Attack on the Camp Turns 6 and 7

Turn 6-The Dutch card came up first. The commander reorganized his line, pulling back his one battered regiment and replacing it with a fresh one.

Murray also took advantage in this lull in the battle to try to rally his worn regiments.

Macdonald was able to get his Lifeguards into position and dismount to protect the exposed right flank of the Royal Ecossais.

On the other flank, Legonier ordered two of his dragoon regiments to charge the lone highland clan in front of them. The Scots fought fiercly achieving a draw. Both sides were now disordered and the 10th Dragoons were worn. The mele would continue in the next turn.

Lascelle breathed a sight of relief as his cared turned up next. This allowed the 53rd Foot to reload and save an action to issue defensive fire should Roy Stewart send his men in to attack again. Lascelles also ordered his regiment in reserve to march to the stone wall and deploy there to threaten the flank of the French. The regiment came up just short of reaching the wall.

The next card was Roy Stewart's who was unable to get his men to charge (he rolled an 11).

At the camp, the ultimate objective of the game, Knyphausen ordered his grenadiers out of the enclosure and to engage Rooth's regiment of French.

With time of the essnce, Stapleton orders the Royal Ecossais to charge the camp. However, they only are able to reload. But reinforcements are making thier way to support them.

Turn 7- Roy Stewart is the first commander to be able to act. This time he cajols his only fresh regiment into action. They charge forward. The 53rd rolls to see if they can issue defensive fire, but they are unsuccessful (they roll a one). The highlanders crash into them and are able to drive the 53rd back. This puts them and the regiment to their right into disorder.

On the Jacobite right, the mele there continues. The highlanders get the upper hand (they inflict one casualty while the numerically dragoons inflict none.) the 10th Dragoons are routed and their supporting regiment is disordered. This buys some time which is desperately needed.

The Hessians issue more fire into their French counterparts. The line regiments are not very effective, but the grenadiers take out a stand of Regiment Rooth.

Lascelles' card is turned, but uncharacteristically, and at the worst possible time, he is unable to issue any orders (he rolls an 11 trying to remove the disorder from the 53rd).

The Jacobite gun inflicts two more casualties on the disorganized 53rd.

The last card drawn is Stapleton's. His first order is for the Royal Ecossais to fire a volley and then charge the enclosure. The fire is paltry, but the charge goes in. Remarkably, neither side inflicts any casualties on the other. It is a draw with all of the contestants now disordered. Regiment Rooth returns fire on the Hessian grenadiers and takes out three more figures. Perhaps most importantly, Stapleton is able to rush his reserve regiment into position along the stone wall on his right flank. He also gets his artillery into position upon the hill to issue fire into the camp. Victory his tantalizingly within his grasp.

The next turn or two should reveal the outcome.

Attack on the Camp, Rising of the Clans Battle Report

I wanted to give my new Hessians a chance to test their courage in a battle situation. Their task is to hold a fortified camp/supply depot against a jacobite attack. The Hessians are supported by a brigade each of Dutch, dragoons and British regulars. Attacking them are two brigades of highlanders, a French brigade and the small band of Jacobite cavalry. Here is the set-up:

Turn 1: The Government units were content to just hold their positions this turn. Lascelle's artillery fired at long range at a Jacobite limbered gun, but to no effect. The French brigade rolled well for its actions and boldly advnced against the Hessian line on the hill. It's gun was able to move up and unlimber, ready to do some damage on the next turn.

Stewart's men were not so responsive (a roll of an 11 on the first unit's initiative roll put an end to their turn without any movement.) The cavalry moved up to support Stapleton's (the French) right flank.

The turn ended with Murray's card. He was able to advance two of his regiments and his battery, but his two other regiments refused to move up in support (another roll of 11).

Turn 2- Stapleton's card was drawn first. His cannon fired at the Mansbach Regiment and inflicted four casualties. The infantry moved up to within firing range but did not have any actions left to get off a volley. Macdonald's cavalry moved up to continue to support Stapleon's right and threaten the Prince Frederick Regiment.

Stewart, for his part, put one of his clans and his artillery under the command of an ADC to add support to Murray's attack on the Dutch. He then was successful in goading his other three units into formation and to advance on Lascelle's positiion behind a stone wall. Lascell's cannon fired once again at the limber Jacobit gun and again missed completely.

Murray had one of his regiments charge a thin line of dismounted dragoons. The dragoons were unable to get off a volley before the raging highlanders crashed into them. The men in kilts inflicted two casualties on the overmatched horsemen while taking no losses of their own. The dragoons were driven back six inches in disorder. Murray's unit took the position, though disordered themselves.

Murray's advanced clan had to endure a volley from the solid Dutch line and took two casualties while awaiting the rest of the brigade and the artillery to come up in support.

Finally, the Hessians moved up into close range and unleashed fierce volleys into the well dressed lines of the French and inflicting damage on both regiments. In doing so, however, they have exposed the Prince Frederick Regiment to a combined attack from both infantry and cavalry. Whoever's card is drawn first next turn will have a significant advantage.

Turn 3- Knyphausen's fortuitously had his card drawn first, but it was all for naught as his first initiative roll failed. His units are left floundering in the bloody hill.

Stapleton makes the most of this lapse in command and pours more fire into the Canitz Regiment, who are now worn.

Roy Stewart charged Lascelles' position with mixed results. One regiment was able to drive off Lascelles' artillery, but the Camerons of Locheil were mauled by a veteran British regiment and driven back after sustaining 9 losses, mostly from the volley they received going in.

Murray's men also charged forward. They were able to rout one of the Dutch battalions but not before suffering heavily. They decide to halt and reorder as opposed to charging still further into the Dutch position.

Macdonald was able to charge the hapless Hessians and drives the Prince Frederick Regiment back nine inches. The horsemen halt to reorganize for the next push.

The Dutch were the next card to be drawn. A reserve battalion moved forward and fired into the jumbled ranks of Murray's clans inflicting even more casualties.

Legonier attempts to lead his conscript cavalry on a glorious countercharge. To their utter shame, the horsemen refuse to move.

The Jacobite ADC orders his gun to fire into the Dutch before it. Its cannister tears gaping holes in the blue clad ranks.

The final card of the turn was Lascelles'. He skillfully maneuvered his two reserve batallions into closer support of his front line.

Turn 4- Stewart is relieved to see his card drawn first as he desperately wants to pull his battered regiments back. His orders, however, don't make it through the chaos.

The Aide de Camp orders his lone regiment to charge despite it having already suffered 25% casualties. He hopes to take advantage of the disorder of the Dutch before him. Alas, the reigment only gets one initiative and the charge falls short.

Next up, quite providentially, is Knyphausen's card. The German is apparenty drunk as a skunk and is un able to take advantage of his good fortune. His men will pay a high price for his incompetency this day.

Stapleton does not waste this opportunity. He orders a French regiment to fire a volley and charge the beleagured Canitz Regiment which is shattered as a result.

The Royal Ecossais, in a march column, roll very well and are able to advance within musket range of the Hessian encampent and form into line. The prize is within reach!

To Murray's great dismay, the Dutch card comes up before his. More musketry is poured into his men before he is able to attempt to pull them back.

After sustaing even more losses, Murray begins pulling his men back but not as rapidly as he had hoped.

Again, Lascelles' card is the last to be drawn (I need to shuffle better!). His disciplined ranks fire yet another volley into the muddled ranks of Stewart's regiments. It is not war. It is slaughter.