Pike & Shotte - another (and better) Grand Alliance outing

Another game with Pike & Shotte at Billys with Simon and Bryn (Shane came, saw and cleared off early :-) ).
Essentially a repeat set up of last time, with Jacobites defending a ridgeline, but trying reduced Musket ranges (half for all small arms) and couple of rules we had forgotten last time.
Simon and I were the Jacobites with Billy and Bryn the Alliance forces.
Simon cannily withdrew his whole wing backwards to refuse our whole right and this frustrated Bryn whose forces failed to advance quickly enough to engage.
Simon had left one battery of guns on the ridge which managed to annoy Bryns forces.
Bryn did however send his Cavalry force to assist Billy on the Allied right.
And so the Jacobite left wing saw a real ding dong engagement from the get go with Billys Cavalry crashing into mine but being initially repulsed.
However his second wave pushed one of my Brigades back but thankfully some dismounted Dragoons and a supporting Brigade shored up this flank.
Simon did have some Cavalry support poised but not required.
Meanwhile (and in stark contrast to last encounter) Billys foot advanced en mass and even managed to get opening volley (I was holding mine for inevitable close combat) but thankfully this was mostly ineffective. Before engaging my ridge line units.
A to and fro battle ensued which the Jacobites managed to win breaking several Allied Foot units and eventually breaking 2 Brigades.
My Cavalry were battered and one Brigade broke but the other held.....just.....and with Billys Foot beaten the Allies yielded.
All in all a much better game with reduced firing ranges as more manouvre possible and units do get eyeball to eyeball much more.
Still find Black Powder system a bit too free and easy for my sensibilities at times especially in this period of slow/staid movements but it certainly plays quickly and decisively with lots of units in action.
Billys 15mm troops are a joy to behold (pics do not do them justice)
One thing to note in the above I had no moans about my dicing for once !