Using our own rules we fielded some fifty battalions, over one hundred squadrons of horse and 14 pieces of artillery between us (making just over 2000 28mm figures in total).
The French with Bavarians for support faced a combined Anglo-Dutch-Danish army across a table studded with a couple of fortified farms and wooded areas. Both sides had horse on the flanks with dragoons in the center and foot across the middle of the table.
The French plan was to attack with the left flank, hold the center, and attack on the right once the enemy horse was cleared. Things naturally didn't work out like that.
The French advanced boldly on the left and launched the massed horse of the Maison du Roi at the enemy. Unusually they didn't get it their own way and had to have some help from another regiment of horse before breaking the enemy and pursing them across the table. The other three regiments of French horse struggled with the enemy and suffered several set backs.
Things were worse on the right flank. In successive moves the enemy drove off all three regiments of Bavarian Kuirassiers and the only bright spot being the fact that the enemy pursued the Bavarians off the table.
By this time the French infantry on the left was in action and facing off against the Dutch & Danes. The Danish foot guards held on for the almost the entire game seeing off at least three French battalions. Even when the French second line had come into the action they were still only making dents in the enemy first line.
Eventually the successive waves of horse from the enemy broke through and threatened the extreme left of the French. Unable to do anything about it the first Spanish battalion took on the enemy horse and for a while seemed as though the were going to hold them off. In the end though the Dutch horse broke through and began to make inroads into the third, reserve, French line.
By this time I had committed the French guard battalions to the fray. Advancing in line they faced three battalions of English foot. Almost one hundred figures on each side faced each other. The French rolled thirty dice and were expecting to see large gaps appear in the enemy line. The smoke rolled across the front and when it cleared the English were still there - so many ones I thought I was playing Yahtzee!!
As the guard advanced so too did the Bavarian foot. Five battalions to tackle the fortified farm on the right. This farm was held by a single battalion with support from a regiment of dragoons on foot lining the adjacent wood. I should have known from the way things were going elsewhere that the attack was destined to fail. Sure enough the lines of Bavarians stalled and then despite the presence of their commander failed to take the farm.
In the end the enemy horse and Danish foot attacking the French left were knocking over more figures and at a faster rate then the French guard and their supporting line battalions were in the center. The pressure on the left was sufficient for the French to be forced from the field with the remaining third of the army before that too was lost.
Once again a very enjoyable game played in a gentlemanly manner with discussion and agreement all day. A great way to spend the holidays. My thanks to Mark for providing the English & Dutch and for being such a worthy opponent.
