FPW - Battle of Bitche, the conclusion

I think we can re-name this the battle of bloody ridge. The French picked up from last week and continued their assaults across the river, trying to drive up the slope to the awaiting Baden and Wurtemburgers. Every time they thought they were about to break through, they failed to get their reserves to move forward. We all agreed that they had seen the carnage that their comrades had faced and didn't really fancy advancing into the storm. 

Meanwhile the Baden and Wurtemburg regiments were seriously creaking, casualties were mounting and they were running out of reserves. However their artillery was on good form. Their accurate and heavy fire keeping many of the french regiments at bay.

Here come the French

Baden artillery keeping up heavy fire

French cavalry in the rear swing around the infantry looking for a crossing point.

Eventually the French reached the enemy lines, overrunning a regiment of Wurtemburgers and causing the Badeners's to fall back. But these advances were coming at a cost. The failure to get the fresh regiments moving was preventing the needed breakthrough. Eventually the French committed both divisions of cavalry. Over on the right flank they met with disaster, both regiments falling to accurate fire. In the Centre they got across the river and charged straight into the waiting Wurtemburgers, again they met with disaster. Another regiment lost.

After 7 of the 8 turns played the French called off the attack. Their reserves were too far in the rear to be able to reach the ridge and with the failure of the cavalry to break through the fight was done. The Wurtemburgers and Baden troops had gamely hung on, though at great cost. With holding the ridge and destroying more than half of the french cavalry they picked up a deserved victory.

The first assaults go in

Baden gun line hammering the advancing french

More assaults as the Wurtemburgers struggle to hold on

French driving forward

A thin Baden line holding off the battered french

The end of the game

Both players agreed it had been a fun game. The failure of the fresh french regiments to move hamstrung their efforts, Thom rolled so many 1's for movement at critical times. If even half of the regiments had moved the outcome may have been different. Now I need to start planning the 3rd game in the series before the major encounter.