Myself and Gentleman Richard got together for our last test game of Beneath the Lily Banners 2, before we unleash them upon the other Rejects.
During the last two games we didn't get a lot of infantry v infantry melee, so Rich designed a scenario where melee had to happen.
The French were defending a Medium sized built up area, classified as a 2B. To win they just had to hold the area and try and keep the English out. The French have a small but good quality army, while the larger English army is of lesser quality. The Commanders were rolled for, the French commander was a plodder, while the English commander was Competent.
The Initial set-up
The French
French OOB
Commander General Charles de la Tour la Pin - Rating Plodder
Brigade Le Capeleir
Champagne, Rank, Elite
La Couronne, Rank, Elite
La Guiche, Rank, Drilled
1st Heavy gun, Position, Drilled
Brigade Florian
Bourbonnais, Rank, Guard
Col-Gen 1st Squadron, Dis-Mounted Dragoons, Bullet, Drilled
Col-Gen 1st Squadron, Dis-Mounted Dragoons, Bullet, Drilled
Brigade Ducrot
Gendarmes de la Garde, Blade, Guard
Chevaux-Legers de la Guard, Blade, Guard
The English and Allies
English OOB
Commander William III - Rating Competent
Brigade Ginkel
du Cambon, Rank, Drilled
la Caillemotte, Rank, Drilled
de Meloniere, Rank, Raw
Brigade Overkirke
1st Guards, Rank, Elite
Mackay's, Rank, Drilled
Churchill's, Rank, Drilled
Brigade Wuttenberg
Hessen-Darmstadt's Rank, Drilled
Trelawny's, Rank, Drilled
Leslie's, Rank, Drilled
Royal Scots, Rank, Drilled
Brigade Tilly
Coy's Horse1st Squadron, Bullet, Drilled
Coy's Horse 2nd Squadron, Bullet, Drilled
Langston's Horse 1st Squadron, Bullet, Drilled
Langston's Horse 2nd Squadron, Bullet, Drilled
French regt Bourbonnais
The 1st and 2nd Squadrons of the Colonel-General Dragoon Regt
French regt La Guiche
The English advance, all units in the first turn, but only 50% on turn 2. Churchill's regt, (in front of the town), start to take casualties from the artillery on the rear hill.
The French failed to move the first turn, but could move 50% of their troops on turn 2
Richard, the clever chap that he is, made up these markers for all his units.
We had a discussion as to how some of the Rejects would get along with the rules, we decided to make markers so they would all recognise, what unit was what, what rating they are, Guard, Elite, Drilled and Raw. 1-6+ for casualties, Dis-disordered, Mo-Morale and 1st-1st fire.
Ginkel's Brigade advance towards the dis-mounted Dragoons, my plan was to attack the Dragoons, then try hold the Horse with two of the units and attack the town with the last unit
Overkirke's Brigade moving to attack the town, on turn 3 Churchill's regt would end up taking a total of 4 casualties, with fire from the artillery and the town, while Bourbonnais in the town, lose 3 casualties
La Courrone in reserve, while their leader Le Chapelier hid's behind a bush.
The rear of the English lines
The French Dragoons take musketry fire and lose a combined 3 figures, while they fire back and cause 1 casualty on the Huguenot regt le Caillemotte, who only just pass their morale check.
Churchill's take even more casualties and fail their morale test and go Shaken, the yellow marker.
Its now Turn 5, the English can move 75% of their troops while the French can only move 50%.
Du Cambon on the left fail their morale to charge, I should have charged la Caillemotte as well, but was a little worried about the enemy Horse not far away.
I decided to just go for it and charged Mackay's regt in! We were testing the rules after all. Bourbonnais in the town passed their morale and held their fire until short range, giving a devastating volley, gulp!
Meanwhile on the English right flank, that had been a little left out advanced and gave fire, Trelawney's fired at La Guiche behind the hedge and took 4 casualties but received 3 back. While both Hesse-Darmstadt's and the French Champagne took 3 casualties each.
With the threat of the French cavalry I unwisely decided to move my Horse around to
the left, look at the mess I made???
As they charged in Mackay's took 4 casualties....ouch!!!
And a double ouch as they lost the melee as well, taking another 7, yes 7 casualties to 2 for the French. But Mackay's were made of sterner stuff and easily passed their morale test.
Turn 6 saw the French Horse charge into la Caillemotte who just managed to move their pikes to the front to receive Horse, but failed to fire. I should have taken the charge as I was and fired....big mistake!!!
The previously shaken Churchill's regt regained their composure and charged into the melee, with the brigade leader Overkirke attached.
In a hard fought slog, the French were pushed back, taking 5 casualties, while the two English regiments took 1 casualty each. So the English were now in the town!!!
Poor la Caillemotte's get battered by the All or Nothing charge from the French Guards.
They died to the man!!!!!
But the French Brigade leader became a casualty, I eagerly awaited Richards throw
on the casualty chart, he threw a 6??
The result was " The men see a bullet pass through his hat and he lives. This unit can upgrade their
quality one level for the rest of the game as they are led by a Son of Mars"
Oh Bugger!!
The loss of le Caillemotte's regt caused a disaster on my left flank as one after the other, de Melonaire, du Cambon, the 1st Guards! and the artillery all failed their morale and went Shaken, but it couldn't stop the final defeat of the French in the town, in the next melee the French lost again and were pushed out of the town, giving a victory to the English, sorry no pics of the final victory, my camera decided to run out of batteries!!!
We both learned a lot from this game, and I've sent 2 questions onto the League of Augsberg's forum, hopefully we'll get an answer nice and quick, ready for the next game!!
Cheers
Ray and Richard