Blucher French v British

Having become interested in Blucher Dave had recruited some new figures and re-based some old ones to make up a British army which I took on with my French.

As it was Dave's first game we went for the pick-up game with the French attacking the British. The French open their attack on the right with the British responding by moving their reserve (including two Guard's brigades!) to counter the French attack:

On the French left both sides await further developments:

The French press on engaging the British. A gap is developing in the centre of the British line:

Polish infantry charge home on a British brigade which had unwisely exposed it's flank:

The British have closed their line up in the centre but the French have more troops available including some Dragoons who charge a weakened Portuguese brigade on the hill:

The Dragoons do considerable damage to the Portuguese then fall back:

British cavalry advance on the French left, the French attempt to delay them:

Italian infantry charge and break a Portuguese brigade, the Portuguese are proving to be a weak link in the British line:

Not everything is going for the French though, the British rout a French brigade near the woods:

In the centre the British are heavily out-numbered and starting to collapse. The British cavalry has been neutralised by some French infantry and artillery and can't intervene:

The previously victorious Italian infantry repulse two charges from the British Guards, they refuse to be defeated!:

The British line collapses and falls back:

Victory goes to the French after a hard-fought battle:

Dave made some interesting choices in his army, all his artillery was attached to his British infantry which I've not seen before. It made the infantry much better at shooting but I think you need a couple of detached artillery batteries really,especially as he concentrated his cavalry in a single corps which really needs artillery support.

The game was actually fairly close, although the French had only lost two units they had a fair few badly damaged ones. The Italians were the hero's of the French army, destroying a Portuguese brigade then seeing off the British Guards very much against the odds!