This past Saturday I had the good fortune of playing a game of General de Brigade with a new gaming friend. He was new to the rules, but not to gaming, so he picked up the mechanics quite quickly. We were able to get through about 8 turns in four and a half hours.
The fictional scenario had a Prussian force of three divisions attacking a Russian one of two divisions. The Russians occupied a ridge and had the task of defending a small town nestled along a strategic road junction. The Prussians had a numerical advantage in infantry and a slight edge in cavalry, though the Russian cavalry was of better quality overall. Both sides had 48 guns at their disposal.
Here are some shots of the set up.
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| Prussian infantry on the right flank, Landwehr at the front |
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| A Prussian cavalry brigade in support |
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| The Prussian left flank |
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| A small village on the extreme left flank of the Prussians |
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| Russian infantry in reserve behind the ridge |
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| Russian artillery in the center. |
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| Russian 12lb battery |
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| Russian horse battery |
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| Russian dragoons in support of the 12lb battery |
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| Russian jagers hold the left flank of the Russian line. |
My opponent set out to attack right away rather than opt for trying to whittle down my guns prior to advancing. However, on the first turn on of his batteries rolled a double six when firing upon my horse battery. I lost a section from the battery and it had to withdraw. Right of the bat, my artillery force was reduced, at least temporarily, by a full quarter.
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| The Russian horse battery withdraws after suffering a double six result roll. |
Then, on the next turn, my adversary rolled yet another double six when he fired at my battery sheltered in some woods on the ridge. So another battery was forced out to the line.
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| A second Russian battery is forced back by a double six roll. |
Despite this ominous start, the two center batteries were able to do serious damage to the advancing Prussian battalions. Prussian cavalry advanced boldly on the Russian left flank, forcing a battalion of jagers into square.
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| Jagers form square as Prussian light cavalry looms in the distance. |
The next couple of turns would see the Prussians continue to advance their infantry on all fronts. But the serious action centered around a major cavalry battle on the Russian left. A lone brigade of Russian cuirassiers, the elite brigade of the Russian army, charged into the Prussian light cavalry. After two turns, the Prussians were driven back and had to take a brigade morale test; they failed, and half of the Prussian cavalry fled from the field.
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| Victorious Russian cuirassiers |
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| One Prussian cavalry brigade is out of the fight. |
On the Prussian left, six battalions advance toward the ridge. A brigade of Cossacks moves forward to check their advance, but this is only a temporary delay.
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| The attack goes in oh the Russian right. Cossacks attempt to thwart the move. |
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| The Cossacks have withdrawn and now a musketry duel begins between the infantry of both sides. |
In the center, the lead Prussian battalions have been battered. But as the Russian guns have focused on the infantry, Prussian guns have been decimating the Russian batteries.
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The battle in the center was bloody, but indecisive.
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The last couple of turns saw the Russian jagers drive back three battalions of Landwehr. But the engagement had taken a toll and a fresh regiment of three Prussian battalions was poised to renew the attack. Russian cavalry lurked behind the ridge ready to threaten the Prussian attack on the Prussian right flank.
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Towards the end of the battle, a regiment of Russian dragoons charges a depleted Prussian square.
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Time ran out on our game and we both agreed that the result was a draw, though if we had had time to continue the Russians would have been in serious trouble on their right. A Prussian horse battery was prepared to advance beyond the flank in that sector and Prussian infantry outnumbered the Russians by a two to one margin. But, alas, we can only speculate.
