OT2021 Round 4

Allies stephent: Banners 6, blocks lost 22
French RiverWanderer: Banners 0, blocks lost 30
Battle started with both sides rearranging their centre, and the British Cav moved forward to the Pela Garcia. Ranged skirmishing between and the British RL and French Lt, with the French Lt falling victim to British Lt and Superb Infantry Training (1-0). French played elan, damaging the British Lt with ranged fire and the LC attacked the British HA on the river – three flags are cancelled by Hold the Line Leader and then they were destroyed by Counter Attack (2-0), with the British Cav now across the river. The British Force Marched in the centre, crossing the river here. Exchanges of ranged fire continued, with another French Line destroyed (3-0). The French began to bring their left towards the centre. British launched assault centre up onto the ridge, with Call Forward Reserves bringing the FA adjacent to the Chapel. French replied with Attack Centre, using ranged fire to heavily damage the two British units on the ridge with the third French Line meleeing and advancing beyond the ridge – the GG met them with Cold Steel, French Infantry Combat First rolled three flags – all ignored and the French Line were destroyed (4-0). British Cav Charged on their left, forcing an isolated Line into Square. The French attempted to relieve the pressure on the Centre and their right with assault left, but were repulsed by the GG, with the loss of a Line (5-0). British bombard destroyed the squared French line for the final banner (6-0).
Thanks to Mark for a great game, as always he played well but never had the cards to deal with the British ranged fire and ability to rotate units in this scenario: total block count was nearly equal for most of the game but the British were able to rotate units back behind the ridge (by the end of the game there were 6 depleted British units sheltering in the leeward side, compared to only two similar French ones).

Log file hopefully attached 

gheintze vs MaxJoezach -- Game 1
gheintze (Allies) 3 Banners 19 blocks lost
MaxJoeZach (French) 3 Banners 31 blocks lost

After some initial positioning and ranged fire, the French cavalry charged forth on their right. Unfortunately, the British had many cards on that side, including Cavalry charge and managed to pick up 2 quick medals and severely damage another infantry unit. There was no rest for the French however, as the British then charged (with Bayonet Charge and forced march) in the center. The French artillery that had set up on the hills was eliminated in 1 turn, followed by two other infantry. The French countered in the middle to get 3 medals, but then the heavy cavalry in combination with an infantry on the hills on the French right took on the last two units needed for the victory.

rematch will be on Tuesday

In game 2, Jim Fardette's British were able to keep steadily increasing pressure on MIke Stanley's French, and 4 units with only a single block remaining hid out in the backfield. Mike launched a Grand Maneuvre to place them all in jeopardy but the British countered and the dice were unkind to Mike. A 6-2 finish that was much closer than that.
Jim Fardette (British) - 6
Mike Stanley (French) -2

 

Burnabybob (Allies) 6 banners
TolganAlper (French) 2 banners

The game started with a British attack on their left Flank, which resulted in the British taking a 2-1 lead. The British followed up with an attack in the center, hoping to keep the French pinned down. But the French used the hills and river to their advantage to repulse the attack. Results could have been worse had the French gotten better die rolls, but they managed to tie the game at 2-2 in any case. The latter part of the game saw the British attack on their right flank with the vaunted Guards Grenadier units, supported by light cavalry. The British rifle light infantry were lethal throughout the game as well, using their superior range to inflict heavy losses on the French. The game could have gone either way, but dice favored the British on this day.

gheintze wrote:

gheintze vs MaxJoezach -- Game 1
gheintze (Allies) 3 Banners 19 blocks lost
MaxJoeZach (French) 3 Banners 31 blocks lost

After some initial positioning and ranged fire, the French cavalry charged forth on their right. Unfortunately, the British had many cards on that side, including Cavalry charge and managed to pick up 2 quick medals and severely damage another infantry unit. There was no rest for the French however, as the British then charged (with Bayonet Charge and forced march) in the center. The French artillery that had set up on the hills was eliminated in 1 turn, followed by two other infantry. The French countered in the middle to get 3 medals, but then the heavy cavalry in combination with an infantry on the hills on the French right took on the last two units needed for the victory.

writing this up as
gheintze vs MaxJoezach -- Game 1
gheintze (Allies) 6 Banners 19 blocks lost
MaxJoeZach (French) 3 Banners 31 blocks lost

1 Game
FoxK (French) - JoeB (British) 2:6

2 Game
FoxK (British) - JoeB (French) 2:6

Game 2
MaxJoezach (Allies) 0 Banners 19 blocks lost
gheintze (French) 6 Banners 6 blocks lost

On the First French turn, I played Bombard to move my artillery units to the hills. The British then used Bayonet charge to attack the artillery to little effect. The French played a series of Assault Center cards to repel the British and pick up 3 banners. In the meantime, the British Heavy Cav also charged the French Light Cavalry on the right, but were unsuccessful. The French Cav circled and cut off the HC retreat route and the French infantry decimated the unit -- the leader was killed while trying to escape.

The British made a last ditch effort to charge the French infantry on the right, but the French cav again cut off their retreat route and the 6th banner was won.

Geoff

Game 1:  Scipio O ( Allies )   4   David I ( French)    6
Game 2 : David  I (Allies )     6   Scipio O (French)  1

In the first round the Allies advanced rapidly in the centre with Forced March, answered by a deep raid of the lone French cavalry to dispatch Allen on the back rank. Cavalry charge from the Brits eventually saw the French horse eliminated but three  of the four British horse units on that flank were now depleted. The forward French light outside the Chapel was forced into square by Brock's heavies and then shot to pieces by accurate musketry from the centre. The British advanced further in the centre onto the Calvarisan hills but were met by a bayonet charge with an  excessively bloody result  ( 9 blocks taken against 2 lost to battle back ). Campbell's infantry on the hill countered superbly destroying a 3-block line and then, inspired, almost knocked out a full-strength Light unit which was forced to retreat.  Campbell was exposed but the battle would likely have continued to rage had not the French had a second bayonet charge which saw the French 4:3 and in control of the heights with severely weakened Brits below them. La Grande Manoeuvre rescued the situation in the centre but a plucky French infantry unit forced the Rifles out of the Chapel and installed a garrison. The Rifles were then picked off by artillery fire 5:3. The exact events thereafter are not clear but the final banner score was French 6 to Allies 4.

The second game was a bit more of a grind with a gradual creep forward onto the stream by the British in the centre and garrisoning of the chapel. Ferey's units on the left moved onto the hills but were unluckily subjected to a bayonet charge from the grenadier guards which fortuitously dispatched his  foot artillery and his Lights. Elan was unlucky to order only two units which allowed only a foray against the Lights on the bridge who squared up and an inconclusive melee on the far left against the Guards. Cavalry charge from the Brits was outrageously successful destroying the infantry unit which had just attacked the Guards with a perfect roll, capturing a solitary Ferey and then on the other flank knocking the light cavalry down to 1-block with 3 out of 4 dice hitting.  Allies 4:1. Things were looking grim for the French and a death or glory Forced March in the centre was beaten back by rifle and artillery fire over two rounds claiming another banner before an assault on the left claimed the last.

Thanks to Scipio for his genial acceptance of my work schedule and his tolerance of my rather exaggerated good fortune in both of these games. Cards and dice were very kind to me.