Napoleonic's: The Escort

This weeks game was one of the scenarios from the Shakos & Bayonets book which involved one side escorting a wagon train across the table. We rolled off for the defender and I took the honour of being the escort whilst Mr T and his French tried to stop me. I'd drawn up the lists beforehand with the aim of seeing what size game we could realistically complete in one night. 600 points feels like it could be a good points value to go for and once we are more familiar with the rules we should get to a conclusion in a night I think.

Both sides fielded a good combined armed force with the men of the 28th being joined by some local Spanish fighters and a strong contingent from the 13th Light Dragoons.

1 * Centre Company Officer 26 points

3 * 8 Centre Company 264 points

1 unit as Grenadiers 10 points

1 * Guerilla Leader         25 points

2 * 8 Maquisards 134 points   

1 * Light Cav Officer 27 points

2 * 6 Light Dragoons 106 points 

                592 points

The French fielded a more elite force with plenty of veterans (which helps with morale and melee) and some sharpshooting Voltigeurs.

1 * Fusilier Officer Grenadier 26 points

1 * 8 Fusiliers 3rd Company 80 points

2 * 8 Grenadiers 184 points

1 * Voltigeur Office with Musket 28 points

2 * 6 Voltigeurs Sharpshooters 114 points

1 * Hussar Officer         27 points

2 * 6 Hussar Veteran 138 points

        597 points

Initially I massed my Spaniards & Grenadiers against the French lights in the hope that they could knock them out of action early on which worked to a certain extent with some decent firing inflicting casualties and forcing them back. 

The wagon and it's escorts moved up but a rapid advance of the French cavalry and line troops pinned them on the road with no way to move forwards or sideways.

But the French opted to split their cavalry and one unit perished after charging a unit of the 13th who gave way but wiped them out on the counter-charge. The other moved into the centre and twice charged the British Grenadiers but where twice repulsed.

It's fair to say that cavalry don't have a massive advantage against infantry so they probably want to pin units in place with the threat of a charge whilst the infantry weaken them with fire before being committed. The Veteran special rule allows you to reroll 0's in melee for attack and defence as well as 0's for morale tests, so it's pretty much worth taking all the time I think, if you can.

With the Hussars seen off the British wagons veered off the road and with the escorts taking the odd pot-shot they started to make some progress.

That was as far as we managed to get in the evening but with the way open for the British to escape the table it was very much a winning-draw for the 28th and it's allies.