Marlburian Battle

On 21.1.18 Rob Hosted a Marlburian Battle at his War Room. Noel provided the figures and rules and acted as Umpire

The French were defending and a British army with allies was attacking. The French deployed their Infantry behind a stream across the centre of the battlefield and on each flank they deployed roughly an equal number of Cavalry Regiments.

The British/German/Austrian Alliance deployed most of their Cavalry on their left Flank with German infantry to their left of centre , a gap in the centre covered by one dismounted Dragoon Regiment, the British Infantry right of Centre and some Austrian Infantry and a couple of Cavalry Regiments on there right flank.

The British plan was to attack the French right flank with their massed cavalry supported by the German Infantry whilst the British, Austrian and remaining Cavalry remained on the defensive. The British were relying on the wood on there right flank to slow down any French cavalry attack on this flank

The British Cavalry advanced forward across the stream. The French forces facing the German Infantry fell back to form a new line protecting the right flank of the French army. The German Infantry advanced to the stream line and then across the stream. The British Cavalry engaged the right flank French cavalry and were initially held buying time for the French Infantry to reform. Some French Infantry launched a spoiling attack across the stream in the centre and threatening the right flank of the German Infantry.Meanwhile the French left Flank Cavalry moved forward -moving through and around the woods on the Allied right flank.

The British Cavalry after heavy fighting defeated the French right Flank Cavalry and started to move towards the new French Infantry line. The German infantry having crossed the stream came under heavy infantry and artillery fire and two battalions were broken and a third retired . The German Infantry nearest the French line halted awaiting the rest of the German line to wheel round and face the French Infantry.( Once halted the German Infantry would need fresh orders to advance).

Meanwhile half the French left Flank cavalry having moved through ther woods on the British right flank launched a series of unsuccesful charges on the Austrian Infantry protecting the British right flank. The other half of the Left Flank French cavalry manouvered to attack the end of the British Infantry line - the French Cavalry took heavy casualties but did manage to break one British Battalion . The French centre pushed forward two regiments of audacious dismounted Dragoons through the gap in the line between the German and British Infantry moving them close to the British rallying point in the centre were they broke two rallying German infantry Battalions.

The British General in Command of all the Allied Infantry was so busy issuing orders to counter the French cavalry attack on the British infantry and the French Dragoons raiding the Centre he could not issue orders to the German infantry to resume there attack on the French right flank Infantry Line and so the British left flank Cavalry launched an attack by themselves without success.

The battle came to an end here- the French right flank came close to breaking due to the heavy losses sustained by there cavalry at the hands of the British Cavalry but it held and as the British were attacking and had failed to break the French Army the French won the battle.