Sunday 14 August 2011

1815 Mini Campaign. "Battle for the Farm".


The outcome of our first scenario dictates that the second battle will be "Battle for the Farm". As the winner of the first scenario, I playing the French will attack against the allied second force, a brigade of Prussians. The Prussians had half its units on the table as the attack commenced and the second half was in reserve and it had to be rolled off to see when it entered. Not only did the Prussians cease the initiative, the reserves showed up as fast as they could, in the second turn.
So this was a lost cause for Prince Jerome Bonapart, if he attacks and against all odds takes the farm, casualties would no doubt be so horrendous that the division would not stand up to a fight in the second half of the day. And if he lets the Prussians keep the farm the campaign score would be one to one, putting a lot of pressure on himself and General Foy to win it later in the day.
But retiring of the table when everything has been set up and prepared is no fun, so I went for it! I successfully pinned my opponents flank with my Dragoons, then deployed the horse gun battery and scored fine casualties on the Prussian infantry in square. Three battalions assaulted straight ahead on the farm, the fight wavered back and forth. A defending Musketeer battalion even tried to charge when the French battalions faltered and was unformed, but the assault never went home.
The rest of my infantry tried to attack the farm from the flank going through the open woods. This attack was too slow and to late to make an impact. In the end melee broke out inside the farm area but the Prussians were to numerous and the French had to retire.
The score is now one to one and the next battle the British and Prussian join to face both my tattered forces of French. My forces are in fare worse condition then my opponents so this will be hard think thing to win.


French Order of Battle.
Divisional General Prince Jerome Bonapart
~
Brigade General Baudin
6x24 Line Infantry
9 Skirmishers
4x6pdr's foot
~

Brigade General Picquet
1x12 Dragoons
3x6pdr's horse

Prussian Order of Battle.

Brigade General Wiemer
 ~
Regiment General Stangertz
2x32 Line Musketeers
1x24 Line Fusiliers
12 Jaegers
~
Regiment General Dukmer
2x32 Line Musketeers
1x24 Line Fusiliers
12 Jaegers
4x 6pdr's foot

















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