Somewhere in Europe

We were back in the War of Spanish Succession this week. Not with the Duke of Marlborough, but with the Imperialists and French "Somewhere in Europe". Chris K wasn't with us this week, being away on a trip also "somewhere in Europe" so it seemed appropriate.

I wanted to put out my hills and houses and as many odd coloured units as I could muster. And some bridges. And trees. The French are on the top right, with their Bavarian allies to their left. Coming down the valley opposite them are the Austrians and their German state allies on their left. Phil was the French with Steve running the Bavarians. Tim took the Austrians and I had the left overs.

The French were trying to bottle us up in the valley, whilst we were trying to break out.

Tim boldly tried to rush Steve's infantry across the bridge. The stream is a negligible obstacle, but it slows you down unless you take a Disorder marker. Tim chose the latter course. Meanwhile he also tried to sneak his Hussars through the woods and around Steve's flank.

There's no photo of the melee outcome, but if memory serves, Tim got repulsed.

Over on my side Phil had been advancing in Open Order to try to occupy the wooded hills. I charged him with my cavalry, but a timely intervention by his General enabled them to form an emergency square.

My cavalry were seen off quite promptly, but Phil's General copped it.

Not deterred by the examples of cavalry failure so far, Phil charged our centre.

His infantry also opened fire on our left wing. I should note here that I forgot a load of small changes I'd made from the previous version of the rules several months ago. I also forgot the rule that makes it hard to move infantry once they've started a firefight.

There's firing round the village too.

My Hanoverians shot off the cavalry facing them, and Tim's infantry also had the upper hand.

Having halted the cavalry charge we boldly step into the stream, closing the range on my flank.

Steve is struggling to break into the village after his cavalry were repulsed. Steve then hits the weakened Austrian cavalry with his Bavarian Dragoons.

Against the odds Tim's cavalry win the melee are drive Steve backwards.

The Bavarians counter attack by the village. Tim hasn't made the best use of his Commander, and keeps putting off attacking the village. I should have pushed him to be more aggressive.

Having said that my centre starts to unravel under a brisk French onslaught, and my General takes a bullet to the head.

Tim finally breaks the Bavarian Dragoons.

He pursues the routing horsemen through the Bavarian lines.

Phil has turned my flank, and my cavalry reserve have been shot up a bit. They will be of very little use to hold the French off.

Tim is across the stream however, and is pressing the village garrison hard. I need to look at the rules here. Tim should have attacked in assault columns, but I omitted to tell him.

Steve finally forces the bridge by the village with his infantry, but he is halted by Tim's General at the head of a battalion. The three sixes are bad news. They represent three failed morale tests for Steve.

We still can't take the village. In the distance you can see the Hussars emerging from the woods by the mug, but probably too late.

This picture is taken from behind the French lines. In the distance you can see Phil's French enfolding my flank. The Hanoverians are done for, but the Austrians will probably break out.

And then it was time to finish. A tight and tense game with some swings in fortune and a high officer casualty rate. I really like the look of these games, with the smoke and the big flags. I should get round to painting some more Imperialist infantry and some more Bavarians and do a couple more squadrons of Hussars. The "Va t'en Guerre"/"Pike to Bayonet" rules still give a good result, and perhaps I should revisit their publication in this simplified form

But first I've got a lot of Sikhs to paint.