The Battle of Champagne Farm, part deux

John was back over on Monday evening for another 42mm Franco Prussian War engagement. In this scenario the dastardly Hun had managed to cross the river and turn the French left flank, forcing a rapid deployment by the latter to face the new threat.

The French centre with Prussians and Bavarians in the distance.

The Prussian artillery would potentially dominate the battlefield.

We swapped sides this time and remembered to include a couple of house rules, namely, an infantry unit taking two unsaved hits would go to ground, requiring an order to stand up again. Also, artillery taking two unsaved hits would be forced to limber up and retreat a move (as well as becoming shaken of course).

The French cavalry before it blundered off in the wrong direction!

Some fast moving Prussians beat me to the church.

The Bavarians took their time advancing on their objective but still proved to be a nuisance.

A lone French 4pdr covering my extreme right.

Chasseurs making heavy going of crossing the river.

The Prussian attack in the centre developed slowly and John's Jager in the wood to the left were driven off by some snappy chassepot fire.

John deployed the Bavarians on the left on the ‘wrong’ side of the river with orders to advance and storm across the river ( and bridge no doubt) to assault Champagne Farm. Being Bavarians they were less than keen to do this, blundering on turn 1 and then making slow progress.  I tried to get a battalion of chasseurs across the river, eventually making it and ensconcing themselves in a wood.

On the Prussian right Johns Artillery blunted an advance by my troops trying to cross the river and occupy the church and farmhouses. At this point there were only cavalry and artillery facing them on this flank so it seemed like a good idea. Tell that to my shaken and disordered Zouaves as their bodies floated down the river after being shelled by the Prussians! Things got worse when my cavalry blundered and failed to cross the river as well! All this farting about gave the Prussians time to push a battalion into the church and some jäger into the vineyards.

In the centre the Prussian attack was slow in coming and eventually fizzled out although some progress was made against Champagne Farm by the Bavarians and supporting Prussians. They failed to get in though, despite giving the defenders a battering in the run up to their assault. Sniping by my Chasseurs in the wood to their flank lessened their enthusiasm slightly, er.... lots. The Prussians did manage to kill one of my brigadiers, meaning that the entire centre and right was without a commander for a turn.

The Prussian Uhlans were broken after failing ALL their saves.

The Bavarian assault on Champagne Farm.

My dragoons running away.

Back over on the French left I had finally got my cavalry over the river and in a position to charge, although my Dragoons took a hit and became disordered. My Cuirassier charged but were defeated in the combat by the Prussian Uhlans when I failed to make ANY saving rolls! John then  launched his cavalry at my disordered Dragoons. His Uhlans drove them back in melee but didn’t break them. The Uhlans then made a sweeping advance into my Chasseurs a Cheval and miraculously were totally defeated when this time I made all my saves, failing their break test.

Meanwhile my Chasseurs a Pied were making no progress against the enemy in the church but the
Zouaves and Turcos were moving up in support. However, both of our cavalry brigades were somewhat battered, the Prussian assault in the centre had stalled and no progress was being made  by the Bavarians against Champagne Farm.

We called it a night at this point. The Prussians had done better than last week but had still failed to dislodge the French from their ‘position magnifique’. A minor French victory I think, but probably a short lived one.

Looking forward to the coming weekend when I hope to be joining the other Wild Geese down in Kenilworth. I'm not putting a game on this time so will enjoy playing in some of the others.