For the scenario and initial deployments map click here.
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| The initial deployments - Prussians on the left and French on the right. The buildings are my recently re-based Airfix ones. |
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| The good old 45th ligne (nearest the camera), when the 45th are on the field you can be sure of a good game and of course they never lose their eagle (or if they do it comes back again for the next battle). |
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| The Young Guard and Guard Marins started the game in reserve behind the village. |
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| The 105th ligne occupied one of the buildings supported by a foot artillery battery on the road. |
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| The 9th legere were deployed in line to the front of the village. They were to play a significant part during the fighting but were eventually forced to quit the field when their strength dropped below 9 figures. |
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| The Prussian line. The troops with the lighter green bases are all S-range figures from Goya's collection. |
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| The unit in the rear are Prussian Grenadiers. I think these were all converted from line figures which meant adding a lot of plumes. The brushwork is excellent. |
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| The action kicks off with an advance on the French left. The wily Prussians chose not to press directly against the occupied buildings but rather to push against the infantry in the open. |
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| The Uhlans lost no time in charging the single unit of French cavalry present. Sadly this was not the best of days for the French mounted arm. |
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| The situation at the end of turn 3. The Young Guard have advanced and occupied the church while the Prussians make headway against the French left. |
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| The French Voltigeurs had a good game. After blowing away most of the Jagers with a crushing volley they then crowded around the Prussian left and eventually caused the 2nd Silesian Landwher to rout from the field. |
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| The French were safe in the buildings of Plancenoit but the Prussians chose, perhaps wisely, to bypass the village. |
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| The 45th were forced to form square due to the presence of Prussian cavalry in their flank and rear. This made them vulnerable to a charge by the enemy infantry. |
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| The battle in full vintage mode. |
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| The 45th broke for the rear only to be confronted by the lances of the Prussian Uhlans - hold on to that eagle lads! |
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| The situation at the end of play - turn 8. The French still hold Plancenoit but the Prussians have turned their left flank and are threatening to move on La Belle Alliance. |
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| The final tally was 5 VP's to each player so an honourable draw was declared by the umpire. |
At the end of turn 8 we were quite surprised to find that the game was a draw on points although possibly it was more of a strategic victory for the Prussians who managed to get troops around the French left flank. I was pleased that the scenario turned out to be so balanced and that we managed to play the full eight turns.
Games using my rules have tended to be bigger affairs of late, so it was nice to play something more manageable for two players which is more in tune with my original concept. The rules themselves have perhaps become a little more complex than I initially envisaged which is inevitable ‘mission creep’ I guess. I have some thoughts to streamline them but want to be careful not to tinker with them too much as generally they do seem to give a good game.
My thanks to Tony and Goya for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
