Somewhere in Flanders this time! An imaginary Sun King 1670s game, with French vs. Allies. The two sides were roughly equal in numbers and in troop types and quality. I diced to see who would be the attacker, which turned out to be the French. I set the game length at 12 turns (based on the amount of units involved and the time the dining room would be needed for dinner!) and this worked out about right, as on the twelfth turn it was clear the Allies had the advantage, especially on their left wing where their cavalry soundly beat their opponents. The French foot did manage to get onto the ridge but were then repulsed, while the French left wing cavalry took too long to gain any advantage over the mainly Dutch horse. Figures nearly all Copplestone/North Star 1672, but some League of Augsburg or Reiver Castings; tabletop 8' by 4'.

A selection of images:

The battlefield, with the Allies on the left of the camera, the French on the right.

Allied right wing cavalry.

Allied infantry centre with artillery battery.

Allied left wing cavalry.

French left wing cavalry.

French infantry centre with artillery battery and Maison du Roi reserves.

French right wing cavalry.

Maison du Roi cavalry - Mousquetaires and Chevaux-Légèrs de la Garde.

First Battalion, Gardes françaises.

On the Allied side, the First Battalion, Gardes te Voet.

The French foot advance - La Couronne and Champagne in the front line, Turenne and Normandie behind, with Gardes françaises in reserve.

The cavalry fully engaged nearest the camera and in the far distance,

but the infantry yet to exchange musketry.

The Spanish Alcantara Horse Regiment beaks the French Villeroi Horse Regiment.

On the other flank, the French Royal Cravattes Horse Regiment breaks the Dutch Nassau-Friesland Horse Regiment.

The cavalry battles were see-saw affairs, with both sides gaining a brief advantage only to lose it, then regain it, then lose it...

Musketry all along the line.

Champagne exchanging fire with Schwartsenberg nearest the camera; in the distance La Couronne and Graf von Dohna blaze away at each other.

The high point of the French infantry attack.

The Dutch Ingen-Nielant Foot Regiment.

The Dutch Kurland Horse Regiment.

The Dutch Hoornbergh Horse Regiment.

The French Foix Horse Regiment.

The Dutch Reede Foot Regiment is about to repulse the French Normandie Foot Regiment's assault.

The Dutch Gardes te Voet see off the French Condé Foot Regiment.

The Dutch Reede and French Normandie Foot Regiments at close quarters.

Normandie and Champagne have both retreated, leaving the way open for Gardes françaises.

Gardes te Voet exchanging volleys with the French Plessis-Praslin Foot Regiment.

Having routed the French Plessis-Praslin Foot Regiment, the Gardes te Voet now faced charges from the French Maison du Roi cavalry.

Big fight on the Allied right wing, with frontal and flank charges on the French cavalry; Dutch Gardes te Paard can be seen hitting the French Commissaire-General Horse Regiment in the right flank.

Gardes te Voet stand firm against the Mousquetaires.

Another big fight, this time on the Allied left wing.

The closing stages of the battle.

Münster Foot Regiment, having replaced Gardes te Voet in the front line, stands firm against the Chevaux-Légèrs de la Garde.