So Friend PaulW was back for a visit from Vanuatu so we had Saturday game followed by an evening Whisky Tasting(my partner was away on a Girls weekend).

Rob, Alan, Goldie and Finn(later in day) joined in.

For this game we played the Leipzig Probstheida scenario from the Steve Shann book that is JUST SO GREAT!

The Scenario has the village of Probstheida defended by Victors 2nd Corps, with some Young Guard artillery supporting. The Village has 3 modules and is on a ridgeline with the Objective of the game is for the allies to take all 3 modules to claim a victory. The Allies are Kleist’s 2nd Corps along with Wurttemberg’s 2nd Russian Corps. Various reinforcements are available to each side through the game. Should the Allies call on an optional reserve of the Divisions of Duka and Pisareff then the game is a Draw at best for the Allies.

Paul W/Alan/Finn are the Allies with Goldie/Rob/Terry as French.

Start positions with the French on the right. Goldie has the left flank Division, Me(Terry) the Village with a Division and Rob the right Division. The 2 Young Guard batteries are in Goldies force.

Alan had the Allied left and PaulW the right. Finn arrived later in day and played on right.

The Village had a bttn in each module with a legere bttn skirmishing on front of it.

Russians advanced quickly….with the legere taking advantage of this and charging the artillery in the flank and destroying them. I normally prefer to play Russians so taking out the large batteries is a priority if an opportunity presents its self.

Prussians chasing off French skirmishers.

Prussian artillery assisted by Russian column approach the village.

View from village … Cavalry reinforcements have arrive for Russians.

PaulW starts his attempt to turn Goldies flank.

On French right Rob had a long line to defend while he awaited our cavalry reinforcements. Alan is pressing the line.

Oops…Goldie has been forced off the ridge faster than we hoped!

French cavalry arrived and the 2 armies cavalry forces went hard at it. As expected with Cavalry v Cavalry….mutual extinction is often the outcome.

A prefect attack by Alan…Uhlans to front…then when French engaged send Cossacks into the flank. Cossacks cannot charge formed cavalry to its front.

I confiscated the Cuirassier Division when it arrived and used it to do as much damage/distraction I could in the center. Would have preferred Uhlans but we had none. The -2 save on a lance attack against infantry is better than extra attacks on infantry in column who are saving on a 3+.

Alan wins the cavalry combats on the Allied left.

Having picked on Alan I now turned to PaulW…aim was to destroy the column I have hit in the flank…as it could not form square…the artillery would auto pop…and I would rumble on into the skirmishers and destroy them as well. They were facing this way as my other Cuirassier regt had broken through Alans line and they were shooting at it.

Sadly the dice Gods totally deserted me …my dice were rubbish.. Pauls were not and I bounced….how…humiliating!! But… I was distracting them from the Objective!

Alan closed in on Rob’s open flank.

On the French left PaulW with Finn now in attendance is attacking the French reserves who now man the ridgeline.

Prussians have taken the front Village Module….my bounced Cuirassiers to their rear!

On French right Alan has sent his Prussians in again against Rob’s line…..Alan makes 5 hits…Rob saves all of them!

French left where continuous Allied attacks have failed to take the ridgeline.

And that’s how it ended…..the French still held 2 of the 3 modules of the Village and its a French victory. We managed to tie up and distract the Allies long enough to win the game!

The Whisky of the week is a beauty.

PaulW bought this glorious liquid with him as a Bday prezzie for yours truly

The Glendronach 25 year Old Port cask..

This handsome rascal is a 25 year old single malt from GlenDronach, released as part of the distillery’s 17th batch of single cask releases. It was distilled back in May 1993 and aged in a single Port pipe until 2019, when it was bottled with an outturn of 835 bottles. We love a good Port cask-matured single malt, and this one looks to be exactly that.

Tasting Note by The Producer

Nose Intriguing richness and depth of redcurrant, bramble jam and cherry cake balanced with bitter orange, black grape and a hint of tropical fruit.

Palate Long, silky and persistent as juicy blackberry and apricot liqueur build to mango and guava. Currant, papaya and mixed nuts linger in the fruity finish.

Drinking this reminded me of the first time I went to the tasting of some Bordeaux Reds and the revelation in the taste and complexity of it….and then was even told was meant to spit it out…like…NO!

THANK YOU PAUL!

Until next time…Terry out.