RATHER NOISY ON THE WESTERN FRONTIER - BARKING MAD PART 1

The Battlefield Looking North

 I am starting a new series of battles this Spring that are unconnected but will still influence troop quality for the Fall Campaign. This battle has the United Packs Commonwealth (UPC) holding a central hill position against a massed combined arms force from the Wolfenstein Empire (Empire). The UPC's left flank is secured to an extent by a very soft sandy beach and the Great Lake. The Empires goal is to drive the UPC off the hills by nightfall, and the UPC's is to prevent this. All the UPC players know that I am stacking the odds in favor of the Empire, so are up for a hard fight. 

The Two Sides Facing Off. The UPC on the Left, Empire on the Right. 

UPC Light Infantry Advancing to Take the Woods on Their Left Flank, While Massed Squadrons of Empire Cavalry Move to Flank the Hill Position. 

The Full Weight of the Empire's Forces can be Seen Moving to the Attack Against the Hill. Things are not all Going the Empires Way as UPC's Reinforcements Make an Early Appearance. Even with These Troops the UPC is Outnumbered. 

The UPC's Snarler's Battalion of the Line, Along with Supporting Artillery Protect the Hill and the National Colors Against the Onslaught of Empire Grenadiers, Line Infantry and Flanking Cavalry. 

On the Empire Left Two Full Line Battalions Begin Their Advance up the Hill Supported by a Mass of Artillery. The UPC's Longstrider's Battalion Seeks Protection on the Reverse Side of the Slope. In the Background can be Seen the UPC's Reinforcements Rushing to Their Comrades Aid. 

The Tip of the Spear. Snarler's Battalion Looking into the Teath of the Empire's Main Attack. 

With Their Initial Assault Repulsed the Empire's Massed Cavalry Turn from the Hill Assault to Instead Holdup the UPC's Advancing Reinforcements. 

The Empire's Second Line of Infantry Presses Forward on Their Right, as on Their Left Command Failure Halts the Attack on the Left Side of the Hill at a Critical Moment.  

With Cold Steel and Courage, the UPC's Cavalry Advances Against the Empire's Left to Attempt to Stabilize the Situation. 

Combat Occurring Across the Entire Field with Empire Cavalry Attacking UPC's Infantry Reinforcements, and the Key Hill Line Holding on as Empire Pressure Slackens. 

With the Empire Left Still Stalled the UPC Infantry Defenders are Able to Switch Their Focus to Helping Their Brothers on the Opposite Hilltop. 

The Empires Great Strategy of Turning the Right Flank of the Hill with Their Cavalry is Lost as Their Focus Becomes the UPC Forces Infront of Them. 

The Battlefield Ablaze with Fight Going on Across its Entirety. Massed Vollie's of Musket Fire have Seen Off Most of the Empire's Cavalry. In the Center the UPC has Beaten Back the Empire's Assaults and is Now Supporting Against the Cavalry's Flank. In the Distance can be Seen the UPC's Cavalry Firmly in Control of the Key Hill Objective. 

A Closer View of the UPC Right Flank with Their Cavalry Firmly in Control and all Threats to the Hill Line Repulsed. 

Another decisive victory to the UPC. The Empire came to the battle with one hand tied behind their back, having two Dithering Commanders, one on each flank. They seemed to have a great plan, but lost focus along the way. The first was the cavalry switching focus to the enemy not yet in the fight, instead of continuing on with the flanking assault that was gaining real headway. Their first line had been repulsed, but they had plenty more troops to keep the pressure up with. The less obvious problem was not sending their C-in-C to keep their left flank advance going. This was a critical part of the battlefield, and they left it to chance that this would not stall. A minor problem was the infantry brigade on the right flank would have been better used in the center, where just one more push could have seen them still pulling off a close victory. 

Congratulations needs to be given to Snarler's Battalion, who held off over three-to-one odds, including a converged Grenadier Battalion, even though they had been the focus of the Empire's initial bombardment and started the battle in a worn state.