So I was celebrating a birthday and Goldie decided to host a game at his place in my honor…how cute!

Goldie chose the game to be a Dresden 1813 refight. The set up and orbats are below.

The French right flank forces are below. John came down from Auckland for the game and bought his lovely French heavy cavalry with him. Steve T. pulled out at last minute so John got be Mortier as well as Murat. Opposite him is Stephen as Gyulai.

More Allied commanders from right to left Keith(Wittgenstein), Alan(Kleist) and Graham(Hessen-Homburg).

Allied left flank(Stephen).

Turn 1 and Robert(St Cyr) had charged his Uhlans forcing Graeme to form square. In our turn Graeme then charged them with Hussars…risky as the French have pointy stick advantage. Thankfully no one won and they both withdrew damaged.

This sight had me lamenting…loudly…the rain rule which allowed cavalry to charge squares if it was raining…Goldie threw for rain…….there were accusations of foul play as dice roll was not seen…..that was me of course…..the right hand unit failed to form square so fights disordered…a better result than forming square.

The Dice Gods are not on Johns side…..he needed 3’s to hit…..he got 4 out of 10…he then lost the combat and withdrew. Gorgeous!!

A look down the flank…..the initial French attack is repelled. I have moved Grenadiers up to line the riverbank and Graeme has moved his Grenz into the Village.

Metal Front Rank Grenadiers jeering at the plastic French Cuirassiers.

In centre PaulW who was over from Vanuatu had his reserve cavalry arrive on table…6 Russian Cuirassiers, 4 Guard infantry and 4 recalcitrant Grenadier bttns who refused for several turns to arrive. I suspect in protest at Paul leading them and not me…I am their normal commander. In front of them are Alans Prussians advancing in line…yes line…its 1813….I didn’t think Prussians knew what a line was then…..its a COLUMN Alan…a COLUMN.

On the right Keithy has it sorted. A skirmish line…supported by columns…with artillery and then pointy stick cavalry. Was a thing of Beauty.

Frenchie’s rush reinforcements to this flank…..Rob and Russ with his Guard cavalry ready for action. Any French Guard losses count as a Division…and the Division lost counts as a Corp.

Roberts conscripts were skulking in the walled gardens…the perfect spot for them. Especially when musket fire from LINES are not really going to hurt them.

Skirmisher fight starting in woods.

His cavalry having failed him….John throws his Young Guard in.

Prussian Cuirassiers take on French Guard Lancers….the Lancers are destroyed. Russ replaced his dice.

More French have lost.

To be honest…so much was happening I can’t recall what happened here….but imagine was not good for the Prussians. The must have failed to form square so fight disordered.

The other Guard unit is gone.

A bit further on…and…no French Guard cavalry……Russ replaced his dice a couple of times…..there are 8 Allied Cuirassier units over here…and 3 pointy stick units.

Graeme blunted his Austrian Division clearing the front of Dresden and I handed over the reserve division to him to do more carnage and then allow the Russian Grenadiers to take Dresden. There tardiness let us down.

Alan is now skirmishing in front of the walls. Supported by…LINES.

An out of sequence shot…..but shows some good fights.

Dear oh dear…John charged a battery to take it out and carry on and hit the shaken columns behind…hopefully destroying one and causing some tests……but the dice Gods really deserted him…his Cuirassiers were shaken going in…as was from artillery doing closing fire…had to perform a break test and…failed…popped and the Division Commander died with them..HEROIC!

I could have sat my Grenadiers behind the river and shot Johns cavalry all day…but where’s the fun in that for John…he had come all this way…… so I headed over and attacked his infantry…expectation of being destroyed eventually…but it would stop him retiring cavalry back across Dresden to help the other flank.

Stephen has lost his 2 infantry division’s,,,rain does that to you……so he had 2 Hussar units left so he charged French Cuirassiers……and…won!

Keithy moved his Landwher Cavalry over to block our side of the river and the Russian Grenadiers can at last be seen advancing to the right of the village.

Robert threw his last light cavalry regiment into blunt the infantry advance making them form square. I retaliated with Cuirassiers…the French lost. Grenadiers and artillery are moving up.

To the right we have Austrians forming for another attack…the Prussian guns are about to move into the gap in the front. A couple of turns of arillery from the 4 batteries and then 12 bttns will charge in! Oh for another hour……….

French still hold the Gardens..I don’t even think they got charged…but Rob has a solid force supporting it.

End of game on right…Russian Guard are advancing into the Fray. Keiths infantry are behind them rallying casualties.

So that was Dresden 2023. Another couple of turns and I think Allies would have taken Dresden…….Goldie agreed was Allied Victory.I am sure he did…honest guys…..thanks to John and PaulW for coming and playing.

Time for the Whisky section of the tale…and what a Tale it is! Being my birthday weekend John and PaulW came out for dinner. My partner had slaved all day cooking and we had a superb Lamb Shanks meal accompanied by a wonderful Pinot Noir PaulW had ordered and had sent to my place.

Now PaulW and I enjoy a good Whisky tasting night…..where we taste …discuss the tasting…rate them…debate our scores…..play music and then move onto the next one. PaulW had been sending bottles to my place…I had some PaulW had not tried…Paul bought me the Glenrothes as a bday prezzie…..so we had…a few to taste….the list is below…I will rate them as future battles are discussed.

Cadenhead Glentauchers-Glenlivet 14years(Winner)

Bladnoch Liora

Glenmorangie Extremely Rare 18years

Glenrothes Elders Reserve 18 years

Arran Sherry Cask

Edradour in the Cask

Lagavulin 16 years

Laphroig 10 years

Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dha

Caol Ila Distillers Edition

It was a great night……the ending was……I can’t recall it so it will just remain a mystery of legend!

Til next time…Terry out,