First outing for my 15mm Napoleonics

Two weeks ago, we managed to get together for a game of Black Powder.  It turned out that Dave and Aidan had significantly more troops than I was expecting and also they were considerably bigger units than I was expecting - rather than units of 12 based on three 40x20mm bases, they were 24 man battalions based on the equivalent of 6 40x20s.  Similarly, my 6 figure cavalry units needed to be paired to form 12 figure units.  So that halved the number of units I was able to field.

However, we were still able to put a couple of brigades each on the table, plus wings of cavalry.  Here is my disposition on the French left, opposite Aiden.  On my right was Ian, pairing off against Dave.  Both Ian and I had Napoleon for a CinC!  On the right is a brigade of infantry in mixed order (two columns flanking a battalion in line), with an artillery piece on the right flank and squadrons of Lancers and Cuirassiers behind.  On the left are three infantry battalions in column, including a unit of Guard, with squadrons of Hussars and Carabineers covering the open flank.

Looking along the French lines with Ian's troops in the distance beyond the low hill.

Ian's massed cavalry, mainly Dragoons, on his right flank.

French Dragoons trying to look mean.

British Dragoons and Hussars trying not to look intimidated by the French Dragoons.

The British (and Portuguese) lines looking from Dave's, towards Aiden's deployments.

The troop facing each other.

Dressing the lines with last minute adjustments.

Opening move, my infantry refused to advance, but both wings of cavalry were happy to get going.

Rear view of my infantry - these British masquerading as Swiss.

French light cavalry on the far left, Hussars with Carabineers in the distance.

Just bout every French unit refusing to move.

Ian's plucky infantry in campaign dress seemed much more eager to get stuck in, advancing steadily.

Ian's and Daves's cavalry clash with charge and counter charge on the far right.

On the French left, British heavy cavalry see off the Carabineers and break the Hussars, leaving them shaken, resulting in a frantic swing of Lancers and Cuirassiers from the French right over to the left, with a battalion of infantry shaking out into line to act as a stop line.

My infantry finally manage to advance on my right in support of Ian's infantry.

All too much for my Hussars and Carabineers, although the British cavalry were pretty much spent too.

Here come the Lancers and Cuirassiers.

The left flank becomes stabilised.

The British and their Portuguese allies advance on the French.

Ian's grand battery and infantry get to grips with Dave's line.

My infantry starts to trade volleys with Aiden's infantry, although the lads next to the forest have just repulsed a charge from Aiden's infantry with his unit fluffing their morale and routing, forcing morale checks for adjacent units, causing two more to rout off the field.  To the left of the woods, the Lancers have charged a unit of rifles who successfully form square, but the Cuirassiers charge a unit of line infantry who fail to form square - oops!

The game had to end there as we had reached the Cinderella time of the evening.  A game this size would have required a day to see through to completion.  However, it generated quite a bit of interest from club members and all the players agreed it was a fantastic looking table.  So, result.  I think we will see the 15s coming out to play more often if all goes well.

Thanks for looking.