On the 19th November in Alicante we held our annual Lasalle Tournament. In the end there was eight players after two players having to drop out due to work and family commitments. We were going to play with one support and have three games using the normal set up and winning conditions as laid down in the rules. For the system for working how many points we had after each game we used the SUM 20 rule.
I have a love hate relationship with the Lasalle rules, I like the simplicity of the rules but there are a few major things that happen due to the rules that I personally feel do not reflect the tactics of the time. A few months ago I decided to try out the Austrian Infantry División with linear tactics, there were a number of reasons for this.
1) Due to the units being large, I`m more confident in standing and firing when an enemy unit is attacking me. This the main thing for me, because I can fire my muskets more often which feels more like a Napoleonic game. Instead of retreating and then attacking in the next move.
2) Using an army using linear tactics who can only charge when in line is quite challenging especially when attacking.
3) You get nine or seven large infantry units if you are attacking or defending respectively.
My first game was against Kevin, who had kindly stepped in when somebody had to drop out at the last minute. When I said I have a love hate relationship with Lasalle, Kevin has a hate hate relationship with the rules, the last time he played in a friendly tournament he vowed never again and sold his Austrian army (to me). So it was very good of him to give up his day to help the other guys out at the club.
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| Kevin on the left, begining his first move. |
Kevin had borrowed my French army which was Conquest Infantry División with Light Cavalry Support. I chose to defend and for additional terrain I used my two thin hills (ridges).
Kevin begins by bringing his artillery to threaten my right flank.
My Infantry mounted the ridge and prepared to defend against the French Infantry that advanced directly against them. I reinforced my threatened right flank with my Hussars.
The French advanced and charged the Austrians, the French all lost their close combat and fell back. This was the only large attack the French managed to make on my centre and due to my Austrians not been able to charge it settled down into a musket duel.
A large cavalry battle was being fought on my right flank.
By turn twelve Kevin had reached his breaking point and managed to hold on to turn nineteen where he failed his morale roll. Therefore it was 18 points to me and 2 points to Kevin. The first game went right up to the time allowed so I only managed to get a few photos of the other battles.
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| Francois´s French 1814 Liberation Army with Light Cavalry Brigade against Javi´s Spanish Army with Cavalry support. |
With both players arriving late, I think Javi´s Spanish came out of their defence lines to try to crush
the French but time had ran out and it was a draw. Francois had 7 points and Javi 13 points.
Jose´s French Conquest Infantry with Light Cavalry support defended against Toni´s Russian Infantry Guard División with Guard Cavalry support. This ended in a victory for Toni´s Russians with 13 points to Toni and 7 points to Jose.
Dani´s Prussians with Light Cavalry support attacked Juan Marcos´ Ottoman Turkish army with Heavy Cavalry support.
This also ended in a draw with Juan Marcos gaining 12 points and Dani 8 points.
After the first round the scores were as follows
Coalition
Phil (18)
Javi (13) 
Toni (13) 
Dani (8) 
French and Allies
Juan Marcos (12)
François (7)
Jose (7)
Kevin (2)
Total 28
Round two and I was playing against Juan Marcos and his Ottomans, we both wanted to defend, but I lost the dice off and became the attacker. Juan Marcos deployed first and used a stream to bolster his defence.
It is quite tricky to attack using linear tactics but the important thing is to get as near to the enemy as fast as posible, luckily Juan marcos had sited his artillery on a flank where I wasn't attacking.
I was holding my Hussars back in reserve waiting for his reserve cavalry to arrive, but Juan Marcos sent a couple of irregular units of infantry over the stream and into the woods. It was opportunity too good to miss, so I charged into the woods with my cavalry. The first enemy unit was destroyed.
The Ottoman Cavalry then arrived, although they found it hard to fully deploy due to lack of space.
In the centre my Austrians were beginning to find it tough going, due to the hard pounding by the newly sited artillery and cavalry advancing through the woods.
I had deployed my artillery and a unit of hussars on the Ottoman left flank, these had soon destroyed one Ottoman unit and were bombarding the other units. To the front my infantry had finally reached the enemy, but the first attack was beaten back, however there were plenty of enough waves of infantry behind the first one.
Sadly we had come to end of the alloted time and the game was declared a draw which was a pity because I was sure If we had gone the full number of turns we would have had more of a decisive result hopefully in my favor. The score was 12 points to Juan marcos and 8 point to myself.
On the next table was Jose`s French attacking Javi´s Spanish
This game ended when the Spanish army was broken by turn 10 and Javi had thrown his 5 dice getting 2,2,2,2 and a 1 (I´m glad it isn´t just me who can do this ). Jose gained 15 points and Javi 5 points.
Kevin´s French defended a stream line against Dani´s Prussians
Kevin used the stream barrier to great effect, when I had looked in, halfway through the game. Dani had broken through to the otherside of the stream with an unit of cavalry. But Kevin managed to shore up his defences and held on for a draw gaining 12 points and Dani 8 points
The final game of the second round was Toni´s Russians defending against Francois´ French
This ended in a victory for Tony with 15 points and Francois recieving just 5 points.
So after the second round the results are as follows
Coalition
Toni (28)
Phil (26)
Javi (18)
Dani (16)
Total 88
French and Allies
Juan Marcos (24)
Jose (22)
Kevin (14)
François (12)
Total 72
After a quite awful meal at a local restaurant, which I dont think we will be going back any time soon. We eventually arrived back at the club for the final round. I was paired off with my old adversary Jose and his French conquest army.
I went back to the role of defending, hoping my troops would be able to break his army.
Using my two ridges to hide my troops, I realised Jose was going to try to combine his infantry and cavalry into multiple attacks. So a little too late I adjusted my position to allow my cavalry into the frontline.
I managed to get my cavalry into the front line, just as the French rose over the crest.
Unfortunately I had no room to maneuver so my all cavalry had to charge two units each. Although I came worst off in the combat, Jose did not manage to take advantage of this and his attack began to falter.
To give Jose something else to think about, I sent two Infantry batallions around his left flank. With his attack stalling in the centre and neither of us anywhere near our breakpoint time had run out and the game ended in a draw. With 12 points to me and 8 points to Jose.
On the next table Kevin managed to win the dice off to see who would defend. Meaning Javi´s Spanish would have to uncharacteristically attack. Kevin placed the stream once again to slow the Spanish advance. Even though Javi managed to get his irregular cavalry over the stream and behind the French lines. By the end of the game, surprisingly neither player lost a single unit. This game also ended in a draw therefore Javi gained 12 points and 8 points to Kevin.
Francois' French attacked Dani's Prussians. Dani set his troops up to allow máximum fire from his troops onto the French troops. This once again ended in a draw with 12 points to Dani and 8 points to Francois.
Toni's Russians attacked Juan Marcos' Ottoman Army. Well done to Toni , for achieving something that myself and Dani couldn't achieve in winning against the Ottomans.
So the the final score were as follows
Coalition Armies
1 - Toni (Russia) ; 3 victories, 0 draws and 0 defeats, 41 Points
; 3 victories, 0 draws and 0 defeats, 41 Points
2- Phil (Austria) ; 1 victory, 2 draws and 0 defeats, 38 Points
; 1 victory, 2 draws and 0 defeats, 38 Points
3- Dani (Prusssia) ; 0 victory, 3 draws and 0 defeats 28 Points
; 0 victory, 3 draws and 0 defeats 28 Points
4- Javi (Spain) ; 0 victory, 2 draws and 1 defeat, 30 Points
; 0 victory, 2 draws and 1 defeat, 30 Points
French and Allies
1- Jose (French) ; 1 victory, 1 draw and 1 defeat, 30 Points
; 1 victory, 1 draw and 1 defeat, 30 Points
2- Juan Marcos (Imp. Otomano) ; 0 victory, 2 draws and 1 defeat 31 points
; 0 victory, 2 draws and 1 defeat 31 points
3- Kevin (Francia) ; 0 victory, 2 draws and 1 defeat, 22 points
; 0 victory, 2 draws and 1 defeat, 22 points
4- François (Francia) ; 0 victory, 2 draws and 1 defeat 20 points
Coaltion had 137 points and the French 103
; 0 victory, 2 draws and 1 defeat 20 pointsCoaltion had 137 points and the French 103
Therefore the Coalition players won the team game.
Francois' reaction on hearing the French have lost the Tournament and Napoleón had abdicated.
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| The Trophies |
 Juan Marcos won the Trophy for the most freakiest Arny with his Imperial Ottomans. |
Javi's Spanish won the Trophy for the best painted Army.
Toni recieved his Trophy for comimg first in the coalition side and overall winner.
Jose just pipped Juan Marcos to the first position for the French, due to him winning one victory. Actually the only victory won on the French side.
We also had the prize giving ceremony afterwards with some great donations from our Sponsors. Who were:
Andrea Miniatures
Atlantica Juegos
Estrategos
Wargames Bilbao
Breaking War
Merceron Games
Bandua Wargames
Warmodeling Miniatures
De Dados
Mirmidonia
Xan Miniatures
Pinturas Vallejo
Encobertura
Once again thanks for everybody for making the day a great event, hopefully for next one we can see more players from other áreas. Also a special thanks to Salva who organised the event and unfortunately was unable to participate.
