Lady de Winter Attacks Lady Diana Pettygree

Date: 3 December 1761/2011
Situation: 4th Annual Light Troop Game Day

Game #3: Fulda Roadhouse, Germania
This third game was our annual skirmish between the vendetta driven Lady de Winter and Lady Diana Pettygree.

Participants:
French: Randy and Bill. De Winter's Force: Jim and Keith.
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For the other two games see: http://campaignsingermania.blogspot.com/2011/12/our-three-light-troop-games.html
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Réflexions et mémoires sur la  Diana Pettygree à la Bataille de Fulda

That day, December 3, 1761, commenced with happy expectations was shockingly ruined by a human storm of such suddenness that it defies credulity. As my ladies Masquerade and Silhouette accompanied me from the Fulda Roadhouse to a nearby wooded meadow, a continuous thunder of muskets and hooves arose from the South.

Our party guests immediately fled impeding our de Saxe Lanciers trying to ascertain what was the trouble. Lady Silhouette ordered her dismounted hussarettes to move within the tall trees toward the sound of the guns.

A mysterious foe clad mostly in black pressed toward the meadow as Silhouette's carbines were loaded. Too few. Oh too few carbines. Our Lanciers continued to be blocked, vexing them terribly. You can understand that I am sure.

When their path cleared, the charge was sounded. At the gallop they charged into the dark foe hurling them back. Bravo mes amis! Bravo!

Would you countenance the thought that delaying the charge was an advantage for us? Hardly but, it allowed time for a squadron of Bercheney Hussars to mount up and charge in support. The melee continued desperately for the longest time. {Three turns} Exhaustion found both sides falling back to reorganize. The threat here, for now was over but....

As Masquerade and I wearing my blue Royal Carabinier ensemble rode into the trees to check on our scattered guests I learned....

That the blackguard foe had brazenly cut down the petite four pounder cannon crew to the right of the wooded area. To their surprise though, Monsieur Bercheney personally led a second squadron of his hussars after them, charging, pursuing and scattering the ruffians from whence they came.

On the other side of the roadhouse, the intemperate foes at first advanced shockingly toward the camp of one of Brigadier Fischer's sleepy battalions. {Not shown.} Others galloped down the road where I with Lady Masquerade happened to be. {Not shown.} Fortunately their horses or ardour were no match for ours. We easily cantered {Evade rules.} around the building to that meadow I've mentioned. Later more of the enemy came on but withdrew as our infantry formed and advanced upon them.

Meanwhile, another of Monsieur Fischer's battalions countered a body of enemy foot. The latter had even entered the walled roadhouse enclosure with firebrands terrifying the few staff left there.

The ruffians charged our fusiliers. We held allowing time for both of the Fischer battalions to fight the foe front and to the rear with the bayonet. The foe succumbed.
{Note the second Fischer battalion coming on in the upper left of the image.}

Toward the end there was the greatest confusion and happiness. Infantry and horsemen of both sides engaged each other in final embraces. In the end we prevailed and....

Elsewhere some of Monsieur Fischer's horsemen countered and advanced upon unseen enemies in their view.

As the battle ended, I espied a familiar black coach and four protected by a Rear Guard in the distance. {On a Back Table.} I had seen it before - one year ago under similar circumstances.

Coincidence or?

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CLOSING REMARKS

1. Horsemen: French 89 and Mysterious foe: 96. Late in the game the French were reinforced by a 12 man squadron of Saxon von Brühl Dragoons riding from a screen some miles to the rear; too late to matter. Rather than specify an arrival turn, they arrived when it was 1:00pm in the afternoon real time; a nuance to get them in the game and speed turns along before their arrival.

2. Infantry: French 154 versus the foe at 156.

3. Artillery: French with a four pounder and the enemy with a three pounder.

4. One third of the French force was on duty near the roadhouse or in a screen to the south and east of the roadhouse. Another third were encamped unavailable until Turn 3. The last third was off table to the north unavailable until Turn 3.

5. Lady de Winter's force was allowed a move, fire and move on Turn 1 simulating a surprise attack. After this the French could move and fire or fire and move concluding Turn 1. Afterwards we reverted to card draw for move and fire.

6. This deWinter/Pettygree game was a little different in that forces were numerically reduced a lot to allow for more maneuver and to remove the sense that large armies were involved.

7. This was a see-saw engagement without formed battle lines as such. Kind of fun and different; the purpose of Light Troop Game Day #4 actually.

8. A follow-up story is ready to post in a few days. See you then.

9. Rules:  See Rules by Bill  at the upper left of the blog. We used Batailles de l'Ancien Régime (1740-1763).

10. Comments welcome as usual below, if you please.

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