A first dabble at the Franco-Dutch War

Finally got round to playing a game this week as my dad and I took ourselves up to Colin's for the day to have a (what would turn out to be a thrilling) game of impetus Baroque using Colin's lovely 28mm Anglo Dutch/ French armies. I have used these rules recently, although using a different period though it was still in the pike and Shotte era, so I had a decent understanding of how the rules work, although I did forget about certain rules for troop types as the game progressed which in the end was to prove quite significant. Colin and I took command of the French and my dad took command of the Anglo Dutch, I myself was given command of the guard cavalry and foot brigades,(our best troops) tasked with holding the right flank against superior numbers. Three objectives lay across the field along basically the centre table line, to the left a church yard, centre a large hill and a road junction to the right. Our main attack was to be across the centre where we hoped (and succeeded) to surprise my dad by placing all our cavalry in the centre to lead the attack rather than the more conventional cavalry on the flanks.(we used a hidden deployment method) We hoped to be able to smash the Dutch centre with our cavalry before the cavalry become somewhat spent and then secure it with the large brigade of infantry in reserve, over on the left the final infantry brigade and dragoon units were to secure and hold the church objective. As the title of the post suggests this is a complete alien period to me so I ain't going to pretend I know what each unit is in the following pictures, however if you pop onto the following link to Colin's blog you will find a much more detailed report of the game.

http://www.carryingsonupthedale.com/2016/06/louis-phwoooaaarrrrteenth-on-tv-and-on.html

Here are the photos of the game unfolding to the dramatic final turn conclusion...

The imposing sight of the French cavalry in all there might behind the centre hill

The French guard brigade supported by the heavy cannons

The French Dragoons make a early dash to secure the church yard objective

A Dutch infantry brigade facing the French guard grasp the cover of the hedgerow

The Dutch guard battalions launch an assault onto the Dragoons to drive them from the church yard

tally Ho.... The French cavalry launch there attack against the somewhat nervous Spanish pike

French heavy artillery set there sights on their sitting duck Dutch enemies and proceed to miss every shot in the game!

The Dutch guards fire fighting with a Swiss battalion in the fight for the church objective

This unit on the French army was my favourite on display, Grand stuff indeed!

The view of the French cavalry as they smash into the ranks of Spanish infantry, all but one battalion from the Spanish brigade was destroyed by the rampaging French cavalry, however they managed to hold the centre just long enough to allow my dad to counter attack it with a brigade of Dutch cavalry who arrived from the right flank just as the centre looked lost, needless to say the French cavalry lost heavy casualties in the grand charge.

The Dutch guard cavalry bypass the church yard looking to out flank the French line.

As well as the Spanish taking the blunt of the French cavalry charge a unit of allied scots were charged by a unit of the French guard horse, eventually the scots broke after a number of turns locked in combat.

The Anglo Dutch troops advance over the hedgerow to pursue the somewhat shot up lead French guard battalion

My dad pondering his next move after seen his Spanish troops on the receiving end of hefty cavalry charge..

The Dutch guard horse engage the French right flank, despite repeated efforts the Dutch cavalry could not break the stubborn French resistance, just as well as a break through here would have seen the French army flanked by a large presence of cavalry which would have been disastrous.

My Veteran allied scots unit finally late in the battle advance and unleash a salvo before charging into combat with the Hanoverian Dutch allies.

With the French cavalry now running out of steam trying to finish off the remaining Spanish infantry, the Dutch guard horse snatch the oppertunity to counter charge into the flank of the French, unsurprisingly the French cavalry have had enough and break

And these imperial Currasiers were my favourite cavalry unit, really striking figures in great poses..

Now with the threat of the French cavalry totally nullified the Dutch cavalry launch there counter attack onto the French infantry lines with a battalion of Swiss the first to succumb to the heavy cavalry.

The final action of the final turn saw my Scots beaten and routed in combat with the hanovarians taking us over our break point for our army, this was where I forgot that this unit had the iron offices trait meaning I could have re rolled my failed discipline test, oh well we shall never know what might have been....

This had been a fantastic game and a great credit to the rules, every move seemed action packed and for almost the entire game it really could of gone either way. A couple of failed pursuits I feel from our French cavalry lsaved the Spanish infantry from been totally destroyed and the Dutch centre completely broken,this allowed my dad to reposition his cavalry brigade to counter charge our battered out of position cavalry and pursue into our advancing reserve infantry. The Dragoons proved difficult for my dad to dislodge from the church yard though eventually they were driven out by the Dutch guard battalions on the final turn. All three objectives were still their to be won by both sides if the game had continued...if only..if only I had remembered that bloody re roll :-) .......

The final shot of the caranage left across the battlefield