The Adventures of Claude Canard - Episode 5 - Dust Tears and Dice.

The return of an old favourite after a rather lengthy delay Ensign Claude Canard and his Friend and mentor Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton of the French Sloop "Le Vendeen" is back this time repackaged within Sharp Practice 2.

 

Our last outing saw Claude trapped in a cluster of farm buildings as Ottoman Infantry marched on to the table looking for blood. Fortunately for our Claude a sand storm allowed him and his crew to slip away before the Ottomans closed in for the kill.

 

After a number of days evading Ottoman patrols Claude stumbles into a Company of Regular Infantry but before he can relay his story Mameluk Cavalry appear on horizon.

 

 

With deployment points at opposite sides of the table it would be a stand up fight between foot and cavalry. Using the Dawn and Departure terrain rules, the Ottoman player had the drop on the French and moved the best terrain away from the reach of the French lines.

The French rush forward their light troops and secure the adobe building hoping to hold off the advancing cavalry.

The Mameluks bring on their whole command and look to ride down the French Company and our hero Ensign Claude Canard.

With the Arab horse picking up pace, the French line hold their fire, the skirmishers

take pot shots but the mass of cavalry is large in number and the Shock Points are easily absorbed. Arab lancers on the far right start to flank the French line. Claud and the men of the Le Vendeen scramble up a dune to observe the fight having had their fill not a few days before.

With Drummer and Doctor in toe the French line braces itself for the charge of the Mameluks.

The French line gambled on fire power alone and instead of taking up a line formation poured a  crashing volley into the galloping horsemen, it was not enough and Mameluks engaged with the French line.

The French company buckled and ran seeking cover in a stand of palm trees.

Claude looked on in horror.

Claude had to act he pulled his men together and poured fire into the flank of the regrouping cavalry.

They had suffered a significant about of shock from the melee and Claudes volley and the reforming line Infantry was enough to break the Mameluk Force Morale and send them running from the table. Claude's valiant actions had saved the day but it had been a close run thing.

It was great to see Claude and the men of the Vendeen back on the table. Sharp Practice 2 does give the Cavalry player a much improved chance of taking on a formed body of troops. Some poor dice by the French failed to slow the cavalry charge they could easily have been caught in the open and would have been a far risker scenario.

Next up a mission for Claude from the Dawns and Departures campaign suppliment.
Until next time.