Maurice at the Whiz

Adrian and I met for one of game of Maurice in preparation for the eventual secession wars campaign Adrian had an army of 1 elite infantry, 7 trained infantry, 2  conscript infantry, 2 guns, 2 trained cavalry and 1 irregular cavalry.  He took rally to the Flag and Deadly Fire as National advantages. I fielded the army of the Grand Duchy or D'Argent 2 Elite Infantry4 Trained and 2 Conscript Infantry, 1 Irregular infantry, 3 Trained Cavalry and 3 Guns.  I was attacker so I added 1 regimen of Trained Cavalry.  National advantages, Cadence, Oblique, and Rally to the Flag.

 Two long lines of battle face each other, after Flames of war battle fields in Maurice look a bit sparse the vineyard is doing duty as a "wood."

 My first and biggest mistake I didn'  create a compact force and I overloaded the wrong wing I violated one of my rules setting up in a way that would not allow me to keep my forces together.

 I also over loaded the wrong flank I should have pressed ahead on the left were I had more space to maneuver.  The clarity of hindsight can be cruel.

 Still my plan flawed as it was started off exactly the way I wanted it to. My artillery got a few early  hits (and got me some cards) in then I advance with my cavalry

 Adrian reacted by advancing his troops against them

 The Duchess Ariana Dragoons made the first of several charges losing battle with British Dragoons.

 Dragoon Regiment Prinze Carriere failed to break the English infantry and was broken. (Adrian also played death of a hero making that a loss of 4 out of 15 route points OUCH!)

 Infantry advances and gets muddled by the village and vineyard

 Adrian has shot up the Chassures a Cheval but his charge fall short.

 I endeavor to extricate my cavalry from the touble its in I get out the Chassures while the Cavaliers and Duchess dragoons cover them.

 Adrian is in full counter attack mode killing Regiment Taskovics by fire and badly damaging regiment Marini. Deadly fire certainly is.

 Regiments Marini and DeBurre swap locations and after a successful volley phase...

 I charge! My charge drives back the Grenadiers and they break as the pass though two conscript regiments Disorder all around! Adrian sadly only looses one rout point! DeBurre is driven back in the second combat with the green flag regiment.

 Adrian uses Clear Instructions to get the other wing moving. I loose the Cavaliers (Though they do break a British Dragoon regiment) and DeBurre is broken as well. The Chassures a Cheval are also broken I am down to two rout points... The battle is clearly lost, I am really just playing for time at this point hopping something breaks my way. 

 Adrian sends his cavalry arround my flank and charged Regiment Marini breaking them but I get lucky on the roll and I still have one rout point left.

 The Duchess Ariana Dragoons pull her duke's chestnuts out of the fire breaking the English Cavalry and limiting greatly Adrian's options for a decisive win.

 Now its Volley phase and bombardment,

 After volley phase and bombardment (we both almost break the others unit here)

with cards running out I charge the with the Guard and they win their combat but are unable to break their foes. With that the cards are all used up and I have 1 rout point left! Thanks Adiran for a great game.  Lessons:  1) Keep your forces together!  specifically don't try to maneuver them though or around terrain features. 2) Rally to the Flag and Deadly Fire are a powerful combo! Facing some one with both means you have to rally off damage constantly because the odds are very good your damage will accumulate quickly and you will break if you do not. 3) don't try to cover the board it just means you cannot get men were you need them.