A game and so much more!

Today Hekke and I set out to play a small game featuring my Landwehr which has not seen the face of battle yet. As we where preparing for the game Erik, my "old usual" opponent, the guy with the Britts, shows up and I invite him to join in which he gladly did. Quite a nice surprise for me, just a few weeks ago I was the "sole member", now having two friends glad to play. We increased the size of our forces, see OoB below (still a quite small battle), and I happily took the role as Umpire.
We played in our club venue on a 6 by 8 foot table, lengthwise! The Prussians were to defend one short edge of the table and the French were to attack. This allowed the Prussians to bombard the French for a few turns before impact. The main road is said to lead to an strategically important town and the Prussians take the stream as their main defensive line.

Warning, rant below!
We are very lucky to have a game-club in our town. I and many of my friends take pride in our club and our venue which is perfectly located in the central of our town. We are just around twenty active members in our club. During weekends you are certain to find activity in the venue but if you walk down spontaneously during the weekdays you often find yourself alone. I don't know why but as soon as I'm supposed to have a game (once every three months or so) the venue is sure as hell filled with loud, yelling members milling about, using our chairs, squeezing them self past me a the table, bumping in to my back, bumping in to the table, interrupting me with irrelevant questions, picking up miniatures etc etc. Several times today (a Thursday, venue usually gaping empty), we couldn't even hear what the player on the other side of the table was saying. We took several mutual "mental time outs", just staring out into a void, quietly wishing they all would shut up or go home. Of cause this is no way to teat fellow members of our little club. Its like a horrible curse, I'm doomed to find myself with a headache from hell each time I'm lucky to have a game. Maybe I'm just getting old, sad indeed.


French OoB
C in C, poor
GdB, poor
3x36 Line Infantry
GdB, average
3x36 Line Infantry
1x18 Cuirassiers


Prussian OoB
C in C, poor
GdB, average
3x32 2nd line Infantry
4x 9pdr guns, 2nd class
GdB, average
2x12 Hussars, Light

 Erik organizing his force.

Hekke deploying his artillery in a great position on a hill protected by the stream. French miniatures standing in for lacking Prussians.

French force ready to go.

Prussians ready to receive.

Erik starts to marching his troops down the length of the table.

The Prussian C in C abandon his initial battle plan, instead remaining idle for a while and inspecting French movement. French Hussars standing in for Prussians again. 

Now we see activity amongst the defenders which move up into better positions to receive the French.

Marching across the open ground.

 Getting closer.

Prussian artillery cause sporadic casualties amongst the French heavy cavalry. Erik always moved the cavalry a few inches ahead of his infantry much to Hekkes rejoice, the unit is thereby a priority target for the artillery. 

An initial charge by the Cuirassiers fails much to the relief to the Prussian C in C.

This is the French right flank.

A good overview of the battle, Prussian Hussars is finally swinging in to activity after a loss of nerve delay.

French columns are closing in.

Voltigeurs flanking a Prussian battalion and seizing the small walled BUA. 

View from the French commander. Smoke from  musketry duels in the distance.

A French battalion forms square effectively anchoring the entire left flank and protecting if from the Hussars.

Voltigeurs has entered the building and takes pot shots at enemy cavalry, the battalion square has also opened fire.

French side is, considering the uneven forces, unsurprisingly declared winner. With Hussars way off and only a slowly evaporating artillery unit left the Prussians would have a hard time standing their ground. The Cuirassiers finally charged home and dispersed its target before it had a chance to form square.

After the game we spent a few minutes discussing the scenario. Perhaps the Prussians should have been allowed to deploy 3 feet in instead of just one foot? Lacking skirmishers is a huge disadvantage, but what could we do, my collection is lacking vital parts to say the least. We also briefly talked about my planned Prussian force, both Erik and Hekke showed interest in helping out a bit with the painting so to get propper forces on the table quicker, very nice. We also agreed that it would be really cool when we could allow ourself to paint some units of exotic minor allies, and maybe a full division of Austrians by Victrix etc etc. Talking and planning about the future in this sense put a smile on my face because it shows there is a hope for Napoleonics in my town.