Three's a Crowd Sharp Practice 40mm Peninsular AAR

So whilst there were 5 of us we did have 3 different sides in this game.

We decided to have another 40mm Sharp Practice at Steve's place inviting chum Simon over to join us alongside regulars Chris Charlton and Chris Flowers.

Steve had designed something a bit different as it turned out. As he started putting British and French on both sides of the table we all looked a bit puzzled but he had a plan.

This would be a three sided game, a local Guerilla leader has recruited British and French deserters alongside a company of Spanish regulars who hold a house full of booty. 

Both British and French had dispatched separate forces to recover the booty and punish the deserters. The French and British need to recover the booty and ensure the other doesn't, the Spanish and deserters need to stop both forces. 

Chris Flowers starts of with 16 mixed deserters, lets refer to them as scum to separate them from the line troops. 8 French and 8 British. Despite being deserters these are just as good as those facing them mainly due to their desperation, if they are beaten and caught it might not end well.

The leader of the mix of Guerillas and deserters is bizarely a Portuguese officer with an eye patch!

First off are the British and Chris C's 16 line infantry and 3 lots of 6 rifles get moving pretty quickly.

On the right I eventually meander forward with my 16 grenadiers and 3 lots of 6 Voltiguers.

Initially facing the French is a unit of 6 Guerilla skirmishers, including a couple of armed monks in a wood covering the cottage with the loot.

On the left the British rifles push forward very quickly and take casualties pretty early on. Chris F and Simon decide to gang up on Chris C and I am pretty much left to my own devices.

On the right my Commander gallops forward and is lucky the Scum dont take advantage, the rest of the French are pretty happy to meander along.

On the other side the company of Spanish regulars join the deserters in punishing the advancing British.

Probably my favourite looking unit so far Regiment Hibernia, Irish in Spanish service.

The British continue to press forward as the Deserters and Spanish get pretty much all their units into position to fire on them and Chris is now taking casualties on all of his units.

tHE 

Meanwhile my French continue to meander forward with my front unit of Skirmishers exchanging the odd shot with the single unit of Guerilla skirmishers facing me.

Chris's British are hit by a devastating volley from the Spanish, he rolls for effect and gets six 6's, added to the casualties he already has he is in real trouble.

The French bumble along happily, one casualty from the Guerillas and one inflicted back in return.

The British return fire, supported by a unit of rifles now on the flank of the Hibernians and do some damage to the Irish.

Amongst the hits the commander of the scum is knocked down. Only temporarly though.

There are some bonkers dice being thrown, this is what you want when you throw to hit needing 5 or 6.

This is how you respond to that kind of dice throwing, well done chaps.

The French close in on the cottage and a well time series of volleys from all 4 units sees the Guerillas mown down to a man and nothing between them and the supplies.

On the other side the British force morale finally collapses and they are out of the game.

The French however have achieved their objective with virtually no casualties and will march off with the spoils of war. 

The Spanish and deserters still have a fair few troops and force morale is in reasonable shape but they cant stop the French marching off with the supplies and we declare the French winners. Hurrah!

Very funny game thanks everyone.