Battle Report - By Fire and Sword

Hello All,

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report! This week we decided to try out another game of By Fire and Sword, just got the new gamers edition rule book, so figured might as well give it a go.

I went with the Holy Roman Empire Outpost force, a bunch of muskeeteers and some dragoons and pikes. Facing off against the evil Polish. The scenario was defend the crossing. I was the defender so had to keep the poles on their side of the river, and control the ridge and a ford. The Poles had a hefty advantage in skirmish so took some abilities from that, I had a delay effect.

Here is a shot during turn 1. I spread out small units to cover all the bases, with dragoons in reserve and even the cannons split up. The Poles had a flank march that could be coming on anywhere. One Polis unit was delayed and went into reserve and another marched forward.

More advancing and some long range shooting, but I am having no luck with that.

The poles don't waste time crossing the ford and charge breaking one unit which flees. Then the flank march shows up. A light cavalry unit is shooting arrows across the river, getting ready for the Polish reserve which is now barreling down the road.

Things are starting to turn not great now. The first polish unit charges and crushes a cannon, overrunning into another unit. I am putting in all the shots I can but the Pols are doing good with their morale tests so none of the charges are being stopped. Even the dismounted dragoons are not having much effect. I put the pikes in a single file to march on to the bridge hoping to hold out.

Next turn the big unit of cossasks wipes out the dragoons, but my small unit by the bridge was able to hold out and forced back the first unit in.
 

Things get a bit messy then. The light cavalry was able to disorder my pikes, this left them a bit vulnerable and the cavalry broke them! Just as bad the next unit on my side of the river charged that unit and broke them as well. Starting to be not very many units now. On a bit of the lucky side my first unit that fled had by now reformed and their salvo succeeded in driving back the Cossacks. I think we forgot about the big unit morale bonus which may have made them pass but these things happen.

In the end the Poles did some good damage only taking minor losses in return, and controlled both crossing and had a unit on my side. So it was a major victory for them.

I think the infantry could have done a bit better but I had terrible luck with the artillery shooting. Also they had really good luck with passing morale test which can be a bit iffy to be fair. The amount of advantage they get from all the reconnaissance points is pretty harsh thou to be sure! Infantry forces are in a tight spot. But good to change things up a bit now and then.

Thanks;
Mike