FOB Battle Report : Elixheim: "The Clash of Sabres!" Turn 1, Initiative 6

 Wargamers Prayer: Dear Lord, You give us games that allow us to enjoy each other's company, share in fellowship, experience joy in play, learn from our past and memorialize those who came before us for the sacrifices they made. May you be with us in our games and learn about You as we play. Let's be ferocious opponents on the "battlefield" but even better friends in life. In Your Son Jesus name I pray. Amen.  

The Clash of Sabres!

This initiative saw a lot of melee with the cavalry crashing into and clashing with each other. This was an initiative full of combat.

Setting the Scene:

Here is how the battlefield is at the start of the initiative.

The overall view: The fighting is this initiative takes place in the Southwest corner of the board.

The Northwest corner is where the 4th Brigade Dutch Infantry is located:

The British 1st - 3rd Infantry Brigades are to the North and East of the Dutch.

The Southwest corner of the battlefield is where the action is taking place. The cavalry of both armies are facing off.

Key: 
1: British Cavalry, 6th Bde: 2nd Plymouth (routing)
2: British Cavalry, 6th Bde: Cavendish's Regt.
3: British Cavalry, 6th Bde: Queen Dowager's Regt
4: Bavarian Cavalry, 8th Bde: Monasreol Regt.
5: Bavarian Cavalry, 8th Bde: Garde Karbinere Regt
6: French Commander-in-Chief: Marquis D'Alegre

French Brigades:
1st Bde = Infantry
6th Bde = French Cavalry
7th Bde = French Cavalry

Bavarian Brigades:
2nd Bde = Infantry
5th Bde = Cuirassier Cavalry

Dutch Brigades:
5th Bde = Dutch Cavalry

British Brigades
7th Bde = British Cavalry

The Southeast corner holds the French 3rd and 4th infantry brigades.

The Initiative Roll

Duke of Marlborough vs Marquis D'Alegre

The British are the Active Side

The French are the Reactive Side

Each side can have up to 7 actions

British Actions

British Action 1: Tactical Advantage. 

Now the British have 2 of these cards!

British Action 2: Army Morale. 
Since there is a routing British unit the action is not free. General Palmes of the 6th Brigade also has to make a survival check because his units fought in the last initiative

Palmes passes check with 3.

The red bead on Palmes is removed.

British Action 3: Melee!

Melee 1: Cavendish Overruns D'Alegre. 
The British see an opportunity to move and contact the Marquis D'Alegre. Perhaps they can even capture him!

Before the move:

Move to Contact:

D'Alegre must make an immediate survival check! He escapes 8 cm. Whew for the French!

Here he is now with the Bavarian Cuirassiers.

Melee 2: The Queen Dowager's Regt vs Garde Karbineres. 

The Garde's put up a stiff defense last initiative. Can they continue to do so?

Before the charge!

6 cm to contact

Round 1: D12 vs D12

British are ferocious chargers (up 2), disorder (down 1) = up 1
Bavarians are disorder (down 1), and have 3 casualties (down 3) = down 4
D12+1 vs D4
(1+1) vs 1

Result: 1 hit on the Garde Karbineres. They are still in the fight! Unbelievable. Give that unit a commendation.

Round 2: D12 vs D12

British are no longer ferocious. They have disorder (down 1) = down 1

Bavarians: disorder (down 1), 3 casualties (down 3) = down 4

D10 vs D4

8 (win even!) vs 1

Result: The noble Garde Karbineres fought to the last man it seems. They are destroyed as they took 2 casualties but had only 1 left. -1 AMP. The Dowager Regt. could follow up but stays in place.

Melee 3: Shrewsbury vs Monasreal

Round 1: D12 vs D12
British are ferocious chargers (up 2)
Bavarians have no modifiers.
D12+2 vs D12
(10 + 2) vs 1

Results: 11 hits on Monasreal. Rout 11 cm! 3 casualties, - 3 AMPs, and disorder. The British stay in order but don't follow up.

The next Melees involve the 5th Dutch Cavalry Brigade attacking the 5th Bavarian Cuirassier Brigade.

Melee 4: Wurttemburg vs Weickel
Round 1: D12 vs D12+1
Dutch: Intitated (up 1), use Tactical Advantage card (up 1)
Bavarians: None
D12+2 vs D12+1
(2 win even + 2) vs (1+1)

Result: 2 hits on the Weickel Regt and disorder. Wurttemburg is still in order. However, the melee goes into another round.

Round 2: D12 vs D12+1

British: use another Tactical Advantage card (up 1)

Bavarians: Disorder (down 1)

D12+1 vs D12

(11+1) vs 5

Result: 7 hits on Weickel. Rout 7 cm! -2 casualties and -2 AMPs. Wurttemburg is disordered.

Melee 5: Ginkle vs. Wolfsramdorff
Round 1: D12 vs D12+1
British: Initiate the melee (up 1), Tactical Advantage (up 1)
Bavarians: No modifiers
D12+1 vs D12+1
(2+1) vs (11+1)

Result: 9 hits on Ginkle Regt.! Rout 9 cm, 3 casualties and -3 AMPs. Wolfsramdorff Regt. is disordered.

Melee 6: Oranje-Friesland vs D'Arco
Round 1: D12+1 vs D12+1
Dutch: Initiated (up 1)
Bavarians: None
D12+2 vs D12+1
(8+2) vs (10 win even +1)

Result: 1 hit on the Oranje-Friesland and disorder. D'Arco is still in order.

Round 2: D12+1 vs D12+1
Dutch: Disorder (down 1)
Bavarians: None
D12 vs D12+1
8 vs (11+2)

Result: 5 total hits (1 from round 1 and 4 from round 2) on the Oranje-Friesland. Fall back 4 cm, 1 casualty and -1 AMP. D''Arco is disordered.

British Action 4: Infantry Fire
No opponents in range?

Although the British have 3 actions left. They have no more cards. The initiative goes to the French.

French Actions

French Action 1: Artillery Fire
Only 1 battery is deployed. However, they do not have a clear shot at an opponent.

French Action 2: 3rd Move

Routers!

Monasreol Regt. routs 17 cm (12 cm + 5 cm)

They are now behind the 1st French Infantry Brigade

Weickel Regt. Routs 18 cm (12 cm + 6 cm)

They are now beside the 7th French Cavalry. They also pose a line of sight obstruction the 1st Brigade's artillery.

3rd French Infantry Brigade: D12+1 vs D6; (12 win even +1) vs 3 = 10 = 3 moves!

They move in single file regimental columns on the far east of the board.

4th French Infantry Bridge: D10 vs D6; 10 win even vs 5 = 5 = 2 moves

The 4th moves in single file regimental columns along the North bound road.

2nd Bavarian Infantry Brigade: D12 vs D6; 2 vs 2 = 0 = 1 move

The 2nd Brigade continues its advance Northward. They are trying to get into single file regimental columns.

The 1st French Infantry Brigade is holding behind the cavalry. It looks like a British Cavalry brigade may break through. They choose not to move. They have the green, first fire, markers facing the cavalry melees taking place before them. You can also see that full British cavalry coming in the distance.

The 5th Bavarian Cuirassier Cavalry Brigade: D8 vs D6; 3 vs 4 = -1 = 1 move.

D'Arco's regiment moves 6 cm back into contact with Oranje-Friesland but cannot attack (even if they had a win even roll they couldn't as they are pistol/trotter cavalry) except on a melee card. The Wolfsramdorff Regiment stays beside D'Arco just below them.

7th French Cavalry Brigade: D10 vs D6; 3 vs 2 = 1 = 1 move

The 7th starts to move their brigade into regimental columns so they can maneuver to sweep down on the opposing cavalry.

6th French Cavalry Brigade: D12+1 vs D6; (12 win even + 1) vs 4 = 9 = 3 moves.

This is a great move for the 6th Brigade. Two regiments move into contact with the British. While the remaining brigade sidesteps 3 segments to block a potential charge on the infantry.

French Action 3: Melee!

The French have 3 cavalry regiments in contact with their opponents.

Melee 1: D'Arco vs Oranje-Friesland
Round 1: D12+1 vs D12+1
Dutch: 1 Casualty (down 1), Disorder (down 1)
Bavarians: Initiated (up 1), Disorder (down 1)
D12+1 vs D10
(9+1) vs 8

Result: 2 hits on Oranje-Friesland. Melee goes to 2nd round.

Round 2: D12+1 vs D12+1
Dutch: 1 Casualty (down 1), Disorder (down 1)
Bavarians: Disorder (down 1)
D12 vs D10
10 win even vs 6

Result: 2 hits from round 1 + 4 hits from round 2 = 6 hits on the Oranje-Friesland. 2 Casualties, -2 AMPS, Fall Back 4 cm. D'Arco follows up 2 cm.

Melee 2: Baume vs. Wurttemburg
Round 1: D12 vs D12
Dutch: Disorder (down 1)
French: Inititated (up 1), Higher Defense (up 1)
D12+2 vs D10
(6+2) vs 10

Result: 2 hits on Baume and disorder.

Round 2: D12 vs D12
Dutch: Disorder (down 1)
French: Disorder (down 1), Higher Defense (up 1)
FRN: D12 vs DUT: D10
FRN: 9 vs DUT: 4

Results: 5 hits on Wurttemburg regt (1 casualty, -1 AMP, fall back 5 cm). The French suffer no further effects.

Melee 3: Maestre de Camp (French) vs Cavendish (British)

Round 1: FRN: D12 vs BRT: D12
British: Disorder (down 1)
French: Initiated (up 1), Higher Defense (up 1)
FRN: D12+2 vs BRT: D10
FRN: (9+2) vs BRT: 4

Result: 7 hits on Cavendish Regt. (2 casualties, - 2 AMPs, Rout 7 cm). They rout just before the 7th Brigade. Maestre de Camp is disordered. 

The French, like the British, have 4 more actions but are also out of cards to play. The initiative and turn has now ended.