We played the 1712 battle of Denain last night using the Pike & Shot Society rules "Twilight of the Sun-King". Tom played Marshal Villars; Bill was his subordinate Montesquieu. Rick, in his introduction to the rules, played Eugene of Savoy. I commanded the Imperial reinforcements that were not due to start arriving until turn 13.
Rick had 7 infantry brigades in the fortified bridgehead around Denain village and 5 cavalry brigades outside. He was facing 17 infantry brigades and 10 cavalry brigades.
The battle started with Bill attacking the Imperial left. His troops were unable to penetrate the works but put constant pressure on Rick, drawing in reserves. The French infantry came on, wave after wave. Bill pulled shot up units back and threw in fresh ones.
Tom brought field guns up and fired at the works, causing some early hits but then failing to make much impression on the Imperial infantry. He avoided the right of the bridgehead, garrisoned by Imperial grenadiers. The huge column of French cavalry rode forward. Rick advanced and attacked them, hoping to keep them from deploying. Enough French units got deployed to outnumber the Imperials. While there was some confusion in the French rear ranks, they had plenty of cavalry in formation and the Imperial cavalry started to suffer. A brigade of French grenadiers formed square and intervened in the cavalry fight. The Imperial cavalry started a fighting withdrawal which went on for 6 or 7 turns, losing troops here and there.
The attack on the bridgehead continued. Tom despaired of reducing the works with field guns and sent his infantry in. His first brigade was pretty rapidly shot up and broken. A second one stepped into the gap. He got another brigade onto the angle of the works and they joined in. Using two brigades in a vicious hand-to-hand fight, he broke the Imperial brigade at the angle. Another Imperial brigade stepped in and was rapidly worn away. One more imperial brigade formed up but was unable to get back to the works. The French charged over the works and broke them.
Meanwhile the Imperial cavalry was down to one last brigade. French cavalry swarmed over the extreme right of the bridgehead and cut the bridge. Another brigade was facing an unmanned part of the lines and soon would get into the bridgehead behind the desperately struggling garrison. The rest of the French cavalry was all over the plain to the right of the bridgehead, cutting off my reinforcements which had started to arrive. Rick threw in the towel. I resisted for a brief time, since my troops had just started to arrive. But once I got a good look at the situation in the bridgehead I concurred.
The Imperials had lost 3 infantry brigades and 4 cavalry brigades broken. The French had only lost one brigade, though a number of Bill's brigades were looking rather ragged after their constant attacks on the Imperial left. But we looked to do worse than Eugene did in the actual battle since the bridgehead garrison was surrounded, with no place to run. In the actual battle they broke sooner and many escaped across the bridge.
Our game lasted for 16 turns, representing 4 hours of battle, played in 129 minutes. I wonder if the Imperials really have a chance. The infantry has a decent chance at holding the works, but the cavalry imbalance on the flank seems overwhelming. The rules worked fine but my scenario needs help. Of course, Eugene was clobbered in the actual battle, so maybe it's too much of a mismatch. I'm looking for a more balanced scenario for next week. Perhaps after that we'll try Blenheim on for size.
We tinkered with the rules slightly so that lesser officers have a role to play. It didn't seem to unbalance the game or slow it down.
