Encounter Battle

Napoleonic game played Wednesday. Chance to get my collection of Murawski Poles and Baden that I've painted thus far on the table, and for Matt to use more British units painted since the last game.

Scenario

The game was a straight up encounter engagement, with the goal being to try and demoralise the enemy by breaking half their formations (three needed in this game). We used fast play 321 rules again.  Formations started on the table on a die roll of 3+ else they were in reserve. 

Terrain was also generated randomly here for each 2' square by rolling a D6: 1-3 No terrain, 4 Wood, 5 Hill, 6 Built up area. If there was scenery it was small piece on roll of 1-3 and large piece on roll of 4-6. Each piece was rolled for placement. 1-4 being touching respectively designated corners of the square and 5-6 the centre. Orientation for elongated pieces was also randomised 1-2 horizontal, 3-4 verticle, 5, left diagonal, 6 right diagonal. Roads were placed to link up the Built up areas, as they serve mainly an aesthetic function in an actual battle.

Forces

Polish-Baden-French 700 points

• Strategist General (Polish): 4 Regular Line, 1 Veteran Line (Converged Grenadiers), 1 Veteran Light (Converged Voltigeurs), 6 Regular Skirmishers, 4 Foot Artillery
• Competent General (Polish): 2 Veteran Lancer, 1 Regular Lancer (Krakus), 1 Regular Light Cavalry (Baden Light Dragoons), 3 Horse Artillery
• Competent General (French): 3 Regular Line, 1 Veteran Light, 4 Regular Skirmishers, 4 Foot Artillery
• Cautious General (French): 3 Recruit Line*, 4 Regular Skirmishers
• Cautious General (Baden): 2 Regular Line, 4 Veteran Skirmishers (In reserve)

*Recruits with good morale but limited training. They count their morale as being one lower when rolling to hit the enemy in in the shooting phase, and cost one point less per base.

Anglo-Prussian-Brunswick 700 points

• Competent General, 2 Veteran British Line, 2 Regular British Line*, 3 Foot Artillery, 5 Veteran Rifle Skirmishers
• Competent General, 4 Regular British Line*, 5 Veteran Rifle skirmishers (In reserve)
• Competent General, 3 Veteran Heavy Cavalry
• Competent General, 2 Light Cavalry, 3 Horse Artillery
• Comptent General, 4 Prussian Regular Line
• Cautious General, 2 Brunswick Regular Line

*British Line with superior musket drill. They count their morale grade as one higher when rolling to hit the enemy in the shooting phase, and cost one point extra per base.

Game

Top down look at Polish and Baden Light Cavalry

And Polish Infantry.

Cavalry again

View down the table.

British artillery.

Polish Horse Artillery and Baden Light Dragoons.

Polish Lancers.

French Recruits defending the Polish right flank.

British centre where they will aim their main attack.

Polish concentrate their attack on the left flank, planning to hold their centre and right.

Polish Artillery with Army Commander

Polish combined Voltigeurs take and hold the wood in the centre of the table, while the buildings behind are occupied by Brunswickers.

Brits force back the French Skirmish screen in the centre.

But the French hold a village with batteries supporting it either side.

The Polish attack advances

Krakus deviate to threaten the centre British infantry.

Baden Troops arrive from reserve to bolster the right flank.

The Anglo right is assaulted.

But the Prussians put up tough resistance, throwing back the Poles and even dispersing the Combined Grenadiers.

Baden Jager snipe at the British guns, but end up dispersed by return fire from these and supporting infantry.

View from the Prussian position.

Poles finally take the built up area in front of them, though many units are disordered in the process.

The British attack stalls as they take heavy casualties from artillery, garrisons and skirmishers.

Polish Lancers on the left flank charge and beat a unit of British heavies.

Before retiring back to their lines to reform.

But then Scots Greys ride forward and rout the other Veteran Lancer unit and the Krakus before being dispersed themselves by fire.

But Poles secure the left flank having broken both the Prussians and British Heavy Cavalry formations.

On the right flank the French Recruits have finally broken.

At this point night falls and the battle ends. Two British allied formations are broken and only one French allied, so it's a winning draw to the Polish-French-Baden forces.

Conclusion

A prolonged tough fight with both sides attacks running out of steam. Neither was able to quite rally and consolidate their troops quickly enough for a decisive victory.  8 French allied and 9 British allied units were lost plus some skirmishers.

Or as the dispatches on both sides will announce: 

"A clear tactical victory that achieved our objectives and inflicted heavy losses on the foe!"