Another action from my ongoing Napoleonics "imagi-nation" campaign - the Battle of Jonquille. The opposing sides are Nemea and Arcadia, the former having invaded the latter in a pre-emptive strike. The Arcadians have been driven back to defensive positions (not very common in Napoleonic battles, I have to say!) close to the town of Jonquille. The Nemeans have to take the town and the bridge, the Arcadians hold on to them. In the event, the Arcadians managed to meet their objectives and inflict severe losses on the Nemeans, but they were in an unfavourable position by the end of the battle, being split into two by the attackers. This meant half the Arcadian army retreated over the bridge, while the other half retreated in the opposite direction. Figures are 25mm/28mm metal and plastic, Hinchliffe mostly, but also Essex, Perry and Warlord; rules are "home made" Old School, based on WRG, Grant and Featherstone.
The battlefield with the Arcadian army in position on the left; the Nemeans arrive from the right in two columns, either side of the wood at the edge of the table.
The Arcadian right wing: the 1st Line Regiment holds the fieldworks.
1st Foot Battery held the redoubt on Long Ridge.
The Arcadian left wing, formed from the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the Foreign Legion.
The Foreign Legion's battery.
A close up of the 1st Line Regiment. All my unit flags are home-made, each nation having a basic theme to their regimental standards - Arcadia's infantry have standards in the style of 18th Century France.
The 1st Engineer Regiment in reserve. Not something you usually see on a wargames table! These are Warlord figures. The unit performed well, holding off several assaults on the town.
The Nemean left wing column arrives on the table: line infantry, reserve infantry, grenadiers and artillery, led by their commander, General of Infantry Protz, with his ADC.
The head of the Nemean right wing column arrives on the table: line infantry and light infantry, with their commander in front, General of Infantry Jasuger and his ADC.
The South Farm, which was held by a company of the Arcadian 3rd Line Regiment and proved a thorn in the side of the Nemean right wing for the entire battle. The house is so old, i do not remember who it was manufactured by; the haystacks were made by a fellow wargamer, Steve, see his website - Tunnie's Terrian; the walls are homemade by me!
Cavalry arriving to support the Nemean left wing as the infantry advance.
More infantry arriving on the Nemean right wing, this time under General of Infantry Freiherr von Gauner, along with his ADC.
The Foreign Legion battery opens fire on the advancing enemy columns.
The battery on Long Ridge joins in the shooting.
The Nemean Reserve Brigade arrives on the battlefield - guards, grenadiers, artillery, with some more cavalry yet to appear.
The Arcadian 8th Line Regiment.
Nearest the camera - No.4 Tauchendorf Musketeer Regiment; next along is No2 Reserve Musketeer Regiment. You may observe a certain "Prussian/Russian" style to the regimental standards. The colour of the cross on the flag reflects the unit's facing colour.
The Nemean right wing advancing in columns of attack, with light infantry out in front.
A view from behind the Nemean left wing.
The first of several assaults on South Farm by the No.1 Südprovinz Grenadier Regiment.
The Nemean right wing deploying for action, with two infantry regiments heading for Long Ridge, while one regiment moves to pin the Arcadian left wing.
A wide view of the table top.
Another view from behind the Nemean left wing, with all its units now on the table.
Another view of the Nemean right wing as it prepares to attack the Arcadian positions.
The Nemean artillery bombarding the Arcadian fieldworks: No.1 Field Artillery Battery - 6pdr - on the left, Guard Field Battery - 12 pdr - on the right. The Nemean artillery proved to be very poor shots throughout the game!
The Nemean Guard Grenadier Regiment advances.
These are some of my oldest figures, dating back to the late 1970s!
The green counter behind the grenadier regiment on the right indicates that is "Disordered".
The attack on Long Ridge begins: nearest the camera, No.2 Drosselheim Musketeer Regiment, further away, No.3 Rotkelchendorf Musketeer Regiment.
The Guard Dragoon Regiment. The red griffin is the national symbol of Nemea.
The redoubt on Long Ridge is outflanked as well as being attacked in front.
The gunners held off the frontal assault, but succumbed to an attack from behind. In true Old School style they fought to the last man.
On the Arcadian right, the No.2 Nordprovinz Grenadier Regiment pushed through North Wood and routed the 8th Line Regiment when it attempted to block them, sending them fleeing past their commander, General of Brigade Canaille and his ADC.
The Nemean left wing closes on the Arcadian fieldworks south of Jonquille.
A similar scene on the Nemean right wing.
The No.4 Tauchendorf Musketeer Regiment charged through the defenders' volley, only to be beaten off with the bayonet, while the No.2 Reserve Musketeer Regiment was brought up short by the defenders' fire; the white counter shows they are "Shaken" and must retire to rally.
A long view of the table top, with the Arcadians holding out well, except on Long Ridge.
No.2 Nordprovinz Grenadier Regiment flanked the fieldworks and drove the 1st Line Regiment out in rout and across the River Crapaud.
Fed up with the resistance at South Farm, the Nemean army commander directed all his artillery against it. The batteries fired on the place for the rest of the game, but without forcing the defenders out!
The 1st Engineer Regiment prepares to occupy the houses in Jonquille. Behind them is their army commander, General of Division Grognon and his ADC.
Massed ranks of Nemean infantry preparing to advance against Jonquille.
A desperate charge up the steep slopes of Long Ridge by the 1st Cavalry Regiment, Foreign Legion (Lancers), in an attempt to halt the Nemean advance.
Unfortunately, although not unsurprisingly, the cavalry were beaten off by a mass volley which cost them 50% of their strength and sent them away in rout.
The Arcadian 4th Cavalry Regiment (Cuirassiers), which was held in reserve and never managed to engage the enemy, although its presence did deter an rash advances by the Nemeans near Jonquille.
Nemean cavalry on their right wing.
Fighting in and around Jonquille.
The Nemeans were repulsed and fell back to rally and prepare for another assault.
The Arcadian right wing trying to extricate itself from the enveloping Nemean units.
The Nemeans close in on Jonquille from the Long Ridge.
In the distance, their artillery can be seen, still bombarding South Farm!
The Nemean right wing has drawn back, having played its role in fixing the Foreign Legion in position for the duration of the battle.
