BAROQUE- Dutch vs French

Richard was keen to show me how the Baroque rules work, so along with Ralph, two(!) Richards, Ross, Phil and myself we threw some of my Louis XIV figures onto the table without worrying about terrain etc. The rules have some similar features to Impetus ( same writers of course) but some of the classifications and some mechanisms are a little different.

I fielded two forces, a Dutch force from 1700 ( with TR Horse, and P&M Foot with Bayonet and Musket. The French  ( war of the Grand Alliance forces) were TR Horse ( Chevaux Leger and 1 Unit of Gendarmerie) with P&M Foot with Pike and Musket. The French also had two units of Dragoons who are very expensive under the lists but are very manoeuvrable and have muskets.

The early action took place between the cavalry on both flanks. I found Ralph dismounting his French Dragoons and firing a volley at my advancing Dutch cavalry, emptying a lot of saddles, I did manage to clear away one squadron with a charge but his second unit sent the rest of my cavalry packing!

On the other flank the melee between the Dutch and French horse was still going when the infantry started firing at each other. In the end the Dutch took the honours for the day - only just but it was more a rules test than anything else and although the Baroque rules have many of the mechanisms that Impetus has, they have a nice feel to them.

Dutch Cavalry (right) vs French Cavalry (left)

The French cavalry advance.

The French Infantry line. Royal Italian on the end of the line.

Dutch Regiments.

The French line.

The French Dragoons dismount and fire at the charging Dutch Du Wuttemberg Regiment.

French and Dutch infantry trade volleys

The swirling melee on the Dutch left