Capture the hill line, and the village, and the bridges etc etc

My Armies of the Spanish Succession have been gathering dust; so recently the call went out to anyone who could be bothered to show up. Attendance was underwhelming ( where were you lads?) with Phil and Nick (Thanks boys- I knew you wouldn't let me down) being the only two available. 

A simple scenario was determined whereby roughly equal forces of Dutch on one side, and Louis XIV's boys on the other had to capture a number of key features in a valley with a river running down one side. The two bridges, a village,  a hill line, and the road running south were all key objectives. 

I was the French,  the other two lads were the Dutch.

The Dutch to the right. The French to the left.

The Dutch (Phil and Nick)

Both sides quickly raced for the objectives, Phil securing the village for the Dutch, one hill and one of the bridges. I got one bridge and two hills......but it wouldn't be so easy as the forces clashed in the middle of the valley.
The Dutch cavalry on their left hit my right and in a swirling melee both sides lost heavily. When the dust settled I was down to two badly depleted squadrons and 1 relatively fresh. Phil had lost three and one was withdrawing.

The French (me)

The Dutch cavalry shake out into two long lines

My French Cavalry advance

French Dragoons- 

In the center I dismounted my Dragoons to hold one hill and take up position behind some stone walls- with the intent that they would hold until my infantry arrived. Alas, Phil's infantry got there first....and two squadrons of dismounted dragoons vanished in a 'whiff of musket smoke'.

The center of the field saw our infantry hammer away at each other with musketry as the cavalry engaged on the flanks. On my left Nick sent the Dutch du Wuttemburg Regiment swinging behind my infantry and as you will see in a picture further down, the second squadron got behind my Royal Italian Regiment. To make sure that there was no mistake during the charge phase he placed four "Charge" markers down......and the Italians broke.....and suffered the humiliation of having their colours captured when Nick rolled the dread double 6.

The Bulkeley Regiment nearby then had to test....being veterans I though they would stand their ground. BUT, nearby the Fitzgerald Regiment was being hammered .....and the Bulkeley was unsupported...and it also became shaken.....then after receiving several volleys also broke and ran. Shit.

With my flanking brigade gone, there was nought but honour and I fought doggedly on until my forces were too depleted to continue.

Dutch cavalry on the Dutch right. The front two squadrons of the Du Wuttemburg regiment would win reknown on this day and cover itself in glory. And Nick would roll double 6s at the right time- more than once. 

The battle field.

My Dragoons dismount. Despite the infantry to their right, they failed to hold.

The Irish Regiment Fitzgerald on my left....facing advancing Dutch cavalry commanded by Nick. My Irish veterans would do well by slaughtering half a Dutch cavalry regiment but then under continual artillery fire they were repeatedly charged and eventually broke.

The Dutch quickly secured the village.

First clash: Dutch Cavalry squadron Sarrebruck-Nassau vs a squadron of Le Conde. I had to roll 4+ to hit.
That's my roll above. Shit!

That's Phil's roll. Guess who won?

Opening volleys. Dutch Regiment Van Plattenberg vs the French Beauvoisis Regiment.

The Royal Italians advance with a gun to their left and Irish Regiment Bulkeley in support.

The du Wuttemberg Regt- launches an attack at the Royal Italians...who lost their lives, muskets , honour and Regimental colours. They are now up for sale on ebay for $1.

Two very happy Dutch commanders- Nick (left), Phil (right) gloating over the destruction of a complete French brigade and the capture of the Royal Italian Regiment's colours by the du Wuttemburg regiment

Nick insisted I put this picture in. My left flank brigade was split on both sides of the river. What's wrong with this photo? There is nothing there. My veterans are all gone...and the Dutch are racing off to harass the rest of my army.