My wife and I played a 2nd game using the Eagles of Empire rules and mini's.
This time I was determined to grab the bridge on the Saarbrucken road as fast as possible.
One turn one, I purchased with the standard starting amount for both players (9cp) 1 VP and 2 Squads for a total cost of 8 CP.
The first Prussian Squad advanced on the Rotherberg, while the other made a dash down the road to the bridge.
With a 6" movement rate it took 2 turns for the first squad to reach the sheer slope of the Rotherberg, while the 2nd squad took 4 turns to reach the bridge.
My wife with her 2 French Squads sent one into the town of Spicheren to grab the 4CP's per turn objective there, while her 2nd squad ascended the gentle rear slope up the Rotherberg and took 3 turns to reach the 4CP per turn objective and 1 "special CP" there on the center of the hill.
Thus, by turn 4 the French had accumulated 16CPs combined over the intervening 3 turns plus the original 9CP's she started with.
She spent 2CP for 1VP, 6CP for 2 Squads on Turn 1, then purchased 2VPs on each of the next 3 turns, giving her a total of 7 VPs by the end of Turn 4, as well as 2 additional Squads and a couple of "Special CPs" that can be used to purchase special abilities of the French Squads.
Thus, by Turn 5 she had 4 squads (3 on Rotherberg, 1 in Spicheren) to my 2 squads, but with the Bridge finally seized by my 2nd Prussian Squad, I was able to purchase a 3rd Prussian Squad (I used Bavarians mini's as stand in's).
That first Prussian Squad lost a turn due to the steep front slope of the Rotherberg, and could not begin advancing up it until next turn (Turn 4).
This Prussian Squad exchanged close range rifle fire with the 2 French Squads my wife had positioned there and lost 1 stand in the exchange.
On Turn 5, this same Prussian Squad inflicted 1 stand of casualties on the nearest French Squad.
This same Prussian squad also charged and lost another stand in the process as casualties, while the French Squad suffered none,
because the French Squad repulsed the charge by using the French Squads special ability to "Counter Charge" where it then inflicted a 2nd stand of casualties to my Prussian Squad, as it was retreating down the slope because of losing the hand to hand combat as a result of its first charge.
On turn 6, after we exchanged another Volley, with 2 French Squads on the Rotherberg firing at my weakened Prussian Squad, I lost the last and final stand of mini's for the squad, when the French used their special ability for an extra 1d6 per squad; thus, the French still had only suffered 1 stand of casualties the entire time to my 3.
On turn 7, my 3rd Prussian Squad tried ascending the Rothberg as well, and was destroyed in the process due to both French Squads there firing into it, and using their special abilities again.
In desperation, on Turn 8 I brought up a 4th squad of Prussian Infantry which formed a section with the Squad near the bridge, thus forming a long line of 2 full sections along the road from the bridge to the front of the Rotherberg.
This thin and overly extended long line of Prussians did not intimidate my wife and her French troops other than to marvel at their wonderful paint jobs.
It was at this point by turn 8 that my wife had accumulated the 18CPs need to win the game by purchasing 3 additional VPs with her CPs from holding 2 objectives over the course of 7 turns, in which she had previously had purchased each turn a VP or two as well.
As a result, I had suffered my 2nd agonizing defeat as the Prussians.
All despite using my off board Krupp artillery for 1 turn by bombarding the Rotherberg on Turn 8, which only removed 1 stand of casualties to the French squads there.
So yet again the steep front slope of the Rotherberg was carpeted with brave Prussian dead.
In conclusion, I really thought I could win this time.
My error had been not forming a section with the first and 3rd Prussian Squads, so that an Officer could be used to call in the Krupp guns.
By the time I had managed to do that it was too late as 1 stand of casualties did not put much of a dent into the 3 squads up there on the Rotherberg.
I will post some additional photos later today.
The next battle to be fought using these rules and mini's will be Mars La Tour, as soon as I finish writing the Scenario for it, and purchase/paint the splendid French ANd Prussian Cuirassiers.
If Eagles of Empire releases their artillery sets I will add them to the mix as well.
If not I will use my early Civil War Union Artillery as stand in's for the French Artillery at that battle.
Stay tuned for more!
scratchbuilds another Victorian flying machine.
