Ambush am Busch

Last week Angus kindly offered me to try out the famous General de Brigade rules. He brought along with a little ambush scenario a couple of brigades of French and Prussian from his vast and nicely painted stock of 28mm Napoleonics. He promised me a Russian contingent, but just brought Prussians, probably remembering to bring just "something from the continent" ...

Also Dougie made an appearance and kindly offered to be my sparring partner and commanding the Prussian side. The French (me then this time) had to march along the road and get (more than half) of their troops across the other side exactly where the road vanishes. To the side there was some small bushes and trees ("der Busch" in German) where from the Prussian would make a surprise appearance.

As I was  newbie to the rules my brigade was pretty much in the middle of the table when Dougie‘s Prussians arrived.

First our cavalry clashed, then some more and then I throw some artillery (too slow anyway) and some Infantry into their path. My pink cavalry from somewhere in central Germany was smashed, then my brave lined up infantry got caught in the open. I must admit, I refused the urge to form a square and relied on fire power ... but then failed to deliver this in dice rolling. In the end the last 3 regiments of infantry escaped, but is it was just 50% of the lot not 51% so I lost. Playing by the rules is always so much fun, if you master them. I certainly did not and must admit that the order phase and their transition into movement was not quite so clear. The game seems to rely on a lot of table which in this day and age I‘d like to avoid.

But never the less I enjoyed the company and the game. Maybe BP next time - I‘m sure we can come up with some adjustments that reflect some of the intentions of GdB, but with less tables to check.

Figures, scenario and scenery: Angus

Combatants: Me and Dougie

My inital set up

Enter the Prussians

The Cavalry clashes 

More Prussian Infantry sneaks in

The French line stands or dies

aaand the Prussians

The French Artillery delays the Prussian attack

The Prussian Cavalry get the hang of it

... more Prussians pour out of the Bush

3 Regiments escape, but not enough to win the day ... 

The Prussian Cavalry mobs all up