La Bataille de Sept Bras, 1815

Another Black Powder report, this one from the game we had on Feb. 26 at the monthly games day of the West Tokyo Wargamers.   

This one was notable for being our first use of off-table flanking forces, and for being the debut of Matt's new battalion of- wait for it- Neapolitans!  And they put in a very creditable performance, it must be said.

This was once again a very entertaining game, even if- once again- victory was snatched from the French (and their new ally) by the British and Brunswick alliance.  Some rapid changes in fortune, and some surprises kept things pretty tense, and any ground given up was done so very grudgingly!

"Is there to be no end to the misfortunes and misery of France?!?" 
-One of Sada's very nicely painted miniatures, this one being the eagle bearer of the (now veteran) 1/5e légère.  
He's looking rather pissed off here, and who could blame him?

The Allied forces still outnumber those of the French, so this time we arranged it so that the Allies had two infantry units in reserve.  Starting on the second turn, the Allied commander would begin by rolling for reinforcements.  These would enter the table on any  roll of doubles.  

Double ones would result in them entering the field from the allied base line.  Double twos and threes from their right flank, fours and fives from the left, and double sixes meant that the flanking force would appear directly behind the French!  

For the French, should two units or more find themselves routed off the board, they could also return in the guise of a supporting brigade appearing somewhere on the Allies flanks and rear, using the same dicing mechanism.  

This helped to balance the numbers somewhat. I'm pleased to say that the system worked, making for a very tense game and see-sawing fortunes!

The objectives were the two crossroads; one at the junction of two farm buildings and an enclosed field, the other crossing through the middle of a small woods,  le Bois des Chasseurs.

The table looking east across the centre to le Bois des Chasseurs in the distance.

The French would be coming down the road towards the farm which they would reach first, with the Allies heading towards them from the north. The Allies had further to go, but they were closer to the woods than the French. 

The game was also our first using Sada's new road sections, which he had fashioned from medical tape and caulking.  They looked great, and were just what our table had been lacking in our previous games.

View of the battlefield from le Bois des Chasseurs in the foreground, looking across the centre to the the farm on the opposite flank.  The British enter from the baseline on the right of the picture, while the French can be seen approaching the farmstead at the upper left.

The side that found itself in control of both crossings would win a decisive victory, control of only one being a draw.  In order to count as being in control, the crossroads must  be occupied, which we decided would mean having at least one unshaken unit  planted firmly smack in the middle of the crossing.

Oh, and this time we learned our lesson.  No commander with a command rating under an 8.  This speeded things up considerably.

Matt and Rod contemplate their initial set up, with Matt contacting Whitehall via iPhone for orders.

On the French side, the forces deploy towards the farm, while Sada  plays paparazzi.

 

Picton oversees the deployment of his division,

The French win initiative and move up, while Matt rubs his hands together in  gleeful -if unseemly- expectation of the slaughter to come...

The 28e légère sieze and occupy the stone cottage, with the 8th Neapolitan Infantry (Principe Luciano's) coming up close behind.

The British riposte.  The Thin Red Line moves forward.

Light Dragoons, wondering if they will find themselves facing Guard Lancers.

French artillery, line and light infantry, and the Red Lancers of the Guard.

Pretty in pink.  Principe Luciano's own prepare to see the elephant.

"Welcome to my shop, let me cut your mop..."- The Barber of Palermo?

That's not a crow perched on a barber pole in that last picture of the Neapolitans.  Matt will replace the eagle with the rearing horse which was used by Neapolitan regiments (he'll be converting a 6mm Baccus horse).  

I had recently ordered a selection of excellent GMB flags for myself, and Matt had asked me to order the colours for the 7th & 8th Neapolitan regiments while I was at it.  I just handed them over to him on the day of the game, so the next time these boys see action they will be standing proudly under their proper colours.

The battle got off to a fine start for the French.  Sada, in command of a regiment of light infantry, one of line and an artillery piece, was to move towards le Bois des Chasseurs, sieze the crossroads there, and hold it against all comers.  

Happily- and very unexpectedly given his unfortunate reputation for dice rolling- GdB de Sade managed to roll a succession of three-action commands, which saw the French quickly get into the woods and in a position to take on the British in an engagement that would soon come to resemble the chaos and short-range butchery that was Shiloh in 1862.

"Plus rapidement, plus rapidement!"

The crossroads in le Bois des Chasseurs, highlighting Sada's excellent roads.

The cavalry on both sides waits to see how the situation in the woods is likely to develop.  Note the two-tone grass fields, which is surprising as they are both GW gaming mats!

The makings of a first-class brawl...

Conifers, Canister, and Carnage, Oh my...

"Never lose sight of the Eagle, mes braves"

"Remember what happened to Milord Braddock, Rosbifs?"

The British fall back after their first attack, but rally for another assault.

Things were going well, and the French were satisfied at their progress so far in was evidently turning out to be a promising, if hard-fought, engagement. It could still go either way, but at least we had a fighting chance.

Or so we thought.

Now like me, Matt is not exactly God's gift to the fields of mathematics and statistical analysis, and his ability to accurately assess the odds of a dice roll is highly suspect.  

But Fortune clearly favours the challenged, and when Matt rolled on the third turn for reinforcements, he not only rolled doubles to bring them on, but he managed to roll for them to appear dab smack on the flank of the French attack. 

"Non!!  Pas possible!!!"

All this was very reminiscent of what happened in our last game, and suddenly the French had to deal not only with a sizeable force in front of them, but also with a regiment of Brunswick Light Infantry and the 5th Foot appearing to their right and rear.  Indeed, the latter were the heroes of the Battle of the Chateau Pignon, where they had captured an enemy eagle.
 

Don't you just HATE it when that happens?

Of course this shattered French plans and hopes.  These were overwhelming odds, especially in a game as bloody as Black Powder.  All GdB de Sade could do was to hitch up his deerskin breeches, jam his be-feathered bicorne firmly on his brow, and try to retrieve the situation as best he could.  All the time mentally composing a letter to the War Ministry, blaming the approaching débâcle on his commanding officer, or on some unfortunate subordinate or other.  

It was decided that the best course of action would be for him to extract as much of his command as he could from the woods, and to then pull his forces back to the (relative) safety of the farm and its enclosure.  We didn't have many units to spare, and couldn't afford to be lavish with French blood unless we had a reasonable chance of success.

Of course, this meant that in the absence of some very unlikely turn of events, we would have to surrender one of the crossroads to the Allies.  All we could hope for now was a draw, rendered the more palatable if we were able to bloody the noses of as many allied units we could manage. 

And we absolutely must hang on to the farmstead, and to the crossroads there.  

But naturally the Allies were by now smelling blood, and were equally determined to take it for themselves.  Despite some useless marching to the right and back, due to rolling a command blunder, the British right wing hadn't been doing much so far.  But Matt eventually got things under control, and his sizable brigade lurched forward.

Rod, doing his best "So, Mr. Bond, we meet again!" imitation.

"I say,  I'd be much obliged if you'd all be good enough to clear those fellows from that cottage for me, eh what?

Red Tide!

The British moved quickly- and in force- towards the stone cottage held by the French 1/28e légère.  Now the last time we had a game where a large force was sent to winkle a out a garrison from its building,  a Prussian regiment had managed to hold out for most of the game, inflicting heavy losses on the attackers.  So I wasn't too worried- well, let's say I was at least cautiously optimistic.
 
The 60th Rifles occupied a hill, raining down constant- and annoying- rifle fire on the defenders, while the 74th Foot was to make the first assault on the building.  

This actually cheered me considerably, as the 74th had so far earned a combat record that would make one of Joseph Bonaparte's Spanish invalid pioneer battalions- suffering from desertion, the pox and a bad outbreak of the runs- seem like the Grenadiers of the Old Guard in comparison.

"Let the winds blow high, and the winds blow low.."

"But Johnny,  yoos wearin' troosers?!"

Well, clearly these Heelanders wi' nae' kilts were tired of having the proverbial sand kicked in their faces, and this time they did the unexpected- they obeyed orders and didn't run, while conversely the defending battalion of the 28e lost its nerve, and dismally failed a break roll.    

The French were turfed out, and the 74th rushed into the cottage with wild howls of triumph, rage and thirst, as they immediately proceeded to tear up the mattresses and floorboards in search of liquid intoxicants.

God help us, but it was now up to the Neapolitans upon whom now fell the task of holding off the British onslaught from behind the farm's stone walls.  They were about to be severely tested in their combat debut, but despite setbacks, they were to prove tenacious in returning to the fight again and again, and in the face of superior odds.

"Tommies!  Thousands of 'em!"

The Regiment Principe Luciano successfully covers the retreat of deSade's brigade, where they then rally and reform.  One unit was destroyed in the flanking attack by the British/ Brunswickers.

The British proceed to try and flank the farm, while the 30th Foot prepares an attack on the Neapolitans.   Note the surprising development in the Allied rear... 

With two units sent packing off the table, the French were now in the position for dice for their own reinforcements.  Much to the chagrin of the Allies  I promptly rolled a double six, which had a French brigade, boldly marching to the sound of the guns, appear unexpectedly on the table edge directly behind the Allies!

"We're baaack!

This at first this would seem a battle-winning situation- think Kulm in 1813 during the Leipzig campaign- in fact it was less than ideal, and if they had come in from our rear or along either flank they would have been much more useful.    

In fact it was more like the French stumbling across the Allied horde as they did at Battle of Fère-Champenoise in 1814, with similar results...

By coming in on the Allied rear they would certainly slow down the enemy attack, but from the get-go they were outnumbered and in the open in ground firmly held by the Allies- including cavalry.  Still, they would buy at least some time while the remaining French units on the table tried to consolidate around the farm buildings.

The Allies soon recover from the surprise...

...and turn to face the new threat.

Enter the hitherto un-engaged Light Dragoons.

The infantry make short work of one French regiment.  

(Note the vivid green base for the French brigadier.  Matt had just given me these spare Foundry miniatures, and as we found ourselves in need of another French command stand, they were immediately pressed into service, mounted on the back of  a green sticky label!)

..and the dragoons gleefully run down the second, who are unable to form square.  Oh, well...

Heartbreaking.  Simply heartbreaking.  But at least their gallant sacrifice bought a little time.  Meanwhile,  back at the ranch things are getting grim.  

The 1/5e légère make it to the shelter of the wall, and from there go on to occupy the inn, where they trade shots with a  self-satisfied (and by now well-lubricated) 74th Foot, still garrisoning the cottage where they are content to pop off a few rounds at any French head that shows itself.

"Hold, lads, HOLD!!"

The 30th approach the stone wall, while the Neapolitans nervously await.

"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!"

The first attack fails, but the 30th soon tries again.

Only to fail a break test, the result of an excess casualty caused by sniper fire from the inn!

...but more allies are on the way.

And there are more where they came from.  While the 5th Foot and Brunswickers advance, the British are reminded that they actually need to have a unit physically occupying the crossroads!  An artillery battery moves to the centre, and sets up the cooking kettles for the day.

Right, tea's up!

It's the turn of the 95th to attack, and the Neapolitans come within an ace of sending these elite troops packing! That would have been most satisfying for the French, who now see the writing on the wall as the British have moved a unit directly onto the crossroads at the centre of the farmhouse, where musket and artillery fire have sent the 1/5e légère packing.  

This leaves just the Neapolitans and the Lancers of the Guard, the latter having spent the entire game uselessly milling about  the rear moving from one perceived threat to another, without actually doing anything or influencing events.  Clearly life in the Guard cavalry meant a fairly good chance of getting out of the Napoleonic wars in one piece.

But the Neapolitans made a fight of it, and proved to be made of pretty tenacious stuff.  Three times in total they were repulsed from the wall, and on two occasions went straight back again, and as mentioned almost had the pleasure of handing Mr. Sharpe's butt to him on a platter, had Rod not rolled really high for his break test.

The last push-back was the result of having the Brunswickers arrive on the Neapolitan flank.  However, and despite being over their break point, the lads refused to flee, and only grudgingly gave ground as they retreated slowly and in good order to the rear.

"All right, then- we'll call it a draw!"

Time and opportunity had run out for the French, and it was a decisive Allied win.  But honour was satisfied for all.  The Neapolitans had done very well in their first engagement.  On the other side the 74th Foot had taken its first steps along the long road of redemption for past sins on the battlefield.  And we ended the game exhausted but very pleased with the way the scenario had worked out.  

The disappointment for me was my lancers, and I never used them as well as I could, as there was not really the terrain available for deploying them as most of the fighting was around le Bois des Chasseurs and the enclosed farmhouse.  It didn't help that I dithered over which flank they would be best deployed on, and should have understood that it is no good sending them to reinforce infantry in areas that are not good going for horse, no matter how hard-pressed the foot may be.

Of course cavalry needs to be as part of a combined-arms instrument.  But I do wonder if it is more effective when brigaded with at least one other horse regiment, and preferably some horse artillery too, or else it risks very much becoming a one-shot weapon.

Next game we will be fielding more infantry on both sides, and now that we have three gaming mats (Rod bought himself one as well),  it looks like we can start having games on tables that are as wide as they are deep, which should make for some neat situations.  I also saw Sada's river, which along with his pontoons will just cry out for a bridgehead scenario.

¡La Emboscada! The Battle of La Mononguela, 1812

Our first Napoleonics game of the year!  It ended up being another somewhat ad-hoc affair, but nevertheless we achieved a clear conclusion,  in a game which saw some interesting swings in fortune during the course of the action.  A very enjoyable afternoon's entertainment, especially if your sympathies lie with His Britannic Majesty's forces in the Peninsula. 

This game was not the one we had planned for.  Our collections are growing, and as we now have two GW grass mats, my original idea was to try a "road movie" scenario, with a French column in the Peninsula escorting a small convoy of gold, rations, ammunition, dispatches, and fine wines from one end of the table to a strategic walled town  on the other. Blocking their way would be a well-situated and fortified- but small- Allied force, tasked with holding up the column long enough for incremental, but eventually overwhelming, reinforcements to arrive. 

If the French could have pushed past the blocking force and get to the walled town with the goodies before the Anglo-Allied horde swallowed them up, they would win. If not- well, it would be a few unexpected bottles of fine Medoc Grand Cru accompanying Milord Wellington's celebratory supper this evening.

I had worked out distances, forces, victory conditions, even some very-nicely done (if I don't say so myself!) chance event cards, not to mention some wagons and buildings. I was really looking forward to this one.

So what happens? It turns out that that Matt- who has the lions' share of British and Allied troops- couldn't make the game after all, as he has to take his wife to the maternity clinic for a routine scan. Shoganai, as they say in Japanese- it just can't be helped, and I'm sure Matt was as disappointed as we were.  So it was back to the drawing board.  Merde! 

A quick muster among the rest of us showed that we had just enough units for another small game, and so we decided to give it a go anyway.   The French outnumbered the Allies by a few units, and they had a unit of guard lancers at their disposal, whereas the Allies had no cavalry at all.  

So we decided on an ambush scenario, with two allied units visible and another two using hidden placement.  The French would be the unwitting victims, entering the table in column of march.  They would have more men, but no inkling of what was awaiting them. 

Anglo-Allies:

• 30th Foot (Cambridgeshire)
• 44th Foot (East Essex)
• detachment, 95th Rifles
• 1 9pdr. section, Royal Artillery
• 1 10pdr. licorne section, Russian Horse Artillery (secretly sent by the Tsar as a goodwill gesture.  Bear with us here....)

French:

• 1/5e légère
• 1/28e légère
• 1/17 de ligne
• 2e régiment de chevau-légers lanciers de la Garde Impérial
• 2 6pdr. sections, French artillery

Rod was the commander of the Allied forces, with Giovanni as his 2nd in command.  Sada and I directed the French.  

This was Giovanni's first time to play Napoleonics and Black Powder, but he soon picked up the basics and got well into the flow of things (in fact, he's now working on some Bavarians for a future game!).

As it turned out, the game ended up once again taking a lot longer to play out than we thought it would, and once again, Black Powder demonstrated that it is not a rule set that requires hordes and hordes of troops in order to provide an entertaining wargame.

So, on the report.  Lots of pictures in this one! 

July, 1812, and the British are on the move in the campaign that will culminate in the Battle of Salamanca.  Unaware of the presence of the British, a French brigade is marching in column of route destined for Ciudad Rodrigo, as part of an attempt to recapture the fortress which was taken by the Allies earlier in the year.  

Their journey is to take them through the village of La Mononguela, where they are to stop for the day after a long, hot and dusty march.  The weary Frenchmen are looking forward to the prospect of an evening of well-earned R&R.  

However, their hopes are soon to be dashed, as they march on blissfully unaware that les Rosbifs, part of an advanced guard of Gen. Leith's 5th Division has already beaten them to la Mononguela.  

The British had occupied the village the previous evening.  Just after dawn, local Spanish shepherds report to the English commander that a sizable French column can be seen approaching down the road to Ciudad Rodrigo.  Riding out to see for himself, he sees that the French are indeed heading his way.  He immediately orders a detachment of the 95th Rifles to watch and report back on the French movements.  

Sensing an opportunity, and despite the disparity in numbers, he decides the best course of action is boldly bushwhacking the unsuspecting column as it nears the settlement.  Wasting no time, he deploys his forces accordingly.

"Nice place for a picnic, n'est-pas?"

The French order of march sees the 1/5e légère leading the column, followed by the 1/17 de ligne and a section of 6pdr artillery, all under the command of Gen. de Sade.  The remainder of the force is bringing up the rear with the cavalry at the tail of the column.  These are under the command of Général Victor-Eugène Bouillon-Cantinat- unfortunately suffering from the effects of heat exhaustion after the exertions of the day's march. 

(Thus justifying this fine officer's command rating of a lowly six- this was an attempt to balance out the force disparity for the game, but ended up giving the allies too much of an advantage as I think I managed to pass a total of three command rolls all day!)  

Not expecting any enemy forces in the area, and the local guerrilla forces having long since been pacified, the French have not felt it necessary to organize any proper reconnaissance parties.  Great, then, is the surprise and consternation of the officers and men of the Fifth, as out of the hazy distance appear the red coats of the 44th Foot (East Essex) Regiment, now firmly placed across the road leading into La Mononguela.

 

 

But these gallant veterans of Wagram are used to the din and danger of combat, and gamely advance towards the foe.  "Vive l'empereur!!!" 

After a long march through the heat and torpor of the Spanish summer, the French are slow to respond.  The Fifth find themselves unsupported while the remainder of the column stands stock still, like so many deer frozen in the British headlights as their officers frantically try to assess the situation.  

The Fifth tardily form line, but another nasty surprise is in store as  yet another British battalion- the 30th Foot- appears over the crest of a hill, almost directly upon their right flank. 

"Nom d'un chien!"

The only saving grace for the French is that the British infantry, in its haste to get at the enemy, manoeuvres within the Russian licorne's arc of fire, preventing it from firing.  But the situation is bad enough for les bleus.

Hit markers courtesy of "My Little Pony", it seems...

Taking fire from two sides, the casualties soon start to mount up.  But the  regiment holds on tenaciously, and passes its first break test. 

The rest of the column tries to shake itself into some kind of order.  But in their excitement and confusion, the men are slow to respond to the contradictory and confused bellowing of their officers.

"Order! Mon Dieu, get the men into some kind of ORDER!  Those are cannonballs, not turds!"

"All I know is that the fighting's up there, and we're stuck back here! Time yet for a clay pipe, lads!"

The 17e de ligne manages at last to hasten forwards, attempting to form attack column and to support the hard-pressed Fifth.  But they are slowed by an annoying inability of the French command to roll for more than one action at a time at best.

 

Being in column of route, the 17e de ligne are in a position to make at least some progress towards the enemy.  In Black Powder, units in column of route get at least one action, even if they fail their command roll.  And the French were not having much luck with the dice today!

But just as they were about to deploy, men start to fall all around them as from out of the woods on their right, well-aimed rifle fire tears into their ranks. 

It's the dreaded 95th Rifles, who on appearing from behind cover, surge forward and infiltrate the woods.  There they promptly pour a wicked fusillade of rifle bullets into the right flank of the hapless French infantry.

Simultaneously, the battered 5e légère, after having taken numerous casualties from the two infantry battalions and the Russian licorne, finally collapse under the pressure and flee rapidly to the rear.  The odds are getting better for the British.

The 17e -remarkably- pass a crucial command roll, and are able to disengage from the riflemen on their flank.  They then immediately move off towards the left to deploy in line in a gap between two small hills.  The French artillery move with them at the gallop, to set up their gun on the far hill which overlooks the allied position.

 A volley into the woods causes the 95th to fall back, but casualties are minimal.

The situation appears to be improving for the French, but it remains very much touch and go.  Rod and Giovanni consult on their next moves, while Frank, visiting from a miniature painting club here in Tokyo, looks on.

The French artillery unlimber and prepare to fire.  

Sada did a great job on modelling this Perry Miniatures artillery piece.  The barrel and carriage are separate, and can be configured either firing or in transit.  When the gun is in action, he replaces it with the caisson.

The caisson lid can be opened.  The visual effect is superb, and it drew a lot of admiration from the other players and from onlookers throughout the afternoon.  It really added a lot to the game! 

 

The French deploy into firing line, but are already taking hits from the Russian artillery.  That Russian licorne has earned a fearsome reputation for accuracy on the battlefield over the last year, and this game was to be no exception.

The 30th Foot begin an advance towards the French line, taking the opportunity to shoot at the artillery along the way. 

 

The 30th then pour a volley into the 17e at close range.  Ouch! Many men fall, giving their lives for France.   Four hits, but the regiment passes its break test.

However, a second volley has them retire back in disorder...

...while the licorne also succeeds in disordering the exposed French artillery.  Beset on all sides, it fails its subsequent break test; the crew quickly limber up and ignominiously head to the rear.

"Run awaaaaay!"

Gen. de Sade, his command reduced to a mere one battalion, makes good use of the "Follow Me" order and rallies the shaken 17e de ligne.  They regain both their composure and their courage, and once more enter the fray. "Vive la France!" 

Meanwhile the rest of the French column finally finds itself engaged.  The  1/28e légère forms attack column, and sends its skirmishers to clear the riflemen in the woods, while a section of 6pdr. guns and the lancers move to the flank in support.

"Zis is not Hollywood, you mad English officer-type!"

"Go away, you blond Yorkshire-accent-speaking types. We break ze garlic-fuelled wind in your general direction!"

The voltigeurs take on the tenacious riflemen, and with the support of a couple of well-time shots from the 6pdr, make the woods too hot a place for the green-clad devils to hang around in.

Back to the trials and tribulations of the 17e.  They close again with the 30th Foot, and in a sharp exchange of fire...

The 30th Foot is broken!  

The French rejoice in their first real success of the game. The British are now reduced to the 44th East Essex Regiment and the licorne, as the 95th have been seen off by more artillery fire.  Could this be the turning point?

Alas for the reputation of French arms, t'was not to be. 

Now came one of those occasions in military history where a regiment was to achieve results well above and beyond what anyone would have expected.  Think of the 20th Maine at Little Round Top in 1863, or of the Bayreuth Dragoons at Hohenfriedberg in 1745, and this was the kind of reputation which the East Essex was to earn this day.

Before the 17e has had time to catch their breath, the 44th fall upon them.  This time the gallant Frenchmen, having had passed numerous break tests in the face of all odds, have finally had enough.  They melt away towards the rear like snow on a hot stove.

"Sauve qui peut!"

Emboldened by their success, and by the inability of the French to throw anything near a decent command roll, the English commander issues a "Follow Me!" order, and promptly finds himself rewarded with three actions.   He hurls himself against the 28e légère. 

This unfortunate regiment had earlier suffered a command blunder (the only one of the game), and had fallen back towards the edge of the table.  They manage to survive a volley of the 44th, but on attempting to counter-charge suffered devastating closing fire.  Failing their break point roll miserably, they are unceremoniously sent packing.

And then there were none... almost!

In an insane act of bravado the English, again under the (very useful) "Follow Me" order, promptly wheel and advance to close range of the French lancers, and give it a rolling volley.  They fail to inflict any hits, but are able to form square in response to the inevitable French counter-charge.

At this point the frustrated French called it a day.  Cavalry unsupported by infantry or guns are helpless against squares, and with the artillery too far away to support the cavalry before they would be whittled away by enemy musketry, it was apparent for the French command that the day was irretrievably lost.

A credible performance and well-earned victory on the part of the Allies.  The French could take comfort in the tenacious performance of Gen. de Sade's command, especially that of the 17e de ligne, who managed to survive numerous break point rolls before finally succumbing to the inevitable.

Another great game, and as I mentioned it lasted a lot longer than we expected it would given the size of the forces involved.  With hindsight, we penalized the French more than we need have done given that although they outnumbered the allies, they were being surprised in column of route.   It's been a while since our last game, and we forgot just how unforgiving low command ratings can be.  Giving the overall commander a pathetic rating of six made it almost impossible for them to react in any coherent way.  The allies had the initiative from the get-go, and never really lost it.

Next time I think we will increase the command values across the board, least of all to avoid frustration.  Although the way Sada and I were rolling, even giving the French commander a command value as high as nine would have been challenging enough!

It is pleasantly surprising just how well Black Powder plays with small  forces, but we are itching to play larger games.  Hopefully next month the planets will line up, we'll all be available to play with new units to take the field, and who knows; maybe we'll finally be able to start using the brigade morale rules.

Looking forward to February 27th, our next gaming day!  Maybe I'll get that convoy scenario in after all.