Austrian Attack - with Soldiers of Napoleon

 Another Soldiers of Napoleon game, this time testing a new scenario. My Austrians would be attacking against the French on higher ground. Although the initial forces were even (ish), the Austrians had reserves, so the battle would be become tougher for the French defenders as it went on and they were outnumbered. Both sides had two mid-strength infantry brigades, my Austrians though having a lot of landwehr sprinkled with a few regular line battalions and screening Grenz unit. The French had mostly line, with a few reserve units, and one tough old veteran battalion. The French had a slight advantage in cavalry, two brigades, one of line lancers, one of chasseurs. The Austrians single light cavalry brigade was of uhlan and hussars, both sides cavalry were deployed in a screen in front of the main infantry lines.

Time to see if the Austrian attack up this slope can push the French back, or out of the way.

The initial turns did not got too well for my attack. First, the French decided that a static ‘hold the line’ plan wasn’t for them and launched a counter-attack, on their left with the lancers leading and infantry following. I met his lancers with my own, but badly outnumbered, the first cavalry melees only went one way, my uhlan’s counter-charge was thrown back with losses and they withdrew to rally and regroup, beaten, but not broken, they would return. To try and help them, my hussars raced forwards to entice the enemy chasseurs to come out and play, only for heavy cannon fire to see the hussars pulling back to rally too, my cavalry screen had not covered itself in glory.

Meanwhile, as both sides infantry marched up and deployed into columns or lines, and the first ineffective skirmish fire started, a single French column, inspired by ‘Vive L’Emperur!’ advanced at the quick and charged and routed a landwehr battalion that crumbled in the face of French bayonets. Still, that single battalion was isolated and would then pay the price of repeated volleys into the column until it was also in disorder and withdrawing to rally as fast as it could. To help save it the lancers again came forwards to threaten to charge, and using intimidate to keep the Disorder building on the Austrian infantry. When a second battalion of landwehr broke under an artillery bombardment (used as the last card play of the turn it scored 3 hits and broke the battalion, unlucky for me), the lead brigade was looking thin.

The first 3 turns had seen the French get on top and have a significant lead on VPs. But, the comeback was on… as my reserve infantry brigade marched up at the quick and began to swiftly advance past and through the ragged leading brigade to take over the front (transversing the lines I beleive). It was fresh and soon deploying into long firing lines. The French, blocking the lane that ran up the centre of the battlefield, had done likewise, but their veteran battalion was now badly outshot. It would endure a hellish ordeal.  

Now, a great infantry brawl developed, both side’s cavalry skulking behind out of the murderous volleys line of sight. The Austrians volleyed, the French replied, with a nasty withering volley had hurt and saw more rallying required. My Grenzer battalion was torn to bits, turned from 6 stands to 2… and also withdrawn to some safety. On the up-side, both French artillery batteries had now run low on ammo and their constant menace had been greatly reduced (they missed every shot for about 4 turns). The Austrian line kept up the firing, and one reservist French battalion broke and ran… and the veterans only saved by multiple rallying. The VPs were evening up. It was close. He had more, but my Break Point was higher. We both needed about 6-7 points to win it.

Final turns and it became a real to-and-fro struggle. Both side’s infantry were taking damage. The resolute French veterans were reduced to just 2 stands in the musketry duel. One landwher battalion, in column, burst forwards and charged, driving back another French battalion, and it too rallied, just holding on. I couldn’t follow-up. If both French units broke, the Austrians would have it. Then, disaster, another artillery bombards special event, on my poor skulking uhlan, broke them, they withdrew from the field. Try as I might. I just couldn’t score the last few disorder on his infantry to see them off, they somehow survived the turn (by recalling skirmishers, the command stand inspiring and 1 excellent rally roll of 4 sixes - lucky!), both battalions ended the turn equal to their stands, not over, and so did not break.  I lost 2 landwehr battalions as well, in my defence, in a 8 card hand, not one card could rally my Militia quality troops, not one! So the landwehr were doomed. Card luck deserted me…

End of Turn 6 and, as we totalled up the VPs, the French had easily broken the Austrians, the fleeing uhlan and landwehr had cost me. The Austrians had scored 22 VPs, and need 23 to break to French, 1 short. Ah, so close, but a cracker of a close fight. This one, after the initial light cavalry clash, became a real attritional grind of infantry, volleys and skirmish fire, his lancers aiding by repeatedly intimidating all my poor landwehr. In the end it was just enough to hold on despite being outnumbered and out shot when my reserve infantry marched up.  

Here are some shots of the action…

French deployment, light cavalry screen the infantry marching columns, which launched an unexpected counter-attack.

After the initial turns, the front lines looks very ragged. French column in trouble, Austrian landwehr refusing to charge to drive them away for good, attacking with militia troops is hard work!

Austrian hussars advance, taking skirmirsh and cannon fire, they soon came back.

Landwehr attack columns follow a Grenz skirmish screen

The Austrian hussar taunt the French chassuers, but they refuse to play.

Reserve brigade arrives and marches up to take over the front from the ragged lead battalions, now in disorder or routed. 

French veterans take the punishment, whilst line lancers lurk behind and intimidate the Austrian lines.

Another landwehr battalion about to break, due to lack of any usable rally cards.