Saturday 1 February 2020

Afternoon game - Battle of Le Souffle

I set up the Dining Table for a quick game with my classic Napoleonics toys. I was going to play solo and test out some changes to my rules which are basically Charge.  Whilst setting up my Max my son asked if I needed help and could he play.   So we spent a couple of hours playing an enjoyable game.

The scenario was basically a French force depending against a larger Anglo Allied army commanded  by my son.  We played the game without any
reference to rules or quick play sheets. In all it took just over 2 hours.



Truffle Hill and its windmill are depended by a unit of Poles and the Guard Artillery under the watchful eye of Marshal Ney.


 Lutzow leads the Prussian 9th RIR and the Austro-Portugeuse Legion in a flanking attack on the village of Le Souffle.


The French skirmishers depending a sunken lane are no match for Lutzow command who despite the attention of the Guard Artillery take the position.


Marshal Murat leads the French elite Hussars in a flamboyant charge against the Lutzow Lancers but no no avail. In the ensuing the melee 5 hussars are list 3 lancers. Max needs to throw a 4 or more for the melee to continue. He rolls a 1 and the melee ends with both side retiring.


The Poles advance to hold Lutzow in check. 



Whilst the attack on the Allied right is going well Max launches further attacks in the centre. The village of Fondant is defended by French skirmishers and the 10th Legere who drive of the attacking Nassuers but are overrun by the Brunswick 1st Line



The Chasseurs de Flankers  with artillery support hold the Flotant Hill. They are however attacked by the Brunswick Hussars. Max wins for the initiative and the Hussars catch the Chasseurs before they can form square and cut them to pieces.


Le Souffle is defended  by the 5th Regt de Ligne. Who suffer from the attentions of artillery.


The British launch the Fusilier Brigade against Le Souffle. The Welch Fusiliers lead the attack but are quickly reduced to 50% and forced to retire. They are however supported by the 7th Fusiliers who drive the 5th Regt out of Le Souffle. 

With the loss of Le Souffle the French withdraw and concede.


A panorama of my dining table. The terrain is simple. The streams, woods and town sections are made from thin cardboard. The hills are mdf. The table measured 5 by 3ft. 







10 comments:

Wellington Man said...

Crikey, you've left me...er...au bout de soufflé, Mark, with your cracking yarn and wonderful photos. The tabletop is redolent of stubble fields after the harvest and looks very effective. I'm intrigued by your alternative rustic dwelling too. Who made that then?

Yours
WM

Norm said...

Enjoyed, thank you.

Rob said...

Superb action - I always think the smaller games with room to manoeuvre and an opportunity for a single decisive stroke to win the day are more fun. CHARGE is also a lovely old-school rule-set do you still use written orders?
For my CHARGE games I've bought a roll of green vinyl flooring - a very similar colour to your hills - that I lay over the table. It makes a nice seamless playing surface that I can roll up and store in the loft when not in use.

The Good Soldier Svjek said...

Brilliant looking game and nice looking toys .

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Glorious... what a lovely set up

Mark Dudley said...

I quiet like playing on a kitchen table as it is.

The building is an old Faller HO railway building.

Mark Dudley said...

I don't use written rules. I use an initiative roll and IGO UGO.

The Green vinyl is an interesting idea for a table covering.

Rob said...

Mark, if you want to see the vinyl flooring in action see Hinton Spieler's posts: Blasthof & the Hundred Hours...

https://thehintonspieler.blogspot.com/2019/09/321blasthof.html

https://thehintonspieler.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-hundred-hours.html

Aly Morrison said...

A lovely looking game and lovely looking toys.
I too have floor covering on my table... in my case it’s green linoleum... I reason that if it’s designed to be walked on it should survive the tramp of of shiny little feet.

All the best. Aly

Stryker said...

A great looking game Mark - nice to see your troops in action!