Friday 28 January 2011

Borodino Continued

I finally managed to roll a few dice in this epic mega game. For my sins I was made to play Russian on their right flank.

A plumb job as it faced a disintegrating French right wing :)


All it required was a gentle push, so the Russian forces streamed out of Borodino to counter attack.


The Russian Cossack cavalry (foreground) surged across the river into an empty vacuum. The Heavy Russian Cavalry (top) cross to face off the last French cavalry.


The French Cavalry which is now looking rather depleted and disordered after a last hurrah from a previous turn.


The one remaining French Fresh infantry formation (top right) standing in the Russian's way. The impressive array of French infantry centre top is actually a congealed mass of spent and worn French infantry who failed to take Borodino.


From behind the French lines a closer look at the huddled mass of worn French infantry. Four formations taking the area of what two would have been two at the start of the game. A French general looks on in apparent dismay.


No mercy, keep pressing the French line.

The fresh Russian Heavy Cavalry forms up to attack the French at their last defensible barrier. Spent French infantry hiding in the wood are an attractive target for the supporting Russian infantry moving up. Meanwhile Russian cannon limber and move across the river behind these troops too slow to make an impact at this time.


Finally that last French fresh infantry formation gets involved in a musket duel and is soon on its way to loosing its "fresh" status.

Meanwhile in the middle (Russian left and French right), dead ground is appearing as both sides are showing infantry fatigue in attack, as any unit attempting to cross is battered mercilessly by artillery. The bedraggled, spent Russian infantry unit is desperately trying to retire, while a reasonably looking French line infantry finds itself horrendously exposed for future turns.  


Another view of the clear water appearing between the two opposing lines (French left, Russian right this time). No man or beast wants to be the first across the void. Artillery have swept away units like a dust-pan and brush. Committing the French Guard Corps is not a very inviting prospect.


While on the left Russian flank, French Heavy (bottom) and Russian Heavy (top) cavalry clash.


As seen from the Russian perspective. Casualties are exchanged but no real "give" either way. It would have been nice to bounce through and hurt that French infantry but it was no to be.


Finally the Russians take the wood on my (Russian right) flank, with RAW militia (methinks their finest hour cometh) against spent French line. Captured in a photograph befitting the murky haze of battle.

Night descends in but five turns, so a winner (if that is the correct term) will be decided on objectives held and body count. The former is unlikely to change hands at this juncture while the latter will inevitably rise.

Prediction: A rather bloody "score-draw" with honours to the defenders of Borodino (Russian right wing) and the French infantry who cleared up to the "fletches" (French right wing).

3 comments:

Ray Rousell said...

Nice photo's, Militia can come in handy sometimes, I've yet to be blessed with a militia unit that does as good as the one in your game, I have a job to keep them on the table till the end of the game!!

Mojo said...

This looks like a really gigantic battle!
May I ask how long such a game takes?

Greetings,
Mojo

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Hello Ray,

The raw militia unit was in the right place at the right time through circumstance rather than planning :)


Hello Mojo,

The game was a day long Boxing Day special that managed to get through half the scenario (ten turns), since then in a weekly three hour slot we have continued playing and are now, have almost finished it