Lasalle II: Waterlooplein

Last evening at the Uni, in preparation for Sunday's Waterloo Games Day, I step up a small practice game. The Anglo-Allies had 202 points in 3 Brigades with 2 Batteries and were supposed to defend the ridge. The attacking French had 250 points, with 3 slightly larger Brigades and 3 Batteries.

I say 'supposed' because when asked what the deployment zones were, I carelessly answered 'Standard, I 'spose - 2 foot in'. Well that was it, the Brits deployed fully forward of the ridge. His Grace must be spinning in his grave!

Anyway, what I wanted out of the game was to see how far I could push my luck with advancing fast and hard in March Columns....

I knew they would give the opposition a shift up in the 'to hit' stakes...

But didn't fully appreciate the impact it would have on our skirmishing dice - my team partner David was very polite as we handed the Allies the initiative for the first 2 turns!

On the positive side, the narrow columns left nice wide corridors for the Arty to concentrate their fire on one hapless battalion, and, the English having come down off their ridge, lots of lovely bounce through too! For his part, David was advancing en masse, shoulder to shoulder. (I think he's missing his Greek Phalanxes!)

By dint of fast marching, my 2 Brigades soon arrived into the lethal zone opposite British musketry, and lost no time deploying into mass.

British firepower soon cleared away the first rank of battalions..

I suspect at this point the Allied team was feeling quite smug...

But I told myself the space was now clear to concentrate on single point of breakthrough...

But first to endure yet another volley...

At last the way was clear to close with the Bayonet!

With cries of 'Vive L'Empereur' the grizzled veterans of 1815 went in hard, sending 2 battalions of Rosbifs packing! All that stood between them and the bright lights of Brussels was but one lone battalion...

But that battalion was the Bloody Eleventh, The Devons, heroes of Salamanca!

'Nuff said, really!...we called it a day...

Next time, I hope to regale you with images and stories from our Waterloo Games Day!