Blucher zooms

 I love a Sam Mustapha game.  Over the years I`ve spent a lot of money buying rules sets from him.  Often of course I don`t actually play them, but file them away for future use after reading them.  Longstreet, Lassale, Might and Reason and Rommel all fit into this category, and I want to game all of them.  Eventually.

Might give Aurelian a miss though.

Blutcher is another of these bought it, read it, and filed it away games.  But its been on Colonel Quilp's table this past week and the Zoom game scheduled.  I snapped the pictures as the game ran its course, and I`ll try to recap as an AAR, but I`m bound to make some mistakes.

The opening set up.  The plan was to focus an attack on the French left and hold the right.  The objectives of course were the farm and the ridge behind.  

Two different cameras were in use.  It worked well.

French Infantry and cavalry brigades go down on the left.

My own brigades go down on the centre right.

Marshal McGurk earns his baton, and sticks it to the Allied cavalry.  Unfortunately the dice go their way as Vivian hits us as hard as only a man named Vivian can.

Maitland and his guards flank the objective.

And I fixate on that objective.  Brigade after brigade is thrown into the assault

Vandaleur replaces Vivian as our outnumbered cavalry keep double their number of the Allies Cavalry busy.  

A swirling cavalry melee, going one way then the other.  

The allied guns reduce Soye's brigade to render it largely ineffective, but at least they run short of shot.  No balls these allies.

I was right that the allies were not coming off that ridge.  It allowed me to shuffle different units to attack the farm.  

And yet another assault

I close up and give Maitland a few volleys  He is unsupported and damaged.  Yet another assault on the farm goes in.  

Over on the flank Marshal McGurk uses firepower to drive the Allied Cavalry back.

But our cavalry cannot win against these numbers.

And yet another assault on the farm.  This time it works and we capture it, but are wrecked doing so with two points remaining. He is clearly going to recapture it next turn!

Our Cavalry ducks back behind the lines.

The last gamble.  I unleash our Heavy cavalry into the flanks of his centre. I hold the farm, but am down to 1 point so it is pointless garrisoning it with that Brigade.

The cavalry charge kills Maitland, and the enemy guns but its late in the evening now and I madly and pretty pointlessly follow up.

My Cavalry are broken and I`m thrown out of the buildings.  Time for a carriage back to Paris.

The end game.  A glorious defeat the dice gods were not on our side and I feel, the terrain certainly favoured the Allies.  Bah, Humbug!  Great game!

As the Emperor I was conscious that I was a wee bit bossy. no excuse really except that I wanted to coordinate our attack.  Full praise to Marshal McGurk who put up with me and gave the Allies such a tough time. 

The Allies may claim the win but we claim the glory, and if anyone disagrees just ask Maitland... Oh you can`'t.. we killed him and his guards... The Emperor will Return.  Vive La France!