Encounter Battle: Rhine Confederation vs British

After some months more painting getting the new forces of the Rhine on the table is long overdue. Matt has also been adding units to his British force. Hence a variety of Perry, Victrix, Warlord Murawski, Black Hussar and Three Army miniatures took the field.

We played using the 321 Fastplay Rules again, revised to Version 2.0, and testing out army lists, army builder, and scenarios. These are still free download from this blog for those who have requested them and any interested.

My Confederation of Rhine list contained Polish, Saxon, Bavarian and Baden Brigades, as follows:

And Matt's British list was the following:

Using the Scenario setup rules, we ended up with me attacking in an Encounter Battle on a 'wooded' battlefield (which reminds me I need to purchase some more tree models...). With average rolls this meant fully half the sections ended up with wooded terrain in them - though neither of us were keen on fighting in such terrain so they were mostly chosen as minimum size pieces. Problematically for the Rhine forces, the British also ended up with a built up area in each flank area, which Matt ominously nicknamed 'Hougoumont' and 'La Haye Sainte'. These were not easily defensible walled chateaus, but would still be difficult enough obstacles...

Our forces and objectives were deployed on (my) left, leaving the right half of the battlefield completely empty (for now). 

My Saxon infantry press forwards through the central woods towards the lightly held British left.

However, reinforcements arrive for the British, a Line Brigade (newly painted - Three Armies Miniatures British in Great Coats, plus Perry British Light Infantry) and a Veteran Dragoon Brigade.

As the attacker I open the battle with artillery bombardments aimed at silencing the enemy guns, as I have 12 to the 7 of the British. This decision is of dubious merit. I eventually manage to silence the Brunswick battery with assistance of skirmishing Saxon Jager, but my Polish artillery are fatigued from their strenuous efforts at counterbattery fire and additional attrition from British rifle skirmishers. I decide to pull them back to rally/resupply.

On the right I bring on the Bavarians and Polish Lancers, to reinforce the Saxons against the British reinforcements. My Baden Light Dragoons chase off rifles in the centre.

The Saxon Recruits have been doing their best to retire before the superior British reinforcements, but slowed by the wood and threatened by British cavalry they have got themselves into a spot of bother...  The Krakus cavalry ride to their rescue but are forced to retire by the British Dragoons.

The Dragoons charge on and catch Saxon unit Konig, that was already disordered by artillery fire. These Saxons manage to form emergency square, but still break and are ridden down.

The new positions. The unfortunate Saxon Maximilian unit and Jagers are now cut off in the distance through the woods.

The British Dragoons charge the newly arrived Polish Cavalry and Bavarians. The Bavarian infantry form square and easily sees off the attack.

But the first British Heavies rout a Polish Lancer unit, and due to poor positioning on my part are able to charge on into the flank of my other Lancers! However this second unit of Poles fights back ferociously against formidable odds and manages to beat the British off and force them to fall back.

Rules Note: On average results here the British would cause 5 (or 4.7) disorder hits and the Polish 1 (0.9) hits. Standard units can take 3 disorder hits and automatically break if they take 4. However, the British roll terribly and cause no disorder, while the Poles cause one disorder, and thus force the British back. The British pass their morale tests and retire. Such glory is unlikely to happen again soon...

In the centre, the British Veteran Lights bayonet charge the isolated Saxon Maximilian Recruits, who fire an ineffectual closing volley and are then routed in short order.

 A look down the table at this point.

The Saxons have been beaten back, time to try the Bavarians...

However, the British Heavies are pressing the Bavarian flank and limiting their action. My Polish Lancers are finally dispersed, though not before they have also rendered a British Heavy Dragoon unit combat ineffective.

British Light Dragoons try a charge on the disordered Saxon guns in the centre but are intercepted by the supporting Baden Light Dragoons. 

The British cavalry rout the unfortunate Badeners (who already had a disorder hit) but take a thrashing from them (3 disorder hits in return). The British Cavalry make a half hearted effort to sweep onto the guns but think better of it and back off (failing their morale check to charge home).

Meanwhile the British Veterans advance towards the waiting Badeners and Poles on my far left.  

 

Some small success for the Saxons, as the British Light Dragoons and Veteran Light Infantry are pulled back, both having taken three disorder hits.  

And then disaster for this new British Brigade, as Krakus cavalry get lucky and ride down two British Line units, the first forms a square, but takes an non-reciprocated hit from the Lancers and fails it's morale check even with the bonus for being in square.

The second is then caught in line and is also run down.

However, the Krakus are now also all that is left of their four strong Brigade, and so their Brigade is broken.

The Saxon Grenadier Guard manage to charge the flank of another line unit and rout it also.

On my left flank the Chasseur Recruits ride forth and the advancing British infantry form square to repel them.

The Chasseurs retire, and the Baden artillery aims at the squares.

However the British Hussars now charge and manage to break two of the Chasseur Recruit units, breaking that Brigade also.

With that the battle draws to a close and it is a victory to the British, who have broken the two Rhine Cavalry Brigades, and suffered no broken Brigades themselves. Both British Cavalry Brigades and an Infantry Brigade are looking unhealthy, as are my Saxons.

A fun game again, with fortune swinging back and forth! The day after my Leib Cuirassiers from Black Hussar Miniatures showed up, so they will soon make an appearance on this blog no doubt. :)