For today’s game with Karl we have moved to the Sahara for a touch of Beau Geste with the French Foreign Legion marching off into the desert to face a Moorish army. First move the French C-in-C and infantry leaders both roll ‘6’ initiative and move 7 battalions of infantry with the artillery and the baggage to the oasis and village in the centre of the table and deploy. The leader with the irregular horse moves to the centre of the table in the soft sand on the French right. The regular cavalry commander (with one infantry battalion) was not so enthusiastic and only managed to move onto the hill at the back of the French side of the table.

The Moors move their infantry and baggage up the centre of the table threatening the oasis and village and drawing the French fire while their cavalry commands move round both flanks heading to the hill in the rear of the French positions.

Over the next few moves the Foreign Legion infantry and artillery hammer away at the Moorish infantry while the Tirailleurs deploying on the flanks fire on the Moorish cavalry as they move past. The French irregular cavalry fall back slowly on the right flank threatened by two commands of Moorish horse. The regular cavalry command deploy the attached infantry on the hill in their rear and then move forward to support the Infantry deployed in the centre.

Two units of French regular cavalry charge the centre command of Moorish horse who were shaken by fire from the Tirailleurs in the centre and rout two units and force another to retire. The Legionnaires and artillery continue their shootout with the Moorish infantry.

The remaining Moorish cavalry commands continue to envelop the French, overrunning the French irregular horse on the way. Two units of French regular horse fall back to support their attached infantry as the Moorish cavalry threaten them. The fire from the

Legionaries finally drive off the last of the Moorish infantry and the C-in-C orders the last unit of cavalry to charge the Moorish baggage which now has no support.

At the end of game the French infantry and cavalry on the rear hill were under heavy pressure from the Moorish cavalry but managed to rally. The French general redeploys his artillery and Tirailleurs to support their beleaguered comrades.

At the end of game the French are winning as Moors hold the two hills on their side of the table (60pts) but have lost their baggage (-36points) and the French hold the central objective (45pts) and rear hill (30pts).