On the Plain before Peendeforde {2}

Monday afternoon saw Phil and I ensconced in GHQ prepared to fight out to a conclusion the game we started two weeks ago (see earlier Blog entry if you missed it.) In yesterday's post, 'Intermission', I suggested that the game might last an hour before a French victory. Well, I was not quite right; in fact it lasted almost two hours before the inevitable conclusion for the Allies. A few annotated photos will suffice to give an overall feel for the Allies' unequal struggle ~

In Turn 7, the first of today's turns, the French Dragoons sweep away the Shaken British Light Dragoons. A sweeping advance carries them into the hapless Hanoverian infantry caught in line who are unsurprisingly destroyed too!  The Hompsch Hussars hurry to the safety of the town in my turn, leaving the sole remaining Hanoverian infantry unit to form square ~

Despite annoying fire from the French Infantry skirmishers in the woods, the Hanoverian's discipline holds and their firepower sees off the French Dragoons! However, they are finally Disordered by the fire in Turn 8 and charged by the French Chevaux Legere. They do not do any better than their sister regiment and are swept from the field too! The Allies' right flank is wide open!

With the destruction of their right flank, the Allies' cause is already looking shaky, attention switches to the action on the left flank ~

On the Allies' left flank the Royal Artillery 9lbers continue to do good service, sweeping away two Shaken French infantry battalions. They are however on borrowed time and in Turn 8 they are charged by a Battalion of Elites and destroyed. Despite this set back, the infantry brigade to their flank is holding and doing great execution amongst the French trying to force the hedge and wall line.

Back in the Allied centre, the 42nd holding the town come under sustained fire from French infantry and their supporting artillery. They are eventually broken in Turn 9, meaning the Allies have lost the game as the remainder of their army leaves the field to the victorious French.

A terrible drubbing for the Allies, in truth, only mitigated by some appalling dice throwing from Phil which gave some brief hope of a miracle survival, which sadly soon dissipated like the morning mists...
I'm off to Scotland tomorrow for a few days R&R, which clearly I am in great need of! I hope to take in Claymore on Saturday, at least for part of the day, and look up my chums Kevin, David, Colin and their ilk." Bickleys Awa!"as I believe they say oop north!