Shako II - Utitsa scenario played

Played Shako II today with Stephen utilising the Utitsa (Borodino area 1812) scenario from the Field of Glory scenario booklet. 

Stephen used Russians in defence so I was attacking with the French.

My Cavalry Brigade (1 Lancer and 1 Chasseur) on my right tried to sweep around behind Utitsa mound but were confronted by an Infantry division but in the end I destroyed a unit of Cossacks before seeing my Lancers destroyed in turn. This led to a morale test for my Brigade which of course I rolled 1 for and the Chasseurs fled the field.

On my left my reserves were contesting matters with the Russian Jager division in the large wood and their own reserve formations, these sort of cancelled each other out although I was reducing the Jager.

A struggle around the mound then ensued between Infantry divisions. I suffered from Russian heavy artillery cannister fire despite eventually destroying both batteries.

A key match up saw 3 French columns manage to contact a single Russian unit in Line but this unit rolled a crushing volley which staggered and forced back my units. I then lost a couple of units in adjacent melees and had to test Divisional morale which of course I failed removing the Division directly attacking the Mound.

We called it at that point as French lacking sufficient strength to take the Mound

We struggled again with some of the rules around attack orders/formation changes which are frankly somewhat contradictory, and wondered how we never seemed to have these problems in past games !? old age in action ??

Table prior to set up from Russian edge

French initial advance

Russian artillery causes Stagger (yellow puff)

Jagers defending wooded area (Russian reserves waiting to arrive in distance)

The Mound defended by stout Grenadiers and heavy Artillery

Up close and personal around the Mound

French reserves arrive on left and engage the Jagers as Russian reserves also arrive

French formation attacking the Mound would soon flee