Steve and I organised to play another Lasalle2 game, but this time without any cavalry. This would give us a chance to refine our infantry tactics. Steve, sorry for the delay in getting this one posted!

The French had three identical infantry brigades, each consisting of a veteran infantry battalion, 2 conscript infantry battalions and a foot battery of artillery.

The British had two infantry brigades each with an elite battalion, two line battalions and a foot battery. The third infantry battalion was 3 battalions of Hanoverian militia and and a Hanoverian foot artillery battery,

Despite how the terrain looked everything was considered minor and provided no game impact.

The French columns advanced along the line and fired a volley at the Hanoverians (Brunswick figures) causing a permanent casualty on each as they failed their rally attempt.

On the British right some casualties were also inflicted.

The British return fire caused some minor inconvenience to the French.

The French advance on the far left of their line.

A charge by two French conscript units routs a British line. The one didn’t help their cause at all!

On the French left the British firepower caused massive damage on the conscript units with three (one permanent) and four hits respectively.

Seizing the initiative next turn a volley fire broke the centre conscript unit and caused another casualty on the other. The brigade was in serious trouble.

The artillery opened fire and routed the second unit.

The French were only marginally more successful on the right flank with the Polish Vistula legion routing one Hanoverian militia unit, but the second held its ground, bouncing the attacker. The militia unit facing the British guns was shaken and only one hit of routing.

Luck was about to change for the French as the sole surviving battalion in the French left brigade charged and routed the British line on contact. However more disaster was to befall the British……….

The French Swiss conscripts charged the elite 42nd Higlanders and smashed straight through them. The Black watch were sent back to Scotland on the “low road”! The two permanent casualties and another roll of a one it could be said were self inflicted!

Advancing bravely on the guns in the centre the French conscripts finally succumbed to the grape shot and headed for home.

A Dutch militia unit moved up to charge the guns but could not withstand the close range fire and also headed for home.

The turn ended with another Hanoverian battalion routing. With both sides reaching their one third break point in the same turn we called it a bloody draw.

Another fine game of Lasalle2. The British troops have excellent training but Brigadier “Steve” needs more training in how not to roll ones at critical times!

*Tommy Atkins (often just Tommy) is slang for a common soldier in the British Army, but many soldiers preferred the terms PBI (poor bloody infantry) “P.B.I.” was a pseudonym of a contributor to the First World War trench magazine The Wipers Times (depicted in the 2013 TV movie of the same name).