Blood along the Danube Scenario: Wagrum (West) Day 1

I ran this scenario using Carnage and Glory and on solo play using some simple solo game rules.  I also ran it as if Marshal Bernadotte was more like Marshal Ney. It was fruitful but also catastrophic right in the final 30 minutes (2 turns) remaining in the battle.  Additionally, I use my British troops as "stand ins" for the Austrians.

Unit OOBs

The basic set up for the battle.  Austrians are on the hill and in the village of Wagrum.  The battle begins at 8pm and goes until 11pm, a total of 9 turns.  The Saxon/French are to capture sections of Wagrum and get units on the top of the hill.  The creek has steep banks, 3 feet high on either bank.  For this scenario I made cross the creek 300 yards of movement for Infantry units.  Artillery had to use the bridge.

The Austrians were played by the "AI" as this was a solo game.  There is a Passive, Aggressive and Flexible mindset for the "AI" commander.  This is determined by a dice roll.  Following that is the tactical plan, and then the brigade orders.  At the conclusion of each turn, a dice roll determines the "AI" commander's mindset - carry on, befuddled, concerned.  Three of the middle and last category results in either a change to the tactical plan or a whole change of mindset.  The start of each turn requires the "AI" to roll a die to issue orders for that turn.  This could range from Continued as Ordered, Oblique left, Oblique Right, entrench, fall back by right wing, advance by left wing, etc.

In this scenario, the Austrians were Aggressive and make the dice role established their attack plan as a left wing attack launched across the creek.  This tactical plan did not change for the course of the engagement.  It entailed sending 3 regiments across the creek who were originally in the second division.  There allocation did cause issues in the later point of the battle.

Image below, Saxon attack - left and center are moving around the creek, while the right wing puts on a demonstration to assault head on.  Austrian left wing attack is on the move.  Austrians deploy two regiments along the creek (right flank), supported by one regiment.  Austrian troops, big regiments, are deployed in the town, with two in reserve.  Austrian artillery is on the right flank to sweep the approach to the bridge.  French forces take some fire.  Skirmishers, Austrian and French, line the banks of the creek.

Several turns later, Austrian left flank troops are crossing the creek.  Saxon troops stormed the creek, forcing the Austrian skirmishers back and catching them in the street.  Flank fire by the Austrian units in the houses, combined with an attack by 2/42 Infantry drove out the first French attack.  A secondary French/Saxon attack pushed the 2/42 back.  Supporting fire from the Austrian troops in the houses stalled the French/Saxon attack and allowed the 2/42 to counter attack.  Meanwhile, the French skirmishers on the Austrian right caused significant damage to the Austrian troops lining the creek.  The French/Saxon attack plan was to string out the Austrian line and then converge across the creek.  The French left wing obliques into the gap along the creek and buildings on the Austrian side, while the French cannon and left hand columns begin their attack on the Austrian right.

Austrian troops prior to the French/Saxon attack (red and white markers),  At this point, visibility is declining to the point that the cannon can't see what/who they are shooting at.  The following French/Saxon attack drives back both Austrian units, red marked one first.  The majority of this battle was pushed by the unit 101 (Low Regiment) and 102 (Cerrini Regiment).

Visibility is 200 yards, it's closing on 10pm.  Low regiment (101) is against the building, driving forward in column and taking some flank fire.  Cerrini Regiment (102) is in the center.  French forces are driving in Austrian skirmishers as they swing around the village.  Due to visibility, Austrian guns having no real targets.  One would assume they'd just fire, but the system doesn't allow it.

Meanwhile at 10pm, the Austrian left wing sees French/Saxon skirmishers and attacks.  Austrians are pulling troops out of the town to reinforce the troops behind the town on the hill.  With French/Saxon forces so engaged, the town is considered secure.  Nor can the French/Saxon's at that distance, see the Austrian redeployment.

200 foot general view point

Turn 7, at this point in the game its 10:30pm.  Austrian forces are falling apart.  Most units being attacked by the French are collapsing on the contact.

French attack on the Austrian right continues.  One French unit (104) attacks the Austrian guns and suffers greatly.  The 101 (Low Regiment) has to deploy in line after its column attack was stalled.  The 102 (Cerrini Regiment) continues its uphill slog.  Austrian regiments being threatened continue to break and run instead of fire.  French troops pour in behind this assault.  The Austrian skirmish unit trapped against the outside of the city eventually has to surrender.  French guns are crossing the creek.

Austrian resistance attempts to stiffen as troops come from the town to blunt the French/Saxon attack.

Alas, in leading 101 (Low Regiment) on another charge, Marshal Bernodette suffers a mortal wound as the regiment suffers 139 casualties.  I have changed the course of history with this death - no more future crown prince of Sweden, the heirs of Europe's monarchs will not be the same.  Pretty sure the consequences of this would be far greater than the minor results of winning Wagrum's western area on Day 1.....oops.

The fateful moment when the Marshal suffers his mortal wound.  The 101 (Low regiment) goes from being the hero of the battle to the goat.  It routs 600 yards after the Marshal's death and affect two other units in its panic in the dark.  Meanwhile, the 102 (Cerrini Regiment) just continues to push forward.  All opposition to this regiment falls apart on contact.  Additional reinforcements run over the Austrian cannon which are in the act of limbering and capture all five guns in that battery.

 

Status of both sides at the end of the battle.

200 foot general view at the end of the battle.  Austrian's have six units in the town, but the vast majority have fled.  French infantry and artillery are in possession of the hill overlooking the town, all Austrian guns have fled.  It's a French/Saxon victory given that the majority of the Austrian troops have fled.

Austrian troops that surrendered.

End of the battle results.  French/Saxons losses are over 1000 killed, 1500+ missing and a 193 were made prisoners.  Over 25% casualties.  Worst of all is the loss of their leader.

Austrian loses are oddly lopsided despite a 51% impact / loss of forces statistic.  Slightly over 300 troops were killed.  Most just fled or were made prisoners.  1799 surrendered, over 5000 ran away.  This does mean that the Austrian forces will regroup and eventually be organized back into fighting units. 

28mm Italian/Spanish town

Been slowly working on a town for my 28mn Napoleonic figures used for Sharpe Practice II. Not designed to look spectacular, just to serve as terrain for a game. All cardboard, glue, balsa matchsticks, craft paint. When done it'll fit on a 4x3 table. This is the poor section of the town. Still need to complete painting the windows, putting.on shutters and highlighting the roofs. Will work on completing the richer section of the town later. Already have the buildings roughed out and mostly roofed.

 

Wings of Glory, smoke markers

 

SP2, 1800 Reconnaissance in the Valley

 My 7 year old wanted to fight a battle, so French v Austrians. He was the French, Daddy was the Austrians. SP 2 rules. Just a straight up fight. He has some amazing rolls and in the end Daddy got crushed. It works though as "success" helps keep his interest.

Herbst Woods, Gettysburg wargame

 

My good friend John M. Priest out together Herbst Woods using his 54mm. We played his own rules set which is well streamlined and plays very fluid.

The regiments were broken into wings, led by the Lt. Colonels or the Majors. The quick explanation is that this rules set looks at the chaos of battle, the command problems that come with that and how units will react to adverse conditions, like being under fire.

It's a novel and creative idea. It adds a great deal of friction in the game, and it prevents the 200 foot general for just doing whatever he/she wants.

The initial set up.

I played the Federals, and one of my first acts was to be aggressive and go after the Rebs. This was especially important given the damage inflicted by Reb batteries off the table.

This led to a general fire fight along the whole line, while way out on my left flank the Confederates brought on a large brigade.

This unit was first hit by artillery and the reaction was to flee up the hill. They were rallied and sent back down the hill to their original position, only to face Reb infantry fire and run away again up the hill. They were rallied and eventually sent back down the hill again.

Federals deploy above the marshy ground to counter the Confederate thrust. 

The hand to hand mechanics are simple. Total D6, one for each man. Both sides roll. Then align the dice highest to lowest. Both sides call put what they have going down the dice one by one. Highest roll wins. Ties mean no damage. Of the 5 hand to hand I rolled this well 4 of the times...lucky but it changed the battle.

Confederate right, which is almost 1regiment, NC regiment is losing command control as officers begin to die and can't be replaced. Several times Mike caused my men to react and go prone, but we were able to fire and cause him just enough disruption that he couldn't capitalize on suppressing the Federal line.

 

Confederates advance on the Federal right. This led to a fire fight and a hand to hand that saw the Federals soundly defeat the Rebs in hand to hand but pushed the Federals to redeploy to a new hill a little later.

Federal line retires in good order, refusing ththe line and forcing the Confederates to contract their frontz thus offsetting their numerical advantages. While this took place the Confederate left was disintegrating.

The Confederate flank falls as units flee the field. Federal units are pushing across the creek adding to the general scramble to fall back. With and officers remaining to rally them the Confederate units run for safety.

So ended our battle. I was lucky in that the Confederate artillery shot really poorly 50% of the time, and that they couldn't capitalize on my Federals poor reaction under fire. The Federals had a few successful and devastating rolls that really hammered the Confederates. As they fell into disorder the Federals were able to advance and force additional Confederate reactions. Alas, those turned out poorly for the Confederates.

Great game, loads of fun. The rules played really fast. It took 2 hours and 15 minutes to play that game.