Defence in Depth 2 Sharp Practice 40mm AAR

Dave invited me over for a game bank holiday Monday with him and Si.  We had spoken for some time about trying a Sharp Practice as neither had used the rules so I put on a 40mm Peninsular game using the defence in depth scenario.

As a few of you have asked I decided that the main forces would be my new Spanish and Hessians to get them on table.

We had all day so I made fairly large forces, Dave commanded the French and would have:

24 Municipal Guard Grenadiers with  2 level 1 leaders

24 Hessians with a level 2 and a level 1 leader

5 units of 6 Volteguer skirmishers each with a level 1 leader 

78 figures total 

The Allies would have starting at deployment point 1 in the middle

24 Spanish with 2 level 1 leaders

2 Spanish Guerilla skirmishers units of 6 each with level 1 leader

secondary deployment point 18 inches behind the initial one:

24 British line level 2 leader and level 1 leader

2 x 6 rifles with level 1 leader

1 x 6 light British infantry level 1 leader

78 figures

Quality wise the French are slightly better than the Spanish but the British slightly better than the French so with equal numbers and equal leaders this should be pretty balanced. 

As we get started the Guerillas are first out and head for the cover of the church.

Meanwhile one of the main French formations comes on in the shape of the Paris Municipal Guard.

This is immediatly followed by the Spanish line who form up across the open middle of the table to square up to the Parisians. First time on table, lets hope they dont fall foul of the first time curse.

The British come on 18 inches behind the Spanish. These guys need to get forward quickly.

The forces are closing but notning major has happened so far, thats all about to change.

Dave volleys his Paris Municipal Guard into the Spanish taking an action to present and the first fire his volley is predictably devastating, he then plays four flag cards to immediaty re-activate them, re-loads and fires again.  

Shock and casualties are not as bad as they could be on the Spanish, the key will be whose card comes out first next turn.

Si has bypassed the cover of the church and Dave volleys him with his skirmishers and charges into fisticuffs. Not surprisingly the Guerillas take a kicking and are driven back with subsequent loss to force morale.

Woldnt you know it, next turn and the Paris Municipal Guard come out first, re-load and fire again and this time one group of Spanish takes enough damage to be forced back braking the formation and forcing a loss of force morale.

With skirmishers closing on both flanks and the British making no headway things start to look a little bleak for Si and the allies.

The British lights get into action and start to inflict casualties on the Parisians.

Unfortunately another volley and two rounds of skirmisher fire see another group of Spanish forced back and the earlier one forced back again with 3 more losses to force morale.

Si is still smiling as his Spanish disintigrate along with his force morale.

As the British finally arrive on the scene the second unit of Gurillas breaks and flees and the Spanish line is forced back yet again leaving Si's force morale completely broken. We decide to play on a couple of moves as its a play test for Si and Dave, lets see if the British could have rescued the day.

The Hessians are finally moving forwards behind the Paris Municipal Guard, although they weren't really needed in the end.

The British unleash a volley and are supported by the lights and one unit of rifles, the other has gone around the church to find a flank and never got involved.

Its pretty obvious at this poitn that had the British arrived sooner the game wouldhave been very different indeed.

Two rounds of firing sees 6 casualties and multiple shock on the Parisians along with their second in command wounded. Very close to taking multiple force morales and swinging the game but unfortunately for Si its too little too late.

They never fired a shot but as its their first time on table I had to get a picture of the Hessians.

A fun game, not surprisingly for their first outing the Spanish were mullered and the Hessians never did a thing. Still I think Dave and Si enjoyed it.

Thanks for stopping by.