Shadow of the Eagles, Control the River

We played the second scenario from the Shadows of the Eagles rules last evening. We didn’t finish the game. The novelty of getting together in person instead of Zooming generates a lot of conversation, much of it non game related. It was still a fun gathering. I think I need to cut down the size of my planned Bailen scenario next week so we have a shot at completing it.

 

Set in 1813, Jay had the French with 3 regular battalions, 3 provisional (depot regulars) battalions and 3 conscript (inferior) battalions plus cavalry and artillery. He opted to have mixed brigades with one of each type. Instead my Prussians had a regiment of regulars, another of reserves (provisional) and 1 of Landwehr, plus cavalry and artillery.

 

The river had two bridges, each near a town, a ford in the north and one in the southwest. The bridges and towns were each worth two enemy units routed if the French captured them (or the Prussians re-took them) and the northern ford was worth one. Two of the Prussian infantry regiments and the dragoon brigade would arrive as reinforcements, determined by die rolls. It turns out one would arrive on the first turn, another on the second and the regular infantry on the third turn. When we rolled for brigadiers, the French got one inspired infantry brigadier. We got (in addition to the inept CO), an inept infantry brigadier and another to lead the dragoon brigade. The last did OK, being more active than we expected. As for the infantry one, having inept generals is not as bad when defending.  

 

A French infantry brigade headed for each bridge and one for the northern ford. The heavy cavalry brigade started fording the southwestern ford, a lengthy undertaking. The light cavalry brigade headed for the eastern bridge. Carl took the Prussian left, which had an independent reserve infantry fusilier battalion and a light cavalry brigade. Arriving on the first turn was a dragoon brigade with an elite horse artillery battery.

A French battalion surged onto the bridge in front of our left and was savaged by musket fire, becoming weakened (yellow disc). It did capture the bridge. Another battalion made ready to attack the bridge on our right but was weakened by artillery and musket fire.

 

We broke for dinner and more discussion.

 

Jay had to head home. Offered command of either the French or the Prussians, Carl opted to stay on the defense. I shifted to the French side of the table and adjusted my attitude. Rebuffed on both flanks, the center brigade deployed into columns with a cloud of skirmishers in front and advanced.

It was getting late. Carl suggested we play a turn without movement and just fire again. So we did. Two Prussian units were broken by fire. One French unit I was sure would be broken breathed a sigh of relief when Prussian artillery went high. We were even on points. Each side lost two points, the Prussians because a bridge was taken and the French because it was recaptured. The French had a unit routed and 3 weakened, for another 2.5, making a total of 4.5 towards the French breakpoint of 7.5. The Prussians had two units touted and one weakened for another 2.5, again a total of 4.5 towards their breakpoint of 8. While close, so far the river line was intact, save for the French heavy cavalry brigade which was almost entirely across.

 

We played 4 and a partial 5^th turns in a little over two hours. I’m sure we can play more quickly but the banter and such is too good to pass up. We all like the rules. But I do have to down-size that Bailen scenario…