Muskets and Tomahawks: Bataille Sainte-Foy

Last night, I finally got a game in with my friend Luis in Montreal. It was almost 2 years since I had seen Luis, and that meeting had the distinction of being the last in-person game I had before the start of the pandemic. We had planned to play at L'abyss but we found out at the last minute they close early some nights, so we played at Luis's apartment. I can easily say we were surrounded by a lot of wargaming paraphernalia. On the table next to us was a beautiful table for a battle set in central America with some Aztec warriors. As you can see below, the table set up for the Battle of Sainte-Foy was no slouch. Since we were playing a skirmish game, Luis had selected a small part of the battle along the chemin Sainte-Foy. 

Battle fought within the blue rectangle

French Forces

Infantry Officer

2 units of French Infantry

Grandier Infantry

Milice Officer

2 units of Milice Canadien

British Forces

Infantry Officer

British Infantry

Highland Infantry

Ranger Officer

2 units of Rangers

The initial British advance

The French were allowed to occupy the stone windmill and the British were allowed to occupy the house just east of the windmill. Luis (who of course played the French) did choose to put a unit of infantry in the stone mill, I elected to remain outside the house just to the east in cover. We then alternately deployed each of our units within 12 paces of our table edge. You might not notice it as the figures are so well painted that these are actually 15mm Blue Moon figures, really very nice. Because these were not 28mm figures, Luis has invented this notional unit of paces (around 19mm) and rather then use inches we substituted paces. Luis has made some great measuring sticks which made this all very easy!

Victory Conditions

To occupy both buildings

I was able to advance my main force up my left flank, and drove back the Milice Canadien , eventually routing both units off the table.

Luis was quite tricky though and while I was battering his troops in the centre and the left flank, he had advanced an unit of infantry towards the western house on my right unprotected flank.

Time to run a unit into the building before the French got in!

By now the battle was quite heated, I had brought the French force down to within a whisker of morale failure (26 men on, 25 men off). My dice were generally better than Luis's. But he decided to make a typical French sang froid charge into the building, he was repulsed twice, I believe, but on his third charge with 5 men against my 7 men, he forced me out.....Une victoire française!

So I believe we both had a great deal of fun and it was great to see Luis again. I am sure we will meet up again soon.