Lasalle 2 - Another Omelette broken - French vs Prussians

Another game of Lasalle 2 this time with 'Le Duc' in our first post plague game as he wanted to see Lasalle in action (being a fan of Sam Mustafas rules in general).

So I set up scenario 4 again with Le Duc attacking with Prussians against my defending French.

Prussians had 2 infantry brigades each with 3 Inf, 1 field gun and a unit of Hussars, they had a cavalry brigade of 1 Dragoon and 1 Uhlan, also a brigade with 2 Grenadiers and a Howitzer battery, their force was completed by a brigade of 3 Russian allied infantry. These 18 units generated a basic 28 skirmish dice. Le Duc had the 'Valiant' trait for his General.

French had 2 infantry brigades of 3 veteran infantry with a field gun, 1 brigade of 3 veterans and a cavalry brigade of 2 Chasseurs. So only 13 units but still 27 basic skirmish dice. The General choose 'Charismatic' trait to assist with rallies.

So honours even re skirmishing and I think Prussians won 5 Initiative and French 3 out of 8 turns played with never more than 4 'Voltigeurs' ever placed.

Le Duc had not read the rules beforehand so very much a teaching game but Lasalle is very easy to teach and indeed to pick up its basic premises even when using the 'advanced' rules especially as a goodly portion is familiar from play of Blucher and Maurice.

Learning how best to use the MO is harder to assimilate but he seemed to be catching on as game progressed and once he realised the potency of cavalry in the game.

We had a ding dong cavalry battle on my right flank which was essentially an even dice fest which I managed to win taking out the Prussian Dragoons and Uhlans, getting 2 on 1 and/or a flank contact is very powerful and usually decisive.

This then forced his supporting brigade of Russians into squares which my artillery and infantry then pounded to destruction and subsequently wiped out. I was however lucky not to lose a Chasseur and infantry unit to enemy artillery fire on this flank.

In centre I had some trouble dealing with Prussian Grenadiers but once Russians collapsed they were exposed and lost 1 unit but timely support from nearby Hussars saved the other.

On my left the Prussians piled on the pressure with 2 brigades against 1 but its slow going with the woods. I had a unit destroyed early on and another forced into square by the Prussians Hussars. But this square manfully held onto until last turn with some superb dice rolls with lots of sixes in combat and decent rallying (its a game of skill I tell ya !) tying up several Prussian units and keeping them away from central objective.

I had placed a wood in front of the objective again (seems a no brainer) and this too stymied Prussian progress.

At games end the central objective was exposed but still French whilst the town was firmly secured and indeed 'Carnage' was marginally in French favour.

Le Duc seemed to enjoy the game and rules especially as he professes not to be offay enough with Napoleonic period to see major flaws or issues but just appreciated the fast and decisive nature of the game but with enough decision points to make for an interesting and fun game. His Blog post reveals his thoughts on rules https://warfareintheageofcynicsandamateurs.blogspot.com/2021/10/lasalle-2nd-ed-with-sgt-steiner.html.

Time for something other than Napoleonics next methinks................. 

Prussians advance with some annoying skirmisher deployed

French infantry advances to delay Prussians as cavalry prepare to engage on right

Initial Cavalry clash is indecisive (note Chasseurs have obtained a Huzzah marker from destruction of Russian infantry unit)

Prussians putting pressure my left and Grenadiers advance in centre

French firm on ridge as their cavalry have routed their Prussian equivalents

French delaying on left but suffering for it

With Prussian cavalry gone French are able to counterattack off the ridge against Russian squares and the Grenadiers

Heroic French square holds fast on left

It eventually succumbed to massed Prussian volleys after being weakened by charges from Hussars but it was just enough to protect the adjacent objective.