The final act of posts on this year's "Barrage" show in Stafford is a vague recollection of what happened in our game, as titled above. I spent a lot of time away form the table spending too much, so I can hardly be accused of documenting the whole thing, but I sort of know what happened, know who ultimately triumphed and took a few photos during the day, so here goes.
Nephew Paul took charge of the British and marched them promptly down the road towards the village and fort, the Combined Grenadiers leading. He was blissfully unaware of the prospect of enemy irregulars lurking in nearby woods and fields.
The Rangers, being a little more savvy in this environment, chose to break off through some nearby woods and there encountered the Compagnies Franches de la Marine, a firefight ensuing in the arboreal gloom.
More French skirmishers lined nearby field boundaries to hold up the British whilst their regular counterparts struggled to form up in some sort of order, surprised as they were by the British arrival. The Coureurs de Bois lining the wall turned out to be unit of the match.
The siege lines were maintained by the Volontaires Etrangers.
A company of the 44th Foot, together with some civilians, held the battered fort, determined to hang on until the relief arrived.
The British tried hard to fan out and form line, hemmed in by the terrain and the attentions of the French irregulars. I really must educate Nephew Paul about putting the standards in the middle of a line or at the head of a column!
First blood went to the Rangers, who saw off the Compagnies Franches de la Marine, but were then held up by a second line of Milice Canadiens and spent most of the rest of the battle sniping from the woods.
Eventually able to extricate themselves from the woods and form line, the Grenadiers were in a prime position to storm the fields opposite and rid themselves of the constant incoming fire from the Coureurs de Bois. The 43rd Foot were moving up in support, but Nephew Paul seemed to lose all knowledge of what to do next...
Buoyed by the stalled British advance and the bravado of the Coureurs de Bois, even the Indian allies of the French decided to get in on the act.
The Milice Canadiens on the ridge kept up a constant sniping fire at the Rangers opposite in the woods and the French Regulars, starting with Royal-Roussillon, were finally forming up, free of their surprise and disorder as they exited their camp in the distance.
What better target than a regiment of Frenchies spoiling for a fight? The Inniskillings promptly used a three move roll (we were using "Black Powder") to charge their adversaries, received a punishing volley from Royal-Roussillon and the disordered remnants were beaten in melee, fleeing never to return. "Closing Fire" was a hard lesson to learn for poor Nephew Paul...
With the Inniskillings returned to the box, the 58th and 60th Regiments took a rather more cautious approach, using their better firepower to pound the Royal-Roussillon, who promptly broke and ran under the pressure. Only the Milice Canadiens now held the French left. To add insult to injury, their flight left the Chevalier Gaillardhomme, Sieur de Grand Weurly, out in the open, so he too was unceremoniously shot down by the victorious British.
But help was at hand as both La Reine and Bearn had finally formed up, holding the French centre and able to head off the advance of the 58th and 60th Regiments of Foot. One of the French artillery batteries had also got its act together and redeployed to face the British.
The Combined Grenadiers finally made a forward move through the wheat field, having charged out the Coureurs de Bois, but the latter rallied and simply lined the next fence to continue their sniping at the British elites.
Rival warbands played out an inconclusive duel on the British left, contesting the outskirts of the village.
The wholly intact 43rd Foot were still trying to move forwards to storm the village, but their progress was very slow.
And all the while, the Coureurs de Bois and Indians kept up their fire against the Grenadiers. Assailed by this constant punishment and hampered by the tight terrain, even the British elites conceded and broke. Oh dear!
I did not stay to record the last acts of this British defeat. Although the Chevalier Gaillardhomme, callously misused by Nephew Nick in command of the French, had been shot down, his fate unknown (...), Major-General Sir Cheslyn Hay's forces had been beaten in a fight that went down to the wire and could have gone either way. Both sides were down to just one active regiment (Bearn and the 43rd respectively), but the French skirmishers were still present in some number, so the British were forced to withdraw. "A close run thing" as a later British commander was reported to have said of a different battle.
We had enjoyed ourselves immensely, with a game that had received numerous great comments and was very well received by a number of people who saw us at Barrage. These things alone make all the effort worthwhile!
However, we never turn up and play the exact same game twice so, by the time you see us again (probably at Wargamer in December at Halesowen), we will have something a little different to show as we develop the game. More figures? More/ different terrain? A revised scenario? Any or all of the above and more???
We will see, but I am already adding something, with more in mind!
And this is all before I add to my forces and move to Europe for some more conventional Seven Years' War action over the next year or two. (along with all the other things I want to do!!!)
So, after this inaugural outing, congratulations (just!) to Nephew Nick and commiserations to Nephew Paul.
A well-earned holiday is imminent, so I will post again on my return, but this concludes the adventure that was the Barrage Show in Stafford.
G
