Battle of Ivabiggin 1706

Thursday was another two game day-it's great being retired,I don't know if I've mentioned it before!!One game this morning with Brian,and another great game this evening with Brian,Paul and Dave.

This is the scenario and initial troop dispositions,Dave was in command of the Allied cavalry,Paul was in command of the allied infantry and guns in the town,and Brian commanded the French cavalry,leaving me in charge of the "French" infantry and guns.

This shows the general layout of the board,we all managed to move forward on the first move,and it was action all the way from then on!!Brian attempted to prevent Dave from relieving the town,Dave was determined to get across the bridge with his "ambulance coach" to get the Duke away,Paul 's objective was to prevent me from storming the town and capturing the aforsaid Duke!!

My Bavarians are fire-fighting with Paul's Danes in this photo-I was aware that if Brian couldn't prevent Dave from advancing quickly,I was going to get attacked from behind,so I had issued orders to "turn around if the cavalry get too close" as it happened one of my units failed to do so and was "hacked to pieces"
Brian and Dave were having a right old tussle,with squadrons wheeling about,melees going first one way then the other-all thrilling and exciting stuff!!

This gives a good view of the Cavalry manoeuvres going on -please note the nice lines and good dressing of the units concerned-this was all to change within a couple of moves!!

My "Wild Geese" are moving forward here,but Paul is putting up a great defence,my gunners must have been trained by Stevie Wonder!! I couldn't hit a thing,on the other hand Paul's gunners were doing great execution!!

Cavalry vs Cavalry!! this was a particularly tense part of the game,whoever won these battles would seal the fate of the other!!-My Bavarians are trying to get into position quickly before I am caught.

Paul and I are Blasting away at each other,and Dave has managed to fight his way through a throng of Bavarians,crossed the bridge,and rescued the Duke!!-hurrah.However,he now has to get back across the bridge and take his "casualty" to safety!!
With Brian's cavalry now rampant on the plain,and my infantry sufficiently recovered,this was going to be an impossible task-another hurrah!!

This shows the "scattered" squadrons of cavalry-long gone are those nice lines and fine dressings-it's every man for himself-luckily for the French,Brian threw some brilliant dice to win the day!!

No way out,Marlborough is captured,the war is over,Vive la France!!-look at Dave's body language!!However ,defeat is not dishonour-both side played well,and this will go down as one of the closest games ever played in our club-it makes such a nice change for me to win!!!!!
Roll on Sunday,"El Cid" game with a guest appearance from Charlie Wesencraft,if we're lucky!