Belgians, Dutch, Belgians, Dutch

Yesterday Rob, Julian and Stuart organised a large Napoleonic game above a local pub in Grange-over-Sands a genteel town for this neighbourhood, and a summer favourite to spend a sunny day looking out over Morecambe Bay on the two occasions we get in a year. Rob and Julian took part last year in the Great Game in Glasgow hence the armies are 28mm. You will have to forgive the at times dim photographs as half the lights in the room were not working, so of course as far as we were concerned it was late afternoon and night would soon be upon us.

The scenario had the Allies holding a road lined with hedges ala Waterloo while the French had to gain the house on the left and the crossroads on the right. Rob and I were the good guys the Belgians a chorus of "Dutch!" met me each time I got it wrong. I had a large brigade to defend the house, I lined up with my artillery and four battalions up front with two more in reserve, I had some skirmishers rambling about on my extreme left. Rob had all the cavalry and a few infantry battalions to protect the crossroads. Opposite me Stuart and Julian L (we had two Julian's) had two infantry brigades, cavalry, artillery and skirmishers, there was a large wood on the left of the battlefield so I felt my flank was fairly safe, I therefore only had to hold my line. Rob on the other hand was opposite a French steamroller with the Imperial Guard, cavalry and two batteries, he was going to have a tough time.

A Martian tries to throw light on the proceedings.

My Belgian (Dutch!) line.

The battlefield from the French right.

The serried ranks of Julian's beautiful Guard.

 Stuarts brigade failed several command rolls so I pushed the skirmishers up to pot shot at his artillery, Julian L came on in the same old frightening way, cavalry and infantry headed straight for my thin Belgian (Dutch!) defenders, he had one guard battalion within his ranks. There was a mighty clash and as the smoke settled my boys had held and the French were in retreat, I praised my lads to the rafters. No sooner had we flung back this desperate assault than Stuarts legions began to move forward in serried ranks, again my line was attacked and this time it buckled, my artillery men and a battalion fled for the rear, things looked desperate from where I was standing. Like Christopher Plummer I told my reserve to come here, everyone now, and my attack column ploughed into the victorious French sending them homeward, elsewhere my brave men had once again sent the Frenchies running. There was now a lull on this side of the battlefield as the French retired to lick their wounds.

Julian L advances on the Dutch line.

And are thrown back.

Stuart now attacks and almost succeeds.

The French retire to reorganise and I advance.

  We got the odd report on what was happening on the right flank and as far as I could tell the French advance was slow but methodical, several cavalry clashes had taken place with the Allied cavalry eventually having to retire while several of their infantry battalions fell to the Guard. Despite this chaos Rob had actually managed to advance and put pressure on Julian L's recovering brigade and was doing very well, however there were now a lot of French descending on the Crossroads from the right flank.

Julian bears down on Rob.

 Back on the left I suffered from having no artillery while Stuart pounded my lines, it took me a few turns but I eventually rallied enough of my troops to leave the safety of the hedge and advance to musket range on the shaky French line, their morale began to drop and several battalions fled, very soon both brigades opposite me had been broken and they retired from the field, it seemed to be all over.

Chaos reigns.

The Guard shall not be moved.

 Looking to the right although Julian's (the other Julian had left by now) advance had been slow it had been irresistible and having cleared the enemy to his front he turned to roll up the Dutch line, soon he had the crossroads in his grasp. This threat meant I had to march my men to the sound of the guns and I turned them towards the ridge, now they decided they had had enough and had done their bit, for three turns they refused all orders and pleading to move to help their compatriots. The chaos in the centre right had at last sorted itself out and although we had suffered we had eventually cleared the area of blue uniforms. The situation from a few hours earlier had changed dramatically, despite having lost a lot of his men Julian's Guard surrounded the crossroads and could not be moved as night fell, the Allied army had also been shattered and simply did not have the strength to attack and defeat the Guard. After having thought the battle over the bitterest fighting had occurred in the last quarter of the game, with an objective each honours were even.

I felt that the Allies had done a tad better than the French, we had less men, less guns and no Guard and had fought the enemy to a standstill, kudos to both Julian and Rob for their titanic struggle on the right, Rob for the damage he inflicted and Julian for obtaining his objective. Despite the lack of light it was a great days wargaming.

Rob also told me he was building up forces for the Fall of the Reich, Volksturm etc. and would be happy to take on my Russians, good news.