Saturday 19 November 2016

DBN Austrians

Finally, I've managed to finish painting our Early Napoleonic Austrian Amy.  There's enough elements for a decent sized force.  The majority of the foot troops are Lancashire Games, that 'standard advancing' figure.  Normally I praise Lancashire Games figures, but these were a nightmare.  The musket was really thin & snapped off very easily.  I had to use a a drill & a piece of wire for the worst ones.  The Cavalry are Minifigs & the Artillery look like Old Glory.  The majority are freshly painted, some were tatty figures with a new paint 'face lift'. 


Infantry

A nice mix of Hungarians & Germans


Grenzers, I love the colours on these ones. A joy to paint.


Light Foot Artillery



Heavy Foot Artillery, 12pdrs


Hussars & Uhlans




Generals

Horse Artillery

Friday 4 November 2016

DBN18 Battle of Mas Deu 1793- French vs Spanish

French Revolution action from the little known War of the Pyrenees.  Our Austrian Army is nicely taking shape,  the infantry are complete & I am currently painting the Artillery.   However we needed an opponent for our snazzy French Infantry.  After some research, I came across the War of the Pyrenees.   Though getting some hard facts on the war proved hard.  Hardly a mention in any of my useful Napoleonic tomes on the book shelves, never mind any battlefield maps.

So playing a game using DBN, we settled for the Battle of Mas Deu 1793.  The dastardly Spanish forces cross the border & attack a French force camped outside the Knights Templar Chateau.  It turned out to be a one sided affair with a much bigger Spanish force routing the French.

We altered the forces involved to give the French a chance, adding some fortifications as well.  It turned out to be a cracking game.  For the battlefield, Google Maps gave a nice view of Mas Deu, the chateau & ruins are still visable.  Spav took ze French & yours truly ze Spanish.

The useful links ==
     War of the Pyrennes     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Pyrenees

      Battle of Mas Deu    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mas_Deu

      Nafziger useful OOB's (good luck finding the one you want... )                         http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/nafziger/index.asp

Spanish
1 x General, 1 x Muskets (Elite), 7 x Muskets, 1 x Light Infantry, 3 x Cavalry 2 x Artillery (one Militia class),

French
1 x General, 3 x Muskets, 4 x Muskets (Militia), 1 x Light Infantry, 2 x Cavalry, 1 x Artillery, 1 x Fortification.

The battlefield

View from the French left


The Chateau


The French right

Snazzy graphics, eat your heart out Osprey...lol
The Spanish Cavalry swing around the French left flank


Spanish troops cross the river

French Light Infantry hold the rough to the right of shot

View from the French fortifications

French Cavalry are sent to the left flank

The French Battery responds to the Spanish guns

Slowly the Spanish mass for an attack

Skirmishing begins

Spanish Cavalry....

French Cavalry....

Too much punishment for the French Artillery & they are withdrawn.

The French are edging this combat

....CHARGE!!!!!

Lovely, Hussars scrapping away!

Evens for the combat, both recoil

First Blood to ze French!

However the Spanish Infantry are ready to attack  

The Cavalry are back at it!

NOOO!!! The French Cavalry get the upper hand.

The French reserves are sent to the left flank

The French Cavalry charge in, another Spanish loss!!!

.......and another!
OMG!!! It's turning out to be a Spanish bloodbath.

Breakthrough.  The French Cavalry attack again.

It's good, but it just forces back the Spanish Infantry.

Fall Back

Wow.  That was impressive, a possible French victory is on the cards.

FORWARD!  The Spanish left lurches forward.

The French Light Infantry take the Spanish onslaught.

The Spanish infantry unleash a volley.

A strange decision, Spav retires the French Cavalry...

On the other flank, the Spanish attack begins.

The French left is reinforced, Spav readies his own attack.

Screaming Spaniards Attack!

The French Line are forced back.  The French Lights redeploy.
However it's PiPs that the French need elsewhere. 



On the Spanish right, another attack takes shape.
The Fortifications are in my sights...

Attack Attack Attack.
Combat bonus for the Spanish column

The other French units of the left are pinned

The French PiP die rolls are poor, there's not enough points to move everyone.

Overview

The French are forced back off the hill.

The French Infantry take heavy losses.
An attack on the Chateau is next. 

The French artillery redeploys, but they are in poor shape.

Spav retires another unit, not risking it's destruction.

The attack on the fortification begins.

The attack on the Mas Deu Chateau goes in.
Led by the elite Spanish Grenadiers....

Ohhhh!  Geat PiPs for the heroic Spanish.  The Dragoons advance...

The Dice Gods shine down on the Spanish!!
The classic 6-1 combat result

It's all one way!!!  The French retreat from the fortifications.

Another round & the French counter attack, but it is in vain.

The French PiP rolls don't improve & the French left is going nowhere. 


The dandy & dashing Spanish Grenadiers advance!!!

The French centre has collapsed

One last try for the French to capture the fortifications

The French Artillery opens up, but make no impression on the Grenadiers.

At last, the French units start to go down

Another Spanish column is formed

The Spanish Infantry charge in

CHHAARRGGEE!!!

Not a great match up for the French!

Another French loss.

VICTORY!!!!!!

The final battlefield

I did an 'Austerlitz' on Spav, hang your head in shame my son!   A great game, it could of gone either way.  Just goes to show, how critical the PiP rolls are.  We'll have to play another French v Spanish Revolutionary game!   Does anyone have any links to War of the Pyrenees battles?