Goat Stew... A French in Egypt encounter.

As a warm up to the Dawn and Departure Campaign whilst I get a few troops painted up.

I wanted to see how the points would balance up using Sharp Practce 2 and what troops combination would work best to blunt the French advance.

We rolled randomly for the terrain which yielded a couple of walled fields and an olive grove.

Not much to fight over when you have picked largely native troops and the French picked a shiny new cannon.

The Ottoman's deployed early and rushed forwards to secure the mud walls hoping to take advantage of the cover and their long range rifles, French skirmishers rushed to oppose them.

Battle was joined over the scattered crops as the goats darted here and there.

The French frustrated by the skirmishers rolled out into line and presented their arms. This could be painful but before they could unleash their volley the Tiffin token appeared and the Arab Riflemen drew first and were off, running out of arc of the advancing French Infantry. 

Time and luck was running out for the skirmish troops having avoided the Line Infantry they were caught in the open by there earlier opponents who inflicted enough shock to force them backwards.  Where were the rest of the Ottoman forces? 

The French march on....

With the clock ticking down finally the Ottoman's reveal themselves. Just in front of their deloyment point a unit of militia open fire on the advancing French line who had now crossed the walled goat field and were advancing on the objective. The Ottoman volley failed to have the desired impact and the counter fire from the French saw the Ottomans lose several of their number thanks to the first volley bonus - All kills and no shock......

But all was not lost the Ottomans had one more hand to play, two units of militia infantry ambushed the now unloaded French popping up from behind the dry stone wall.

The French held firm, the wall that had slowed there advance now kept the Arab Big Choppers at bay and sent them running from the field. The musket armed militia in a last desperate attempt to stem the French advance rushed towards the walled compound only to be beaten back.

The French had held on but at quite a cost. The lack of scouts had drawn them into a hand to hand fight they had not wanted, they would have to be more careful in future encounters or reinforcements would soon run dry.