The Battle of Fort Joseph - A Napoleonic Batrep

After missing two games this month last week I badgered Postie to put on a midweek game for me and Fran, as we were both off work at the same time, Postie came up with a gem of a game!

The Battle of Fort Joseph 4th March 1812

A small fort is barring Wellington's advance on Badajoz, so he has set up siege lines ready to pound the walls of Fort Joseph to create a breech into which his "scum of the earth" will try to assault and capture.
The French garrison hope to hold out long enough and inflict serious casualties on Wellington's army, thus forcing him to retire.

The Game
Forces are already deployed ready for the bombardment and assault, obviously the British must capture the Fort and the French must beat of the assault.

Fort Joseph

The full table, with the British lines at the top.

The French 29th line, stand firm on the wall.

Looking at the Portuguese in their siege lines.

Also facing the Portuguese and on each corner bastion, a Heavy artillery piece.

The French CnC Marshal Rousell eyes the enemy!

Meanwhile at the other end of the battlefield behind the siege line 

stands the Iron Duke himself Arthur Wellesley.

The main Allied siege line containing all the Siege guns. Fran threw a D6, the resulting 3

gave him 3 pre-game shots onto the fort per gun. He needed 6's out of the 9 dice he got 3 hits.

We rolled to move first, Fran won, infact he won all but 2 off the first 

moves, which also allows you to fire first, which is very important in Posties rules.

I fired one of my artillery at the oncoming British columns, as they were at long range  I needed 6's.

Ye haa!!!  4, 6's baby!!!

Fran wasn't impressed

So the poor 1st British foot the Royal Scots lost a quarter of their 

number on the first fire!! he he!

 Fran gritting his teeth, he called me a few names as well!

While Postie giggled in the corner?

The Portuguese move toward the fort.

Shall we fire? Nah they're too far away, don't waste your shot.

Fran was taking a real beating, as he moved forward losing figures on nearly 

all of the British line units, he moved his light troops to the front of the columns.

The white markers are there so we know who hasn't used their first fire bonus.

And the white dice are casualty counters. Fran had lots of them!!!

Every turn Fran fired his siege guns at the walls of the fort, slowly knocking it down.

Its the Portuguese's turn to take fire now. The 5th Line fall back in disorder.

I kept firing and Fran kept a dying!

It was time to move some troops, I moved the 11th Leger up 

onto the wall of the fort. While Fran continued to move forward and take casualties.

Fran's slowly surrounding the fort.

Note the ladders carried by the allies, will they get to use them???

Not if he can help it!!!

The Oxfordshire Light Infantry

The French Pioneers get ready for the coming assault. My plan was to charge them

into the breech, if Fran ever got to make one that is??

The two British light infantry regts move to the walls, which meant I 

couldn't target them with my artillery.

The death of the Royal Scots, they died to a man just leaving their ladders lying were they fell.

Its looking good for me, Fran's troops were taking a pasting.

Fran finally takes a few casualties on my French gunners.

The rubble starting to build at the walls, but will the Brits have any 

men to go through the breech??

Fran decided the Portuguese would stand still for a while, one unit had already been destroyed.

Finally the walls are breached!!!!

Unbeknown to me Fran needed 20 points of damage to breech the wall. He manged it after 14 turns.

Which meant that he threw 126 D6 to get 20 6's!!!

We placed cotton wool to represent the breech. Posties going to buy a breached section 

of the walls, from Magister Militum.

The 44th and 27th foot move towards the breach.

And get hammered by my artillery!!

causing a Divisional Morale check, which Fran promptly failed, forcing him to

retire from the field back to their lines, to try again another day!!

So that was my first game of the year, its great to start with a win!!!

As we finished early, at around 1'o'clock we decided to have another game.

but the Battle of Grudge Bridge will have to wait for another day!!