The Bridge Over The River Blutaip.

After the recent drawn battle, General Douglas  (Red) was ordered to destroy the bridge over the Blutaip River near Lawson's Inn. Having gotten word of this plan, General Lannigan (Blue) decided to prevent this vandalism.

The Dominion force had a slight advantage in infantry, but the Republic had more cavalry, so Lannigan decided to use this superiority to seize the bridge before the Dominion troops could start laying charges. He sent his Cossack volunteers ahead to seize it while his dragoons crossed the river to back them up, but they were quickly decimated by rifle and artillery fire. It was not as good a start as he had hoped for.

Dominion fire continued to wear down the Republican cavalry, while the Dominion cavalry took post to interfere with any future cavalry charges.

By this time, both sides infantry were  engaged in a firefight across the entire field but especially across the bridge. As long as the blue soldiers could dispute the bridge, the Dominion Sappers could not lay their charges.

As Lannigan watched his cavalry disintegrate while the infantry disputing the bridge were wavering after heavy losses, he decided to throw his reserve of infantry into the fight. They inflicted heavy losses on the Highlanders, forcing them to fall back. The day was not over yet. 

Alas for Lannigan, while he was issuing orders to his right wing infantry to wheel and attack the bridge while chasing off the remnant of the Highlanders, his army collapsed. All he could do was order the infantry to cover the retreat. Already he could see the Dominion Sappers at work.

Notes: 54mm figures. Infantry and artillery crew mostly converted homecast figures from commercial moulds, plastic guns, cavalry mostly conversions of Britain's figures.

Rules: home rules available here: The Defended Border  (2nd test game with no changes)