'Road to Brussels' - SoN 1815 campaign, game 4 - the Battle of Faux

With the French advance checked south of Genappe (in game 3), they have diverted a division (General Cheyrou's) east, to investigate another viable route. Led by light cavalry, by evening they approach the village of Faux. That afternoon, this marching force has been spotted by von Blucher's Prussian cavalry rearguard, and they report the French movement. Papa Blucher immediately orders a strong spoiling counter-attack to stop the French, and von Fuch's division is quickly marched into position in the fields south-west of Faux, with orders to make an immediate counter-attack on evening of May 17th.

This would be a 4 brigade-sized game, with the Prussians having the 'All-Out Attack' order, with 1 strong and 1 weak infantry brigade (centre and left respectively), 1 cavalry brigade (right) and a reserve small landwehr cavalry brigade (arriving on the left). They have the 'with all haste' order and therefore must try and complete the Grand Assault objective by Turn 6 or give up a lot of VPs.  The French, of the weary Cheyrou's hard-fighting division, have 2 infantry brigades (centre and right) a strong light cavalry brigade (left) and dragoons moving up in reserve (in the centre). The French have the steady advance order, but faced by the Prussia advance, would fight a mostly defensive battle, infantry holding and relying upon their own cavalry attack to see-off the Prussian cavalry and landwehr. It would become a cavalry fight.

These cavalry would clash on the French left (Prussian right) throughout the game, as the Prussian mixed cavalry (dragoons, uhlan and hussars) brigade advanced. There would be charges and counter-charges, fall-backs to regroup and rally, and follow-up attacks and various ‘feirce cavalry charges’, that saw largely a swirling stalemate, both sides taking a few losses, but being unable to swing the fight decisively to them. Hussars, uhlan, dragoons and chasseurs would fight 7-8 repeated melees, winning and losing some, but never by too much. So, the rest of the battle would be fought out against this constant backdrop of the on-going messy cavalry melee, which neither side ever really won.

In the centre, the Prussian infantry advance pushed up into the cornfields and the skirmishers traded fire, but the landwehr infantry struggled to close in on the French. The one battalion that did force its way forwards was met by a stiff a volley and then refused to charge (5 times!) and eventual broke under the fire. The others would face an attacking dragoon regiment as it looked to breakthrough the Prussian centre, but ‘withering volleys’ from the Prussians cut-down the dragoons and their final charge saw both a line battalion and themselves broken… so again no real victor here.

The French attempt to swing the cavalry brawl to a win was the arrival of their dragoons, galloping through the centre, on regiment would launch a counter-attack, into the enemy cavalry.The dragoons met Prussian hussars, won a few melees but could not press that advantage before needing to rally. They would withdraw, under fire, and regroup to try again, but they had taken losses. The dragoon counter-attack had been costly.

On the left the Prussians sent forwards their small landwehr cavalry brigade, to threaten the French guns. This was met by French infantry skirmishers and then a few squares to keep the lancers at bay. The guns were limbered up and hauled to safety, to redeploy and open up n the cavalry… one landwehr cavalry unit, attempting to charge a square would be broken by fire… the other then withdrew. It had been a distraction attack.

All along the line, it was close, neither side was winning any clear advantage and attrition was very close too. On VPs it was very close (something like 15 vs 14, needing 21 and 23 to break the enemy). It seemed it would be a draw… except for that ‘with all haste’ instruction from von Blucher. The Prussians had to press to complete the ‘Grand Assault’ mission, otherwise the VPs lost for failure would, most likely, cost them the game. The Prussians, under that pressure, tried again with their regrouped cavalry. The fight on the French left reignited after its initial melees and a few turns in abeyance. Sabres out, the cavalry charged and counter-charged, and it seemed the Prussians might do it, with chasseurs were in trouble, until the French dragoons rejoined the fight and saw off the uhlan, with heavy losses (to avoid breaking). The Prussians had failed, despite desperate attempts to get 4 units to charge in a turn. The punitive VPs would go to the French, and surely the battle. Except, for salvation. Back on the Prussian right, a few infantry had been holding around the farmhouse. They moved up into it and by luck, could now claim the ‘take a strongpoint’ objective. Those VPs would be crucial…

Into the last end phase, adding up the VPs, saw the French scoring 22, needing 23 to win (you are kidding me?), and the Prussians on 21, needing 21! Somehow, they had scraped the most marginal of slim victories… another very, very close game… brilliant fun when it gets so tight and the pressure ramps up.  A bit unlucky to lose it, but then, the Prussians were so unlucky at times too... it all works out in the end (so they say!).

So, for the campaign, the Prussian counter-attack had stopped the French flank march outside Faux. On the campaign ladder, the British division was now in place for the final battle (falling back to a certain low rise south of Brussels). The Prussians would be marching to help them. The French 2nd Division would arrive at that field first, so would be deployed for the finale, in its first fight of the campaign (at least they are fresh). Cheyrou’s battered division would arrive from reserve.

That sets up game 5, the grand finale, our ‘Waterloo’ (or our small part of it). It will see a full 5 brigades meet in 1,200 points each… the British are already deployed and waiting, the fresh French division will face them, with their weary veterans coming on behind. Winner takes all in this one… that’s set for this weekend, should be good fun…  

Pics of the action near Faux...

 

The Prussian attack, all along the line, but the cavalry clash on their right (French left) develops into the main effort. The French dragoons lead the counter, as the French infantry basically hold the line..

 

French cavalry on their left, chasseurs and hussars... a tough day awaits.

Coming at them, dragoons, uhlan and hussars (in the trees).

French far right, a battery that would menaced by swift Prussian landwehr coming up that road. Limber up and redeploy... taking the full ammo caisson too. 

Massed Prussian infantry centre... their attack staled out, of the most, in the cornfield.

The unused Prussian left, infantry, but advancing and taking that farmhouse, unopposed, would prove the game-saver...

The Prussian cavalry close in to begin the battle.

Napoleon arrives to spend a few turns reviewing how General Cheyrou is doing. On his command, the dragoons deployed to counter-attack. But, the Emperor was then called away. 

Dragoons gallop on in marching columns, speed is required.

The cavalry brawl on-going... French pushed back a bit, but then charging back to regain the hedge line.

Skirmishers meet in the big cornfield in the centre.

The veterans on French left, form square against the threat of landwehr lancers. Behind, the dragoons and coming up. There attack would see them broken... oops! 

 

Warhammer, Beastmen Brayherd vs Empire, 3,000 points

3,000 points of Beastmen vs Empire, as a savage Brayherd emerges from the Forest of Shadows and threatens to rampage through the villages and farms of Ostland. 

The terrain was randomly generated and placed, 6 pieces (small hill, woods, 2 buildings (farm and watchtower) and 2 fields with hedges), on a 6x4 table, and all painted miniatures... a hard rule! 

Beastmen list was, roughly:

Chieftain with Axes of Khorgor and Pelt of Midnight (with Bestigor)
Wargor (BSB) with great weapon and Rune of Beast Ascendant (with Bestigor)
Bray Shaman (lvl 3) - Daemonology with: Viletide, Dark Summoning, Daemonic Vigour
Ghoross - (with Centigors)

28 Bestigor, full command, with great weapons and heavy armour
26 Gors, full command, hand weapon and shield
26 Gors, full command, hand weapon and shield
10 Ungor with hand weapon and shield
10 Ungor with hand weapon and shield
10 Ungor with shortbows (ambushers)
10 Ungor with shortbows (ambushers)
9 Centigor (as Sons of Ghoross), full command, with cavalry spears and shields
6 Minotaurs, full command, with great weapons
10 Harpies
1 Cockatrice
1 Chaos Giant
1 Ghorgon


Empire list was, roughly:

General on Imperial Griffon, with lance, white cloak and sword of striking
General on barded warhorse with lance (with Inner Order Knights)
General on foot with great weapon (with greatswords)
Grandmaster on demi-gryph with lance (with demi-gryph knights)

30 Spearmen, with full command
20 Crossbows
20 Crossbows
20 Handgunners
30 Greatswords with full command, Griffon Banner
9 Inner Circle Knights, full command
5 Demi-Gryph Knights, full command
4 Great Cannons
A gun line, but with some potent counter-attacking units to strike out front.

The game was a real hard-pounding fight, with the Chaos Giant riddled with crossbow bolts, hit by a cannonball and they finished off with Inner Circle knight's lances, first casualty. As the beastmen surged forward en masse, taking hits from the missile fire, one unit of skirmishing Ungor out front (expendable musket-fodder - literally) wiped out by a solid volley from the handgunners. Behind, the main bigger hitters moved up.

On the Empire left, the demi-gryph knights advanced, aided by their general on his massive griffon, to charge a unit of gors, as the ghorgon and the imperial general also met. The demi-gryphs dispatched the gors with arrogant easy, breaking them and riding the last few down in pursuit. But their general was in trouble… and lucky to survive the ghorgon’s Monster-slayer on the first round (making a 5+ Ward to live, lucky!). Next turn, well, on the same Initiative, they fought again and the ghorgon was slain, as its monster-slayer took down the Griffon and lord… a great duel… so the ghorgon was handy and a far better pick that the giant I think - mutual destruction was memorable.

In the centre, the goat-hordes rushed up, the bestigor meeting the greatswords, but in doing so, allowing Ghoross and his sons to also charge them in the flank from the woods, they had drunkenly advanced through. Meanwhile, more gors rushed the handgunners taking the stand and fire and then loosing the combat by 1! The hand gunners held the line. The Harpies had sneaked up through the trees too, and charged into 2 cannons, flapping down to fight the crews and eventually claw them down (after about 3 rounds of combat).

On the Empire right, the Inner order knights and the spear-block met the minotaurs, but with ‘daemonic vigour’ cast on them… and the Viletide had already killed 5 inner circle knights. This gave the charging minotaurs the edge, and they gored more knights as the frenzied bloodkine fought the General in a duel, and taking 2 wounds, swung back to crush the foppish hero under his massive axe! But the spearmen only fell-back in good order… but 5 frenzied, daemonic, minotaurs were about to wail on them… it got very messy next turn!

In the centre, the big bash vs the great swords was another bloody mess, heroes hacking down many rank and file, and the the greatsword using their ‘stubborn’ to hold, but they were going down (still, from 28 Bestigor, after cannons and hand guns, and then great swords (now improved with Str 4 - ouch!) only 3 were left, slaughter… but Ghoross and his sons stomped hard and the greatswords were losing the melee.

On Turn 5 it was all over, the hand gunners were broken by the gors this time, the spearmen massacred as the minotaurs gorged themselves on blood (13 dead!) and the greatswords down to just 9 men and FBIGOing. The demi-gryph knights were too far away to help, turning to return to the centre, they wouldn’t arrive in time. The Empire troops were dying all down the line… and we called it, no need to prolong the inevitable – a Beastman win - Raagh! (or maybe Baa!)


It was a real slug-fest… but the gun-line had not held from the savagery. Men (cows ) of match? The daemonically-inspired minotaurs did some terrible damage… even the cockatrice managed to vomit on a line of crossbowmen and kill 7… no wizard for the Empire might have been a mistake, but it was much fun anyway. 

Ostland is in danger… send reinforcements!

 

Chaos Giant leads the attack the Empire right, and takes the punishment (but it saves the minotaurs behind from the same). The knights, being drilled, will reform and charge...

Empire gun-line, crossbows behind a hedge, unit a mutant cockatrice arrived and was sick on them!

Wall to wall goats in the centre, gors and bestigors, skirmishing ungor leading to take the fire... they are supposed to die, but didn't!

The Chaos Giant gets hit by the knight's charge... and down he goes. Timber! onto nothing... a bit useless really...  

On the other flank, by the farm, the demi-gryphs line up some gors, as the general and his Griffon go for the ghorgon (probably a mistake, but ghorgon's first game, so we didn't know the rules well).

Daemonic-minotaurs about to charge, horns down... frenzy, primal fury... the full works. They dish the damage...

Cockatrice flaps round the flank and vomits on the crossbows, who wheel round to volleys at it (doing 1 wound). It charged, they held, and the fight was a stalemate.

The big clash in the centre, on the hill, about to hit. Ghoross and his boys emerge from the trees as the bestigors match-up with the greatswords (in red), having endured a hail for fire to get there.

Harpies descend screeching and begin to try and tear the crews apart... still, its enough they stopped the cannons firing. In the end, they won the fight... it just took a bit.

Ghorgon vs big-wig general and big griffon... and they killed each other in an epic duel.

Huge brawl in the centre, the gors vs handgunners (making hard work of it), whilst the greatswords die-hard vs bestigors and centigors, defending those cannons.  Behind, skirmishing ungor just get out of the way (and then ran of to the woods to hide).