Last night we played our second game of BP. We had a session two weeks ago where we ran two turns and ironed out a lot of the mechanisms. We came at it expecting warmaster, so it took a while to adjust to the differences. We play warmaster a lot.
We set up the scenario as illustrated in the book – playing poor mans BP. i.e. in 10mm…
We had limited time, so we didn't finish. Turn one was uneventful with the French entering and the British columns heading off towards the village.
Turn two looked like this:
British right flank. Cavalry in a Mexican stand off. British horse artillery deployed and French grand battery on the way in to position. The moving hand is moving the third French column in to supporting positions for the second French column that is hidden behind the other hand and is surrounding the flank of the British rear guard.
British brigade 1 and 2 flee for safety. The small town is garrisoned by a few flakey frogs.
Here, from the back you can see the first French column exited the town and the first battalion formed line and hit a British battalion. The very far attack column has hit a small unit of rifles who withdrew on contact. The French line is supported by the light battalion behind and by the attack column when the rifles flee. A unit of British light cavalry lurk menacingly in the top left hand corner.
In the centre the British artillery is about to get hammered by two units of French in attack column that have ploughed in to them. The resultant closing fire was pathetic and the artillery crew just legged it.
The French battalion just behind the church have a yellow dice indicating they took some hits from artillery – they were also disordered.
A close up on the artillery vs column action – the dice indicate casualties – the orange ones indicate disordered units. Yes the artillery fire was rubbish, causing only one casualty and a bit of disorder. The artillery lose and run.
The buffs in the middle took two hits from the French lights just outside the village – they shrugged these off….
The results of that round of combat…
The French line routed – they lost the combat and the break test resulted in a throw of 3…nasty.
So they fled.
Their reaction took the adjacent unit with them too – again a very poor break test roll – just 4. Anything over 4 and you stand… harsh. – the two units fled the field. They are in storage at the top.
The small unit of rifles has withdrawn. Very far left.
The victorious French columns that mangled the artillery and spiked the guns have done different things. One stood it's ground, the other reformed in to line and in doing so spin 90 degrees ready to chomp that unit of rifles and then the flank of the British line…
The British turn has the victorious brigade follow up and push the lights back up in to the village.
The British light dragoons threaten the French column, forcing it in to a square.
The small unit of rifles withdraw.
The British buffs in the middle turn to face the coming French onslaught after getting one order. (although a retreat might have been a better option..)
Then the French turn and SLAM – the Brits get hit. One line goes in, one attack column and another line from the flank. Ouch!
A close up of the surrounded Brits…
The British march column, headed up by the gallant Portugese, almost gets to the flakey French in the village.
From the French perspective..
We had to stop there, three turns in – I reckon another hour and it would have reached a conclusion. The Brits looked good to get two brigades off and then it would be a scrabble to get the cavalry out.
Much better game this time.
Si
