Author	Blackcloud6 (France)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	treadasaurusrex (AAR)
Play Date	2021-10-05
Language	English
Scenario	FaoF004

This is an interesting scenario with the French having a mobile but otherwise inferior force to hold the Germans off from crossing a river. I chose to defend the ford vigorously, blow the bridge quickly and use the mounted cavalry forward of the river to buy time and keep the Germans away from the ford crossing as long as possible. The risk here was in keeping a large amount of cavalry forward, i could take severe losses and lose the game. This is what almost happened.

My sappeurs were able to blow the bridge right on contact with the Germans. Thus I was able to move everyone to the town west of the river and defend the bridge. My mounted cavalry delayed the Germans significantly in the woods. It took the Germans most of the game to clear the cavalry thus they never threatened the crossing site. But the casualty count was high and the end game was trying to get some cavalry to survive while causing casualties on the Germans. The last ten turns of the game was mostly resolving the assaults in the woods and me rallying each time after combat. It came down to just one step needed by the Germans for a minor victory but the remnants of the French cavalry held out. The game ended in a draw.

Although playing to the end game was a dice fest, the scenario held my interest in that it accurately portrayed the ability of a cavalry screen to delay a much superior force and the importance of terrain. The last two turn were exciting.