Tuesday 26 January 2010

Assault River Crossing (3)

To the south the company formed up and advanced on some skirmishers who were being to open fire with rifles. However these men were not intimidated and took carefully aim picking men off including officers and NCOs. Attempting to reform they fell back towards the riverbank. Meanwhile on the quays one raft had managed to land and was now involved in close range fire with the surviving militia company and the gunners were pivoting once gun round to bear. The other raft was closing fast, but as it neared the quay it was met with a fusillade of fire from the quayside houses packed with militia and canister from the other gun. The raft spun out of control back into the river.

On the southern flank the riflemen followed up the companies attempt to rally back continuing to gall them with fire and then they were charged in flank by some militia. Within moments it was all over as the Frenchmen threw down their muskets in surrender.

On the quay Lieutenant Blanc led a charge off the raft onto the quay shouting “Vive La Republique” the opposing militia took to their heels and disappeared up various passageways sweeping Major Von Barner along with them.

Too late Blanc realised that they had advanced into a killing ground as fire erupted from all the buildings around them with canister added in. Blanc and many others were felled by the fire meanwhile those still standing ran back to the raft hoping to escape, but the flimsy structure capsized as the men attempted to board it dumping most of them in the river.

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General Bercollin folded up his telescope and handed it to Twyth. “C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre ” “There is nothing more we can do here today except help the survivors” Out of nearly 400men who set of across the river just 75 returned and they were cold and wet.

Twyth asked “What about the two remaining rafts”

“I have an excellent idea use them as firewood to warm the men up”

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Major Von Barner caught his breath and looked back at the quay, no organised resistance remained. Raising his voice he shouted. “OK, lads round up the survivors and put them in the goal”

At the same moment a young Freishutze came running in “Sir we have captured the Frenchies who landed to the south and locked them up in Herr Kesselring’s barn”

“Excellent that will give Albert something to smile about”

As he walked onto the quay Von Barner noticed that the guns had fallen silent letting the sole remaining French raft return unmolested. “Good, those survivors will help dissuade the French from trying this trick again”

Turning to Captain Mannerheim of the 4th company who had just walked over “Captain as your men were the least involved may I request that your men take over security duties until this evening”

“Certainly Major I’ll see to it right away, it shouldn’t be necessary, but who knows?”
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The idea for this scenario came from the French attempt to cross the Rhine at Huninque on 11th September 1793 covered in paddy Griffiths book "The Art of War of Revolutionary France"

The rules were my French Revolution variant of my AWI rules and I've added the the rules used for the rafts on my AWI blog

5 comments:

A J said...

An excellent AAR. Well done to the militia for showing how it should be done. An upgrade in their status should be underway, I think. As for the French "C'est la guerre..."

Die alte Aechzener said...

Truly well done report, many thanks. Now, as the Generale will doubtless be asking, where IS that damn' elusive Pimpernel?

Capt Bill said...

A well executed scenario with great photos. THANKS...

Fitz-Badger said...

Nice little action and excellent report and pics!
See what happens when political hacks meddle in the finer points of a war!

tidders2 said...

Enjoyable river crossing scenario

-- Allan