1870 - Bloody Noses at Not-so-Kicheren II - Franco Prussian War

This is the continuation of the game of 22nd of May (https://meneken.blogspot.com/2021/05/1870-surprise-at-kicheren-1-franco.html)  - 10mm, Franco Prussian War, Black Powder + house rules - Bart secured the Imperial French line while Campbell was just about to charge into the wary French in a gigantic pincer attack. That was the status quo where we left and now picked up again. French turn.

But then Bart fired. Most of the Prussian infantry was comfortably in the Chassepot killing zone.  And within their gun range ...ouch... I think, I even heard Bart apologise at that point ... the Prussian large regiments MELTED away. Both pincer attacks faltered, the right wing was in retreat. Some cuirassiers in front of a mitrailleuse didn‘t live to tell the tale... the Prussian casualties (on par with the French before) tripled.

After that it was most of the game licking their wounds re-group and finally, more aggressively, using their guns,  the cannonade on both sides stared again as both opponents were too weary to chase the other - welcome at the end of the 19th century!

The Prussians seem to have hold both wings, as Bart over reached himself and charged two horse guns, AND failed to reach them ... ouch! The cavalry advantage he had was blown off to pieces ... another death ride ... hopefully not back to Napoleonics again... both lines hold ... both seem to wait for something, maybe that the ammunition runs out or the nightfall will come we don‘t know - BUT we will know next time when the third part of this epic will tell its final chapter! 

We all agreed to continue the fight, but next time the end of the battle will be definitive (nightfall!).

I must say the combined fire power of two regiments and an artillery battery are just withering. Given the fact that regiments (in this rule adaption) have a fire score equal to their front line (mostly 3-6 bases), this can be quite devastating (as per historical). The resources of the two are nearly spent, cavalry is very thin on both sides, guns picking on other guns (that should have happened from the start, but hey learning curves...).

It can go both ways still, but congrats to Bart/ the French they did hold their line so far.

The battle where we left it ...

French about to receive Prussian charge

And the Prussian to learn about the Chassepot killing zone

The Prussian right wing status ... desolee

After the French fire the Prussian pincer movement just died

The French guard cavalry counter charge

The Prussian right wing retreats

The valley of many sharp shots

The Prussian cannons advance

Both sides try to re-group

The Prussian attack on the left wing stalled and in disarray

All licking their wounds and re-load

The French cavalry moves in

The French right wing steady as ever

The Prussian even retreat from the left flank!

but re-group their cavalry on the right

and then re-group their left wing

The Prussians are all out of the Chassepot zone

Then the French cavalry try to charge the Prussian horse artillery and fail - ouch!

The result was for seeable - glorious death

... but the Prussians started their Krupp cannonade again ...

The Death table -  the Prussians toll on the right doubled ...