Thursday 16 August 2018

Napoleonic Black Powder

Last night I took a short trip off less than a mile to James Roach house aka Olicanalad for a Napoleonic game using Black Powder. I have only played BP once many years ago.

The game featured a British force defending a Bridgehead against a French attack.  The British had to hold long enough to allow a vital bridge to be mined for demolition and for the British  rearguard to get as many units across before blowing the bridge.



All figures are Front Rank and painted by James. British Infantry stoically stand to in line ready to buy time for the engineers to work on mining the bridge.


My command consisted of a cavalry brigade consisting of a hussar and dragoon regiment and 3 battalions of the 2nd legere.
My first command move allowed 3 moves and my infantry moved forward rapidly in columns.


British artillery section opens fire on my massed columns but with very little effect.


Using my cavalry to protect my flanks. My Dragoons firstly drive off some British Light Dragoons before crashing into a British infantry unit in line, and after a short melee, break the unit in rout.

On my other flank the hussars force the British into square. My columns advance with elan and although the square holds my initial assault a second  round of melee sees the square destroyed. 

My triumphant infantry are able to move into the town at this point we called the game as a French victory.



My command was the smaller of the two French. The other French command was bedevilled by high command rolls and was unable to put much pressure on the British defences. 

I quiet enjoyed Black Powder and expect to play these rules again


2 comments:

The Good Soldier Svjek said...

I'm a big fan of Black Powder - once you get your head around the rules.

Tony Miles said...

Looking to play this scenario myself soon having pinched it off James' Blog. Hopefully my British will have better luck.