Escalera de la Perdición - a Sharp Practice Campaign. Game Three

The swift end to the previous game meant we had time to reset and play again.

Falling back once more the British elected to make a stand at a remote farmhouse in the cultivated lands of the campos de hombre.

Scrivs elected (well actually he just rolled a dice as that was easier) for an All Out Assault - and decided to make it a hasty one as well.

The British were somewhat depleted by casualties from the previous games, so some restructuring saw the Hanoverians leave the force with Lt M. Winters taking command of the Lights and Sgt Micklewhite joining Captain Bland with the large unit of line infantry.

Some restructuring was necessary for Capitaine Baudin's force too, but with only eleven casualties against the British seventeen the changes were more easily accommodated.

Campos de Hombre

The lights were soon in action against advancing French line.

The British, knowing they must defend their deployment point set up defensively.

Before Captain Bland urged his largest group forward.

The French too were staking a claim to the centre

A firefight inevitably began.

Whilst the other French unit continued to hammer the lights.

Voltigeurs began to sneak across the road.

The Lights were driven back behind the farm buildings.

BLand and Baudin were going toe-to-toe

Amidst this pesky Voltigeurs snuck in past the British to the farmyard!

Outflanked!

With their deployment point captured the game was up for Bland and his men.

The strategic village of Pueblo de Gente Grosera was in French hands - a setback for the defence of the Peninsular!

A good swift set of three games. Having a campaign element (as with Chain of Command) adds another dimension to the games. This was very basic so I think a look through Dawns and Departures to try and steal a few more ideas to add some side plots and the like would help in future.

Escalera de la Perdición - a Sharp Practice Campaign. Game Two

 Bested by the French on the outskirts of Pueblo de Gente Grosera the British forces fell back to the sparsely cultivated campos de mazelas.

The British would attempt to conduct a Fighting Withdrawal. Despite having withdrawn after the previous clash casualties were even with both sides having suffered 4 dead and a further 8 unable to take part in this battle.

Daylight streaming through the window meant some pictures were much better illuminated, but some are a little heavily backlit!

To the sound of a regular drumbeat the French column advanced up the road

Soon the irritating Voltigeurs were pushing up on the British

The British began to deploy (and I realised I'd place the deployment point badly)

The lights took cover on the British right

Some very rapid marching swiftly had the British under pressure

Whilst they scrabbled to form line

Inevitably there were French on the flanks

Fire began to be exchanged

As more British entered the field

The lights looked outnumbered

With redcoat casualties mounting the line began to withdraw

The French kept up the pressure

And soon the fields were in possession of L'Empereur

A swift game this one. Poor deployment point positioning and then some very good dice for the marching French meant I was under pressure and on the back foot from the word go. Unable to bring enough firepower to bear on les bleus I was taking casualties and not giving much in return, so withdrawal seemed the best plan.

Escalera de la Perdición - a Sharp Practice Campaign. Game One

In a remote corner of rural Spain on a low hill stands the small settlement known as Pueblo de Gente Grosera.

In the early spring of 1811  British and French forces clash in the fields around the village; advanced scouts for much larger forces, each seeking a route around the flanks of the other to steal a march on their foe.

Pueblo de Gente Grosera stands on a low hill. The British have advanced across the sparsely cultivated lands to the east of the village. From the west the French force has come across the plain. Whichever side can seize control of the village and then force their enemy back will open a route for their army to follow.

Scrivs and I have been talking about playing a Sharp Practice campaign since before he came back from America two or more years ago. He's currently packing to return stateside, so what better time to try and squeeze the campaign in?

We each had 80 point forces - starting with the basic Peninsular forces from the rulebook and adding more points. The first game was to be a simple encounter scenario.

Sadly the low mood lighting in Casa Scrivs seemed to disagree with my camera, so what follows are some pretty shoddy pictures.

The fields of this particular part of Spain were lush and verdant.

The British (me) soon deployed.

And the French began their advance

The British flanks both pushed up to try and clear the inevitable Voltigeurs

The Hanoverians crested the hill and poured shot into still more skirmishing Frenchies.

On the right the Bitish had got themselves caught up an a protracted firefight. They were winning, but a long way from where they needed to be.

The French centre shook themselves out into line.

Still the clouds of skirmishers swirled about.

On the hill the Hanover troops were taking a fair bit of fire.

And eventually they fled in disaray

The main French column had established themselves in the woods.

While dratted Voltigeurs continued to snipe at the main English group

The French centre claimed the hill recently vacated by the Hanoverians

Another firefight that saw the redcoats outgunned.

With casualties mounting Captain Bland signalled the retreat!

That was a tough game. Scrivs had invested wisely in skirmishers and more officers. I'd gone for extra carts, which I'd not needed.

So the British retreat and the French as a result get to choose the next scenario!