I needed a quick game to drop on table last minute so we opted for a Sharp Practice tonight using my Mexican Adventure figures.
Making a particular effort to give the French clear superiority in quality and the Mexicans in numbers.
A unit of Bandit skirmishers have stolen a wagon of rifles intending to sell them to the Republicans. Unfortunately for them the axle has broken slap in the middle of the table and as the Republicans send a column to recover the rifles, the French send their own column to stop them.
The race is on.
As well as the Bandido's armed with smoothbore carbines the Mexicans have:
A formation of 2 x 8 groups of regulars with rifles and a level 2 leader
A group of 6 Irregular cavalry with a level 1 leader
A group of 6 dismounted rurales with rifled carbines with a level 1 leader
2 groups of 10 National Guard with smoothbore muskets and 2 level 1 leaders
The national guard a particularly poor having both poor shots and no first fire bonus and amongst the only troops on table without the rifles. They will have to get close and that will be costly.
The Bandido's were not supposed to be part of the Republican force morale, but as we shall see I managed to forget that to my cost.
The French meanwhile have a smaller more professional force:
A formation of 2 groups of 8 Zouaves with a level 2 leader
A formation of 2 groups of 8 Turco's with a level 2 leader
A group of 6 Foreign Legion Skirmishers with good old Sgt Knocker a level 1 leader
A group of 6 Belgian Skirmishers with a level 1 leader.
For many of these it was the first time on table and it showed!
I decide to push the Bandits forward to get to the cover of the wall, unfortunately I roll a two and two ones and move not very far at all.
The Zouaves loose an effective range volley inflicting three casualties and 3 shock and the Bandits are in real trouble.
A bad things happen followed by a further volley that inflicts more shock and a loss of force morale.
Steve has however not used his controlled volley so will now have to keep firing at the Bandits even after they have gone until he gets his troops back under control.
The Mexican infantry is slow to get forward but the French and Belgians are closing in so I push the cavalry forward with a lucky run of cards to try and distract and slow down the Zouaves in particular.
The Cavalry wont make a dent in a frontal charge so I decide a volley from the saddle out of the Zouaves arc of fire is my best choice. Two dead and two shock is helpful but the Zouaves cant respond as they dont pass the control test and continue to fire at the Bandits.
The Irregular cavalry really be a 8 figures unit but I only have 6 finished! A mounted volley inflicts one dead on the Zouaves but forces Steve to respond distracting him a little from the infantry advancing on the cart in the centre and slowing him down a little. A further volley inflicts the second dead and 2 shock. The cavalry are very exposed though.
Steve responds by wheeling the Turco's and volleying the cavalry, albeit with only 8 of his 16 having line of site.
The volley inflicts a bunch of shock but no casualties and forces the cavalry back and a "bad things happen " roll which this time I pass.
After their compulsory retreat I decide to get the cavalry out of harms way and try recover their shock to make them useful again.
In the ruins the French and particularly the Belgian skirmishers are taking a pasting from the Mexican regulars and Regulare skirmishers.
I have my formation of Regulars in place and a series of effective range volleys sees the Belgians take 4 casualties and enough shock to force them back twice, whilst the Legion Skirmishers are also forced back with excess shock, although with no casualties. Steve's Force morale starts to suffer.
The Regulares prove decent skirmishers although my movement rolls have them reluctant to advance, like much of the Mexican force.
The Legion are forced back again and then a third time whilst the Belgians take a volley inflicting 5 casualties killing both remaining troopers and their officer and wiping them out. The subsequent tests take 3 more force morale from Steve taking him to 5 out of 10. Meanwhile I have 6 out of ten having forgotten the Bandits are not an integral part of my force and shouldn't count, Doh! Three more than I should have.
My National Guard finally make it to the wagon only to be blasted by the Zouaves who are finally under control, two volleys see them down to half strength and forced back by shock. The second unit is nearly in range but at long range with no bonuses they cant stand up to volleys from the French so it will be a very uneven competition.
At this point we need to call it.
A surprisingly enjoyable game, I had been told that this period with the predominance of rifles didn't work quite so well for Sharp Practice but that has not proved the case, although the Militia are at a massive disadvantage with smoothbores, as they should be.
Interesting to see what the addition of Machete armed town Militia does to the game next time!
Its all still to play for with the French skirmishers on their left virtually destroyed but their two formations in good order.
In contrast the Mexican National Guard are not doing too well, but the Republican Regulars can now join the battle against the Zouaves and Turcos and are both almost untouched and already in touching distance of the wagon.
Another hit on the Legion Skirmishers will likely see Steve start to loose command cards and shift the balance of power a little, another 40 minutes might of seen a conclusion but its late so we pack up after a very enjoyable game. Cheers Steve.
Hope you enjoyed it too, thanks for stopping by.
Posts
The off table artillery grid is pretty massive and Steve rolls for each unit under it, so in this first shot he can fire at two companies and a JSU. Fortunately for me the German firing dice were not great today.
As the IS75's advance on the town in support of the infantry a PAK40 unmasks and fires. The first IS75 is knocked out.
The remaining IS's and infantry return fire with effect and destroy the Pak.
As the infantry move further forward the SS company in the wood open fire on the Russians and each side takes heavy casualties.
On the left the advancing Russian infantry bump into Volksturm in the houses and a company of police in trenches to the flank of the town.
I take 3 casualties but manage to save all 3.
The SS use their anti tank capability to hit one of the remaining IS's. 
My return fire at the SS is not so great.
I close assault the company of police and they are over run.
The SS in the lead house open fire, inflicting a couple of casualties.
fortunately I have quite a bit can fire back including indirect fire from mortars and in one round of firing the lead company of SS are destroyed.
The light tanks have taken a real kicking whilst providing pretty minimal support for the infantry, two destroyed one damaged. Still they kept the pak40 busy!
Finally the German armour push forward, Steve has been lurking in the woods hoping I will charge forward but the Towns are nearly lost so he needs to come get the Russians tanks or risk losing.
I fire my JSU but the range is long and no effect. The red marker is overwatch.
Both German tanks gang up on one ISU and take it out. Bugger!
The Engineers take the house with just one casualty, the flamethrower adding 4 dice to their fighting. Just one building in the town now held by the SS.
Steve pulls an extra move card, move only, he pulls back his armour so I now have to fire at effective range or take a minus for moving one before getting to close range. Grrrr.
Last move I push right up, Steve ambushes me with infantry from the rear building but misses, my fire with JSU's destroys the Jagdpanther and damages the Stug. No more time but at this point the Germans dont have enough left to win.
Fabulous game.
