So with the pod system in operation my second game of the day was on the same table but against a new opponent Carole (of Hippolyta's Tiny Footsteps blog fame) who had dispatched Phil's Neapolitan army in her first game. Whilst the table was the same the scenario wasn't with Carole's British force tasked with capturing the anti-British Padre Ted from the Monastery of "la reliquia del santo con tres cojones" :D
Having suffered at the hands of Rob's carronade all morning I decided to employ my own artillery to blast the redcoats which meant the attack column block and grenadiers were out and a new force employed with two smaller formations of Fucilieri along with the Volteggiatori skirmishers...
The smaller group of Fucilieri deployed first and started marching towards the monastery to save Padre Ted.
Then ahead a huge column of British line appeared. Four groups strong!
Still never fear I had a cannon and they presented a nice juicy red target!
Then more redcoats appeared - skirmishers! Interestingly Carole used two groups under one level two commander (as well as a third under their own commander), something I hadn't seen before but would allow her direct fire at different targets in the same chapter.
The skirmisher screen advanced and opened fire on the Italian Fucilieri...
Killing one a putting Shock on them.
Deciding discretion was the better part of valour the Fucilieri turned ninety degrees and moved into the cover of the nearby wood...
Whilst the Line Volteggiatori skirmishers arrived and deployed ahead of them as a screen.
Having loaded and aimed the cannon, my artillery opened fire on the advancing British!
Unfortunately only inflicting one point of Shock on one of the skirmisher groups...
Meanwhile the larger formation of Fucilieri screened by two groups of light infantry Volteggiatori eventually decided to make an appearance.
The British infantry snapping into line to receive them! Yes that was as intimidating as it looks...
In the woods things were not going well. Carole inflicted casualties on the Volteggiatori from fire from her skirmishers to their front...
Before charging them in the flank with a second group wiping out one group of Italians and leaving the other just one man strong - who fled!
With my cannon occasionally tossing the odd ineffective cannon ball at them, the British line presented their muskets at the advancing Fucilieri, their Volteggiatori standing around and admiring the lovingly cultivated vineyards they had just passed.
FIRE! Volleys of musket fire ripped into the Italians. Whilst some fell to the fire, the brave boys of Northern Italy continued to advance...
And the Italian column crashed into the British (with the British commander refusing a duel - the bounder!). A bloody round of fisticuffs saw the two fighting groups involved wiped out but also the Italian force commander fall dead in the melee leaving the remaining Fucilieri leaderless!
In the woods I went with a last 'Hail Mary' shot and the Fucilieri there charged into the British skirmishers who were unable to avoid charge...
Needing 5's and 6's to cause casualties and hopefully Shock as well, the gods of dice deserted me and the skirmishers beat off the Fucilieri!
Carole then decided to put me out of my misery...
Her skirmishers charging the remaining line Volteggiatori and bayoneting him in the back! The Italian Force Morale hit zero and that was that!
Well my Italians got well and truly schooled in this battle! Whilst I made some mistakes (forgetting to Sharp Practice my artillery to get more shots in) and despite Carole's force deploying half way up the table before much of my turned up, she was a canny opponent with an eye for exploiting opportunities as they appeared and I suspect the end result would have been no different! Her innovative use of skirmishers is something I will try and remember to try myself.
As part of the weekend event and to add some fun it was suggested that we pick Commander Personality Traits from a list of suggestions each with specific objectives that would give us victory points even if our main force let us down (good for me then!)
Given my use of the attack column in previous weeks I chose 'The Cold-Steel Merchant' for mine. This meant that over the four weekend games my commander had to:
1. Not shoot with any Line Infantry in one game - acheived in my first game...
2. Win a duel.
3. Charge into Fisticuffs with Line Infantry in at least 2 games - managed in my first two games...
Unfortunately Carole's force commander declined to accept my commander's challenge in the game we played (him being some kind of bounder personality wise), however just to see how the new duelling rules worked we did give it a go...
There are three rounds of swordplay with both officers rolling 2D6 the results of which and difference in scores would dictate the subsequent rounds of combat. In the first role of our 'test duel' I managed to roll two 6's and Carole two 1's - the result being in the first round her commander dying with a yard of Italian steel through his heart! Shame it wasn't part of the game! :D
Great stuff, maybe a duel would of saved all of those lives!
ReplyDeletecheers
Matt