Pardon my French, British vs French, Napoleonics, Black Powder rules

"One does not simply walk into Mordor Portugal" Sean Bean, Sharpe's Rifles.

Below, we have an 8 foot by 6 foot table, with new cloth gaming mats from http://cigarboxbattlestore.bigcartel.com/, for a rousing game of Napoleonics.   My French with foreign allies vs Scott's British.  We have been using Warlord Games' Black Powder rule set (written by a bunch of ex-GW guys) an unlike almost every other block-unit game I have ever played,  the mobility is HUGE in Black Powder, so we are starting with nothing on the board, except each unit touching the board edge, if they rolled a 4+ to deploy.  If you click the below picture you will see I only got 4 units out of 11 while he got 9 out of 11!  He also rolled to get first turn....

Scott is easily the best painter I know.   Here is his cavalry Brigadier with Hussars and Dragoons behind them. 

How can you play British without Sean Bean and his Sharpe's Rifles (95th Rifles) ?? Here is where they deployed.   *spoiler alert, they failed every command roll to move, and thus ended the game here as well!*

British Guard and some Scot's (with Kilts, naturally)

My french, in Attack Column and Mixed Order (skirmishers in front, still get movement bonuses until I charge)

French get command bonuses if in Attack Column, which enabled most of my infantry brigade to advance on Turn 1.   'Loyal Lusitanian" playing as Nassauer allies (in dark green) for this game.  Or Disloyal Lusitanian if you prefer.

Scott issued an order for both units to advance, the 'Reliable' Guard obeyed, the regular foot not so much, leaving one unit by itself..

Close up of his Guard battalion.

Meanwhile, on the other flank, I had given a ballsy order to my entire Cavalry Brigade for a  double move then charge his Cavalry from off the table with my General (54 inches total move) but they only went 36'.  Now I will be charged for sure.

Sure enough I get the Disloyal Lusitanians and one other line infantry battalion to double charge his unsupported Guard.   I had initially routed them, but they turn the first Break test into a 'Fall back in good Order" instead..

Whole table overview.  Even with an episode of Sharpe's Rifles on the tele, his 95th Rifles refuse any order to move up off the table edge!!

Meanwhile, my Light Infantry are going to use the bonus for being in Attack Column to break into Skirmish order and defend that central courtyard (near the bonfire)  Sneaky the French are, eh?

Scott issues a charge order against my Dragoons.  Only one unit obeys, Dragoon on Dragoon fight to a draw..

However on my turn, I am able to flank his Dragoons with my Hussars while the other Dragoon unit forces the limbered british horse artillery to fall back near the table edge.  Note the big giant Napoleon Dice tin I picked up at some museum !!

Scott regroups his guard next to his other foot unit.   I would have charged into that mess, were it not for his unlimbered gun right there, which would shoot Canister into anyone who charges.  We shoot at one another, but without routing anyone.

Final overview, his Hussars will charge my Dragoons in the flank unless he botches the Command roll.   He moves up his foot to assault my skirmishers in the center courtyard (I would win the combat somehow)

He orders his Hussars to charge my Dragoons in the flank, but somehow I hit 4 times on 5+s and he loses the combat and breaks!   We call the game here as there is a huge snowstorm inbound.

I love this rule set.  The sweeping manoeuvres and adaptability (You can play Zulu Wars, Civil War, AWI, anything really, between 1700 - 1900) means it doesn't take 5 hours to move 2 turns like some other games!   The scale doesn't matter either, and they are pretty lenient on basing layouts.. so long as the unit frontage is about right.   We have opted to base our infantry 4 to a 40mm x 40mm base, though I have seen folks go with 6 on a wider base, which means they would go with one BASE less wide so the unit itself is the exact same width as mine.  Clever.

Anyhow, see below for a video bat-rep, and we'll catch up next time, when I have a unit of guard or two painted!! (I was at a disadvantage in points since he had some guard)

Matt Varnish AKA Dennis Campbell, plays Flames of War up in Canada with the lads from www.dicedevils.com. Surprisingly, I don't even have a Canadian army............ yet!