With the death of Pierre the front of the church is now securely in partisan hands. Electing not to pause and reload their weapons the Spanish move to support the priest who’s commanding voice can be heard above the din of the battle.

French casualties

5

The protracted melee at the rear of the church reaches a decisive conclusion with the death of the priest and two of his henchmen. Horrified by this sight, all but one of those who saw this tragedy unfold fall back to regain their composure. The victorious French quickly surround and dispatch the solitary Spaniard who bravely stood his ground.

Spanish casualties

9

French casualties

6

A last ditch charge is launched by the partisan leader and his exhausted men. Repositioning the French brace themselves for yet another attack. Both sides are near their respective breaking points, its just a question of who’s nerve will fail first?

More partisans fall to French bayonets, but still they fight on killing another Frenchman. Chaos now ensues as Spaniard and Frenchmen alike, panic. Some run, some continue to fight while still others just stand there seemingly dumbfounded by the smoke and the cries of the dying.  Only when the partisan leader is struck down does the Spanish resolve melt. As the last partisans disappear down side streets and alley ways the French are left to collect their wounded and head back to the Castello.

Spanish casualties

15

Summary

This was an epic game to watch. The French player suffering an instant turnover (on his first activation dice roll) no less than three times in a row at one point. Thus giving the partisan player four consecutive turns with the French unable to do anything in return. If it hadn’t been for little Pierre standing strong at the church doors and the Spanish player’s cautious advance (rolling only single activations) things might have turned out very differently. As it was, it went right down to the wire, with the French only just managing to drive off the partisans in the end.

With the streets now cleared of Spaniards the French are free to concentrate on consolidating their defences against renewed British attempts to reach the armoury . The next campaign game returns to mission three Take The Outer Streets. Here a fresh British squad will face a weakened French force (which sustained one casualty in their first defence of the streets) in a bid to break the French defences.

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