Rolica 1808 - Disaster!

  The British and French armies come to grips with each other, with both sides fully committing to an all or nothing struggle for control of the hill.  As the armies clash, twin disasters of monumental proportion develop on both sides of the field.

 

On the British left, the 42nd charges up the main road to drive out the what remains of the 6e Legere.  The track is narrow and the 42nd struggles to maintain cohesion as they charge.  Though the casualties they sustain in the charge are trifling, the highlanders arrive exhausted from their charge, and Napoleon's finest - veterans to a man, stand firm.  Vive l'Empereur echoes in the small clearing and the highlanders are thrown into confusion, but they refuse to abandon their hard won gains and remain toe to toe with the hated French legere.

Lt. Colonel Robert Macara attempts to rally his troops as the french bayonets push inexorably forward...

Even more disturbing, the Hanoverians have formed an attack column and threaten to charge the 42nd in the flank.  The threat of the twin pincers is too much and the Black Watch breaks into a full rout!

Lt. Colonel Macara tries valiantly to halt the rout as the highlanders of the Black Watch stream down the hill, pursued by the French, despite the protests of their regimental commander that they hold their ground.  Their blood is up and there is no stopping the pursuit.

The field is littered with the bodies of both British and French - a grim testament to the fierceness of the struggle.

The French Colonel was right to try and contain the eagerness of his victorious troops.  Even as the 6e Legere pursues the defeated highlanders, another famous battalion of Scotsmen, the 92nd Gordon Highlanders, prepare to charge into the woods.

Suddenly an enormous drooling cock-eyed slug and a ferocious dire wolf appear to *&&%$#!! time machine - must have slipped into inter-dimensional mode again - hold on, whack, OK - back to the battle at hand...

While the Hanoverians prepare to move into the clearing vacated by the 6e Legere, they risk being flanked by the 71st (more damnable highlanders!) approaching uphill through the dense scrub and woods.  The climb will slow them but not the Voltigeurs.  The last two seen in front of their right flank are cleared from the hillside by a well timed volley.

On the British right the second of the twin disasters unfolds, but this time the victim is the French.

The 24th climbs the steep hill in good order, aiming to hit the 39e Ligne at the extreme end of their line.  The 39th reacts quickly, but in the effort to adjust their line a gap appears and the companies lose cohesion.  The 24th hits the line and pours through, pushing the 39e into total disarray. The regulars of the 39e, unlike the veteran 6e Legere, panic and flee up the hill with the 24th on their heels.

The 24th, elated at their victory, follow the 39e Ligne up the hill and out of the woods, right into the waiting chasseurs a cheval.  The chasseurs charge, but the cool headed British, trained and drilled by their NCOs relentlessly, form square in the nick of time and send a crushing volley into the French cavalry.  The chasseurs flow around the square taking even more casualties and are routed by the solid resistance of the British square.  The 24th has sustained minimal casualties and in the course of a few minutes has sent two French units streaming to the rear!

 

To make matters worse for the French, the 50th has formed up and prepare to join the 24th at the top of the hill.  Only the sound of desultory musket fire on their right concerns them.

 

To the right of the 50th, a small unit of British skirmishers holds a much larger French force of skirmishers at bay.

As the French cavalry and remnants of the 39e Ligne stream to the rear, an under strength battery of 8 pounders has limbered up and is positioning to help stem the British advance and serve as a rally point for the French, where their brigade commander is endeavoring to halt their rout.

 

 

The aim of the French is to delay the British assaulting the hills to buy time for the French army assembling in the South.  Historically the French took heavy casualties but were able to withdraw in good order.  While the French have delayed the advance of the British in this scenario, they are in danger of being cut off from withdrawal by the 5/60th rushing through the woods to occupy the main road behind the French position.  It's a race to the finish - Can the French hold out for three more turns...