A Bridge Too Far Away

 

        Marshal Maximo Pavolich looked up at the gray gloomy hills, sprinkled with scraggly pine trees and wreathed in perpetual mists. He grumbled "Small wonder the inhabitants of this wretched land are wild barbarians, no civilized man would want to live in such a place. Why on God's earth are we trying to conquer it?" The unending dampness made his bones ache and gave an unhappy rattle to his breathing. He turned in his saddle and looked back at the withered remains of his army struggling up the narrow rock-strewn path that sufficed for a road in Boozonia while wondering how they found the strength to continue. He wished for a proper battle rather than this endless skirmishing with brigands and sneaking barbarians. 

         Presently a lone cavalryman rode back down the path toward Maximo. A blood-soaked bandage wrapped around his brow but he carried himself with a confident air.  Spotting the Marshal he altered his path to directly approach his leader. As he reined-in near the Marshal he saluted smartly and asked permission to address his Lordship. Maximo waved him forward, "Speak lad; what news do you bring?" The messenger bowed deeply, "Good news M'Lord. There is but one bridge left to cross before we approach Laphroaig and the light troops and Dragoons have taken control of it." The Marshal turned to his aide-de-camp, "Quickly now spread the news to the troops that we will soon be out of these dreary forests and into proper countryside. Send forward a detachment to reinforce the light troops and secure the bridge against interference from those appalling animals that inhabit this area." Turning back the cavalry captain he smiled and said "How badly I have forgotten my manners, see my Physician and have that wound tended and then see my cook about some food, you look positively famished." As the young man moved away the Marshall smiled up at the sky, perhaps it wasn't such a horrible day after all.

 

a nameless hamlet on the edge of the Boozonian Highlands 

the Ferndalians approached from the west

(which is the bottom of the picture in this view)

 

looking south across the battlefield

 

and then northwards 

 

the Boozonians had pushed back the Ferndalian advance guard,

clearing the small houses near the river before advancing on the Great Hall

left to right; Shot supported by a Forlorn Hope, on the road a field gun backstopped by a Trotter unit, on the right two units of Shot supported by another Forlorn Hope and then more Trotters

 

the Dragoons opened fire as soon as the Boozonians came into range

 

on the Southern flank the same pattern emerged 

 

the Shot opened fire with an Initial Volley 

but poor dice rolling meant that only one Dragoon fell

 

to the north two Shot units using Initial Volley managed to drop two dragoons

 

in their turn the Dragoons withdrew and the Commanded Shot lurking in the hedge opened fire

 

to the south the Dragoons kept plinking away at the Shot 

while the Forlorn Hope moved forward and occupied the small woods

 

the Shot returned an entirely ineffective volley as the Forlorn Hope fully occupied the woods

 

the cannon opened fire on the Commanded Shot in the Great Hall

 

to the north the Shot moved forward as the Forlorn Hope opened fire on the Commanded Shot

 dropping one of them

 

having taken possession of the woods also made the Forlorn Hope the primary target 

of the Dragoons and the Commanded Shot in the Great Hall

the lopsided firefight in the north continued with much noise but few losses

 

 deciding that the Dragoons made a better target than the Commanded Shot hiding behind the stone walls of the Great Hall the Forlorn Hope opened fire with a crashing volley that killed one horseman

 

the concentrated fire of two units cost the Commanded Shot another casualty

 

in their turn the Commanded Shot skirmished away after firing 

while the Dragoons did the opposite killing two of the musketeers in the Blue Shot unit

 

but things were looking up for the Ferndalians

reinforcements had arrived!

in the form of two units of Gallopers

 

continued fire from the Dragoons and Commanded Shot cost another Forlorn Hope casualty

 

north of the Great Hall the Forlorn Hope fired at the Dragoons while the Blue Shot rallied from Waver and the Yellow Shot moved to take the Dragoons in the flank

 

the cannon chose to greet the arriving Gallopers with a cannon ball

 which took one Galloper out of the fray

 

the Forlorn Hope again fired at the Dragons without any impact 

to their left the Shot and Trotters chose to stand pat, neither moving or shooting

 

finding its voice again the cannon switched to a closer threat, 

the Commanded Shot occupying the Great Hall

 

the Dragoons and Commanded Shot leveled fire against their opponents but caused no casualties

 

like moths to a flame the Gallopers rushed toward the sound of combat

followed by units of Commanded Shot and Shot at a rather more sedate pace

 

in the south the Dragoons switched their fire to the Shot standing in the open and claimed a casualty while the Commanded Shot dropped another member of the Forlorn Hope in the small woods

 

in return the Boozonians blasted the Dragoons taking two more of their number out of the fight

 

once again the great cannon stood silent

 

north of the Great Hall the Yellow Shot and the Forlorn Hope

 continued to punish the Dragoons emptying two saddles

 

spotting enemy horseflesh the Gallopers moved directly toward their opposite numbers

 

the lead Gallopers were ably supported by the Commanded Shot in the Great Hall

 who dropped one of the Boozonian Trotters

 

unable to face the fire of three units any longer the Dragoons to the north of the Great Hall withdrew

under the covering fire of the  stalwart Commanded Shot

 

suddenly finding a very lucrative target in front of them the Forlorn Hope and the Shot

 both opened fire but only managed to kill one Galloper between them

 

and, once again, the cannon remained silent

 

the Trotters fired vainly at the approaching Gallopers while the Forlorn Hope peppered the Great hall without any effect, both the Blue and Yellow Shot stood by in silence

 

faced with the charging Gallopers the Trotters rose to the occasion and dealt out two casualties

 

while the Gallopers failed to do as well and recoiled in shock

 

to the south a similar event occurred as the Trotters rebuffed the madly charging Gallopers

 

three units pounded the remains of the Commanded Shot guarding the corner of the courtyard

 reducing it to one fearless soldier, but help was fast approaching

 

having no desire to cross swords with the Gallopers the Forlorn Hope and Shot blasted the rallying Gallopers  taking two more out of the fight

 

backed up by newly arrive friends the indefatigable Commanded Shot claimed one of the Blue Shot while the fresh Ferndalian unit  dropped two of the Yellow Shot

 

to the south the rump of the Dragoon unit combined with a freshly advancing Commanded Shot unit to reduce the Trotters by another rider

 

feeling bold due to arriving friends the Gallopers advanced once more against the Trotters while the Great Hall Commanded Shot poured fire into the armored horsemen 

 

and still more reinforcements poured onto the battlefield

 

 but it wasn't entirely a one-sided affair, attracted by the sound of combat the local clans had gathered and and now advanced onto the field with two Aggressive Forlorn Hope and a body of Clansmen

 

buoyed by the sight of friendly troops arriving both the Blue and Yellow Shot blasted away 

finally eliminating the last of the Commanded Shot in the gateway to the courtyard

 

to the south the Trotters and Shot opened fire on the rallying Gallopers... 

 

......and were finally able to finish them off

 

the cannon fired at the Ferndalain Blue shot to the south of the road, claiming one

 

and the Trotters successfully Caracoled, opening fire on the Gallopers and taking a casualty

 

the Gallopers Wavered thus allowing the Trotters to charge into hand to hand combat

 

which finished off the last of the Gallopers

 

the Commanded Shot in the Great Hall's courtyard continued to punish the opposing Boozonian Shot

 

the last of the Ferndalian reinforcements spread out to ensure their hold on the Great Hall

 

in front of them, to the south, the  Dragoons and a fresh unit of Commanded Shot fired

 killing another Trotter

 

and the Blue-coated Shot blasted the Forlorn Hope in the Small Woods

 

losing a Trotter to short-range fire from the Great Hall the mounted men Wavered and retired to safety

 

ran way some might say!

 

the Highlanders from the north continued to run toward the shooting

 as the Yellow Shot delivered a ragged volley at their tormentors in the courtyard

 

covered by this fire the Blue Shot and the Forlorn Hope dashed toward the open door to the courtyard

 

the Boozonian left was in danger of being overwhelmed,

they fired one last volley in an effort to stem the tide

 

sensing that their time was soon to be up the occupants of the Great Hall fired a well-aimed volley into the Yellow Shot which broke their morale and would send them Wavering away to the rear

 

south of the road the unequal firefight continued

 

further south still, the Commanded Shot blasted the Trotters

 taking another rider down

 

the last of the Ferndalian Shot moved boldly down the road to replace the exterminated Gallopers

 

trying to prep the attack of the Forlorn Hope the Blue Shot fired at the Ferndalians holding the gateway

the sturdy stone wall deflected the fire and the Commanded Shot remained unharmed

 

but melee combat is another story entirely, the Forlorn Hope stormed into the courtyard 

seeking retribution for their lost friends

 

as the Highlander mobs pressed forward

 

in the field of carnage south of the road the Boozonian Trotters decided that they had had enough of the plucky Ferndalian Dragoons and Caracoled forward and delivered a volley that claimed a casualty

 

this caused the last remaining lad to waver and they then charged home

 

the Dragoon fell boldly facing his foe, but fall he did

 

after the cavalry skirmish the cannon fired, sweeping away the entire rear rank of Ferndalian Shot standing on the road while the Forlorn Hope and the Shot tried to whittle-down the  troops in the field

 

the melee in the courtyard was short and sharp

 and the Commanded Shot fled from the rage of their attackers

but help was arriving!

 

despite grievous losses the Blue Shot knew that they had to cover the approach of the highlanders 

and advanced into the fire of the Ferndalians

 

 

having finished off the Dragoons the Trotters looked about to find themselves surrounded by enemy troops who had little else to shoot at

 

and shoot they did, wiping out the last of the Trotters

 

while that was going on the Shot unit south of the road 

blasted the Forlorn Hope lurking  in the Small Woods out of existence

 

in the upper left we see the Blue Shot taking fire from the Commanded Shot hiding in the Great Hall and the Ferndalian Shot on the road while covering the advance of the Highlanders 

the battered Yellow Shot continues to retire bleeding losses along the way

 

with blood-lust in their eyes the Forlorn Hope in the courtyard  charged the next unit they saw,

 a fresh unit of Ferndalian Shot who still had their First Volley in hand

the resulting melee cost both forces three casualties

 

despite being given a perfect target the great cannon was once more silent

 

alone in the south the Boozonian Shot sought temporary cover behind the Small Woods

 

having no friends south of the road they felt quite alone

 

knowing the certain and terrible cost of their bravado

 the Blue Shot stood firm in front of the wall of fire from the Ferndalians to their front

 

in the end it broke their spirit

 but the enemy now confronted the wrath of the Highlanders with empty muskets

 

even now the cannon failed to fire in support of the Highlanders attack

 

while the battered Shot opened a feeble fire at the approaching Commanded Shot to the south

 

with a wild howl the Highlanders burst forth to avenge and honor the sacrifice of the Blue Shot

 by laying on with sword and axe

 

while their clan leaders threw themselves at the Great hall with heedless disregard of the enemy

 

around to the north the Great Lairds leapt over the wall 

and found themselves face to face with the Ferndalinan Shot in a blood-soaked courtyard

 

the Commanded Shot in the Great Hall put up a bold defense

 but were no match for the fury and flashing blades of the Highland chiefs

 

while the Shot on the road were shattered by the bite of the clansmen's weapons

 

suddenly the entire situation had changed, 

the Ferndalian center had been swept away in one wild moment 

the troops in the southern field were alone on the gore-spattered turf

with wild-eyed clansmen pouring south toward them

 

engaged in their own private war the unrelenting Commanded Shot fired into the Boozonian Shot claiming another soldier

 

undeterred by the chaos around them the Ferndalian Shot turned as one to face the onrushing Clansmen and fired a stunning volley

 

 

a frantic and hurried volley dropped two of the Great Lairds, this only seemed to enrage them and they set upon the Shot with claymore and pistol, killing three and sending the rest in flight

 

as they pursued the fleeing Ferndalains

 they took fire from the exhausted Commanded Shot cowering in a by-way

 

unaware of the turn of events the Yellow Shot continued to scatter

 

unimpressed with the tomfoolery of musketry the Highlanders charged home against the Shot in the field of blood, to their right the Clan Chiefs pursued the fleeing remains of the Shot

 

 

breathless but elated the clansmen laughed at the flight of the enemy foot

 

while the Great Lairds taught the sniping enemy a short and painful lesson

 about the wrongs of skulking and sniping

 

they remembered the lesson to their dying day

 

against all reason the fleeing Shot rallied once out of the courtyard

 

the drilled and calm grey-coated Ferndalian Shot in the Small Woods fired a volley that cut the celebrations of the Clansmen short in a most decisive manner

 

 only Seamus McGuiness was left standing amidst the smoke

 

       Both armies were battered bloody by this fight. The Ferndalains would end up taking the bridge as the rest of their army would arrive on the morrow but they were given another hard lesson as to why so few enemies had succeeded invading Boozonian territory.