The Return of the Iron Duke

On Saturday, Nov. 21, six of us gathered at Jay's to fight a Napoleonic battle using a highly modified version of Command and Colors Napoleonics we laughingly call "Stribling's Folly."  Using a small part of Jay's immense 25mm Napoleonic armies, the forces of France and Great Britain went hammer and tongs over some rather insignificant real estate somewhere in Spain, or maybe southwestern France.

Jim, Sean, and Ed commanded the Anglo-Portuguese forces against Phil, Jay, and Fred commanding the French.  It was a close, bloody affair with the Anglo-Portuguese winning 16 points to 14 points with 1 victory point not in control of either side.  The victory points were awarded for enemy units destroyed (1 flag each) and for access roads (5 roads) controlled.  The Anglo-Portuguese had 14 French flags and 2 roads while the French had 12 British flags and 2 roads.  One road was not controlled by either side.

The Anglo-Portuguese were on the attack and outnumbered the French.

Here are some of the pictures Jim took during the fighting:

An overview of the British center, consisting of two heavy cavalry regiments, two light infantry battalions, six line infantry battalions, and one foot battery, commanded by Jim who was also the senior Anglo-Portuguese commander.  He was opposed by Phil, the French senior commander and Jay, the French right flank commander.

A British light cavalry regiment, part of Sean's primarily Portuguese left flank, attacks a square of French infantry of Jay's French right flank command.

The main attack by the Portuguese under Sean on the left flank against Jay's French.

On the Anglo-Portuguese right flank, Ed led a British command against Fred's French force.  Ed's objective was to take the access road that led off of battlefield.  He was finally successful at the end of the fight.

In the center, Jim's British infantry advance against Phil's French center.  They are led by a light infantry battalion who has 3 (out of 4) strength points.  Phil's French infantry battalion rolled four musket attack dice and got 4 (!!!) infantry hits, totally destroying Jim's battalion.  Unfortunately Jim had that happen many more times during the fight.

Fred, the French left flank commander dolefully watches as Ed's infantry and cavalry beat up and push back his poor French.  Fred did have some success early in the fight but couldn't stop Ed's slow steamroller.

On the Anglo-Portuguese left, Jim's two heavy cavalry regiments add some weight to Sean's attack.  Sean lost three out of four left flank cavalry regiments but severely punished the French cavalry and infantry in the process.

Another look at the Anglo-Portuguese left flank as the French units vanish before the gunfire, bayonets, and sabers of the British and Portuguese troops.  But they didn't get quite forward enough to seize the access road (left rear of picture) before the game ended.  That victory point wasn't won by either side.



Please click on the pictures for larger images.