Napoleonic Action at El Perez

 Today was the club all day Sunday meeting. And we had a combat debut with our 28mm Napoleonic collections. Niel and I supplied French, whilst Derek came with British and Portuguese.

 Using Black Powder rules from Warlord Games, we thought to give the El Perez scenario in the book a try. Derek was one or two units short, but had a few more guns, and the French were one Infantry unit short, and not the correct Cavalry units, but we thought to try as we were not far off the units required in the book.

The British form line, as one column attempts to escape off board. For those who do not have Black powder, I better explain. This is a fictional battle, set in the part of the peninsular war where Britain and allies were trying to evade the French and make thier way to the Lines of the Torres Vedras in Portugal. Typified by delaying actions and rearguard skirmishes, this game is won by the British if they manage to get half thier force off thier baseline. The French win if they stop them, of course!

The French in Attack column, Voltigeur to the front march out from El Perez in persuit of the British.

Not all the Brigades get good Orders rolls, and some wind thier way through the maze of streets in Column of march.

British Cavalry and Horse Artilery prepare to cover the withdrawal.

French Cavalry charges out to meet them. Some poor dice rolls from my subordinate General, and the first French Dragoon regiment are destroyed. Artillery fire disrupts the Carabiniers behind, and the Cavalry Brigade is Broken, and Flees the field. Not a good start!

Thankfully for the French, Derek fluffs his Orders roll and the British Cavalry do not move in his next turn.

Portuguese and British Regiments make a bee line for the Portuguese border and Safety.

Niel sets up his Brigade in a stone walled field to cover the bridge.

Out come the French, or at least one brigade, the other two fluff thier orders again.

The french columns only recieve desultry fire from the brits, and smash in to the thin red line, causing two regiments to take break tests, which they fail and are removed. The remnants are now a broken Brigade, and fall back in dissarray.

Barry finaly gets some luck and moves the Artillery forward, Along with a brigade.

Unfortunately it is too late, as the British and Portuguese have now managed to get enough troops over thier baseline to win.

Just as the French were getting thier act together too. C'est la Guerre!

 Great game and nice to play with our new 28's, on a big table ( 6ft x 10ft) We need more miniatures, it was agreed, and we will try another game in January, may be a set piece battle rather than a scenario.