The rest of the French

And the last of La grand armee du roi - the Gardes Francaises, the Grenadiers de France, 2 brigades of Chevaux Leger, the Cuirassiers de Roi, a stray foot regiment (Orleans), and last and definitely least, the Legion du Roi

July's labours

Well this month at least bore some fruit, namely the readying of the French mounted, artillery and general staff for the fray:

There, in its slightly blurry glory - the Gendarmerie, 2 regiments of the Maison, 4 of Chevaux leger, 2 of Dragoons, a dozen batteries of guns, a regiment of light infantry, one more brigade of French foot (Flandre et Eu), a round dozen somewhat abashed and hungover brigadiers,a couple of generals, and of course, front right, His Excellency Marshal Jean-luc Godard, directing things.

My one regret was not painting up a regiment of Wurttemburg Dragoons, in order that they could cross swords with the Wurtttemburg Dragoons(Au), the Wurttemburg Dragoons (Pr), or the Wurttemburg Dragoons (Wurttmburg!), all of which already rest their sabres in my cabinets. Still, there's always next month  ... and while I'm ordering the 12 figures necessary, I might as well round it up with a brigade or two of Russian cuirassiers ... hmm, plus some of those grenadiers, and maybe the Corps d'Observation .... oh, and some cossacks, and ... ah-ha! another essential, the Wurttemburg Dragoons(Ru).

vive le roi!

Well, re-emerging after a couple of busy months - fortunately not all my time was frittered away on fripperies of work and life, some time got dedicated to the serious stuff - in this case, 30 battalions of La grande armee de la Roi - 6 of Wild Geese, 4 Swiss, 4 Germans, and 16 of actual Frenchmen:

These guys are all OG 15s btw - very nice foot, shame about the horses.

Goedelesherbach, Finale, (Part III)

L'Observateur is pleased to announce that our intrepid reporter has returned, essentially unharmed by his battlefield observations, somewhat soiled and smelling faintly of Madame Fifi's perfumes. Nevertheless, herewith the remainder of his report:

 Beside Esher village, the Campbell Highlanders faltered and fled from the combined action of Bollingers Chevaux-legere and Taittinger's Brigade of foot, allowing Bollinger's sabres to fall on the McDonalds Highlanders and make a meal of them* - then plunge on into the supporting Thuringer foot and drive them back in bloody ruin.

Icenian Highlanders going under a wall of grey coats

Martell's Arvergniards and the Colonian foot of Pontiac kept storming the village house by house, but it was a grim business, as Brigadier Dewars kept rallying his men and shifting positions within the village.

a combat acharne!

General Studebaker, distractedly trying to cover the ford and both sides of the river, sent half his men to try and corral the Brunschutz Horse before they completed their swim (to no avail, Schimmelpfennig led his men in a spirited gallop for the village of Goedel and, not coincidentally, the Arvergniard paychest). However, Watney saw this weakness at the ford, and personally led the Silurian fusiliers in a mad dash across the ford, braving the sweeping musketry of the Algonquin Continentals, then rudely dispatching them at the first cross of bayonets.

The Silurian Fusiliers storm the ford

With the sun reaching the zenith, Generale Taittinger finally took possession of the west end of Esher village

Taittinger's triumph

Meanwhile, as Martell and Pontiac gradually wrested control of the eastern village from Brigadier Dewars, the Butcher of Bakersfield, standing on the banks of the Bach, directed the gathering weight of his reinforcements to intrude across the river behind them - first a brigade of Thuringian Grenadiers, their caps jaunty with sunlight, then the Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Coburg Guards in support, while Brigadier Walker, after a black look at his Prince, led the Icenian Guards across the river further upstream, to keep the Gens d'armes off the Thuringer flank.

The bitter melee over Esher, with the Thuringer intervention visible (top)

Over at the ford, with the Silurian Fusiliers deployed, the Icenian foot swarmed across, eager to get to grips with the rather shaken Colonian foot who turned to face them (nervously glancing over their shoulders at the cloud of dust showing the location of Schimmelpfennig's horse).

Watney's Brigade brushing aside the Colonial foot

 General Remy-Martin, leading the Gens d'armes Royaux, took a long look at the glittering bayonets of a whole brigade of Icenian foot (still trailing a few river weeds, admittedly), and decided that it was definitely time to retire to previously prepared positions, accompanied by a volley of jeers and Icenian cat-calls

Remy-Martin evincing that rarest of Arvergniard traits, caution

 With the Icenians pouring across his flank, M le Duc de Claret had little choice but to order his battered army to fall back to the west, hurriedly sending Bollinger's Chevaux leger to join the Gensdarmes and cover the retreat.

Bollinger hurrying to make a front against the flank attacks

Prinz Hedwig, thus left in control of the field, the shattered village of Esher, and - most importantly! - the viands and paychests of the Arvergniard host, ordered his men to camp on the field and hold a Te Deum in praise of the victory God Almighty delivered to his hands.



*I'm sorry, I simply couldn't resist

Goedelesherbach, Assault! (Pt II)

A further dispatch from our undaunted reporter as arrived at L'Observateur, still stained with pigeon-droppings:

Much furious action has erupted on the right of the field!  While the Transoceanic mounted hastened forward, seeking conclusions before the odds lengthened further, neither Tanqueray nor Schimmelpfennig were loth to meet them, and the clash of sabres resounded loud! Tanqueray's two small dragoon regiments faced the two larger Arvergnian units, with mixed results (each winning one melee), while Schimmelpfennigs brave Teutons had the luxury of both pouncing on the solitary regiment of Colonian dragoons. 

Colonel Ford attempted to enthuse his raw Colonian lads, but a quick passage of arms put the whole regiment out of action, and the Braunschweiger horse poured into the laboring Arvergnians, quickly setting the whole brigade to flight -  the Hamburger Horse regiment decided to pursue them far into the distance, eliminating themselves from the further struggle.

Fore, Hennessy's Dragoons struggle against the North Picts, while the Ibernian Dragoons rally, and the Braunschweiger Horse move to support. In the distance, Chryslers brigade of Colonian militia advance hesitantly off their hill.

General Claret scoured the battlefield across the river anxiously with his telescope, then elected, in a rash moment(1), to commit his reserves to support Clintons troops there, dispatching the Maison (Cuirassiers du Roi and Chevaliers de la Reine) to hasten across the Ford, and following up with Studebaker's veteran Colonian foot. 

While these formed up, the advancing Icenians of Watneys' brigade of foot were encompassing the doom of the valiant Colonian Militia. Chrysler, the Colonian brigadier, saw the approaching doom - 4 regiments of Icenians leading off, with the menace of 3 regiments of Guards marching down the road behind them, and the dust in the distance presaging even more reinforcement.

 (rear) Watney's brigade advancing on the Colonial militia

Menaced by the rallied Icenian horse on his flank, Colonel Chrysler attempted to form on two fronts, leaving the 2 battalions of the New Guernsey States Guard overwhelmed by the lethal musketry of the Silurian Fusiliers and 3 full regiments of other Icenian infantry. His remaining battalions manouevred desparately, to little avail, before being quickly torn asunder by steady volleys.

The Maison du Roi hasten across the river, while (rear) Chrysler's Brigade form up to try and fend off an apparently endless stream of Icenians.

While the foot were being cruelly torn apart, Brigadier Lafitte and his proud Maison were discovering the disadvantages of trying to deploy in the face of the enemy. The Cuirassiers du Roi barely managed to form a line atop the Doltberg hill, before the Icenian dragoon brigade, shouting strange Gaelic cries, charged straight up at them, while the rallied Braunschweig Horse fell upon their open flank.

The Chevaliers du Roi fleeing into the Goedel marshes, chastened by the pursuing Braunschweigers

The Chevaliers de la Reine were in turn caught forming up by the jubilant Icenians, and put to flight back across the ford in short order. Great will be the lamentations amongst the court in Trianon this summer, at the loss of their favorites.

The North Picts and Ibernians crushing the Chevaliers de la Reine

Colonel Chrysler managed to rally his foot briefly, but was then overwhelmed again by the oncoming flood of Icenian foot and horse.

Chrysler's last stand, with General Clinton slipping away to the rear

Meanwhile, on the left, Claret's assault on the village of Esher progressed much more smoothly. He had placed three brigades of foot each in 2 lines, Taittingers foot, then Martell's, then Pontiac's Colonian brigade. The far left was covered by the Chasseurs de Bouillebas, while Brigadier Bollinger held his 2 regiments of Chevau Leger in reserve.

The Chasseurs and Taittingers Brigade waded through a tall corn field, and in their initial skirmishing, the Chasseurs decisively out-shot the Caledons, and Campbells' regiment took to their heels, their ridiculous skirts flouncing behind them. 

(left) The Chasseurs Bouillabasse putting Campbell to flight

Next into action, Pontiac's brigade plunged into the assault on the village, with Greene's Continentals clearing the Pferdweiss inn in fine style, driving the 57th Foot back to sulk in the Schneiderhaus behind the inn. The sight of the Colonian colors fluttering atop the roof of the inn brought a sturdy cheer, and a similar fluttering in the heart of all patriotic Arvergniards!

Major Greene brandishing the Liberty Standard from the roof of the Pferdweiss gasthaus

The assault has progressed successfully, with Martell's brigade clearing the houses bordering the Inn, and exchanges of musketry now rocketing across the main street of Esher.

Martell, and the assembled artillery, pounding the middle of the village

 At the riverline, Studebaker's brigade of foot, and the Gens d'armes, are deployed in defense, while the Butcher of Bakersfield has ordered his Teuton horse to venture to swim the current, while his brigades of foot approach the ford and contemplate an opposed crossing.

 The Braunschweig Horse swimming across the Goedel

(1) I assigned a 3-6 roll for him to decide to defend the river bank, so naturally he rolled a 1.

Goedelesherbach, the opening

Our fearless reporter for  L'Observateur has sent in a hurried initial dispatch from the clash of arms:

With le Marquis de Rohan stricken and restricted to his clutching at passing sailors from his sickbed, his second, M le Marquis de Claret, has taken charge of the mighty forces of L'Armee de la Grohne, and in accordance with the instructions bellowed at him*, has sought action with the combined Icenian-Thuringian forces around Kleinschweinestallstadt

Icenian defenses at Esher

Le Marquis' initial attack is driving along the left bank of the mighty Goidel, and has encountered initial resistance esconced in the town of Esher, consisting of a brigade of Icenian foot and another of barbarous Caledons in their dreadful skirts (and worse music).

Arvergnian forces arrayed for the attack

However, seeing approaching dust clouds, he has thrust across the river with some of his many mounted forces, and a brigade of ragtag Colonian foot drawn from General Clinton's contribution to the Transoceanic Alliance. These are detailed to guard the Fords of Fools and  keep his flank secure.

Colonian forces and a brigade of Dragoons

Sure enough, the dust quickly consolidated into an approaching brigade of Icenians, accompanied by the barbarous Butcher of Bakersfield, Crown Prince Hedwig himself (Ready Eddie to his cronies), with his usual attendant butler and courtesan.

Dewars Brigade of Foot approaches

General Clinton, with his customary circumspection, has immediately thrown forward all his forces, directing the nervous Colonian  Horse to menace the approaching foot, while the Arvergnian Dragoons are directed to the right, to counter the approaching Thuringer horse brigade.

Clinton (foreground) directing traffic

However, disconcerting his plans, Brigadier Tanqueray and his Icenian Union brigade has also trotted onto the field to support the Thuringern, leaving the Arvergnard Dragoons ruefully counting the odds.

Foreground, Col Hennessy's Dragoon brigade adding up, and not liking the answer

Schimmelpfennig's brigade and Tanqueray's Union Brigade facing them.

All is now poised to see the clash of sabres!

*Audace, toujours l'audace!

Torn from the Headlines (1)

Well sadly the wargaming table has been subject to a preemptive strike for the last month, and we have been unable to evict the occupying forces (my wife's dressmaking & tailoring, in this case), but campaign activities have progressed somewhat:

In the southeast, the forces Kruppfalz have riposted against Skyrian aggression (rather a pre-emptive riposte, as the Pfalzritter Allgemeine Zeitung reports it). The Skyrians however have rather trapped the intrepid Prinz Heinrich against the banks of the Moldau, and General Kirchwasser is reported to have hosted a magnificent banquet in anticipation of crushing the impudent Electoral forces at Sadbach.

Prince Heinrich was unavailable for comment, but while being refused, the intrepid PAZ reporter did notice a large case of genever being delivered to his tent.

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Far to the west, L'Observateur the bold Marquis de Rohan and his stout Arvergnian troops have joined hands with General Clinton's Colonian forces, and drunk the Moselle thrust their way across the Moselle into the Duchy of Pfalz-Sonderheim, pressing the Butcher of Bakersfields' Icenian forces, and their Teuton allies, back against the defences around the capital, Kleinschweinestallstadt.

Duke Hedwig (the soi-disant Butcher) in return gave a brief interview with Der Spiegel asserting that his position at Goedelesherbach was impervious to any attempt by the Transoceanic Alliance to turn him out of it. After brushing off his newest turquoise demi-jacket, he delivered a mercifully-brief bombastic speech asserting his expected extermination of any such attempt, in his customary quavering contralto, and promised rivers of blood.

So, two battles poised for resolution, and nowhere to play, alas.

New Arrival

Oooooooooooooo Shiney!

This has led to some rebasing of course

For reasons passing comprehension*, I originally based my French on 50x50mm bases in 6s (along with my American militia) whereas everyone else is on 60x30 or 30x30s, in 8s or 4s. Probably some way of visually cueing 2nd rate infantry I guess. Anyway, time to fix that now .... sigh, rebasing is such fun


*i.e. I dont really remember

La Tour de France

Well after the lads had their day in the sun, their principal (but unprincipled) opponents should get theirs, I guess (in more ways than one).

Ladies, gentlemen, and Stagonians, I give you the Might of Arvergne -

Two cavalry brigades, one of cuirassiers and one of dragoons, both looking sadly bedraggled as they have shed numerous flags*. The hussar brigade is on the drill ground at the moment (waiting to be rebased from single figure bases)

The infantry, four and a half regiments at the moment, with the scurrilous Chasseurs Polonaise on the left.

 

The Good infantry - three regiments Hibernois, the Grenadiers d'Auvergne, and the (half-strength, like their Colonel) Grenadiers Dauphin

 

And finally (as always) the artillery

* Part of the moving house syndrome

Action at Kuhbrucke

Otto von Pirch scratched the soul of his foot and sighed blissfully. Another week of relaxing in this charming little inn, waiting for the non-existent threat of the dread Arvergnards to invade and seize the delicious province of Weingarten, and he would have just about caught up with his sleeping schedule. He contemplated his morning: a hearty breakfast of saerkraut croissants and Rheingasse*, a quick constitutional out to the pine plantation where the lads were roughing it, and back to bed for a pre-prandial nap. 

His contemplation was interrupted by heavy boots on the stairs, and his effervescent ADC bouncing into the room with his customary excess of enthusiasm. "Sir, Sir! The damn snaileaters are advancing! I spotted a long column of dust thrusting forward up the Lefolliet road an hour ago, and when I scouted it, it looked to be a whole brigade of infantry! With Artillery Support!"

Otto grunted, and sat up in bed - slowly, so as not to plague his back with sudden exertion. "Well done, Fritzie, now go tell the lads to pack up and get marching down the road back to Hochenberg please." 

"Oh but sir! we surely have a strong enough position to hold them off here, esconced in these pine plantations, with Roentgen's Battery safely across the river. Isn't it our duty to put up a fight and show them what we're made of?"

"Bone, blood and guts? I don't really think they need to see that up close to find out, my boy." Fritzie bounded out and down the stairs again, still hip-full of vim, and Otto commenced his morning coughing bout, then pulled on his boots and started shaving, cursing the lack of hot water in this fleapit tavern.

As he was wiping the last of the soap off his face, he heard a sound to chill his blood - young Fritzie screaming, 'Stand here, lads, stand to your muskets'. He cleaned a patch on the window with his towel and peered myopically out, to see his Freikorps battalions all under arms, and apparently ready to fight the enemy - Kleists' lads fronting the southern plantation, the Electoral FK the north frontation, and Bulow's crack jager held back in reserve, while Roentgen's guns were deployed and showing every sign of starting to pot off a ranging shot or two. At least he wasn't lumbered with Heisenberg's battery, that man never seems to know where to find his guns, he thought to himself

 (Kleist Frei Korps - with Fritzie on horseback - in the foreground, Otto's inn far right background)

Opening the window with a terrible screech (the hinges, not the brigadier!), he peered out, and his blood chilled further to see the Arvergnards deploying off the road already. What in Gods name was Fritzie thinking?

The leading regiments deploying

Otto hurriedly pulled on his pants, tearing a hole as he dragged them over his boots, then snatched a jacket and leaped down the stairs three at a time, cursing his arches briefly when he landed on the floor. By the time he got outside, searched for his horse briefly and futilely, and ran over to the Bulow Frei Korps, the Arvergnards had deployed their front line, a pair of 6 pounders moving up to drop into position beside the village, and a reserve line of grenadiers was marching into a second line.

 

The Arvergnard foot deploying from the right, rather clumsily

Otto looked at the odds and groaned. Two to one as the very minimum, and all his lads had was a few poor pine plantations to keep them safe. Too late to march off the field now, they'd have to make a fight of it. He barked an order to Bulow, to wheel and march his men into the village, as the Arvergnards had neglected to secure it so far.

The enemy, nothing loth, pressed forward quickly - well, quickly for Arvergnards - with one regiment steadfastly advancing at the Kleist, the other towards the Electoral Freikorps, while their artillery unlimbered by the village. Some accurate enfilade from Roentgen's battery across the river laid low many of that regiment, but their own first volley blasted far too many of Kleist's lads out of their boots, and they tumbled back, looking for better cover.

 

The Auxerre Regiment presses forward, suffering from artillery fire (off-left), while the Kleist FK falls back hurriedly.

The Electoral FK, having a rush of blood to the head, tried charging into the Arvergnard battery, but failed to catch it before it deployed, so took a blast of canister fire, then it was all bayonets and whirling ramrods: meanwhile, the Orleanois Regiment pressed forward, trying to catch Otto and the Bulow FK as they hotfooted their way into the village - with a notable lack of success.

Orleannois advancing into space, with Bulow FK just visible disappearing into a house

The Auxerre Regiment, undeterred by flanking artillery fire and broken ground, surged into the pine plantations, and, catching up with the Kleist Frei Korps, dealt them another mighty blast of musketry, reducing them to less than half strength, and shooting poor Fritzie out of the saddle (Well, Otto's saddle technically). Unable to endure, the Kleist took to their heels and fled pellmell

End of the Kleist

Meanwhile, after a prolonged slugfest, the Electoral Freikorps had enough, and broke and ran, leaving the rather battered artillerymen still in possession. However, Otto saw a chance for one shrewd blow, and ordered Bulow's men to pepper the artillery with a round of shot before withdrawing hastily to the north, before the wheeling infantry sealed him in this rathole of a village.

That peppering took a heavy toll of the artillerymen (close range elite shooting) and they in turn ran, abandong their guns.

Grenadiers Dauphinoise redeploying in foreground. In the village, Bulows FK peer out and start potshotting the artillery from behind.

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Hmm, light infantry dont seem to be very effective, even in relatively broken ground. A few things I think I want to add to these rules:

-  minus on shooting for Open Order targets (as well as better saves)

-  bonus for troops charging

-  More disruption to shooting for non-OO infantry in broken ground/woods

*cheap german imitation champagne

L'armee de l'Arvergne

The other large force I've more or less completed, is the Arvegnch army. This so far consists of:

• Grenadiers d'Arvergne, 24 Guards
• Grenadiers de Savoye, 24 Guards
  
  
• Bulkeley Regiment, 32 Line (Hiberns)
• Dillon Regiment, 32 Line (Hiberns)
• Clare Regiment, 32 Line (Hiberns)
  
  
• Normandie Regiment, 32 2nd-class Line
• Picardie Regiment, 32 2nd-class Line
• Limousin Regiment, 32 2nd-class Line
• Auxerre Regiment, 18 2nd-class Line

• Les Bourbons, 16 Cuirassiers
• Les Mousquetairs, 12 Cuirassiers
• l'Allemands, 16 Dragoons
• Maistre de Camp Dragoons, 12 Dragoons
• Chasseurs de Fischer, 16 Hussars
• Maroczy Hussars, 12 Hussars (on loan from the Skyrian army)

• Dole Artillery, 2 12# pieces
• Vesoul Artillery, 2 6# pieces

Other than rounding out the Auxerre, no plans are afoot for this army.