Attack of the Young Guard!

ABOVE: The battlefield and a Prussian Line battalion on  'The Baguette'
Hi All

Another LASALLE AAR! After two victories in a row, Stan's 'Liberation' period Prussians appear unstopable! It's time to commit the Young Guard!

The last time these two armies met, my Young Guard with a Light Cavalry Brigade had the better of it, but today I wanted to try something different. Enter the Westphalian Cuirassiers, (well, at least the Guard du Korps and a large French Cuirassier Regt, the 7th)!

Again young Scott (Scott Jnr) joined us, and so I gave him a Brigade (BDE) of Young Guard infantry and a Divisional Battery. I hoped he'd retained some of the hard learnt lessons from when he last played and had a Bavarin Brigade crushed under Prussian hooves,...

Being a bit light on the appropriate Young Guard miniatures we've pressed into service Italian Royal Guard and (shock and Horror), French OLD GUARD, (even MORE shock and horror!!!)!

Well today I'll call them the 3rd and 4th Regts of the Guard and just accept that they won't get the 'GUARD' bonus in combat.
DISCLAIMER: Throughout this Battle Report I'll refer to the French units as OLD GUARD, Italian Royal Guard etc, but for the game they all fought with YOUNG GUARD characteristics.

BELOW: The Advance of the French begins

The Battlefield from the French perspective was as follows, (looking north). On the extream left was the Verde Forest.  Scanning east we could see the town of La Briknmotur with a road running from it to the north-west and west, dividing either side of the Verde Forest. The road also extended east from the town. As the road ran east in passed in front of a feature called 'The Baguette'. This large hill had a Prussian Battery deployed on it, flanked either side by Regular Prussian Line Battalions. further to the right were numerous fields with crops ready for harvest. Within these fields lay the Massed Prussian Cavalry. Directly in front of the town was a large hill called Mont St Michael. The Town was garrisoned by Prussian troops for sure, but were they a Reserve Battalion or Landwehr? East of the town was a Prussian Horse Battery.

We had already sorted who would be the defender. At an ATTACK roll of 3+ for the Young Guard Division I was confident that we would be attacking, and was proven right. After a roll to see who was attacking and who was defending the objective was placed by me at the base of the hill in the center. Stan quickly moved it in behind the town.

The Battlefield was an opportunity for me to trot out some of my latest purchases. Mostly from Germany, but also some Miniature World Maker latex stuff and Miniature Building Authority erm,... buildings.

The Plan from our perspective was rather simple, (as simple plans in the world of military endeavour are often the best) was to use Scott Jnr's Young Guard BDE, (depicted using some Italian Royal Guard and French Middle and Young Guard miniatures) to assault the town directly in front of the objective at the rear. My BDE, (depicted using French Imperial OLD GUARD Grenadier and Chasseur miniatures and some Italian Royal Guard) would advance in support, threatening the hill and covering the right flank of the assault on the town. The Westfalian Cuirassier BDE would cover our extreme right flank. I knew the Prussians were extremely weary of the Cuirassiers and hoped their presence would be enough to keep a large portion of the Prussian left flank rooted to the ground.

BELOW: The Westfalian Guard du Korps (on the left, and the French 7th Cuirassiers on the right). In front of then the Westfalian Horse Artillery deployed.

With Drums beating the French and Italians advanced. The Cuirassiers moved up just out of canister range and unlimbered their horse artillery. The Westfalian Gunners commenced a brisk bombardment, but having only 3 pieces, failed to do much more than create a lot of smoke and noise.

BELOW: With the Drum Corps beating Marshal Ney urges the Guard forward.

The Westfalian Guard du Korps was soon taking round shot in their ranks, and soon had 2 Disruption on them. Being a large unit however this wasn't too much of a concern.

Scott Jnr's BDE advanced at a moderate pace towards the Town of LaBriknmotur in Attack columns. My Bde by contrast in March column was soon over the feature Mont St Michael, with my Divisional battery dashing forward in true 'Gunner' style; and then unlimbering to commence a devastating bombardment of the Regular Prussian Line Infantry Battalion on The Baguette.

BELOW: Advancing behind prolonged Artillery, the Guard battalions and their Drum Corps!

BELOW: The battlefield as seen from the Prussian left flank. Massed Prussian Cavalry await the French advance, hopeful of an opportunity to crash into an open flank.

Marshal Ney could be heard urging his Guardsmen forward, "Onward the Guard"!

"Ah ha,.. just like Friedland"! Marshal Ney observed as my Battery advanced by prolong pausing to pour more shot into the hapless Prussians on 'The Baguette'. Right behind the Battery marched my Battalions in their newly formed attack columns.

Soon Scott Jnr's Battery joined in the bombardment and the Regular Prussian Battalion was soon broken and streaming to the real. They were replaced in the line by a battalion of Landwehr.

Scott Jnr's next move was to launch an assault on LaBriknmotur. With the Brigade General McCorley (of Scotish decent) leading them forward (Plus 1 Vigor and a Bonus to Tactics) smashed the Prussian defenders and drove them headlong from the town.

BELOW: The Young Guard charge into the town! 

BELOW: The Prussian Battery on 'The Bagettue'

ABOVE: The Objective, (A busted old gun).

Stan fed another battalion forward to stem the French advance, only to see it routed. All the while my battery continued to advance by prolong and pour fire into the Prussians to their front.

BELOW: The Prussian gunners blaze away at the advancing French. One turn later they wheel their guns and destroy my battery 'sob'

Finally a turn of luck for Stan saw his battery on 'The Baguette' pump enough canister into my battery to see it reduced to a only a handfull of gunners and all their equipment destroyed. But my Gunners had done their job, and now my fresh Battalions surged forward over the wreckage of my battery and charge up 'The Baguette'.

BELOW: The destroyed Divisional Battery with French and Italian battalions preparing to charge over the wreckage a reap some revenge.

Whilst this was happening the Prussian cavalry sent more then half their number behind 'The Baguette' to help stem Brigade General McCorley's advancing Battalions.

ABOVE: Every army needs a Drum Corps!

BELOW: Prussian Dragoons

ABOVE: The French 7th Cuirassiers

BELOW: As Scott Jnr's BDE surges through the town and my BDE assault 'The Baguette', Prussian Cavalry move behind 'The Baguette' to attack the lead Young Guard battalion.

BELOW: My Old Guard and Italian Royal Guard battalions charge on to 'The Baguette'.

BELOW: The town now captured, Scott Jnr's Battalions advance north.

ABOVE: The Cuirassiers prepare to deliver a final blow to the Prussians

Prussian Cavalry after moving around behind 'The Baguette' launched themselves in a despreate attempt to contest the objective, but the Young Guard that had smashed it's way through two Prussian battalions whilst clearing the town wasn't about to be rolled by these Prussian Landwehr on horseback. Forming square they beat off two charges.

BELOW: Attacked by two Landwehr Lancer regiments, the 'Heros' of La Briknmotur form Square and fend them off!

The final charges of these Prussian horsemen were the last gasps of a defeated enemy. The Prussian run of victories was over.

All in all a cracking good and fun game.

The more I play LASALLE the more i come to appreciate what an excellent rule set it is.

That's all for now.

As usual, Comments Welcomed