April 8, 2006
We tried this Napoleon's Battles scenario using Glen's Speed Play
Rules™. As there were only 4 hours allocated for his scenario at
Cangames, he used a chess clock with 2 hours for each side. Each side
would use their time during their turn until they ran out. Once one side
ran out of time, the game would be over. Unused time on the clock would
count as bonus victory points for the player with time left.
The players were:
DaveE – French
IanG, DaveJ –Austrian
GlenC -umpire
According to the scenario briefing:
June 14, 1800. After leading his army over the Alps into the Austrian
rear, First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte believed the Austrians to be in full
retreat and dispersed his army to exploit his advantage. Austrian Marshal
Melas, far from retreating, had gathered his forces for a counterattack that
fell on Victor's small corps. Austrian probing started about 0900, and,
after furious skrimishing, Gardanne's division fell back on Marengo.
The situation at 10:00
10:00.
Victor and V Corps deploy to
defend the town of Marengo. Victor assumes
that the Austrians will attempt to push through Marengo with at least half their
force and deploys accordingly. His infantry divisions deploy in line centred on
the town with Chambarlhac’s on the left
and Gardanne's on the right. Murat’s
Reserve Cavalry division deploys to the left and rear.
Directly facing him is Melas with several divisions of line and 2 brigades of Grenadiers. The Advance Guard is on the Austrian center, O'Reilly has some Grenzers and cavalry on the right, Hadik is on the left of Marengo with some line infantry with Kaim's division and the Grenadiers behind.
The formidable Left Column under General Ott does as expected and begins to move toward the bridge in order to attempt to turn Victor’s flank. Lannes, still approaching will have the task of stopping the Austrian Left Column forward of the town of Villanova.
The Austrians get first blood, with 1B/2/V (first brigade, second division, V corps) taking casualties from a determined Austrian Light Infantry brigade as the balance of the Austrian army moves forward in preparation for an assault.
Deployment
10:30
Knowing that the Austrian attack would be unstoppable if allowed to develop
in it’s own time, Gardanne looks for an
opportunity to disrupt their advance and sees an Austrian column fording the
river north of Marengo. He immediately orders 1B/1/V to attack this lone
column. After a short firefight which disorders the Austrians, his foresight is
rewarded when the glorious French Bde advances in line with bayonets fixed,
causing Hadik’s Austrian Bde to rout in
confusion.
Meanwhile, to the south the O'Reilly's Grenzers threaten Murat’s light cavalry pushing them back, exposing the left flank of Victor’s corps. In response, Chambarlhac orders 2B/2/V to refuse the flank.
11:00
Perhaps somewhat shocked by the sharp French counterattack, the Austrians
regroup and move to extend both flanks around the greatly outnumbered French.
The French are not dismayed by this turn of events as Napoleon arrives near
Marengo and delivers a rousing speech on the subject of his youth.
Ott's Left Column crosses the river to turn the French
flank
11:30
Lannes begins to deploy around Vilanova and
sees the Austrian cavalry of the Left Column exposed. Quick action by French
skirmishers cause severe casualties and routs the hapless cavalry.
O’Reilly, commander of the Austrian Right divison, launches an assault across the river with his entire force of cavalry and Grenzers. In the initial assault, 2B/2/V becomes disordered but manages to withdraw successfully.
But 1B/2/V, facing an attack from both Grenadiers and cavalry is not so lucky and is unable to withdraw.This outnumbered brigade routs to safety, leaving a grim situation on the French left.
2B/1/V, which is deployed at the centre of V Corps inside Marengo, is attacked by a Grenadier Bde with an infantry Bde in support. After a protracted battle, the fierce defense by 2B/1/V causes the Austrian Grenadiers to rout and the infantry to withdraw in confusion.
Murat, never one for indecision, analyzes the situation on the French left and orders his light cavalry bde to attack around into the rear of the Austrian Advance Guard before they can regroup. In a stunning display of martial might, the cavalry routs the gunners from their artillery battery before attacking the Grenzers in their rear. These irregular troops prove unable to form square fast enough and rout. Not satisfied with their success, the cavalry then attacks the disordered Austrian cavalry, once again routing surprised Austrians. All that was left were the Grenadiers. Now feeling invincible, the Second Brigade of the Cavalry Reserve attacks the Grenadiers, only to be disappointed when these elite troops form square and drive off the now-fatigued chevauxleger.
Unfortunately, those very same Grenadiers advanced after the disordered cavalry and poured so much fire into them, that they dispersed.
With the brutal Austrian attack stymied on the French left, both sides attempt to reform their lines while the Austrian Left Column maneuvers to attack Lannes.
Situation after the glorious charge note all the space.
Only a disordered infantry bde and the fatigued cavalry hold the left.
12:30
Some of Desaix's division
arrives with the first French reinforcements.
Ott again tries to force Marengo with Hadik’s division, and is again routed by 1B/1/V. Hadik vows to advance in line from now on in an attempt to avoid having his units routed time and again.
Frimont, with the Grenadiers, does no better in his attack on 2B/2/V when Gardanne takes direct command. Spurred on by his bravery, the French rout the Grenadiers.
1B/2/V does not fare so well and is routed by a combined attack from Austrian cavalry and infantry.
13:30
2B/2/V, defending Marengo, finally succumbs to the massive amount of
fire put forward by the Austrian Light Infantry with 2 supporting artillery
batteries and routs to safety. Never in the annals of warfare has a single line
brigade held off so many enemy troops for so long. Even the Austrian commanders
took on a reverential, hushed tone while advancing through the now-destroyed
town and were heard to comment on the fortitude and stubborn defense of the
French in complimentary terms. Second Brigade at Marengo will be the new
standard of stoic defense.
However glorious, the fact that Marengo was now open to the Austrians was the signal for Victor’s corps to begin to withdraw to the hill where they would link up with Lannes and await for the balance of Desaix’s corps to arrive.
14:30
Monnier, commander of the first division of Desaix's
Corps arrives at the battle with a brigade of Grenadiers and one of line.
They deploy in the centre.
Having been aggressively pursued for 90 minutes by 2 units of Austrian Grernadiers and one of Grenzers, 2B/1/V ceases to become an effective formation and simply disperses.
Meanwhile, the Left Column finally begins to close on Lannes. Elsnitz's first cavalry attack is ineffectual as the French quickly form square and drive them off.
Also ineffective is the French fire on the approaching Austrians. Unhappy with that result, Lannes personally takes command of 1B/1/L and attacks the lead Austrian brigade, driving it away.
That glory is not reassuring to the mothers of the soldiers of 1B/2/V who disperse in a coordinated attack by the main Austrian line.
Lannes vs Ott on the French right.
The end…..or at least this is when the Austrian game clock ran out. The French still had 46 minutes on their clock which would add to their victory point total.
All-in-all, a fun game. I have never seen a game of Napoleon's Battles played so fast. Everyone had a great time and DaveJ brought Chicken Marengo for dinner.