Waterloo Game

To commemorate the bicentennial anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo my Bro Jay and I have been planning a big game of Black Powder to coincide with the anniversary at his pub the Marquis of Lorne in Gillingham, Kent. Unfortunately due to work and time constraints I wasn't able to get enough figures done so we decided to do a series of linked skirmish games using the Musket and Tomahawk rules.

We played 4 games, in total, first was the recreation of the French attack at Hougamont Farm, The second was the French cavalry attacks. Third game was the British advance, and the final game was the Prussian attack on Plancenoit. Initially the campaign was going to be 3 games, so I had only drawn up scenarios for the first 3 games with victory points towards the campaign progression, so haven't included the final Plancenoit battle in the outcome.

 I had intended to add Hannoverians and Nassau forces, as well as more French of various types, however was unable to get these finished in time, so our games were very much a British versus French affair.

Hougamont

This battle saw us set up the farm complex in the top center of the 6x4 board we would be using for all 4 games. This scenario required the French to break into the courtyard of Hougamont and remain there for an entire turn. The British would win if they managed to prevent this. 

 

The winner would receive 2 Victory points towards the campaign total. I had 2 units of riflemen, and 2 units of light infantry in the complex, and had to hold out against recycling waves of small units of French Line, Chasseurs and Grenadiers for 8 turns.

 On the 4th turn the British forces were reinforced with some more Guards infantry. This was a very hard fought battle, we both forgot to take note of just how many casualties but the sharp shooters on the roof took a heavy toll on the French.

Towards the end of the battle the French did break into the farm complex, but were cut down. They nearly broke in a second time, but were driven back at the very last minute with a few short range musket volleys. If we had played another turn or two the outcome may have been different, but ultimately it was a victory for the British!

2 Victory Points to British!

Charge!

This scenario pitched waves of French cavalry (Lancers as that was all we had) attacking the British Squares and guns. We ruled that the squares couldn't move, and could only fire from each facing. The melee rules in M&T are a little weak with regards to cavalry, so we left those as they were. Victory points in this scenario were awarded with 1 point being awarded for each gun destroyed or square broken. To break a square the cavalry had to kill an entire facing. Conversely British forces recieved a victory point for each gun and square surviving at the end of turn 6. The French took a lot of casualties, but were ultimately able to break one square, and see off the crews of both guns. The final British square was too much for them though, and they were finally driven off.

3 Victory Points to the French, and 1 for the British!

The British Advance

This was intended to be the final battle of our linked scenarios, however we ended up playing one further game after this. 

 The scenario this time was for the both forces to score points for destroying the opposing forces units, and bonus points for being in their deployment zone. 1 Victory point was awarded per unit destroyed, and 2 additional points for having a unit in within 12 inches of the opposing players table edge. 

 Forces involved were 4 ten man line units, 2 5 man rifle units and 2 5 man light units for for the British, against 2 10 man line units, a 12 man line unit, a command unit, and a small unit each of grenadiers and chasseurs for the French, as well as some lancers.

Jay had possibly the worst luck with dice I have ever seen in all my years of gaming, whereas mine was spectacular, this combined to allow the British to annihilate the French for minimal casualties. 

7 Victory points to the British, The French, Erm...

Plancenoit

We had a bit of time left and a new player, so decided to do a small, plancenoitish game, with 2 units of 10 Prussian Line against 12 French Line, 4 Grenadiers and 4 Chasseurs. This used a similar scenario to the Hougamont game, except the Prussians weren't going to be recycled. 

They had to get to the centre of Plancenoit and then hold it for a turn, with 2 Victory points being awarded to the Prussians if they managed it, and to the French if they managed to defend.This was another very bloody game that came right down to the wire, ultimatly though the French Chasseurs managed to drive off the Prussians, and that was the end of the game.

2 Points to the French!

Total Victory Points for the campaign

10 points to the British and allies, 5 for the French.

 

This was a very fun series of linked games, and I urge anyone to give it a go, even if it requires thinking outside the box a little As ever you can see more of my work here at Volley Fire Painting service and if your in Kent and are interested in having a game in a pub, drop Jay a message at The Marquis of Lorne Ale house