"One Hour Wargames" - Scenario 17 - "Encounter" - Game (Part 2)

...well what a cracker...  any solo game that makes you laugh out loud incredulously can't be too bad..  read on for why... 😀

So by way of a re-cap, here's where we left the last installment... this was the end of move 9, fairly even-stevens on the face of it..  the French (attacking left to right) have a toe hold on the hill with one strong flank (above the hill) and one that the cavalry are moving to cover - the Allies are weaker on their right flank, but have two units on the hill, one of which is the triumphant Schomberg's horse..

End Turn 9 and end of part 1

 ...so it was that a little less than a week later, with all household duties completed, I found myself in the loft ready to play out the last half dozen moves...  been a good game as I've spent at least ten minutes a day between the last session and this one, looking at the end of turn 9 picture and wondering about various options/moves...

...and off we go, I've found the old one two works very well in a melee situation, wherever possible attack with two units to one, as the defending unit at best can only hold one...  so it was in this case - both Allied units attacked, Saintonge fired and held Dering's but the cavalry charged home and (as usual?!) routed them...  I sense some battle honours for Schomberg's..

End Turn 10

Things are not looking good for the French...  two units now routing, one unit shaken (the cavalry), but the Wild Geese are on the hill...

...I sensed the moment of decision was coming, and I think this move was probably it..  the French had numbers ont heir left flank and decided to make free with a little one two themselves with a view to driving off the sole Allied foot regiment holding the flank (Howe's)..  if they can clear that flank it gives them the opportunity (with just enough time) to hook right on to the hill..  first part of the plan goes well, Howe's send out a crashing volley to hold Bearn (one down but still one to go), then the plan starts to go a little awry..  Howe's hold, and in the ensuring melee I threw the following (French blue, Allies red) ...  bye bye Toulouse, and all hopes this turn on that flank...

...elsewhere everyone else stands still or exchanges fire..

End Turn 11

In the next turn and the struggle continues..  trying anther attempt at the one two, both sides lose a unit..  Dering's finally break, and Schomberg (again!) for the wild geese...  first time this game the Allies have had sole control of the hill..

End Turn 12

French recovery during the morale phase is miraculous, and once again Saintonge pour forward to contest the hill...  everyone else (French or Allied) is too far away to contest but one surviving Allied infantry battalion climbs the slopes to support Schomberg's

End Turn 14

...can Schomberg's pull it off again?

...and so we arrive at the final turn...    and Schomberg's fail their morale test and break! They only needed get four or less on a D6, and went and threw a 6...  bang..  gone...  

So we end the game with one unit per side on the hill..  a draw...  but i'm going to call it a narrow Allied victory due to the number of fresh units they still have compared with the French...

End Game

What a cracking game...  final butchers bill? The Allies lost 8 strength points, the French lost 11, in both cases from a maximum of 36..