Doug organizes clever games). A mystery box was pulled down from a shelf, and low and behold......




The young guard show up to help pull the Grognards chestnuts from the fire.

Stay tuned for more pictures accompanied by far too many words!


Insert arrival of the young guard here.

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