WSS battle report part 3

Well on Thursday i returned to the club for what proved to be the conclusion of the game, and quite dramatic it was. On the Saxon left their infantry continued to exchange musketry with their Imperialist opponents, with honours even. However the Imperialist were able to feed in more fresh troops and the Saxons were slowly forced back. Bayley quickly reformed a second line, while the Guards fell back.

It was at this time that luck both good and ill befell the Saxons. Through heavy Saxon musketry one of the advancing Imperialist brigades collapsed and fell back to the rear, somewhat relieving the pressure.

Ill luck was to befall the Swedish horse which had been supporting the right of the Saxon line. After being involved in clashes with Hessian infantry they fell back to reform for a fresh charge. This time the Hessians made way for Seymours' battalion of English Marines. These poured murderous fire into the Swedes, shaking up two of the regiments before forcing the brigade to retire in disorder.

Over on the right flank of the Franco-Saxon line, the French battalions steadied themselves for the onslaught of the English battalions. And an onslaught it was , the french were quickly thrown back with 2 battalions disintegrating under English musketry. Eventually the right most brigade broke and began to retreat, then one of the artillery batteries was put out of action and still the English came on. With a reserve brigade proving rather sluggish in getting into the line, the other french infantry brigade broke. Now there was only a small brigade of Swedish infantry to hold the right flank.

In the Centre the Piedmontese awaited the assault from the Hessian and Hanovarian troops. First the Hessian cavalry attacked up the slop forcing one battalion back before they retired. Then the infantry hit and the Piedmontese were unable to hold them.Suddenly both brigades broke under the pressure and began to fall back. Now the Centre had also been lost.

back over of their left flank we eventually got the cavalry fight we had been waiting for. John committed his Imperialist horse forward. What he had forgotten though was that Dragoons are not as good as Cuirassiers in combat and so it proved. of his 4 regiments committed, both of the Dragoon regiments were broken by Saxon Cuirassiers who then swept into the static Austrian Cuirassier regiments. Of the other two fights it was honours even, with one win apiece.

It was at this point that we agreed the battle was over. The Anglo-Imperialist faction held both junctions and had broken six of the enemy brigades. The Saxons we agreed would have been able to retire in good order with their advantage in horse covering the retreat. The poor French, Swedes and Piedmontese would be running for quite a while.

Main learning point of the game had to be remembering to rally hits of units. This the Anglo Imperialists did well. George who commanded the French and Piedmontese often forgot to do this and his brigades suffered in rather a dramatic fashion with 4 infantry brigades breaking in two turns. Next week Bayley is setting a game up so this time I get to play.