The LDF closed in piecemeal and the Rhinos opened fire opened fire with deadly effect. As more LDF closed in, a Rhino went down and the remaining stand pulled back into cover breaking the line of fire. A stalemate ensued until 2 helo's full of Lion Brigade Commandos arrived to cover the remaining Rhinos as they headed for the evac helo. As they boarded,  a squadron of Roscian helicopters flew in low and debouched 6 stands of Newpore Lancers.  The Lions opened up while the evac helo loaded but the return fire from the Lancers cut them to pieces and only 2 stands made it back aboard their rides.

The rules worked like I remembered, fast & bloody.  If I were to play the scenario again, I would double the number of stands.

The cavalry spurred forward to cover the infantry while they crossed the ford and then worked their way around the enemy's flanks. A shot from the Pictish archer brought down 1 horsemen then the infantry was closing and there was no time for arrows. The Picts braced themselves as the Roman soldiers crashed into them and traded blow for blow until their chieftain went down then they scattered backwards, rallying behind the ruined walls of a British village. To the north, the Saxons were less steady, their chief being the first to run. As the Saxons broke, Michael rushed ahead and brought his sword down on a fleeing Saxon. The blow glanced off and the wily Saxon turned and swinging his spear low, slipped it up under Michael's hauberk. Before he could strike a 2nd, killing blow, the British spearmen covered the wounded knight with their shields and pulled him to safety. Seeing the enemy soldiers all occupied, a Pictish slinger crept forward, shooting down a wagon driver, Preisages men were on the alert though and he was swiftly hunted down. As the Saxon's regrouped amongst the stacks of supplies, Arne led the spearmen forward and the Duke rode in to challenge the Saxon chief  whose courage had returned. To the south, a determined assault laid low all but 1 Pict after a fierce battle. Maddened by the deaths of his clan, this warrior struck down the centurion, then the standard bearer and the twirling his shield over his head, warded off an assault from Preisages who had ridden up behind him. The soldiers fled but Preisages was not to be denied and beat him down. To the North the duel between the Duke and the Saxon chief was long and fierce but in the end the Saxon was no match for the heavily armoured Duke on his warhorse. Check scenario 47 on Dec 7 or 8 to see if the supplies make it back to the Castle.. 

General Legge advanced on a wide front. General Porter's cavalry clashed fairly far forward and actually rode down some over bold light infantry in the north but soon he had been driven back onto the towns of Tuey (2e) & Phivee (5e). In the north Jerry managed to slip a light cavalry unit past Ron's outposts. It is part of the fun of GM'ing such an affair that I could compare orders and see the LC being sent precisely in the one direction where they could not avoid contacting an advancing Blue brigade as pursuing Blue cavalry came up behind them. I rolled some dice to see if they perceived the trap in time and then rolled some more for the results in case they could slip away with minor harm but alas only a few stragglers reported back and that several days later, meantime they just disappeared leaving Gen Legge to ponder their fate. He seems to have pondered accurately and Larsen's Lancers unit were ordered farther north. They clashed  with the Frontier Light Horse but disengaged and Porter's cavalry turned West to chase off the King's Hussars, not North or East, leaving the lancers to reach the river and recce south along it, back through Tuaiche and then south west to RV with  reinforcements. Meanwhile there was a feeble attempt to storm Tuey which was forestalled by Blue reinforcements and both sides settled down to watch each other. In the south the Blue Dragoons clashed 3 times with enemy cavalry but failed to stop 2 regiments of light cavalry from slipping away to the south and along to the river where they rode north and joined with Larsen's. The DG Bodyguard, after their own clash with the dragoons, rode north around the lake and through a hole in Blue's lines, they met up with the light cavalry and escorted them back. South of the lake both sides also sat and glared at each other,   neither side strong enough to attack. Sudden;y, at the last minute General Porter realized what was happening and ordered a rapid attempt to cut off the enemy cavalry and destroy them. 12 hours too late, the San Carlos Volunteers were in time to snipe at the DG Bodyguard and the Dragoons chased a few rearguard patrols but the rest of the rece forces retired.

So what had they found out? They had travelled  almost every road and found all of the ones not marked on their map and they scouted the river and all 3 bridges, they also had a very good idea of the forces and location of Blue in the forward area but had not been in enough strength to force the main bridge guards to show their hand so Gen Legge knows how to get to the river but only identified about 1/2 of the defending force.  

The final battle. Click for a larger view.

The campaign began with Oberhilse's General Shandy ordering feints on the left and in the center, complete with pioneers and fake pontoon wagons. Gen Howie was interested but declined to make any rash moves, unless you included the dispatch of a commando like raid by volunteers from the Victoria Rifles who crossed  the river in 2 small commandeered rowboats to attempt to burn the work in progress, alas a throw or 2 of the dice led to them being spotted and ambushed by a patrol of Frontier Light Horse. Eventually the real bridge began on the right, behind an island. There was some difficulty preparing a road across the island which turned out to have a steep rocky west bank (dice again) and the bridge was delayed just long enough for 2 brigades of Faraway troops to arrive unseen and take up positions behind some high ground astride the enemy's path  inland. Oberhilse mustered 6 regiments of infantry, 2 batteries of artillery, 2 regiments of dragoons and 2 regiments of light cavalry plus a battalion of pioneers who were busy with the bridge, their orders were to cross over and push on towards the town of Thriegy (3G). Faraway mustered 3 regiments of infantry, 2 of light infantry, 2 batteries of artillery, 2 cavalry regiments and 1/2 unit of light cavalry. Their orders were to ambush the enemy if possible.

A screen of Yellow Hussars pushed out first to scout out the high ground ahead. The Royal Hussars easily drove them back but not before they had spotted enemy infantry where only cavalry had been seen until now. The Blue infantry deployed and an attack was launched up the right while the cavalry was massed on the left and sent to out flank the enemy. As the attack neared the hill, driving back some skirmishers, the hill was suddenly crowned with red coated infantry. Blue halted and opened a desultory long range fire while they waited for the results of the cavalry attack and for the artillery to come forward. A first charge drove back the Queen's cavalry all along the line but they rallied behind an infantry square. Stalemate until Blue's artillery rolled some spectacular counter battery dice and swept the hill clean. Something ahd to be done so the Red infantry swept down the hill, won the initiative toss and unleashed a 1st volley at 25 paces and went in with the bayonet sending Blue's infantry reeling. Luckily for them the reserve held, helped by a shower of grape (cannister really). Stalemate again. As Blue's 2nd brigade and artillery moved forward to seize the center hill, Brigadier Kearney got impatient and launched his dragoons and light cavalry at the enemy, now outnumbered 2:1 these troops cam through, routing the dragoons and driving back the light cavalry but destroying themselves in the process. The final result can be seen here.  A fine army shattered and even bringing up unenaged units there were not enough Faraway troops for a counter attack. The bridgehead is established, to what end, another mini-campaign would be needed.