The Battle of Quisais... Encore!

Having played the remote game with the full movement (see the report), I decided to reset the table and play it again with movement reduced to half in order to compare the gaming experiences.

The first game finished after one turn.  This is bearing in mind that both sides did a blind movement onto the table and deployed.  So, how would this game fare?

First of all, a reminder of the starting positions of the two armies post pregame deployment.

The view from the western end of the battlefield.  The French are on the right, the Austrians to the left.

The view at the eastern flank, where the rival cavalry divisions face each other.  This time they are not immediately all in charge range.

The French elected to go first again, but acted far more cautiously than in the first game by not charging into contact and within close artillery range.  Which might suggest that the change of movement rate was irrelevant as the participants had learned something of the rules.

The French choose to establish a defensive line and pull their cavalry back from the Austrians.

The Austrian players, now denied the opportunity to run havoc with their cavalry, concentrate their efforts on the western flank.

The Austrian infantry assault the French light division emerging from the woods and hurl their grenadiers on the hill at the advancing French foot.
The grenadiers use their shock to repulse two demi-brigades.  However, whilst damaging the revolutionary troops, the exertion has left the elite division exhausted.
On the flank, the balance has gone the way of the French infantry.  Luckily, the Austrian commanders were already moving reserves around the rear of the hill to reinforce.

Exhausted in Volley and Bayonet terms means that the units in an exhausted division cannot move into contact (cannot charge).  It is also susceptible to morale collapse, which is rather catastrophic.

A slightly closer view of the western flank.

The French needed to plug some holes and were able to move some reserves forward.  Smelling blood on the western flank and on the hill they threw themselves forward.

Using musketry and artillery, the Austrian grenadiers are despatched to rest in peace!
The light division destroy are infantry regiment, but themselves charged by a disordered unit in the flank.

Alas, to no avail.  After a close contest the disordered Austrian regiment is put to rout, and the exhausted division's morale collapses.

Time was ticking on, plus the outcome was now clear to all.  

Victory to the French with no exhausted divisions (though one was very very close) against the Austrians with two exhausted and in collapse.

The situation along the table at the conclusion of the game.
Not hopeless for the Austrians with reserves to plug the centre.  The problem for them is that the French can now unleash their forces on the eastern flank.

French infantry advancing towards the hill.

Analysis

I really enjoyed the game with the reduced movement rate.  I think that on my 6x4 foot table the reduced rate works well.  I've certainly used that when playing solo games.  

However, I am not convinced that it had a significant impact on the game.  The players knew the rules better and played the game differently.  This game proved to be more about experience and understanding, rather than about movement rates.  

The only time the movement rate would have made a difference would've been in how far routing and repulsed units would have to retreat.  That said, both sides will find themselves unable to make dramatic or significant manoeuvres with the reduced speed as the opposition will always be able to counter that move earlier.

If the first game was over after one complete turn, then this game was over after two turns.  This is not a bad thing, but also not much difference.  In Volley and Bayonet a lot happens in a turn, as you might expect in an hour of action on a battlefield.  But if you factor in the pre-game move, then this was a game of four turns or 4 hours on the field of battle.  With little difference in game length, this might imply that a reduced movement rate doesn't make a lot of difference to either player decision making nor significantly to the length of the game.

Nonetheless, I am very happy to play the reduced movement on my smaller table.  It worked and we had fun.  However, in the Reject's shed of war with a 12x6 foot table I will apply the full movement rate.