Battle of Fiddler's Bridge

Battle 2 of the Tweenwater War - Western Front

I actually had a few spare moments last weekend so I took the opportunity to play a game using a virtual battlefield.

After Hamfist's defeat at the Battle of Crystal River, the Bluderian forces followed the river downstream as they looked for a crossing. They met a strong Redgravian force holding Fiddler's Bridge. However, scouts found a ford further down. General Cumberbatch decided to make a feint on the bridge and then flank the enemy via the ford.

General Wiley, commander of the Redgravian Frontier Army, was unaware of the ford and thus concentrated his forces around the bridge.

OOB

• Bluderia - 3 brigades of regulars, 2 brigades of light infantry (1st and 3rd Scouts), and a detachment of artillery
• Redgrave - 4 brigades of regulars, 1 brigades of light infantry (the Redgravian Rifles), and a cavalry brigade

Battle Report

Cumberbatch split his Bluderian forces in two, half approaching the bridge while the rest headed for the ford. The flanking force was ordered to seize the hill, making it untenable for Redgrave to hold the bridge. This would allow Cumberbatch to bring across his artillery.

The Bluderians began to fire upon the defenders. Heavy artillery fire devastated one of the regulars. As General Wiley was dealing with the routing infantry, a scout breathlessly rode up to him.

"General, we're being flanked! There's a ford downstream!"

"What!" cried Wiley in frustration. After he recovered from his shock, he sent the cavalry to the hill.

The Bluderians were making slow progress across the ford. Alas, the Redgravians seemed to lapse into lethargy and made no effective defense.

Artillery fire devastated another unit of regulars. Wiley moved his third brigade into town to cover the loss.

Meanwhile, the Rifles moved to aid the cavalry and began to fire upon the Bluderian Scouts in the woods.

The Bluderian regulars made it across the ford. With a yell of defiance, the Redgravian cavalry charged into the flank of one of the regulars. On the left, gunfire continued. Wiley considered sending his last infantry brigade to the ford, but decided to hold it in reserve.

The cavalry routed the enemy infantry.

But in their eagerness, they charged frontally into steady infantry.

 And were themselves routed. On the left, another Redgravian brigade fell to artillery fire.

Fortunately, Wiley had kept a brigade in reserve. It now rushed to the defense of the bridge. On the right, the Rifles opened fire on the flanking infantry brigade. Their accurate fire devastated it.

The Redgravian infantry returned fire and eliminated their Bluderian counterparts. Meanwhile, the Scouts advanced on their objective.

Alas, they failed to move with alacrity. A short silence pervaded the battlefield.

Until finally the Scouts opened fire.

But their efforts were too late. As darkness fell, the Rifles still held the hill.

Once again stymied, General Cumberbatch marched downriver in a frustrating search for a crossing where he could get his artillery and supply wagons over the river.

Battle Notes

• The scenario is # 12 - An Unfortunate Oversight from Neil Thomas's One Hour Wargames.
• Once again, I used the activation rules from Song and Blades and Heroes. This proved decisive, as there were 2 turns where neither side activated and at least 1 more where the Bluderians failed to activate. Considering how close the Bluderians came to victory, those lost turns probably made a difference.
• With this victory, the Redgravians are 2-0 on the western front of the war.