Game 2
g1ul10 – French - 7 Victory Banners
RiverWanderer - Allies - 2 Victory Banners

Frenches advance in the center and right sections. The Allies steal the initiative on the French right thanks to an accurate rifle fire, but a nasty tactician card stops their well-organized advance (for the record, I do not like tactician cards also when they help me). The French counter-attack is bloody and the British lose control of that part of the battlefield. The following action is mainly in the center. Like in the previous game, the early elimination of the British cavalry allows the French heavy cavalry to run around with impunity. The British seem not to believe in squares and pay it dearly. I did not have very good cards, but a steady supply of different section cards allowed me to retain mobility everywhere. On average, good rolls on both sides, but mine were more decisive. I think these were the first games I played with Mark. I really appreciated his fair play, sportsmanship, and competence. I'm looking forward to play with him again.

Mike (scipio1zama), thanks a lot for two exciting games and two very accurate and candid accounts of the battles. It was a thrilling experience, and after my dismal start in the first game, snatching that 1 point (and almost making it to 1.5 points) almost felt like a victory. A long and bloody engagement, that second one, for sure.

Thanks a lot and good luck with the next round!

John, you deserved the win. You played well -- as you said, it was just not my night. Vassal was working great.....until it wasn't, but we fixed it. I'll make sure next time to reboot my machine and clear everything out of memory before I load up Vassal. Maybe that will work.

OK, sorry for all these entries. The vlog files did not look right in the preview - but look correct now. And I guess 1 click on each file is sufficient, not two. Anyway, there we are.

OK, one more attempt to attach the log files for these two games. If it doesn't work - sorry. Well, I can see them now, but they don't look right.

Game 2
Stanislav27 – French - 7 Victory Banners
Scipio1zama - Allies - 3 Victory Banners


The French started on their left and used the LT to take 3 blocks from a Spanish LN while the Allies sought to move the Spaniards back while bringing the British onto the hills. The French continued to probe that flank, but the Allies short supplied a LN w/leader back to the French baseline. The French then shifted to their left and launched an assault that eventually took out the British RL and LT.

Considerable fighting took place on the hill but to minimal effect at first, as both armies suffered from cold dice for a time. The Allies used a Capable Tactician card to retrieve Short Supply and then used it again on the French. But the British troops couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn – 4 or 5-dice fusillades against French LN repeatedly resulted in no hits, or just one hit. On one occasion, my 6-dice roll complete whiff prompted my opponent to comment, “That has to be the worst roll of the game,” an assessment with which I sadly had to agree. Ah, well, we have all been there. (By contrast to my Brits, my two still active Spanish LN seemed able to get at least one hit whenever they fired, and eventually killed one of the French LN.)

The French came to bat with a Leadership Card and on his right used his GR to melee and get 4 Inf hits on 6 dice to eliminate my full-strength British LN (who had foolishly come out of hiding the previous turn and whiffed HIS roll.) My left flank was now completely denuded. With that same card on the hill, however, the French missed against my 1-block GG.

After more hill fighting, I killed a French GR, and it stood 3-2. But then Stan Probed the Center and eliminated a British LN and the leader Dilkes AND a GG unit all in one turn! My forced March got me one more of his LN units, taken out by a Spanish LN, but then his Left Flank attack got 2 hits on my brave Spaniards and the kill for the seventh banner. (At game’s end, after all that fighting, neither of us owned the hill.) A well-deserved, hard-fought victory for the French.
Both my opponent and I forgot to start log files until we were about 2/3 of the way through it. I'll attempt to attach it to another file, but I am having no luck so far. I click on "attach files", find the vlog file on my computer, double click on it, but it doesn't attach - ?

OK, I'll try to attach the logfile for what I just posted.

Game 1
Scipio1zama – French - 7 Victory Banners
Stanislav27 - Allies - 2 Victory Banners

The French started with an Assault Center and moved up 2 LN and 2 Art, then the Allies moved up units on his left. (It turns out he started with 4 Left Flank cards.)

The French second turn was a Bayonet Charge with 4 LN – I killed one Spaniard LN, reduced 2 others to one block, and retreated the fourth. I Also took the hill for a second banner – and never relinquished it.

Now we mixed it up, back and forth. I took out one of the 1-block Spanish infantry, he moved up his GG, we fought. He took out a French LN and reduced my 2 units with leaders to one block each, but I took out one of his GG. I then used a La Grande Manoeuvre to move both of my Grenadiers onto the hill, and with one of them and some other units, I screened my two 1-block units w/leaders. Then continued fighting saw me take out the other GG and a LN, at the cost of another French LN. Finally, I got another British Line, which gave me 7 and the win. I had the perfect cards from the start, and rolled well, too.
I don't know why this is in red. Also, having trouble attaching the vlog. I'll try that again in a separate post.

Game 1
Zamba Bone (French) 7
Gonzo (Allies) 3
French range fire devastating all game, including 7/8 vs GG. French pushed forward all over board, Allies laid there like a slug, it was their only defense. The block count must have bee 3-1 in favor of French.

Game 2
Zambo Bone (Allies) 3
Gonzo (French) 7

Most of action on French right/Allied left. Allies moved far forward to set firing line, but French HC charge kiilled the Brit art and squared a unit. British range fire killed the HC and they again tried to set firing line. The French fire pushed them back and a bayonet charge on that flank sealed it.

Game 2
CaptTonio 3 (French)
EZPickins 7 (Allies)

The Allies got off to a great start when I played La Grande Manoeuver as my first card and was able to send the Brits to the ridge to bolster the Spaniards. From the start luck was on my side in that I got the better rolls and had a card for this flank on almost every turn. Anton did his best but it just wasn't his night. On top of that he had issues with vassal much of the time. He was a great opponent who deserved better.

Just to reinforce Cavie's candid reports.

1st game
After repelling the early French attempts on both flank, the Brits had local numerical and situational advantage. A failed attempt to finish battle early by forcing melee on the left flank prooved to be a fatal error by the Reds. Also marching two units into the effective range of the French artillery in the mid was another mistake. All this gave the opportunity for the tactical and disciplined French to turn the tide.

2nd game
Very tense and tactical game. After a couple of turns maneuvering both sides were able to develop their lines in good order. French were able to bring a solid mass of infantry up to the hills, while the Brits had a good forward position on their left.
French advance gained momentum on the hills, but was contained on the other side. The charge of the Heavy Cavalry in the Center was stopped by a deadly effective First Strike from the British Artillery, slaining Gen. Ruffin as well. The counterattack of the Royal Guard Grenadiers had shaken the French Left, but just before the complete collapse, the French Grenadiers led by Gen. Leval managed to run down the Portuguese Line forced into square by the cavalary earlier in the Center.

Excellent play from Dan. Nice examples of flexible defence followed by cunning and devestating counterattacks. The second battle could have gone easily the other way.

Yes, sorry have been battling a cold last week
Game 2
Greg O (French) 4
Chris (Allies) 7

The battle started much like the first one with the Spanish able to push back the early French advance. Not to be outdone, the French regrouped on the hill with both FAs blasting away. The Brit GG got lucky here and one shotted one of them off the hill with ranged fire. The French swung back and took revenge on the GG and softened a few others. The battle was getting tight. The Brits had a number of units on the R hill but no cards to move them. They had to draw the French away with their centre cards. The French push away on the hill, with each side taking hits. Finally the Brits were able to push back the French in the centre and take command of the hill at the same time. The French had no cards to counter the Brit control of the and lost the final VP. Fun battle to the end.

Cavie Vs Kandras78

Game 1

Cavie (French) - 7 Banners
Kandras78 (British) - 5 Banners

British kept the hills the whole game and in addition had success wiping out leaders during the game. French took quite a few shots from the Rifle Lights but somehow survived the killing shot and made a retreat to the baseline. French reorganized in the center and were able to bounce back to conclude the 2 hour battle.


Game 2

Cavie (British) - 4 Banners
Kandras78 (French) - 7 Banners

3 hour game that was quite intense. Quite a bit tactical maneuvering that really countered well on both sides but left up to the dice to decide. Without describing it all here I'd just say 'watch the log file'. May be worth your time to do so.

Game 1
giulio (Allies) 7
RiverWanderer (French) 6

The game started with very effective French range fire. The Allies advanced on the ridge and they seemed to be able to win the battle there when the French heavy cavalry intervened. Mark played very well with the cav and basically stopped the advance of British Guard Grenadiers. Losses piled up on both sides, but the Allies were suffering more. I thought the game was lost but Mark did not have the card to close it on his left flank and gave me the time to kill a LT on the French right and win the game. Very balanced.

Not Certain if Chris will post, he won this battle, but I will post the basics here for Mark:

Game 2
Greg O (French) 4
Chris (Allies) 7

Togan Alper (Allies) 5
Bangla (French) 7

A hard fought victory. The French took command of the Barossa Hill early, and held it for the entire battle. They jumped out to an early lead too, but the Allies countered very effectively on their left flank with the RL and LT. Eventually, the French were able to pick off an infantry unit to take it to 6 banners, then a cavalry charge combined with artillery ran into some French cannister. The cavalry survived, just, but were eliminated straight afterwards for the final banner.

Bangla (Allies) 7
Togan Alper (French) 2

The French tried to assault the hill and pushed back the Spanish quickly. But the combined Spanish and Guards mounted a bayonet charge which pushed them back successfully. The French charged back themselves, to be met by a fierce counterattack by two Guards units and their left wing was decimated.

Game 1
Greg O (Allies) 7
Chris (French) 3



The French started on the left, pushing into the Spanish but they were repulsed with a loss of two line units and a leader. The French then pushed on the right, pushing the British all the way out to the center, where they refused the flank with a strong line that caused the French to look at the left again. A Grand Maneuver onto the hill with two artillery and infantry triggered a Bayonet Charge by the Allies with 2 Guards Gren and 2 Spanish Line. The French were hit hard and in their counter attack a Guard Gren battled back against an artillery unit eliminating it for the victory.

Game 2
Mark McG (Allies): 7
soul1st (French): 4

French came in hard on the British left flank (opposite the ridge), and then pushed against the ridge with seeming immunity to hits. The Spanish put a stop to that, and from there I had probably the better of the dice (which was not crash hot really). French chased the Spanish off the ridge, but a late surge back up the ridge gave the Allies the majority for a win.

Standoff in the centre except for some cavalry action

I'm extending the deadline for Round 3 to 9th December, and Round 4 will be 20th January. Hopefully that will give people enough time to get their matches played as we enter into the silly season around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. Seemed to work out last year with most matches played.

That being said.. play early. Don't rely on the last minute, because that will be the day VASSAL goes down.

Game 1
CaptTonio 7 (Allies)
EZPickins 3 (French)

French started by moving forward on the right flank, but they were pushed back by the British with no loss of any units. Then the French moved up on the left flank, seeking to dislodge the Spanish troops on the hill. One Spanish unit fled to the nearby woods, but the others held as the British Guard Grenadiers and Line moved up to support. The GG were amazing on the hill, killing the French general and destroying French units. The French retaliated by killing the Spanish general and wiping out a Spanish unit. But the British had the momentum and pushed the French off the hill, wiping out a line unit and crippling the French grenadiers.

Log file:

Game 1
Mark McG (French): 7
soul1st (Allies): 3

French started with a Forced March, and thus began the death struggle for the hill.
Turn after turn of combat on the ridge, to the exclusion of much else. In the end the French were repulsed, the Allies pressed forward, and the French rebounded to claim ownership and victory.