LBH, Nap. style!

The Battle of Petite Grosse Ramure (in French and as we know it) or as the “Russians” call it: the fight at Малый Большой рог or Масляная трава (maslyanaya trava)

This was another of our play-tests for development of the rules we are calling “Hussar Rampant” inspired by “Lion Rampant” by Dan Mersey (Osprey Publishing).  I say inspired as it has some deviation from the original but a close cousin nevertheless.  Certainly the stats charts are very recognizable to the original.  It is but a copy of the medieval knights bashing about, but in the Napoleonic era so having less armor and pretty uniforms!

I needed inspiration for a scenario for our Napoleonic all-cavalry affair and found one in the Battle of the Little Big Horn.  Yes, the General Custer and Indians thing!  But you say:  it was mainly fought on foot.  Agreed, but I said I needed inspiration, not actual.  As it turned out, the game outcome mirrored that of the historical event, so all is good.

All the regular attendees could come so I decided to already provide a set command for each.  I took the task of that of Maj. Reno using my plastics, PeterM was given Custer with Will’s plastic French.  The Natives, using Will’s metal Russian figures, as they positioned themselves, were KevinA (Sitting Bull), JimF (Gall), and WillB (Crazy Horse).

The scenario had each of the Natives having two wagons which, un-announced to them, represented the non-combatants breaking up the encampment and leaving the area.  Their victory condition was to have the wagons leave the table at the far end.

Part of the Natives Russians encampment.  Note the differing ways of forming of the troops, the formal lines vs a mob.  The rules do not make any distinction.

The American cavalry [ read: French ] were to inflict a decisive victory upon the Natives [ read:  Russians ].

Each player was given 14-16 points worth of troops which gave each three units, along with a commander for group moves if wanted. It turned out to be a very good amount for each player to play and which I will use as a guideline for future scenarios.
As Custer was indeed outnumbered (substantially!), the Russians had 40% more units and over 50% plus in points over the French this game.

The game started with the Russians frantically trying to activate to move their wagons, all the while move their troops in position.  I failed to instruct Peter to use the stone bridge - which represented the gully which Custer would first use thinking he was at the rear but really only the middle of the large Native encampment.  Instead Peter crossed the creek at a point nearer the front of the Russian camp. Oh well.

"Custer's command" move across the creek

The French initial activations were spotty.  It took Peter some time to ready for the attack as did I …. my double ones at the very start of the game was certainly a bad omen.  However, there were another two rolls of double ones by others that turn -— I guess we just need to get it out of our systems.

Double ones....again..... My chasseurs are immobile this turn. 

At this point of the game, Kevin guessed the game as the historical Battle of the Little Big Horn.  Luckily the players did not have the intimate knowledge of the battle, so still thought the sheep and cow markers at the far end of the table I pointed out in the pre-game info session meant something bad might happen!   (regular players of my games know I do surprise moves on them..some call it ‘fog of war’ , others “ the pucker factor’, others “sh*t will happen”)    Will and Jim actually had a conversation to leave a few units to escort the wagons in case the cows “should mean something” but then both failed to do anything about it!  [ Note: I was using the full table and so merely used the cows, sheep and some barrels as ‘decoration’ to occupy some open space and make the table a bit more interesting to look at. I was not going to dissuade them from making assumptions now was I? ]  

During the game the French, outnumbered as they were, had the better in many of the combats and while Peter’s command became surrounded and slowly whittled away, my “Reno” command was quite strong until the shocking destruction of my company of the 3rd Chasseurs which was  an integral part of our attack but whose elimination had given pause to the French chances of success. Reno would be eventually forced to retreat to a better defensive position.

Kevin's grasping hand indicates "Custer's Hill" the centre of the action (in the actual battle this was on the other side of the creek..but close enough...)

Custer/Peter is surrounded. The unit on the right side of the creek is Russian having crossed via the stone bridge and preventing any French retreat.

My/Reno's chasseurs retreating  moving to a better position after the destruction of the 3rd Chasseurs elite company

As Peter’s ‘Custer’ was massacred (down to 1 lone but ready Dragoon figure!),  I brought on “Benteen command” in the form of two more units to give to Peter, which then could assist my Reno command to fend off the Russians.  However, the Russian victory condition was already achieved - getting the wagons i.e. their women and children - off the table, so the Russian players had no heart to continue the conflict and would only send some units in pursuit.
In other words, the game mirrored the actual affair quite nicely!

I love it when that happens!

The horse heads are our 'blown' or battered markers.  Spare plastic pieces.  Shades of the 'Godfather'?