3rd Battle

From the weekend of July 20-22.  We had already played Maurice and Batailles des Ancien Regimes, and now we were introducing the hometown favorite Final Argument of Kings to a guest.  The game called for an expected 33 battalions of Hanoverians, Brunswickers and Hessians to take on a French/Allied force.  As such, I put out 24 battalions of French, German, Irish or Swiss; four battalions of Bavarians, and four battalions of Saxons.  We were fighting for possession of a valley, so high(er) ground was on either flank.  Cavalry was roughly equal with quality on the Hanoverian side, numbers with the French.

French center and right

French left and their opposites.  All the cavalry was here.

From the French left-center looking inward

After a couple of moves I started to count noses.  The Hanoverian army looked a bit sparse.  As it turns out, a column of ten battalions and some horse took a wrong turn at Albuquerque and didn't show up.  The Hanoverian commander didn't inform me so the French/Allied army sported a significant numeric edge and now the onus to attack and drive them from the field.

Cavalry results, with disordered regiments evident

Swiss charging

Swiss winning

Attacking with supporting regiments the weaker French cavalry enjoyed early successes.  So much so that when the odds caught up they had still eliminated the Hanoverian cavalry as a fighting force.
Elsewhere the new player decided the best way to see how the system works is to test it.  So he attacked, and attacked, and attacked.  Fortune favors the brave the the Hanoverian left-center was decisively ruptured.

Forward the Wild Geese!

The French allies on the left push forward

The game wrapped at three in the afternoon.  Although the Hanoverian commander on their left had skillfully prepared a counter-stroke, there was little they could do.  With the edge in numbers the French enjoyed it was not a surprising result, but it was an enjoyable game as tactics continue to improve and more importantly, a convert was made to Final Argument of Kings as we continue to play-test the 2nd edition.  My thanks to the good-natured players.