At the end of this year we will celebrate the bicentennial of the kingdom of the Netherlands. First we will get a new Willem at the throne, although not Willem IV but Wim.Lex, and then its party time.
200 years ago many dramatic changes took place in this small country. A major battle was fought and with mixed journalistic coverage. The future king Willem II being either painted as the hero of Waterloo or, on the other hand, being put on display as Silly Billy in a once popular TV series. Last evening he did redeem himself.
The beginning of our napoleonic Black Powder game was a bit of thing. Anxiety on the allied side because the prussian players were late. In addition many drop-by players turned up from many far flung corners of Europe. Eventually we had 9 players around the table resulting. in as much cheerful animosity at the sides of the table as being experienced by the small brave men doing the fighting on the table.
We played the “advance guard scenario” in which each side deploys one light brigade on the table and all the others arrive according to the FoW delayed reserves rule. This gives the two on table brigades 3 turns to sort things out and make a beginning, while with the typical pace of a Black Powder game there is plenty of time in an evening for a late arriving reserve brigade to still get a belly full of fighting.
The on table brigades advanced boldly forwards with the french being quickest and able to deploy in nice line with safe flanks. The prussians decided it was safer on the reverse slope of a hill and only deployed a battery and a detachment of jeagers to confront the french. In the ensuing exchange of fire the french clearly had the edge, putting the jeagers and the battery effectively out of the game.
The allied reserves were quicker to arrive and soon the dutch/nassau brigade spearheaded forward on the allied left flank, expecting back to show up soon. Things would turn out differently. As the french reserved were a delayed the allied commander recognized the opportunity at their right flank facing the already on table french brigade. The idea was to push the forward prussian brigade forwards with order to fire away and inflict as much damage as possible on the french, while not being to mindful on their own losses. The reserve prussian brigade would then simply push forwards, charge in and get the job done, supported by a brigade of cavalry. However, the orders were slow to arrive at the troops and the C-in-C (that’s me) had some weak moments, to put it diplomatically. Instead of waiting with orders until the last the dice were thrown and… double six! No more orders this turn guys, sorry!
Eventually the prussian cavalry charge forward and force the french infantry in square. The overall course of events was one of infantry firing away at each other and cavalry swirling forward forcing the infantry in square; a true slogging match which the single french brigade was bound to lose simply because of the superior numbers it faced. There was, however, a truly glorious moment for the french artillery. They we charged by a prussian cavalry regiment. Closing fire gave the prussians 3 hits, shaking them and they passed the break test. In the hand to hand combat the prussians inflicted 5 hits which, however, were all saved by the artillery men. The combat was therefor a draw, meaning the prussian cavalry had to make a break test because they were shaken… and they broke!
On the allied left the dutch/nassau brigade took up a position behind a small defile between a large wood and the table edge. They were first confronted by a french cavalry brigade that rushed forward to just within musket range. And there was great joy on the part of the dutch. A lively tune was played with their muskets aiming to empty the french saddles. Some cavalry charges were made but eventually the french units were withdrawn back to safety. In the mean time a large french infantry brigade came up and took over the fight of their cavalry. In true allied fashion the dutch commander send a small british battalion that was part of his brigade forward… alone. In the mean time the dutch commander was also looking to his rear, begging with his eyes for support. It was not to be and the dutch cavalry was placed strategically in the centre of the allies army. It was also not necessary. The fire and close combat fight was tough for both side but the dutch stood firm. Also the english miraculously survived; shaken but not stirred.
By now the game was many turns old and getting to a close. The dutch cavalry led by none other than the prince of orange in person charged forwards, crushing all the french cavalry they encountered and breaking the elite french cavalry brigade. It proved decisive. More than halve the french brigades were now broken and the game was over.
Again a great game that proved how Black Powder easily allows 9 players to finish a game in one evening.
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