Marlburians Again!!

The usual collection of rogues and scoundrels assembled amongst the flotsam and jetsum of my gaming room (read: garage) for a nice little stoush with the 28mm Marlburians. This particular action saw a French force holding a central village awaiting the arrival of their Bavarian allies. The French were being attacked by a combined Dutch and British force, with a flanking Danish/Austrian force attempting to cross a river and turn the French position. If it sounds messy- it certainly was with enough twists and turns to keep us at the table until very late!

The Deployment

The Dutch (commanded by Phil) and British infantry (Ross)  advanced cautiously towards the French position. The Dutch cavalry (Ross) went in a wide sweep to take the French in the right flank and plowed into the French cavalry (commanded by yours truly) who had been deployed in the case of such an eventuality.

The French Hold the village as the Redcoats advance!

Dutch Cavalry Regt. Maduran. These boys gave me a bloody nose- All Ross' fault.

 

On the far side of the river the Danes (Paul) made good time and the French commander on the left (Nick Senior) decided that he didn't have the strength to contest the river crossing AND hold the town so he formed a line that defended the left side of the village. Yes that's right...for three consecutive turns Nick actually retreated. I pinched myself and had another chocolate scotch finger....this was too much to take....stranger things have NEVER happened!!

In the center my French defenders were being pounded by Phil's infantry and his Dutch Regiment Plattenburg forced its way into the village after a bloody stoush with my French La Couronne Regiment. Even though I had the benefit of cover in the village, Phil's Dutch troops, despite suffering fearful casualties ( Regt Van Beynhejm had been blasted into oblivion) soon forced my men back.

The Danish/Dutch line advances on  the French (right)



Regt Albermarle- Swiss in Dutch Service advance in column to get to the action ASAP!

The Dutch Cavalry on the allied left

Anyway Paul got his Danes (4 battalions supported by Danish Cavalry and Imperial Cuirassiers no less) across and began to try to deploy his guns and infantry in front of the deployed French. He was being very sneaky when he sent a Danish cavalry regiment towards the extreme edge of the table and managed to get them behind the defending French.......things were not looking so rosy on my left.

Things also started to look pretty grim as on the other side of the table as my French cavalry finally gave up the ghost and Ross, sensing victory surged forward ......only to crash headlong into the Bavarian reinforcements - and more specifically 2 regiments of Bavarian cuirassiers!! Richard's troops had arrived just in time! But was Ross daunted? No! He threw in his remaining 2 squadrons of Dutch Regiment Van Reeck and they crashed into the Bavarian Cuirassier Regt Wolframsdorff and forced  it to retreat shaken. The breakthrough hit two depleted French squadrons from Regt. Brissac and they broke. The Bavarian infantry followed up and the Dutch cavalry pulled back.

The Danish guns deploy in the center of the photo.

 Paul's flanking Danish cavalry on the French left were still in column when he decided to charge the rear of the French line. Now in the Marlburian period troops rarely charge in column- but despite the severe penalties for being in column.....it was still a far more dangerous to be hit in the rear.....and predictably the French broke!!. The subsequent breakthrough move saw another French battalion flee and all of a sudden the French position was looking decidedly shaky! The 1st Jydske Danish cavalry Regiment were being hailed as heroes and even captured the standard of a battalion of the Piedmont Regiment- one of the oldest and most prestigious of the French foot!

The Danish cavalry cross the bridge. Imperial Cuirassier Regt Cusani on the left.

The Bavarian Cuirassiers- Regts Wolframsdorff and Hoth

Ross, heavily outnumbered and in desperation threw the last of his Dutch cavalry into what was a losing proposition ...and pulled off a magnificent coup! Dutch Regiment Maduran smashed into Bavarian Cuirassier Regiment Roth and sent it packing. The subsequent morale test meant that three remaining French cavalry squadrons broke and fled as well. It decimated the Dutch, but tore a great big hole in the only part of the French line still intact- the right flank. The Dutch were certainly covering themselves in glory!

It was at this point that we called it a night...and I said it was a draw.......to a chorus of jeers and shouts.......the Allies had a bloody nose....but the French reminded me of the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail...no arms or legs.....but he could still bite!!!!!!!!!

Clearly the glory went to the Dutch cavalry who were indefatigable in first dealing with the French cavalry and then, although succumbing to the Bavarians, gave them a bloody nose. Close behind them in the laurel stakes was the Danish cavalry that broke three French foot battalions....what a night!

 

 

Help at last ! I thought these guys  would save my French a**e. Richard's  Bavarian troops were very welcomed with sighs of relief! But those bl**dy Dutch cavalry had other ideas!

The Dutch Cavalry giving the French infantry a hard time and taking one of their guns! Ross was making a nuisance of himself. That's the last time he's allowed to command the Dutch!

The Dutch Cavalry move forward.

The Dutch Cavalry Regt Stadtholder de Frise (blue) charges French Regt Conde

The British taking casualties




The table by turn five. Danes at the bottom, French in the center (the 'U' shape), the Bavarian column just visible at the top right corner and the Dutch in the center. The line of Redcoats is easy to see!

The Danes advance toward the French line. The column of Dutch Regt Albermarle appears at the bottom left corner

The unexpected! Danish Regt Jysdke stays in column and gets behind the French line.

The Danish infantry move forward