Taiping Era, Take Two

 As mentioned a post or two back, I had an IT wipe out in Shedquarters when trying to run a game.  I was back this week with a more powerful PC and repositioned wi-fi nodes. Luckily that seemed to do the trick, and we had 6 players on line, two cameras streaming the action and two lead pushers in Shedquarters.

The French are on the right, attacking the bridge. The Chinese are on the left. The Chinese were given this briefing map:

And the French were given this one:

The Chinese were commanded by Richard, with Vincent and Will all on-line. Tim was in Shedquarterts as a "leadpusher". The French were Jon, Ian and Phil, with Chris K pushing their lead for them.

The French advanced aggressively, which is usually a reasonable policy, but I wasn't sure about deploying in skirmish order and advancing on cavalry, even if they were Manchu horsemen. The artillery was being moved up to dominate the centre. On their left Phil was pushing a column out to the left to encircle the position.

The Chinese artillery opened up and inflicted some hits, and Will launched a charge at the Algerian Tirailleurs.

The Tirailleurs passed an emergency EDNA roll and formed line, but were still driven backwards, despite one unit of Manchus deciding not to charge home.

A little bit late, Ian formed his other units into Attack Columns, a formation that is a bit more robust when facing cavalry and is ideally suited to bayonet charges on field fortifications.

Jon now rushed his Spahis forwards, and got behind the flank of the position.

The Mongols unleashed their ambush from the woods, but the French were able to form square in time.

The square drove off the attackers with some casualties.

On the other flank, however, the Manchu cavalry was having one if its best days EVER, driving the Tirailleurs back again.

Ian had softened up the Chinese defenders, which had also been under bombardment by Jon's guns, but his men baulked at charging the position.

Phil deployed his infantry into line in order to fire at the Mongols should they come again. He secured the left flank with some Marines in square, and Jon brought his Spahis up in support.

The Algerian Light Infantry open fire.

Having broken the Tirailleurs, the cavalry plough into the supporting Chasseurs. The Tigermen demonstrate on their flank.

In the centre lots of firing breaks out, as the French try to force the position. The Chinese left is slowly but surely encircling the French right.

Much to everyone's surprise, the French infantry on their left suffer a significant dice failure. The line is driven back, and the square is badly beset.

Ian's French charge home in the centre...

...but are driven off by some spirited Chinese resistance, much to everyone's surprise. Phil's Marines, however, are up and over rather efficiently.

The Marines are in the entrenchments as the Chinese struggle to react.

The Mongols swirl round the square, which is steadily falling apart (I need to look at the rules to see if I did this bit right).

But what's this? The Tigermen have sneakily worked their way round to attack the French rear.

Loads of smoke round the barricades, as Ian goes in again. In the rear of the French army, the Mongol hoards join the the Tigermen attack.

Second time lucky and Ian's men are in, bayonets glistening.

On the French left, despite initial successes the Spahis are being forced back by the Mongols, whilst the French Marine square finally breaks.

Somewhat beset, the French artillery see off the Mongol cavalry, but the Tigermen overrun the other gun, and General Montauban is close to being captured.

The final position. The French have broken the centre and captured the bridge, but at what cost? Are they completely surrounded? Are their losses too great...luckily for them their British allies can be heard riding to the rescue so they will be saved, but how humiliating for them.

A spicy little game which the Chinese can walk away from justly proud of how they did. The surprise Mongol assault from ambush stacked the game slightly in their favour, but Will's inspired cavalry charge on the Chinese left-centre is what made the real difference. Instead of providing the French with the normal post-match barbecue, his horsemen did themselves proud, stalling the assault in a major fashion.

Lots of fun to be back with the Taiping Era rules. At the moment Amazon have the hardback companion

volume, with both Taiping Era and Indian Mutine-era for £18.96, which is cheaper than buying them separately in paperback or from Wargame Vault. Go on. Treat yourself.