Battle of Bassignana 1745 AAR - Face to Face with Better Generals

With Jonathan at Palouse Wargaming Journal hosting another of his wonderfully conceived remote games, I happily took on the role of the defending Piedmontese in this battle.

Rejects Lee and Steve commanded the attacking Gallispan army.

For a full background to this game I will refer you to Jonathan's post Bassignana-1745.

All the screen shots are taken from my side of the table and the account from my view.  I would suggest a visit to Jonathan's blog for a better and fuller account.

The starting depositions.  All units are on reserve orders ready to spring to life at advantageous moments!  My light infantry unit are currently hidden from view in the woods by the river on the left.

The Gallispans have advanced.  Meanwhile I have started to redeploy my dragoons from right to left.  Alas, due to a failure to get one out of reserve they have not moved as far as I had hoped.

The Franco-Spanish begin crossing the River Tanaro.  At this point I spring my ambush with the light infantry; firing into the two columns on my far left.  At the same time, the Piedmontese cavalry bound forward to dispatch another infantry in column.  This probably represents the high point of my game.

The light infantry's musketry disperses one enemy unit.  However, weight of numbers overwhelms their position in the woods.  Alas, the cavalry are also destroyed by artillery fire.  The Gallispans have now established a nice infantry line on my left.

With the Gallispan commanders moving their units carefully, they are able to nullify any advantages from my holding units in reserve.  They quickly take Rivarone from the guarding militia unit.

A mistake, amongst a number of them.  I have split the dragoons trying to leave one in reserve to aid the defence of Bassignana whilst the other supports the units on the hill.

With much better tactical awareness, the Franco-Spanish commanders isolate Bassignana and spring forward with their horse - mauling one dragoon unit and destroying another that was foolishly sent to help. The conflict in the centre continues, but is really now of little consequence to the game.

The last dragoon is destroyed and the enemy horse is crossing the river in force on the right.

The Gallispan cavalry have reached the pontoon bridge after my roll to bring on reinforcements failed.

Bassignana is assaulted.  The King and what's left of his infantry are ejected.

After one last desperate attempt to recapture Bassignana ending in abject failure and with other commanders either dead or their brigades broken, further resistance is futile.  So, the field is conceded to the gallant Franco-Spanish army.

Final Words
I really enjoyed the game and the challenge.  So, credit to Jonathan for his planning.

Any plan I had quickly unravelled in the face of two commanders who handled their troops extremely well while I made a number of mistakes. Kudos to Lee and Steve.

I would certainly play this game again... but differently!

Solo Game AAR - French Revolutionary Clash.

I fancied getting the 28mm French Revolutionary War (FRW) boys out.  So, I thought that I would go for a quick game using One War Wargames (OHW) scenario 1.... , but using my FRW rules.

The Forces
The French: 4 units of line infantry, 1 skirmish light infantry and 1 unit of dragoons.

The Austrians: 3 units of line infantry, 2 artillery (one light, one medium) and 1 unit of dragoons.

Deployment
The Austrian forces, closest to the camera, appear to be deployed initially for a defensive posture. Perhaps hoping to make good use of their artillery advantage.

The French look set to advance quickly and engage.

The Battle
The French quickly advance having decided to lead with infantry in open order.  However, the Austrians clearly decided to take advantage of their artillery and set up a defensive position on the hill. Throwing only their dragoons forward to occupy the French cavalry.

At the earliest opportunity, the Austrian horse charge their counterparts. However, the French dragoons have enough time to counter-charge.

Meanwhile, the French infantry continue their advance into a storm of shot.

The horsemen engage in a ferocious struggle with little quarter being given.  Without any immediate result, neither side is yet willing to yield.

Desultory shooting from both sides, especially the Austrian gunners.

The French are now made to realise the error of their incautious advance when the Austrian line charge off the hill to catch their opponents in open order.

The light infantry on the French left are quickly overwhelmed and retire badly shaken.

Likewise, the formed Austrian line overrun the more vulnerable French who fallback shaken but not broken. Leaving the second line open to an Austrian breakthrough charge.

Amidst the disaster unfolding on the French centre and right, the French dragoons give the Austrian horse a lesson in how to use a sabre.

The situation after the initial melees have been resolved.

Desperate to restore some order and discipline to their shaken infantry, the French commander attempts to start recovering morale. However, he only succeeds in causing a much needed regiment to retire further.

However, the formed Gallic regiments hold their own...

... and throw the Austrians back in disarray and badly mauled.

Austrians forced to retire back to the hill in some disorder.

With the rest of the line now back on the hill, the Austrian left had no option but to fallback to the hill as well.

The now exposed Austrian regiment on the left about to withdraw to safety on the hill.

The situation after the second set of melees.

In a bid to regain the initiative, the Austrian commander attempted to rally the dragoons...

... and failed!

With them running off, this caused the Grenzers to be carried off the field of battle as well.

The Grenzers pondering their situation just before they take flight.

The French were also struggling to bring some of their units back into line. Another retreat away from enemy.

... and a forced retirement when the Austrian gunners opened up again.

Nonetheless, the Austrian right flank was now starting to look exposed.

... especially with the French dragoons able to advance towards it unopposed.

With over a third of their forces scattered or destroyed, the Austrians faced an army morale check... and marginally failed, forcing a withdrawal in good order.

A French victory.  This certainly did not seem likely earlier in the battle.

French line advancing to occupy the now vacated hill.

I thought the Austrians had victory in their grasp.  If only their gunnery was more accurate and deadly!  Perhaps they should have stayed on the hill to receive the French with terrain advantage.  However, I'm sure that the Austrians would have been facing columns not open order troops.

It was good to get these models out.  I feel that I may work through more OHW scenarios to see how they work as games using my own FRW rules.

FPW - The Battle of Beaumont, 30 August 1870, Part Two: The Battle Report

Rejects Dan, Lee, Postie, Ray, Steve and Surjit gathered with me in Postie's shed to fight out the Battle of Beaumont.  

For the background and scenario details see my previous post here.

I knew that I had a busy day of umpiring ahead, so I had packed some paracetamol just in case.

The Sides
The Germans were made up of Lee, Postie and Surjit.

The French were commanded by Dan, Ray and Steve.

The Battle
To recap quickly, the actual battle started at around 12:30pm.  The players are picking up the situation after two hours of fighting, at 2:30pm.

Their positions are shown as follows.

French infantry brace themselves for the storm.

The Prussians set to launch their assault.

The game opened with the German artillery batteries obliterating all the front line French guns and mitrailleuse in a storm of shells.  Fortunately, the gallic rifle fire caused more apprehension in the Prussian ranks.  However, the Teutonic tide swept forward into close range.

For the French, it quickly became clear that to delay the German juggernaut the French right was going to be sacrificed. Meanwhile, their left wing and cavalry would withdraw as quickly as possible. Some retiring troops being used to make redoubts of farms and towns to cover the general withdrawal.

French commanders Steve and Ray grudgingly having to remove all their destroyed artillery and mitrailleuse stands.

As the Germans advanced all along the line, the French chassepots opened up.

Prussian cavalry snake their way forward to be ready to press the pursuit if or when required.

The French commanders confer as they digest the destruction of almost all their artillery and the number of Germans pounding towards them. 

As soon as possible, the French set about retiring troops in some sort of orderly fashion.  Seeing no good use for their cavalry, they were quickly dispatched in the direction of Mouzon.  Other divisions also started retiring infantry away from the fray.  In this respect the game was very odd with the French trying avoid being involved in firefights and melee.

French cavalry make their way through Yonq en route to Mouzon.

French troops from their left pull back leaving a "forlorn hope" to hold up the Germans for as long as possible.

On their right, the wayward troops from 7th Corps begin their withdrawal leaving just one regiment in the woods.  Other woods remain occupied to cover the retreat.

However, the Germans are bounding forward, although the Bavarians on the left flank stuttered and stalled in their efforts to assault the farm on the road. A combination of south German reluctance and punishing French rifle fire causing the problems.

At the first opportunity, the Prussians launched themselves at the "forlorn hope" in the woods on the French left.  At the same time making moves to bypass the defenders to continue the pursuit.

Two melees.  One of them very uneven!

However, honours are even as one imperial regiment holds off the Germans.  Nonetheless, the Teutonic horde are in the woods.

All across the piste French units were retiring.  Some in slightly better order than others.  At least for the French their cavalry are closing in on Mouzon and their escape across the Meuse.  Regardless of some delaying successes, the French commanders are looking concerned.

And so they should be concerned.  The German divisions are in pursuit.  The Bavarians on the left seek to make up ground on the fleeing 7th Corps division.  Meanwhile, the Prussian centre is forcing its way into and through some woods and towards the strongly held farm on top of the heights overlooking the river and Beaumont.

However, a stroke of fortune for the French.  12th Corps, who have already crossed the Meuse have responded to the sound of fighting and deployed two batteries in the loop of the Meuse. Whilst the Prussian gunners will soon silence this aid, the help ends the hot pursuit of some Prussian heavy cavalry, causes injury to two infantry regiments, and forces at least one unit to delay its advance.

In the woods on the French left, the two remaining imperial units continue their desperate stand.

It's not looking good for the French.

And in go the Prussian charges.

Despite a valiant stand, the Prussians' are vengeful and merciless in dispatching these sons of La belle France.

Up on the hill the German column determinedly assaulted the farm.  A much closer fight ends with the Prussians in occupation and the defenders thrown back.

French in occupation.

Now the Prussians own it!

The Result
Whilst there were still turns left in the game, alas real world time and consideration of better halves led to an agreed end to the game.

The situation at the close of play.

For the French to avoid a defeat and do better than General Failly had done in 1870, they had to exit at least half of their army - essentially the Germans had to kill 178 figures (infantry, cavalry and artillery).  Now, I did a casualty count.  But because of the "earlier" end to the game, I also had to make some judgement calls.  In the end, and this did find agreement with all the players, the Germans killed 173 figures! So... a French victory... of sorts!!!  At the very least they did better than their historical counterpoint.

Analysis
I have to confess to being really worried about how a fighting withdrawal would translate as a wargame.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much thought and nervous tension the players expended in this game.  I shall leave it to them to pass the final judgement on the game (see Lee's and Ray's blogs).

The scenario specific rules worked nicely.  They stopped the French from just running away and meant that they had to consider how to do a fighting withdrawal.  Essentially, the French established four redoubts at two farms, the small town of Yonq and the woods on the French left.  These, in my opinion, acted to deter, delay and deny free passage for the advancing Germans.  A particular thorn in the Prussian side was the stubborn resistance in the woods.  In the end those brave Frenchmen were forced to surrender.

The hexes represent what I consider to be the French "redoubts"

I denied the French some reinforcements.  Basically, I felt that they didn't need them, that they wouldn't make any difference to the outcome, and would seem to punish the German commanders for their hard work and endeavours.

Perhaps, on reflection the Germans might have sent more troops and cavalry through their left flank against and after the French right.  Could there have been a possibility of a hook to cut off the road to Mouzon?  Not sure, I think most cavalry would have been shot out of their saddles at either the farm or at Yonq. Though the infantry would have been advancing behind them.

Despite the difference in numbers the game proved to be nicely balanced for the type of clash.

They Died For Glory performed well as a ruleset - concise, clear and took the stresses of Rejects' questioning.  The players had to be busy and "on task" all the time, and the umpire didn't have time to even have a drink.

In the end, I enjoyed the game and found the experience interesting and entertaining.  I didn't even need to take any paracetamol!

A big thank you to the players and to Postie's hospitality. I had a great day.