28MM BLACK POWDER: MAIDA 1806

Last week at home I staged another refight of the Battle of Maida but using my preferred Black powder rules.  Young Scott Duncan was up for Easter from Crawley so I got Scott to command the British and Dave Paterson commanded the French.  I umpired.  It proved a British victory as Dave concentrated all his forces to attack the British left but his attack bogged down and he was flanked by the British centre and right.

First game - massed assault on the British left

2nd game - Donald's brigade - Comperes gets stuck in

This Wednesday I staged the game again.  Myself and Donald Adamson commanded the French whilst colin jack and Davve O’Brien commanded the British.  This time it proved a more even and hard fought contest.  Donald’s right flank brigade raced ahead and engaged the British left and centre.  My right hand mixed brigade moved very slowly and our central foreign brigade actually blundered twice in a row and marched of the rear of the table.  The British gave Donald a hard time but eventually the foreign brigade returned and charged home on the British centre whilst the mixed brigade engaged their left. 

It was hard fight and French losses mounted to the point where Donald and I were willing to call it a night but Colin, the British CinC persuaded us to play another turn which completely changed the outcome.  My shaken Polish veteran battalion broke it’s melee opponent and this caused a supporting British battalion to flee – this turned a British victory into a French triumph!  It was fun all round.  Next game at my place will be a 20mm WWII using Rapid Fire.

Comperes brigade presses home it's attack

View from British left - French centre and right are finally moving up .  In distance Comperes is being driven back 

Unsupported Polish veterans break the allied centre. General Stewart swept away in the rout.  Vive L'Empereur!

Here is my OB and BP troop ratings for the game.

BRITISH	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
CinC MG Stewart 8
Adv Guard Col Kempt
Combined Light Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4	First Fire
Skirmishers  (Small)	Musket	Infantry	4	2	4	3	Skirmishers
1st Brigade Col Cole
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3	First fire
Combined Grenadiers	Musket	Infantry	7	3	4	4	First fire, Elite 4+
Horse Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
2nd Brigade Col Acland
British Line Inf	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3	First Fire
Veteran Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4	First fire
3rd Brigade Col Oswald
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3	First Fire
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3	First Fire
Veteran Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4	First Fire

All Infantry have “must form square” rule.

Elite X+              Rally off Disorder at start of turn by roll of X+
First Fire           Add extra shooting dice on first shot.
Marauders         Ignore distance modifiers for command tests
Reliable            Add 1 to Command tests
Skirmish           Can adopt skirmish formation

FRENCH	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
CinC Gen Reynier 8
1st Comperes
Veteran Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4
Veteran Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Skirmishers  (Small)	Musket	Infantry	4	2	4	2	Skirmishers
2nd Digonet
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders
Horse Artillery	Light artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
3rd Peyri
Polish Veteran Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4
Polish Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Swiss Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3

Infantry are Reliable in Attack Columns and have “must form square” rule..

Marauders         Ignore distance modifiers for command tests
Skirmish           Can adopt skirmish formation