Blucher again French versus British in Spain

Another go with Blucher today at Stephens using a French Peninsula force against Stephens British.
Again using 300 point army builder and the very generic terrain set up (we will try Scharnhorst campaign system).

Another cracking game with my French burdened with attack against almost perfect defensive terrain but a ding dong battle anyhow.

So easy to play this rule set and whilst it has a good deal of abstractions it works fine for the multi-Corps level it is set at.

All in all a fun playable set in fact we managed a whopping 24 turns today !!
Only Field Of Battle or Shako really match this for Grand Tactical Napoleonic games.

FOGN, GDA, BP and OTH are all at lower Tactical level with more formation nuances but slower playing (maybe not BP so much) as more choices to 'deal' with which suits these more tactical games.
Blucher essentially eschews the Column, Line Square options into Standard and Prepared Defence (ie anti-mounted) as units represent Brigades (ie 4-6 Battalions)

We did find that the British Firepower trait is very underwhelming as French can charge from and retreat outside Volley range (unless the British attack and pursue) but made little difference to outcome as attackers (if they attack) suffer at least one Skirmish shot which generally reduces them by 1 or 2 Elan before contact and the Steadfast British trait certainly aids in Combat.

A French loss but it was hard fought and exciting stuff.







French attacking right center. Light Cavalry Scouting ahead

And on left and left center

Central French Infantry Corps

British starting to be uncovered

French Reserve Corps (guess what ?)

Reserve Corps on right wing

Struggle for village on left with British Cavalry about to reveal themselves (dirty beasts !)

Assault goes in against hill (1 British unit repelled the other stood)

French Artillery here on right fired several devastating bombardments (4 out of 5 hits !) 

A very nasty British Light Infantry unit on right hand hill (this unit can Move and Shoot)

French Infantry reluctant to assault on this flank

The Reserve revealed

But not before British Heavy Cavalry destroyed my heroic Artillery

One French Brigade has pierced the British Line on hill but support have been repulsed

British Cavalry forces French into 'Prepared Defence' as guns pound the village

Blucher rolled out for French versus Prussian bash

I re-read Blucher rules over last few days and wondered why are we not using these more as they seem to tick a lot of boxes ??

Simple slick systems, nicely sized forces and a great activity limiting system in the 'hidden' MO dice.

So Stephen and I had a game today with my fielding 1813/14 Prussians and Stephen the corresponding French.

Used army builder system for 300 point sized forces and the basic terrain generation system.

And what a great game it was too with lots of action right across the table top.

Such an enjoyable set of playable rules by the inestimable Mr Mustafa.
We managed 13 turns (might have been couple more as we forgot to move Time marker early on) but not completed as Stephen had to leave earlyish.
Enjoyed so well however our next game is going to be British vs French at Stephens :-)






Prussian set up as attackers using Concealed status cards French in Defence

Prussian Corps moves against Town (an objective)

Prussian Landwehr and Reservists face the might of Imperial Guard Corps

Imperial Guard Artillery  engages advancing Prussians

Prussian Grenadiers (Shock, Steadfast, Skirmishers and Mixed) push back French to left of town

The Guard go in against Prussian 2nd tier Corps

First assault wave about to hit Town garrison

And in they go, note Prussian Reserve Corps (of Cavalry) uncommitted to rear.

This first assault was repulsed but follow up wave of Reservists took the Town

Stalemate at central hill

Guard mauling Prussians

Battle for town

Overview note my Reserve did commit later advancing to flank Guard Corps

Blucher with The Duc

Game of Blucher with 'The Duc' at chez Steiner.
Darren was keen to try these rules so I set up a French versus Prussian clash circa 1813/14.
Used the 'Scharnhorst' campaign maps to generate the tabletop for which we then diced for sides and as to who was attacker/defender.
Both side had five corps with Prussia fielding 24 units plus four Artillery batteries and France mustering 20 units with five batteries in support.
With Napoleon in charge the French did field a Guard Corps (4 Young Guard and 2 Guard Cavalry) a potent force in itself.
After deployment (using card system) things soon developed in a bloody attritional slog in the center between the Infantry Corps.
On Prussian left a Cavalry engagement saw both sides well depleted.
I had a second Cavalry Corps in reserve which I dispatched to this flank.
The Duc realising that his Light Cavalry Corps on my right was facing 'prepared' Infantry, sent this force through a wooded area in an effort to outflank my line.
Fortunately Blucher was able to re-direct three units of Landwehr foot to counter hemming in this flanking move.
Things got very bloody in the center with some ten or more Brigades (!) being removed and lines thinning on both sides.
At one point the Prussian looked to be dire straits with their reserves committed but the French too were gravely weakened with both sides Artillery mostly spent.
Things turned quickly on Prussian favour when my Reserve Cavalry dispatched the weakened French mounted troops allowing me to threaten an objective in the town area.
As we called a halt to proceedings after 20 plus turns the battle was now going Prussias way as with 8 Units destroyed and all their Artillery retired the French were close to breaking (10 unit morale).
The Prussian were hurt but with 7 Units destroyed they were still shy of collapse (12 unit morale).

We both enjoyed the game and once again the Blucher rules delivered a fun, plausible game.
I love the MO system which means you need to prioritize your actions each turn and the attritional nature of combat seems very much in keeping with the bloody encounter of 1813/14.
Everything just works and gels together so well.

The dead piles