Sharp Practice Game 9/12/09 AAR

Played a Sharp Practice game today, 9/12/09 using the recently completed Victrix French & British. Also, had two Sash & Saber French 12 pounders on the table, mainly as an objective for the British to capture or spike. Dan P. commanded the British & I had the French. Both sides had approximately 50-figures each (from the contents of the two boxes). As well as some mounted officers, also from Victrix. Oh, and two Perry British Riflemen - just because they were painted.

The French were garrisoned at two sites; one at a church, which had several high-ranking Foundry officers inside that could have been captured by the British as another mission task for them. The other at a damaged villa - this one had the two cannon, which had no crews as they had taken the day off and gone into town & already too drunk to make it back.
This is actually a pre-game shot just to see how the British looked formed in a square; thanks Dan for the clear picture - better than my camera's.
Here's a shot after the British removed their blinds - they started out with four blinds - two were later found to be decoy blinds. Dan had his British in two main formations with three Big-Men in each.
Voltigeur company deployed to meet the advancing British right. They really should be taken off the stands and spread out in more of a skirmish line - Dan & I agreed that they were in skirmish formation for the purposes of the game.
British left moving up in column to meet the French grenadiers. The grenadiers had a Big Man in their group. There were three French Big Men at each site.
British right deployed on line getting ready to fire. They were fortunate enough to have had Big Man & Grasp the Nettle cards to allow several movements prior to firing.
British left and French grenadiers exchanging musket salvos. The dice next to them represent their respective Shock points they've already accumulated from previous fire.
British right after several turns of firing & with the French bringing up some Fusiliers to support the Voltigeurs - by now, whittled down from British musketry. Those dice represent the 20-odd Shock points the Voltigeurs themselves have already accumulated (NOTE: per SP pg 20. Bottle - groups with twice the Shock points as troops will lose their "bottle" and flee 12" away on the Tiffin - it was our first game) . Soon after this, Dan & I decided to try out the "Fisticuffs" rules and brought these formations into contact. The result was the French being defeated and thrown back to the walls outside the church. There was a ceasefire & both sides called it a day.
Although we never got around to the two mission tasks, Dan & I agreed that this was a very good "first-time" game which we believe has some great fast-play basic rules. I think it will be fun to add the more "advanced" and optional rules later on, once we get the basics down. Looking forward to adding stuff like cavalry and "heroic" tasks. We also believe it should be no problem increasing the number of figures; now I need to see if the Game Matrix has the Highlander set in.