January "Big Battle" in Seventeenth Century ... somewhere in the 'LowCountries' (Part 4)

The "hel" of the infantry combat finally started in earnest.

On the Allied left flank the Elite Dutch Queen's Dragoons has seen of the French Dragoons and were now facing a combined infantry assault from two regular French infantry brigades. As the Frencg approached they laid down a devastating defensive fire but took casulaties in return (see below):

To the immediate right of the Dutch Queen's Dragoons an advanced Allied strongpoint was being attacked by four brigades of French infantry, including a Royal Guards unit. They had been assailed by hail and shot from two medium Allied artillery batteries as they traversed the open ground suffering badly. The steadfastness of Guards held sway as came within musket range, even though a stand was removed the attack was going to go in come hell or high water (see below):

Meanwhile the Dutch Queeen's favourites were hard pressed but fighting like demons (aka good dice rolling by the Allied side) to win the fierce hand-to-hand fighting. The key for survival was to win the first combat as the likelihood of being "strong enough" to go again could not be counted on. A small force could hold at bay a larger "worn" force (see below):

The Allied forward strong-point caused the French some organisational and command ordering problems. The elan of the French Guards took them in but their more conservative (with a small 'c') French Line failed to generate the morale courage and wavered in the attack. This left the depleted (two out of the original three stands) French Guards attacking a fortified/built-up-area (albeit still smoking from an Allied artillery bombardment), outnumbered by the defenders 3:2 and taking additional casualties on the way in. You could not paint a more 'worse scenario' for the French Guards but "hey ho", that is how they justify the pay they draw from teh French Crown (see below, the initial combat rolls look bad for the French Guards):

Meanwhile ten French Infantry brigades were hoping to smash the Allied right flank. The sound of canon and musket caried acoss the whole batlefield.

Next: The murderous right