Big Black Powder Birthday Bash Battle

The Battle of Katzenflappen

     At last, the day of the Big Black Powder Birthday Bash Battle at Common Ground in Stirling. Steve, the manager, set up four boards for us which gave us an estimated (because it never occurred to me to measure it even though I had three tape measures within hands reach all day!!) 16'x7' table (which gives us a total surface area of something or other....certainly it was lots!!).

     We played a "what if" game, the "what if" being nothing more than the British have sent a force to Northern Germany to help with harrying of the French in 1813, ostensibly to assist in defeating Napoleon but also to make sure of keeping Hanover Hanoverian after the French have left. 

     

     So to the scenario; the main Allied forces are pushing the French back and one of the French flanks has been discovered to be weakly defended in the area the village of Katzenflappen. A force comprising of two divisions, one Russian and the other British, has been sent to push past the defenders and to attempt to engage the main French army in the flank. Suspecting this, Napoleon has sent a strong force under his half brother, Jonas Bonaparte, to plug the gap. So, that's the scenario, now to the battle.... 

     

Opposing commanders ponder the forthcoming battle. The tiny
hamlet of Katzenflappen is in the foreground. This was defended
by an infantry brigade (we decided that the three small houses
would represent one "building" as per the rules in Black Powder)
with a battalion in the houses and across the road in the Jolly Miller
Inn

The French also garrisoned this farm.This too would need to
be cleared of enemies; an objective that was given to the British

The  French defenders of Katzenflappen

The Russians advance towards Katzenflappen

British Hanoverian troops march onto the battlefield under
the covering fire of the Russian guns

Terrifying all and sundry with their wailing bagpipes, the British
head for the farm aiming to garner some eggs for their commander,
Lord Elpus of Dunscoffin's breakfast

The Russians deploy into line

The Russian Guards Brigade head straight up the road

Pretty, isn't it....

French forces head towards the British lines

Whilst the Grenadier Guards attempt to burn out the Frecnh
for the farm...completely forgetting Lord Elpus' breakfast egg!

Russian horse artillery in action. Their shooting didn't have
much effect the defenders of the Jolly Miller

Life Guard Jager follow their line infantry brothers-in
-arms towards Katzenflappen

General Baccy De Rolly observes the battle

...whilst the local farm hands take it all in their stride

The French employ their famous attack columns

French cavalry commander and his troops

French dragoons threaten the Izmailovksy Guards advance

French cavalry await the command to charge...

....as do their Russian opponents

The French Old Guard head for a surprise..

The Russian side of the battlefield..

...and the British

What Auld Alliance? The French and Scots come to blows

Whilst the Hanoverian infantry try their luck against the French
Middle Guard

Bloody combat between British heavy cavalry and
French infantry

Russian cuirassiers prepare to charge the enemy

Jonas Bonanparte leads from the front

The French Old Guard receive an unexpected drubbing and
quit the field of battle (Danny, commanding the French,
was plagued by a series of poor breaktest results) 

Lots of swirling cavalry combat occurs on the Russian side
of the battle

The defiant Gordon Highlanders in square

The Rifles line the hedges, no doubt searching for
hedgehogs to bake

Stand off between the French cavalry and the British infantry

French siege artillery attempts to play long bowls with
British line

Huzzah!! The French Dragoons charge forward

The Russians try to force the issue at Katzenflappen
but to little avail

....as do the British at the farm but with a bit more success

The Attaboy Cossacks didn't figure too largely in the battle

The farm starts to burn merrily forcing the defenders out

The Russian attack is stymied as the defenders of Katzenflappen
prove a tough nut to crack...stalemate

      And that was that! An awesome battle with lots of guts and glory. The French won the day as they still held Katzenflappen and had stopped the Allied outflanking move. Well played Danny.....apart from your Old Guard :D We were at it pretty much for about eight hours with a couple of breaks and not including setting up and putting away the terrain (we took our own terrain as we or rather I had a particular set up in mind. Common Ground does have plenty of terrain but as we were taking up a fair amount of space I thought it might be taking the piss by using a lot of their terrain too as other folk might be wanting to use it.) And we are extremely grateful to Steve at Common Ground for being so accommodating. If you haven't been to Common Ground I can heartily recommend it. It's an excellent gaming venue, has a great shop with lots on offer and the food is really good too.

     It was also my first game using Black Powder 2 and Danny and Richie had only one game of it under their belts so we did have to refer a lot to the book as we went along. However we muddled through and learnt a lot doing it. 

     Thanks to both Danny and Richie for a spiffing game.  Lets hope we can get another big battle at Common Ground soon, wives, kids and pets permitting!!

pip pip,

Jimbob