Battle of Sittzenstyll

 Phil and I were chewing the hobby fat last week over at Olaf'sHQ following a rather splendid, but ultimately rather disappointing from my view, C3rd Romans v Goths game - I lost when looking well placed to win courtesy of Phil's atypically good dice rolls! In reviewing our games since the final Borisbans were removed we realised we had tackled neither a SYW nor a FRW game in GHQ. So, this week's game is a simple encounter game I've entitled the 'Battle of Sittzenstyll' to give my SYW collection a run out. It features all the units I've painted baring two camp scenes, some civilian figures, and a few odds and ends.

The armies deploy for battle! The French have an advantage in numbers of infantry regiments in the field, the British have more artillery available. The opening moves see the artillery most in action while both army's cavalry wings are uncharacteristically restrained. (I had decided on a defensive posture at the start of the game while I saw where Phil's main effort may lie. A mistake as it turned out I think.)

As artillery of both sides fired away, largely ineffectively to begin with, I pushed the Wild Geese forward in the centre of the line to draw out Phil's Foot Guards. 

The Foot Guards have thrown their combined Grenadier companies forward while the Foot regiments to their flank advance to clear away the Voluntaires from the wooded are. Both elements of this initial advance begin to take casualties from artillery and infantry. 

With the Guards' Grenadier companies falling back Shaken by mounting casualties the French push forward more infantry on their right, lead by the Grenadiers Royale.

More French infantry move forward to block the threat of the British right. Showing admirable restraint - otherwise known as failed Command Rolls - the cavalry to their left holds its ground.

On the British right the massed cavalry shows no sign of an impending attack, shielded by its artillery supports, as it watches the infantry begin it's forward movements.

On the French right it is time to unleash the cavalry and drive the British from the field! Squadrons are hurled forward despite losses from fire and steel rings on steel as the two sides clash!

Merde! The French cavalry are thrown back with heavy casualties! But others are ready to take their place and  engage the enemy! Sadly they too are thrown back and with the whole wing now Shaken the French right collapses.

On the British right French Chasseurs à Cheval have beaten the Scots Greys who fall back Disordered. In the centre the Guards' Grenadier companies have left the table, their morale crumbling under the weight of losses to enemy fire. All is not yet lost! 

The infantry battle in the centre begins to shake out now. The French are reluctant to deploy as briskly as their opponents. (By now my poor Command dice rolls were becoming a theme of the game!) On the far right French cavalry has fared no better than on the opposite flank and many squadrons are falling back.

The British are coming forward in force! The Wild Geese suddenly look very vunerable and are taking casualties.

The French left is also falling back Broken! The cavalry, the pride of Europe, have been destroyed by the British! It becomes clear in Turn 9 that the French cannot win as all their cavalry us withdrawing Broken on both flanks. The Comte du Merde issues an order for a general withdrawal, concerning the field to his opponent...

To the end the Wild Geese stand firm and cover the general retreat of the remains of the French army.

A grand game as it played out, with the decisive defeat of the French cavalry on both flanks proving too much to recover from, confounded I must say by absolutely awful dice rolls in every phase of the game by yours truly! Next up in two weeks time a FRW game! Perhaps I will fare better in that one...?