Another 40mm Peninsular Sharp Practice

 We needed a game at fairly short notice so I was pretty keen to get my 40mm collection back on table. With a couple more units added the game would be a little larger and the French should be closer in numbers to the Allies.

Chris and Steve would swap sides with Chris playing the allies and Steve the French.. For our scenario a forward supply of gunpowder was held in an unspecified building (unspecified to the French that is) A French column has been sent to find and destroy the powder. An Allied column has been dispatched to stop them.

There are two houses on one side of the table and a church on the other. The powder could be in any of the three buildings. Both complexes are guarded by a skirmish group of Guerilla's.

The French have the edge in numbers and their force consists of:

Level 3 commander

Level 2 commander and 4 groups of 8 line

Level 2 commander and 2 groups of 8 Grenadiers

Level 2 commander and 2 groups of skirmishers

Level 2 commander with 1 group of skirmishers

Level 1 commander with 1 group of skirmishers

1 group of 6 Hussars no commander

The Allies had:

Level 2 commander with 1 group of Guerilla Skirmishers

Level 1 commander with 1 group of Guerilla Skirmishers

Level 2 Commander with 1 group of Rifles

Level 1 commander with 1 group of Rifles

Level 1 commander with 1 group of rifles

Level 2 Commander with 4 Groups of Spanish Irish Line

2 extra Level 1 commanders supporting the Irish

Them Guerilla's started by occupying the buildings whilst both sides deployed, typically it was the skirmishers getting forward whilst the unwieldly line formations struggled to get moving. 

The Spanish line would be dogged by poor movement dice all evening, they do however look quite spiffing.

Captain blunts rifles got forward quickly and put in a good days work but suffered some serious damage themselves.

The Guerilla's being up front turned out to be a mixed blessing for the Allies. They could slow the French a little but when they broke it was a blow to Allied force morale.

I have mixed  couple of close ups in on request, I hope folks like them.

After a couple of moves the French are closing in on the buildings, particularly the church' without any great losses. Once on the cavalry are content to sit and look menacing for the rest of the game.

Both French and Spanish line have just the right ammount of diversity and campaign look for my taste and I am pretty happy with how they are looking now. one can always have more of a good thing though.

The Guerillas  and French skirmishers have been exchanging furious but ineffectual shots but shock is starting to creep up on the Guerillas in particular.

At this point we pull three flag cards out one after the other which triggers an event based on the last action. As the last action was firing by the Guerilla's Chris rolls on a firing incident, over enthusiastic firing sets fire to the nearest building......the Church!

I only have a couple of cotton wool balls to mark it but Chris kindly adds some dram to the photo retrospectively.

Undettered the commander of the Grenadiers is drawn and he closes with the church and its defenders pushing them back..

Having seen off the Guerilla's the rifles close on the church but the grenadiers make a second charge and see those off too. However its not without cost and they have serious casualties including the commander leaving them leaderless outside a burning church.

The French line is finally in position and unleashes a devastating volley into the buildings on the other side of the table all but destroying the second group of Guerillas and a third force morale causing Chris some serious headaches.

The two lines and now almost ready to face off against each other but the Spanish dont have the angle and open up on the French Skirmishers instead.

Meanwhile the Guerillas at both sides scurry for cover with a significant ammount of shock.

French skirmishers occupy the buildings on their left and find barrels.... of apples, the Gunpowder is in the burning church which the French are now stood outside.

The Spanish line is shooting up the skirmishers but with both skirmishers and the French line volleying back they start to take significant ammounts of shock.

Whilst the sock is spread across the unit they are struggling to keep things under control.

Meanwhile a tardy group of rifles has reached the buildings at the French left, both of which are now occupied providing an ideal crossfire for the rifles stood out in the open.

As cards are pulled out I remind Steve that he might want to do something with his grenadiers but he is keen to use the cards to keep the pressure up elsewhere.

The French now have pretty much undisputed control of all the buildings and have taken no removals of force morale yet whilst the Allies are almost at the point where I have to start removing cards.

The cavalry have barely moved all game, giving them no leader meant Steve would only spend cards on them if he had a real opportunity. The officer will be painted soon so shouldn't be an issue next time.

The Spanish cant redeploy without stopping firing and exposing their flanks to the French who meanwhile now have Skirmishers, Grenadiers and an untouched line formation pouring fire into them. Its not looking good for the allies

As the clock turned 10 we finished our turn and the four turns until the powder blew ended at the same time, almost like I planned it! After a number of reminders Steve finally decided to march his Grenadiers from behind the church wall so they were protected from the blast by the walls.......just.

Another fun game with a rather fitting end at the last minute, fairly decisive French victory had. 

I am toying with more cavalry, artillery or Portuguese next. Lets see what takes my fancy.

As always many thanks Steve and Chris, hope you enjoyed it and thank you for reading.