2015 Black Powder Scenario

From a local United States Blogger Spanish Ulcer Napoleonics

https://woolshedwargamer.com/2015/10/26/action-at-the-crossroads-at-san-felipe/https://woolshedwargamer.com/2015/10/26/action-at-the-crossroads-at-san-felipe/

ACTION AT THE CROSSROADS AT SAN FELIPE

OCTOBER 26, 2015 BRIANSMALLER 5 COMMENTS

An after action report of a small Napoleonic game using Black Powder rules. A French advance guard bumps into a small Spanish holding force, backed by a few battalions of British who are marching to support them.

Spanish

Three battalions of regular infantry, three militia battalions, three partisan bands and two batteries.

British

Two light infantry battalions, a battalion of rifles (split into two Tiny units and one Small) and a regiment of Light Dragoons.

French

Three brigades of infantry, one battery, two cavalry regiments.

Set Up

The Spanish started in possession of the hacienda and the village of San Felipe.  They had a strong position on the left behind the stone walls that lined the road. One guerrilla band occupied the hacienda and armed priests started at the church. The final guerrilla band was hidden from the French. Two British rifle companies started on the board – one with the hidden guerrilla unit and one in the hamlet north of the crossroads.

Black Powder Test Games - Giga bites cafe - River Fight

Had a great time showing Steve Smith from NC and Wes Shores the Black Powder rules at Giga Bites on Saturday afternoon - Pictures to follow of the three test games - It was a fun series of games - Also some pictures of other stuff to be added On Volleyfire VSF

1. French Infantry  vs British Infantry

French repulsed

2. French Infantry and Artillery v. British Infantry and Artillery

French repulsed / British enfiladed one Polish column causing an important break from fire

3. French Brigades of Infantry and Elite Mixed Guards Brigade cavalry with attached artillery

v.

British Brigades of Infantry and cavalry with attached artillery
(Special unit of AA Captain Sharke and his band of rifles just for a change of pace)

Colonel Steve joined in and opened up with a blunder move for Napoleon's Brigade as an important attack stalled.

Mini La Haye Sainte Napoleonics

In a fresh venture using 4Ground  Scenics David Parente and I pushed some classic minis in a sample battle at Giga Bites using Black Powder - this was the second battle of the day.

This time the French were Pushing on the left and the right, while David attacked the center
Got to use his guns this time (as opposed to Game 1)

No Blunder Moves this time either! OOPS except for the 95th rifles

British Advance to attempt a frontal assault in "french" style

David and his artillery die roll or was this his close range musketry

British Artillery firing

Scattering Artillery fire using cannister into the rear of British lights in the sand pit 

More effective musketry of David's

The Dragoons flank attack from another view

The Dragoons Commanded by Marshal Catch the British line in the flank

and yes enfilade does cause a lot of damage

The 28th French Line Assault the gravel pit, 

while the French Dragoons have routed one British line

 and are following up on the second

The 5th Legere and Chassuers of the guard penetrate the flank of the British and ROUT the Highlanders

Love this Giga Bites terrain piece elevated graveyard ruins for artillery -

not much for effective artillery fire though

The French lights skirmish and assault Mini La Haye Sainte

French Light Horse artillery pestering the 42nd British Lights

La Haye Sainte Black Powder Napoleonic's Game One

First Game with David Parente La Haye Sainte Full Size Napoleonics - Blunder Move Artillery

Rob Tuttle joined the French Side with a new player Calvin on the British side with David Parente

We divided La Haye Sainte into a 4 block BUA. Used reduced Musket and Rifle ranges and reduced movement for both cavalry and infantry, also Artillery. Murat and Ney were in command.

La Haye Sainte other terrain is just for asthetics

4 Brigades of French with a Battalion of Chasseurs of the Guard

The British Moving to resist the French Juggernaut

OOOPS the British Artillery Blunders attempting to re-position itself

The Blunder Move straight forward

The British Highlander commander in the Highland spirit

as he outflanked and enfiladed the Polish 3rd Battalion of line

Nasty Melee as Highlanders teach the French not to present a flank to an opponent

 (blame it on Ney not seeing the Highlanders for the tall corn)

 Quatra Brau all over again

Proper French Advance in the old way The British held for one turn and then well overwhelming force

Round Two of the Melee lucky for the Polish they disordered the Highlanders

Rob assaults Le Haye Sainte (2nd Blunder Move took part of the 95th Rifles off table for three turns)

Rob continues the Assault into La Haye Sainte with the 8th Legere

followed by the Polish 1st Battalion and Neu Chatel Battalion

The bloody fight as the Polish

Rob Tuttle - Commands the French Assault

David and Calvin contemplate the next British advance as the 

French Chassuers of the Guard retreated from the Broken Polish ROUT

French prpare to advance

The Highlanders are caught disordered by french Dragoons and the Chasseurs of the Old Guard

British support of La Haye Saint fails

Remains of British Brigade covering retreat of British Highlanders

Out flanked British Brigades

French crush the British left Flank but the Prussians are not far off

and Ney has expended the French Cavalry Reserve

The 95th and 60th rifles are out matched by the strength of french forces in La Haye Sainte assault

The Fight in La Haye Sainte Continues

Black Powder ideas in Washington

 

 

Interesting blog link for Black Powder Napoleonic's from WAB in Washington State

Napoleon and his Generals

Brigade Commanders

http://wabcorner.blogspot.com/search/label/Napoleonic%20-%20Black%20Powder

Napoleonic Campaign action 1813 Skirmish Cavalry action

In  a little side action for a PBEM campaign today and inspired by the MBA convention from the weekend a little action near Dresden Skirmish cavalry Brigade French vs Allies - Used a combination of Black Powder and Wellington Wars - Unknown to French Commander one of his Bavarian allied Cavalry regimental commanders had negotiated defecting to the Allies for his regiment to join the alliance cause. At a key point in the Battle the Bavarian Commander defected to the Russians.

 Look for the key D 20 die roll

 

 Pictures follow
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>
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The action is 60 miles north of Dresden; 84 Miles east north east of Leipzig
>
The situation is where the Prussian/Russian forces under  Blucher are
 probing deeper towards an unknown French force.  The Prussians have
 5th Silesian Landwehr Cavalry Regiment while the Russians have
Alexandria Hussar Regiment, Dorpat Chasseur à Cheval  Regiment

 and Gzov #3 Don Cossack Regiment

doing these deep probe  reconnaissance actions.
>> >> >> >>
 Getting in the way are cavalry patrols from the First  Cavalry Corps,
 First Light Cavalry Division, 3rd Light Cavalry Brigade: Général de brigade Piquet,

which has in its numbers:

5th Chevauléger-lancier Regiment,

8th Chevauléger-lancier Regiment,

and 1st  Italian Chasseur à cheval Regiment.

> Additional support

Bavarian Light Cavalry Regiment (defecting on a d20 die roll descending)

 

Russians

 

French forces advancing

 

Bavarians attack

 

Russian Chasseurs defeated

 

The Bavarian defection roll

 

Bavarian Cavalry defect to the Russians and Prussian Landwehr Cavalry

 

Allied Cavalry redeploying the Skirmish line

 

French Cavalry Attack after seizing the initiative

 

Russian Hussars and French Cavalry Lancers Melee fiercely

 

Napoleon watching the Skirmish Battle as his Guard Cavalry escort moves into position

 

 

 

Caught Standing and in the flank Bavarians and Russian Chasseurs are trashed

 

Final Key Cavalry skirmish

 

Broken Prussian Landwehr

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main Cavalry Skirmish to the rear

 

The Shattered Allied Cavalry Line

 

 

Shattered Landwehr Cavalry Breaking resulting in Sweeping Advance

 

> finishing up a little solo cavalry action in the basement. Pictures to follow
> long story short threw in extra cavalry regiment for the French 
> which had a descending die roll on a D20 to defect in the game 
> (Saxons and Bavarians did this during the Battle of Leipzig 1813, At 
> a key moment in the game during a charge at the Allied lines the 
> Bavarian unit defects (I rolled a 20) on the 4th turn LOL
> I thought this was so like the actual action by Bavarians at Leipzig 
> I am like this sucks for the French - But French get initiative and 
> Charge catching the Russians redeploying skirmish line to 
> accommodate turncoat Bavarians destroying  Prussian Landwehr unit 
> that opens up the remaining rear of Allied Brigade - Still touch and 
> go for the French French Elite unit almost won second round of melee 
> but they just passed through each other.Russians have recovered 
> disorder. French Frozen by disorders. Came Close to breaking entire 
> Allied Brigade

 

 

French won the final skirmishes - Although it was close and even 
> though the Cossacks had beaten the Elite French Hussars in the first 
> round of the final Melee before the Russian Hussars could deliver a 
> coup degrace. The addition of the Bavarian Cavalry did not save the 
> Allied Cavalry at Brigade Morale - Allied Cavalry went streaming 
> back towards the Prussian lines - while the emperor, Napoleon 
> watched Proudly watched as the Italian chasseur's broke first the 
> Prussian Landwehr, then The turn-coat Bavarians before catching the 
> other Elite Russian Hussars in the rear on a sweeping advance 
> breaking them as well.

 

 Broken Brigade rule gave French the win a minor tactical victory

 

 

Rules used were a combination of Wellington's Rules for Random 
> orders and Black Powder for strength and melee values. Other special 
> rules were considered but discarded for ease of play.