The Battle of Les Collines Jumelles, 1796 - AAR

A number of the Rejects gathered online to continue their Volley and Bayonet education by playing this fictional scenario.

What was also being tested was a return to using full movement in conjunction with a revised pre-game move/deployment.

Background and Campaign Context

The French Revolutionary army has pushed the Austrian army back beyond its fortress city of Mantua, and now besieges it.  A relief army led by Wurmser seeks to break the siege and push the French back along the Po valley. Whilst, the main armies manoeuvre around Lake Garda, forces have been deployed to protect the eastern flanks.  Massena, leading the French troops, seeks to push Wurmser away and reduce the threat to the siege.  Meanwhile, Wurmser is hoping to force Massena back towards Mantua and threaten both the siege and possibly the rear of Napoleon’s army at Rivoli.  Defeat for either need not be catastrophic so long as the army is not utterly exhausted.

The engagement is all about forcing the enemy to retreat, by either breaking the army or threatening their line of communication (LOC).

The encounter is caused by the two armies marching towards each other, the French from the southwest and the Austrians from the northeast.  It starts at 2pm.  The sunsets at 8pm, with it becoming dark by 9pm.

Both sides may move their forces on from their designated LOC – the Mantua-Verona Road, and 3 inches either side.  The assumption for this game is that all units have already shaken out of march column, unless specifically instructed to move in march column.

Both sides had to submit their orders to me.  The units were then moved simultaneously on the table.

·        Units could not move closer than 24 inches and line of sight, whichever occurred first.

·       With the armies deployed, the players can now battle around the table starting with turn 2.

Start of Game:  Each side has the option to retire any units the minimum required to be outside of charge range.  This will be directly away from the nearest enemy formed unit.  Both sides will secretly declare their intentions to the umpire via the Zoom chat facility.

Game length:  8 turns including deployment orders.  Seven turns on the table.  After which night falls.

The Armies

Victory conditions:  The side that holds the opposing LOC at the end of the 9pm turn wins.  In the event of neither or both achieving this then the winner will be the side that has fewer divisions exhausted.  Alternatively, when one side decides to withdraw to maintain the integrity of its wider mission and still has at least 33% of its division in good order to effect an orderly withdrawal.

In the event of a draw, a second day of battle may occur.  In a campaign this may see the arrival of reinforcements during the course of the day.

Campaign Light Cavalry Points: For this game only, each side will roll a 1d3 at the beginning of the game.  This can affect any post-battle pursuit and casualties, and who may be player one once battle is joined at the table.  This is to try and reflect what may be a mechanic in a campaign.

Terrain:
The hills block line of sight, but do not impede movement.

Mantua-Verona Road:  Units in march column on a road may move at three times their normal speed.

The Game
The sides submitted their first turn moves via email.  The resulting dispositions being as follows with neither side in charge range.

Both sides threw their cavalry divisions out from the centre and onto their flanks.  The Austrians perhaps hoping to use their advantage in mounted units.  The French planning to hold the flanks secure.

The Austrians were determined to advance in a disciplined fashion and maintain a line of battle and secure a position on the northern hill.  Massena was clearly intent on a more aggressive approach, especially towards the northern hill.

The French closed to within musket range on the hill,  Whilst to the south, Massena unleashed his heavy cavalry at the Austrian dragoon division before they could use their numbers to overwhelm them.

Unfortunately, the French cavalry overextended themselves and are hurled back in disorder after a close melee.

In the north, musketry and artillery fire is exchanged to little effect.

However, have the French exposed the flank of La Harpe's division by moving forward without closer support from Joubert's division?

And the answer is YES!

Ocksay orders his infantry into contact on the French flank and positions another brigade to support the melee along with the deployed artillery battery.

Simultaneously, Vukassovich launched his light cavalry against the French dragoons.  A slightly risky move as the French have the better horse and supporting horse artillery.

Meanwhile, Reuss charged the disordered heavy cavalry which caused a rout and its elimination.  A French chasseur unit is thrown back by the accompanying Austrian dragoons. 

The French southern flank is looking dangerously open.  Especially now that Liptay advances his infantry division to support.

Back in the north, heavy fighting sees the French cavalry completely put to flight and dispersed.  The Austrian cavalry now turns to face the French flank.  However,  the victory has exhausted Vukassovich's division.

With an assault on their flank, plus infantry and artillery support, the French infantry unit buckles and retires in disorder.  The rest of La Harpe's division now has both flanks exposed.

Austrian cavalry turning the northern flank... a bit blurred!

Austrian cavalry turning the southern flank.

Massena having previously expressed a willingness to withdraw, now declared a French retreat.  The Austrians had gained the field.  With cavalry advantage, the Austrians roll for post-battle pursuit and eliminate two extra strength points from the French army.  

Conclusion

The game was completed in under two and half hours and, from my perspective, was enjoyable and exciting.  What we are all appreciating and understanding is the grand tactical nature of the rules - big moves, a unit is a brigade/regiment, a turn is one hour.

The Austrians kept a tighter and more orderly line of battle, which proved beneficial against the unsupported attack of La Harpe's division.  The Austrians also used their cavalry well, though they were blessed with a French cavalry commander who had appalling dice rolls throughout.

The game was played using the full movement of Volley and Bayonet.  This allowed for both sides to maneuver, especially on the flanks.  However, all sides were controlled in the movement.  They have learned and applied the idea that just because you can doesn't mean you should.