7-3 to the French this time. The British made the mistake (not obvious at the time) of putting the GG into square on the map edge by the village of Cerquedo. The problem was that they couldn't be rescued because of the map edge, and three further units died in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue them. We live and learn.

This is a tough battle. The French won 7-5, but it was close. The opening skirmishes saw the British advanced light units scattered - the rifles in full retreat, the Portuguese light reduced to one block and in full flight, and the British light destroyed in exchange for French General Simon.

Meanwhile on the British right flank, the guards, Portuguese line and heavy cavalry all advanced unhindered by the French due to a lack of cards on the left. Most French cards were in the centre so they advanced and destroyed the rifles, the British lights and a line unit and forced General Crauford to scurry off the map. A French cavalry charge eliminated the artillery, making the score 6-4. The guards eliminated another French line unit on their left but French sharpshooting destroyed the remaining Portuguese line unit, scoring the required 4 hits from 8 dice - a little lucky. The game could have gone either way. Our group will definitely play it again.

This week Evert and I reach scenario 8, Bussaco (Ney's Assault), in our play-through of the base game scenarios. I take the French first, faced with another line of British and Portuguese units on the reverse slope of the hills on their side of the battlefield and a long slog acros the board for the French forces. At least there are a few advanced Allied units to enliven the early stages.
So the French start their advance. An initial success was some Light infantry moving into the woods left of centre. Their shooting pushes the Rifles back in the town of Sula. However, this leaves room for the British Light that was in the open to sprint into the town. A second British Light infantry moves up to support the Portuguese Lights in the wood right of centre.
The French Lights demonstrated their marksmanship again, damaging the British Lights now in Sula. Good job they weren't in the open.
The British advance their left wing [Assault Left] towards the woods that separate the two armies here. The French respond [Counter-attack] by advancing their own troops, getting some of their Light cavalry onto the battlefield. One British Line infantry goes a bit too far and is devastated by more accurate fire from French Light infantry. The remnant is lucky to escape the following cannonballs of the French artillery. This prompts the British left wing to retire back to the hills.
A French advance right of centre sees two Line infantry push the Portuguese Lights out of the woods, starting a continuing engagement. This ends with a French Line infantry eliminated, the other retreated and British Lights occupying the woods. [0:1 to the Allies]
Left of centre, more accurate shooting from the French Lights chases the badly damaged British Lights out of Sula to the woods behind.
A more concerted French advance in the centre [Force March] sees two more Line join the exchange right of centre with the unit already there taking the woods from the British Lights. Left of centre, the French Light infantry moves towards Sula and forces another forward British unit to retreat.
The engagement centre right continues with the French Light cavalry now joining in. Musketry finishes off the Portuguese Lights. The British Lights scatter in front of the cavalry and are ridden down. The cavalry charges on to force a French Line into square. [2:1]
However, this puts the cavalry under the muzzles of the British artillery and they are blown away. [2:2]
A lull sees both sides re-group, enlivened by the Rifles' long-range sniping. However, they run out of ammo and have to fall back to find more. [Short Supply]
The French right wing advances a bit further, while the Grenadier Guards and Heavy cavalry get into position on the British right.
A British Line moves forwards in the centre and damages an already battered French Line infantry. The Brits provide a target for the second French Light cavalry, but the horsemen bounce off the square that forms. The infantry comes out of square to drive off the cavalry with musketry, but they return straight away and the infantry goes back into square, taking no casualties from the French Line that moves into range.
An artillery duel starts on the right, then the French Line lets go a full volley [Fire & Hold] at the square, destroying the entire unit [5 dice, 4 hits!]. [3:2]
French infantry advances further on their extreme right, looking to outflank the Allies on the hills.
Then the British Heavy cavalry charges [Cavalry Charge] the massed French infantry in front of them (extreme left of the French lines). Taken by surprise, the unit that they attack fails to form square, but survives the attack to inflict some damage on the cavalry. Then they move left into the woods, allowing three infantry units and the artillery to open up on the cavalry. They have some effect, but what's left of the cavalry is able to retire into the village of Cerquedo behind them and then retreat further.
Musketry from the French left of centre pushes some Portuguese infantry back while the artillery duel continues. Then the French artillery runs out of ammo and pulls back. [Short Supply again]
The French launch the right flank attack, a Line infantry marching up onto the hills and wiping out [5 dice, 4 hits ... again] the Portuguese infantry they meet - the suppporting units have nothing to shoot at. [4:2]
A half-strength British Line attacks the victorious Line unit, causing hefty casualties, but being eliminated by the counter. [5:2]
The Grenadier Guards finally move into the action on the Allied right, only to take heavy casualties from French fire. The French Light infantry in Sula finish off the British Light behind the town and the French Lights on the extreme right remove what's left of a British Line sheltering in the village of Mondo Novo. [7:2]
It was a tougher fight than that scoreline suggests, leaving the French forces scattered across the battlefield and the Allies battered. How will the return match go?

Pack’s attack with the Guards routes Marchand. A major triumph for Wellington 6-1.

We played twice, as British I beat French 7:1 and as British my friend beat French 7:6

I was quite lucky first time, the Light Foot dominated the centre of field to great effect, and French were mostly defeated there. The second game was more even across flanks with the British Guard Grenadiers coming up via La Grand Manoeuvre, So overall I came out ahead across the games.

Good scenario, balanced and with chances for both sides. Chronicle of the game: batallitasrobervictor.blogspot.com.es/20...lt-27-september.html

Played this scenario against John Mitchell on 25th March 2015.

I played French first. Pushing forward in the centre forced the Allies out of their advanced positions - and a lucky die roll gave me my first banner. The two armies manoeuvred into pretty much two lines across the battlefield. The French now advanced both flanks. On their left, the Grenadier Guards countered and were beaten back. The Heavy Cav advanced and came under musket fire that damaged them, but put a unit into square. The British counter on the French right chased off the cavalry, but took casualties. The French countered, taking out the infantry and allowing their cavalry out. They forced some British inf into square, but got mauled. A French attack on the left took out a unit and a leader, but the Brits rallied. A final flurry in the centre saw the French win 7:5, the battlefield strewn with damaged units.

Reversing the roles, the scenario again started with a French advance in the centre, removing the advanced Allied units - not least because I chose to retire. A French advance on their left got a bloody nose from the Grenadier Guards. A strong advance in the centre saw the French destroy the British artillery, but take some damage themselves. More manoeuvring followed with the final skirmishing on the French left giving them the win 7:4. This time, however, both sides had plenty of full-strength units and had retained their formations. And John won the encounter 12:11, damn his eyes!

This was one of the closest games of CCN I have ever played!
Final result was a French win 7-6 after the Allies got an early 4-0 lead.
Early French advances in the centre were shredded by musket and rifle fire from the Allied light troops.
Slow advances on the French left got similar treatment and a timely Rally draw and play by the Allies made it harder for the French to finish off depleted units. The Allies then got a fifth banner before the French finally "got off the mark".

Timely First Strike cards by the French helped stave off defeat when the Allies had isolated units ripe for the picking.
A couple of closely played French Bayonet Charges then evened the score and then gave the French the lead 6-5.

Despite some counters by the Allies poor musketry let the French off the hook (6-6) and they finally overwhelmed the centre of the Allied line to get the win (7-6).

Ladder #6 match
14 matches played
6 French wins
8 Allied wins