It was a SUNDAY GAME - and we decided to go for 10mm Franco-Prussian War (my collection) at a totally fictional battle with the newly second edition of the Valour & Fortitude - testing the French and Prussian army sheets. Who knows were this would lead to - I might actually read these rules... ;)
Mike drew the french card and thus had to defend against a full Prussian corps (played by me) plus an entire cavalry division, while waiting for half a division of infantry reserve, a corps artillery reserve and a corps cavalry reserve coming in later (diced out turns 1d6).
The first artillery bombardments were quite civil, but then turned quick nasty. My Prussian were on the attack on flanks and centre, while Mike tried to hold the line.
First relief was a cavalry reserve that would come in but on the wrong end. while the French guard cavalry and the Prussian cavalry division clashed on the left flank - interesting detail the Prussian Uhlans were stonewalling French Guard Cuirassiers two times!! They would not break - simple!
Then on the centre Mikes infantry division got off the hill to a counter attack - mon dieu! Totallement against the defensive doctrine, but very effectual! My heavy Krupp guns were shot (partly) off the hill by chassepot.
On the right wing Mike had to withdraw and my second division of infantry marched to get around to outflank the French.
Then the left flank cavalry battle got sour. my victorious regiments were all exhausted and just in that moment the reserve of the artillery came in on that corner - Ouch!
All the way through the line my first attack came to an halt and more and more units hit the grass. Still Mikes centre was retreating - BUT I had allocated enough "black spots" that even if I would have smashed his last shaken units in the centre, he would have still killed more than my Prussians. And a fresh half-division was just on the board marching to relief - Well done! A sounding French victory! Even by NOT sticking to the historical doctrine and do the unthinkable and attack!
Rulewise:
The system is of course OK, but the Armysheets need some more historical finesse.
We will adjust the Prone rule a bit more, divide the regiment actually into their battalions (so playing Army leader / divisional leader and Brigade commands) ad some other stuff needs fine tuning - but nothing that some more testing won't iron out. :)
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| Initial set up |
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| The cavalry clashes |
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| Prussian Hussars do not fear! |
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| Nobody breaks the Uhlans. |
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| The Prussian "two-horn attack" |
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| My cavalry flank is getting exhausted |
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| Did I mentioned that the Uhlans do not break? |
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| The French get surrounded. |
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| Some tactical wins at the flank. |
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| The French centre gets a pounding. |
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| Both lines in the death zone. |
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| The newly arrived artillery in front of my immobile and exhausted division. |
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| The Prussian Guard that died in front of the Mitrailleuese |
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| The French are wavering but not faltering. |
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| Some Dragoons sweep off a shaken line. |
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| But yet again - no break in the French line. |
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| A consolidated flank. |
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| And new arrivals that broke the Prussian camel... |
