Whilst I have a rather big pile of battle reports to catch up on, and some pictures of newly painted stuff, I thought I'd report back on a 110 point aside Sharp Practice game with Andy and myself taking control of my new Prussian army (photos coming soon) against Phil's French during the War of the Sixth Coalition...
The scenario was set in the bitter winter of 1813-14 with the French attacking across the frozen coastal sea attempting to take the Prussian artillery batteries that protect a local naval base. The Prussians had removed the artillery from their island bastions for maintenance, leaving one manned by two groups of Fusilier skirmishers under the command of Fahnenjunker Manfred Mann...
The second by another two groups led by Feldwebel Willi Vinkle (please blame Andy for the Prussian names).
With rumours of French troops in the vicinity, the Prussians sent a group of Hussars out onto the ice led by Sekondeleutnant Karl Ingins...
Along with a group of Uhlans commanded by Estandartenjunker Carsten Horst.
Taking seriously these rumours of French troops in the area, Kapitän Stefan von Blause decided to move up three groups of Musketeers to support the Fusiliers in the bastions.
Although visibility was restricted to 18 inches, the smell of garlic swept across the ice - the French were coming! Sous Leiutenant Jaime Soixanteneuf led two groups of Voltigeurs forward...
Followed by Capitaine Jean Thomas le Grade with four groups of conscript Fusiliers...
And more skirmishers under the command of Sergent Michel Le Sange who screened the Fusilier column.
The French infantry force's flank was covered by a group of very pretty Lanciers de Berg led by Sergent Arsène de Cheval...
Although they could not see the French, the Prussians could hear (and smell) them, so Kapitän von Blause pushed the Musketeers and Hussars forward to support Fahnenjunker Mann, whilst Feldwebel Vinkle decided to occupy the island to the front of his bastion, supported by the Uhlans.
The French Voltigeurs pushed forward over the ice towards Mann's position...
Spotting movement in the mist, the Prussian Fusiliers opened fire!
A musket ball burying itself in the breast of Sous Leiutenant Soixanteneuf who pitched forward dead onto the ice!
Two more groups of Prussian Fusiliers under the command Sekondeleutnant Karl Ingins arrived marching across the ice towards the sound of the guns...
Followed by an ammunition wagon - all units fired at half effect due to damp powder until resupplied by their wagon.
More Frenchmen then arrived, three groups of Grenadiers commanded by Major Roger Le Garcon, who, accompanied by a drummer...
Rapped out instructions for the leaderless Voltigeurs to advance on the Prussian bastion...
One group of French skirmishers managed to flank the Fusiliers and fired into them killing three and inflicting Shock on the surprised Prussians.
More Voltigeur fire then poured into the Prussian defenders with both Fusilier groups taking Shock.
Hearing the sound of enemy cavalry to his front Estandartenjunker Horst advanced his Uhlans though Vinkle's skirmishers...
Now led by Sergent Le Sange, the Voltigeurs continued to pour fire into the Prussian bastion...
Whilst Sekondeleutnant Ingins pushed his men forward to aid their comrades. Unfortunately Andy rolled a double which resulted in the ice breaking and three of Ingins' Musketeers falling through to an icy grave!
De Cheval's Lanciers de Berg spotted the Prussian Uhlans through the fog...
Who charged (well cantered as it was not possible to charge on the ice) in on the Bergers!
The first round of Fisticuffs was drawn with two cavalrymen on each side falling to their opponents lances!
The second round of Fisticuffs was even more brutal, three Uhlans fell dead as did three Lanciers, Sergent De Cheval also being wounded.
Having excess Shock the Bergers fell back...
Then broke and ran!
Emboldened by the success of the Uhlans (which he could only hear through the fog) Fahnenjunker Mann decides to see if the enemy skirmishers with some good Prussian steel! Unfortunately his men are less unenthusiastic and their charge came up short...
The French Voltigeurs poured musket fire into the Prussians, the survivors retreating back to the bastion...
Chased by the enemy skirmishers...
Who killed Mann and broke the Prussian Fusiliers, capturing the redoubt! This debacle saw the Prussian Force Morale take a major hit falling to 5.
Angered by the French success Sekondeleutnant Ingins charged (well cantered) his Hussars into the Voltigeurs who were unable to avoid the Prussian cavalry.
Sabres and bayonets flashed...
And the French were swept off the island!
Bloodied by undaunted, the retreating Voltigeurs fired a volley into the victorious Hussars...
Plucking several brave Prussian cavalrymen from their saddles!
Le Garcon's Grenadiers snapped into line, poised to pour a volley into the surviving Hussars but a movement generated weather event saw visibility suddenly reduced to just six inches for the remainder of the turn, and the Frenchman's target lost in the fog...
Unfortunately for the Hussars the respite was short as next turn the fog lifted slightly and spotting the enemy cavalry the Grenadiers poured a volley into the Hussars.
Two more Prussians are plucked from their saddles and the remaining Hussars break with excess Shock. The Prussian Force Morale was down to 3 at this point.
Major Le Garcon ordered his Grenadiers forward to re-capture the Prussian island, spotting Kapitän von Blause's Musketeers bearing down on them...
Unable to catch the surviving Lanciers de Berg, Estandartenjunker Horst switched target...
And captured the French ammunition wagon.
Capitaine le Grade reacted swiftly to this event by ordering his Fusiliers to about face...
And fire!
The ragged volley of the French conscripts plucked two Uhlans from their horses...
The survivors going hell for leather to safety with excess Shock, seeing the Prussian Force Morale drop to just 1!
Feldwebel Vinkle ordered his Fusilier skirmishers to rush forward and pour fire into the rear of the French line... Unfortunately Andy rolled a double yet again on his movement roll and five men fell through the ice to their death!
The survivors though fired at the French...
Killing a Frenchman in one group and inflicting Shock on another.
Trying to bring the conscripts back under control after their volley fired at the Uhlans, needing a 4+ Phil rolls a 3 and the Fusiliers fire another volley directly forward...
Into the backs of the surviving Lanciers de Berg!
Who broke having accumulated excess Shock.
Now under the command of Gefrieter Andrei Krähe, who had been detached from the Musketeers, the surviving Fusiliers on the Prussian left cleared their Shock off and began to think about re-engaging the enemy...
As they watched Kapitän von Blause lead his men, bayonets levelled, in on the French Grenadiers!
Cold steel clashed! Both leaders fell wounded and the French were forced back, one Group breaking and fleeing, the remaining two barely managing to remain on the field of battle as they fell back in disarray! The French Force Morale dropped to 3. Could the Prussians secure an unlikely victory?
Von Winkle's skirmishers kept up their fire on the rear of the French Fusilier line...
But the half-effect fire was ineffective.
Major le Garcon managed to rally his surviving Grenadiers and using the Pas de Charge characteristic was able to remove most of the Shock and charge in on the Prussian Fusiliers. With his men facing the Aggressive Grenadiers in Fisticuffs unloaded, in a rather desperate gambit Kapitän von Blause challenged his French counterpart to a duel.
Three round of sword play were fought with Von Blause besting his French opponent, wounding Le Garcon with a final thrust. A bad thing had happened! Would the French been shocked by the sight of the blood of their leader on the ice?
They were but not enough for their Force Morale to hit 0, it dropped to 2. Bayonets levelled the Grenadiers bested the Prussian Musketeers in Fisticuffs forcing them back and wounding Gefrieter Krähe causing their Force Morale to hit the dreaded 0. Victory to Phil and the French.
A good game, the Prussians were a little big gung-ho, especially Fahnenjunker Mann leading his men out of the cover of the bastion to charge the advancing French, maybe some falling back, consolidation of forces and taking back any lost ground with the benefit of numbers might have proven sounder tactics. Whatever clearly the Prussians have a problem and Das Schweinebucht will need recovering from the French sooner rather than later...
