1812 Retreat from Moscow - Scenario 4 - The Eagle

 The final game of Pazoot's Battle Chronicle's 1812 Retreat from Moscow sees the French trying to find the battalion's Eagle standard before rejoining the column to avoid the wrath of the Battalion commander.

Once again the French were lucky. especially as I realised that for all four games I should have been rolling twice for Russian reinforcements each turn rather than just once! Since it has been pretty hairy getting through with the lower number of Russians I think it may have been a fortuitous mistake for my first campaign.

Opening situation. The French come in from the top right and need to exit over just one of the bridges with the Battalion's Eagle. The Eagle is hidden in one of the houses.
As previously the team found a telescope they get +1 on looking for the Eagle but as they also took a green hat from the body of the Cossack leader's wife there are six Cossacks on the table already - top left corner. 

All the possible Russian heroes that can get on the board.

End of turn 1. No houses searched yet. The Lancers race forward as do the Cossacks. One Jager enters from the top left.

End of turn 2. The French lancers engage one group of Cossacks and kill one, while the French infantry form a firing line to shoot the second group. One house has been searched but no Eagle. Two more Jagers enter from the top left.

End of turn 3. All the Cossacks have been killed in melee or shot (red dots). Marc has suffered a wound from return fire from the lone Jager. Another house has been searched but still no Eagle. Three Russian infantry appear on the right middle.

End of turn 4. The lone Jager is run down by Lancer Francois but he then suffers two wounds from the other two Jagers' muskets. The three Russian infantry advance and fire at Edouard who is closest to them but all miss - will his luck hold? (spoiler....no!). A third house is searched but still no Eagle!  The French have moved so that they will definitely find the Eagle next turn and then will have to race to the closest bridge. But the Russians are closing in with four more Russian infantry appearing in the top middle.

End of turn 5. Finally the Eagle is found and luckily it is in the house closest to a bridge. The French rush towards the bridge. Marc is caught in melee and suffers another wound. Edouard is also unlucky and this time the Russian infantry's fire is more accurate and he suffers two wounds. Five more Cossacks appear in the top left corner, a dangerous spot if the French can't reach safety.

End of turn 6. While Christophe considered staying and fighting to help Marc and Edouard the others have all rushed across the bridge and heavily outnumbered he followed them. Marc is cut down by the Cossacks and Edouard by the Russian infantry.

The remains of our band of stragglers.

To be wounded in battle is almost a sentence of death as your movement is lowered and safety becomes further away. Only the wounded Francois makes it, thanks to his trusty steed "Baguette".

Of the original six only Alain and Benoit remain. The fallen are added to the growing list of the Battalion dead, Christophe, Edouard, Gaspard, Luc, and Marc.

Wrap up.

Well it has certainly been worth the money and after a break I will play through the game again. This time using all the rules 😁. I have updated my Campaign Roster and also the Quick Reference Sheet to make it easier to remember everything.

And in a personal best a project has gone from purchase, figure painting, making the terrain to playing the game in only 3 months and 4 days! Beating my previous record by at least 5 years 🤣😮🤣