Fisticuffs in the foothills.

A fictional scenario set in the Pyrenees, 1813.

The scenario.

The British 5th Division has been ordered to attack French positions in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The French defenders must hold them off at all costs while better defencive positions are prepared further back in the hills.

The Rules

Black Powder with Albion Triumphant supplement.

The opposing forces.(I'm using the oob for Salamanca rather than 1813)

British 5th Division (Carl and Mick):-

Hays' Brigade-3/1st, 1/9th, 1/38th and 2/38th 12 skirmishers

Pringles Brigade-1/4th, 2/4th, 2/30th and 2/44th 12 skirmishers

Portuguese Brigade-1st and 2nd/3rd, 1st and 2nd/15th 12 skirmishers

1RA Battery allocated to Hay.

French Division Bonnet (Tom):-

1st Brigade-1st and 2nd/118th Line, 1st and 2nd/119th Line, Combined Grenadiers, 18 skirmishers.

2nd Brigade- 1st and 2nd/120th Line, 1st and 2nd/122nd Line, Combined Grenadiers, 18 skirmishers.

1 Foot Artillery battery.

The Plans.

British-The 2 British Brigades to advance on each flank and assault the French positions at either end of the ridge while the Portuguese advance towards the French centre pinning it and preventing reinforcements from being sent to either flank.

French-British Exploring Officers failed miserably in their attempts to obtain this information from the French. In other words i forgot to ask! I'll get the hang of this sooner or later. 

The starting positions.

Pringles Brigade

Portuguese Brigade.

Hays Brigade.

After checking with Tom i was getting the seniority of the British correct he then proceeded to do this!

French 1st Brigade on the left flank!

Centre with parts of both Brigades.

French 2nd Brigade on the right!

Command base 1/4th foot.

Royal Artillery 9lbr

Pringles Brigade on the left flank.

Hays Brigade on the right flank.

The Portuguese take up the centre.

Terrified Frenchmen await some cold steel, 'they don't like it up em you know, THEY DO NOT LIKE IT UP EM'

Grenadier company, these were combined to form 2 Grenadier battalions. (Foundry)

A base of Portuguese. (Front Rank)

French Foot Artillery. (Perry)

Hays Brigade advances towards the French left wing.

Pringles Brigade advance towards the French right.

The Portuguese do their bit by menacing the French centre.

The stench of Garlic begins to overpower the British first Brigade who refuse to move this turn.

Pringles Brigade is made of sterner stuff and continue their advance towards the French who have moved a grenadier battalion off to the right flank of their line.

The only casualties so far have come from the skirmishers exchanging fire and some mainly ineffective artillery fire from the French.

Two Portuguese battalions deploy into line in front of the French centre, the other two failing to deploy into attack columns, in an attempt to pin the French centre.

Back on the British right one battalion advances towards the French line which has been extended left and a Grenadier Battalion moved up to face the threat.

The British left flank prepares for an assault with a column ready to move through the line.

French Grenadiers on the right charge a British column who fire and counter charge.

French charge a Portuguese line.

Skirmishers exchange fire.

French grenadiers await the British.

British column charge home taking casualties on the way in.

The French lose this one.

and are forced back while the British hold their ground.

On the other flank the dice are not kind to the French

who eventually lose and, in fine style, run away.

Back on the other side things are hotting up and another British column attacks a French line.

 French centre still pinned by the Portuguese.

British guns finally get moving after several failed commands (we forgot about the free move for artillery rule!)

British columns prepare to show no mercy to the Garlic eaters!

Likewise on the left flank, the Grenadiers having 'done a runner'

back to barracks!

A headless Tom deciding that the game was up!

with the British advancing on both flanks.

And with superior numbers in the centre.

This one didn't go well for the Frenchies either.

It would have been good to get another couple of moves in just to see if us British could have rolled up both flanks and met in the middle of the ridge for a well earned cup of Tiffin. I thought Tom was a bit premature in accepting his fate but that's the way it goes sometimes.

We concluded that the French had too many 'waverers' and that i would drop this designation from the first battalions of the second Brigade also.

The French have enough cavalry painted up so the plan is to paint up a Brigade of British cavalry in time for the next 28mm game.

Thanks for reading