Bussaco

This weekend saw a re-fight of Bussaco (1810) in the Epic format of C&CN.  We managed to fit two games in, starting around 1.30pm and finally finishing when the ladies returned from a shopping trip at Gun Wharf Quay at around 6ish.

The first game was a real tussle.  The second less balanced.  Both were French victories and both involved pulling the Allies from the centre to the flanks before attacking with overwhelming infantry in the centre to capture the heights.

Don and Norman took the Allied side in both games, Don on the left in the first (Craufurd's Light Division) and on the right (Portuguese) in the second.

Part of Craufurd's division

The first game was a really tough affair.  The French on the right, against Craufurd made no headway throughout the battle and by the end the British came off the ridge line to press the French. 

On the French left, progress was better and the Allies had to feed units into their right to stem the French assault. 

Allied right flank

An early cavalry charge (by Norman) saw the two British Heavy Dragoons charge over the ridge into a French gun line in the centre with mixed success, one battery was destroyed but both Dragoons were badly damaged, limping back to their base line to participate no more.  Don (Wellington) was not impressed and the lack of cavalry would hinder the British in the centre later on when the French infantry began its assault on the ridge line.

I have to admit, with both flanks making no progress and the centre being difficult to move, I as, Massena was somewhat despairing.  It was also frustrating that all my well laid plans were stymied by good tactician cards including 'Infantry combat first' and 'Battlefield smoke'.  Surprisingly, from being some 8 - 4 down the French turned the game round in the space of 3 moves.  Lady luck finally shone on me!

Part of the French centre moving forward

The final score was 13 - 9 to the French.

Game two turned out to be much more one-sided.  A strong start on the French right against the new Craufurd (Norman) including an early 'Bayonet charge' saw elements of the Light division hit hard and falling back to the ridge.  This resulted in British reserves from the centre being moved to the left.  On the French left, steady progress was made but this time the threat of French cavalry (Dragoons) resulted in the British moving their Heavy Dragoons to the right to counter this.  Thus a similar scenario to game one with the Allied centre stripped of key troops before the final French assault.  A very useful 'Le Grand Manouevre' enabled the French to mass three batteries close to the centre of the Bussaco ridge, followed by a 'Bombard' targeting the Coldstream Guards who in Don's words were 'atomsied' being reduced from 5 stands to one - as a former Grenadier guardsman, although disappointed, Don did not show the high level of remorse one would have expected at his best unit getting pasted.

French  Hussars

Game two finished 13 - 6 to the French and was over in about 1.5 hours whilst game one took nearly 3 hours.

A great afternoon with my new British and Portuguese figures debut appearance.  Next up is Vimeiro at Salute and Partizan.