412 Lübeck - North Gate (6 November 1806)

412 Lübeck - North Gate (6 November 1806)

Feel like prussians need 5 cards and need to get first move. A french bayonet charge to start is a real spoiler.

Two games with "TheRailRodder" (sorry for misswriting your nickname), Both Prussian victories 7-6 and 7-5.
Pretty close games, but it is a bit about luck, as this scenario ended for us both times with artillery bombardment
as French lost their power. But it was pretty intense both times.
I liked it the most from so far played Prussian scenarios.

mantra(French) - 7 Banners, 11 blocks lost
asyncritus (Allies) - 2 Banners, 25 Blocks lost

This was the second game of the match. The French pushed the hills hard and gained their heights. Once there they consecutively bombarded the Prussians in the field below. The Prussians attempt to push the French off the heights, but the French Inf. were able to make gains in the field and take the town. This was contested by the Prussians as they sent in their Lt. Cav. to shatter the French masses, but this came to no effect as the French were able to play the battle first tactic card. It seemed the Prussians could only chip away at the French with ranged fire. Their melee came up short.

Once the French had 5 banners, they earnestly started to push into the church and its environs. The Prussians did all they could, but were deeply outnumber and out gunned. The French would not be denied the victory and its spoils.

Two games with gottoman, both French victories 7-1 and then 7-2. Neither of us seemed to get to grips with defending in the right places for the Prussians.

This was a French win 7-5, but it was much closer than it seems. In the last Prussian turn, I had the chance to win. I was rolling with a LC +1 Cav. bonus against a broken French LC with a leader. I also had a LT Inf. next to a lone French Leader. LC was rolling 4 dice no hits. Lt was was rolling 2 dice, no hits. My chance to win, or at least prevent the French LC from exiting the board was dashed. In the next French turn he exited off the board and destroyed the LT INF. Game over. I got in some early French kills fighting around the temporary bonus hex. But just as my Grenadier was surrounded by French troops I was able to play the Grand March to move back four troops towards the Prussian line. I think that was the key. Prussians take a risk to hold that church for the temp VP. But knowing when to pull back is important. A very close game.

Blücher victorious 7-4. In retrospect in my game, Rivaud’s attack on the church was foreshadowing Hougoumont. Brutal. A very entertaining scenario, and the end of this phase of the 4th Coalition War.

Played and won with the Prussians! Very balanced scenario!

Vittoria Francese 7-3. L'artiglieria francese spazza via i leggeri appostati sulla collina costringendo Oswald a rifugiarsi tra le difese campali. Il duca di Brunswick si unisce ai Granatieri e ordina all'artiglieria di attraversare il fiume. Forma cosi una formidabile linea difensiva con il centro posto nella chiesa di Santa Gertrude. Intanto i leggeri francesi abbandonano i boschi e il giardino e si lanciano di corsa verso le vie di uscita mentre Drouet sulla sinistra riceve l'ordine di prendere d'assalto le difese campali. I granatieri prussiani caricano con l'appoggio della loro artiglieria le unità di Rivaud ma vengono massacrati e il duca di Brunswick muore alla loro testa. I leggeri francesi nel centro si trovano in difficoltà quindi Tilly con un'unità di cavalleggeri decide di sfondare nel centro. Anche se con gravi perdite la cavalleria francese passa tra le batterie prussiane ed esce dal campo guadagnando la vittoria.

It's my turn to play the French first and thus move first this game, but nothing much happens for a while. I got rid of some weak cards while Evert advanced more Prussians to form a defensive line on the church. The French right then attacked the church, eliminating the Prussian Line infantry and occupying it. The score's 1:1 as Evert still has one as the French haven't exited anybody.

A tentative Prussian advance on the left ran away when the artillery opened fire, while the French infantry in the church finished off the Prussian artillery for 3:1 (there's a banner for the church). Only for the Prussian Grenadiers to take its place and clear the church. That's 2:2.

I threw the French (mostly) Light infantry forward in the centre (a "Force March" card), disrupting the Prussian line and taking out a Light infantry (3:2).

A volley ("Fire and Hold") from my Light infantry centre-left took out another Prussian artillery for 4:2. The Prussian infantry charged forward ("Bayonet Charge"), the result being the demise of a Prussian Light infantry! (5:2)

More musketry from the French Lights took out another Prussian Light infantry to take the score to 6:2. A Cavalry Charge from the lone Prussian cavalry unit put a French infantry into square, but the French infantry on the other side of the church took out the Prussian Grenadiers to conclude the battle in a French victory 7:2.

An hour's play for the seventeen turns in this game and a surprisingly unbalanced scoreline. So how well will Evert do with the French?

I’ve also posted this report on my BGG blog (with pictures!): boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/190397