Open Tournament 2016

"Just drop an email to John (EZ) - he usually answers very quickly"

I did send John a private message, and then posted here as well. No response yet.

Game 2 Elchingen 14 October 1805
Vince Hughes (The MP) - French 4 Banners
Steve Walker (Sansmerci) - Austrian 7 Banners

Learned an important tactic from Vince in the first game which was not to leave the hills. The French had the hot dice at the beginning when cavalry charge took out the Austrian Arty and blasted the Austrian LC to one block. After the Austrian counter attack a first strike card left only one block remaining on two Austrian cavalry which Vince quickly killed both. The match was 4 to 0 banners and I thought I would lose 7 to 0. A bayonet charge saved the Austrians taking out a leader, HC and LC. Now the fighting was around Elchingen changing hands several times. A short supply card moved a full strength French LN
out of the Abby saving a banner. Then the French made a mistake moving the LT out of the woods on the left to get three shots at a lone Austrian LN. This led to the Austrian CU attack on the French FA killing it and then putting the French LT in square leading to its death by the Austrian LN. At this point the game was 6-4 Austrians and ended with a Austrian LN taking out a one block French unit in Elchingen. This was a really close one and could have easily gone the other way.

For those reading I would just like to add that Sansmerci was not being harsh by saying I made a mistake by moving my LT unit out on the left. It was something I put forward post game as I knew how it had hurt me and my chances following that move. It was a costly costly mistake that left them hanging there and also meant my artillery was now unsupported. The fact the FA got a flag against it in the first dice rolled by the CU attacking them meaning a retreat and no battle back and then was destoyed in the 2nd roll exemplifies this.

Also, after our chat, I realised how close I had come. Had it not been for 2 x garrison counters the Austrians had, I could have been better placed to push on for the win earlier. They prevented me from firing and then advancing on the struggling Austrian units that were in range of my attacking LT infantry. Instead, they had to waste a turn attacking the garrisons and thereafter, the French comeback was on.

An excellent game and good comeback by Sansmerci WELL DONE ....... But seeing as he is the finalist in the other Tourney, I'll count it as a good result at this stage getting one win

Round 1, Game 1 Elchingen 14 October 1805
tlangston28 - French 3 Banners, 35 blocks lost
Grondeaux - Austrian 7 Banners, 20 blocks lost

The Austrians were favored by some very well-timed good dice rolls in this match, along with a critical turn where the French luck deserted them. The French started out occupying Elchingen with their LT. The Austrians countered with a combined arms attack by Grenadiers using Sappers, which forced the French out of half the town. The French heavy cavalry then attacked, and destroyed, the Austrian ART in the center. The Austrian LC then attacked the French HC up hill, and got lucky, destroying them. Their bonus attack by them on Elchingen destroyed the French LT, and the Austrian LC moved into the town. The French then executed a well-planned bayonet charge on the Abbey Church. Unfortunately for him, his dice turned stone cold at this point. The Austrian battle back attacks and their follow up the next turn left the French mauled and forced to pull back from the church. Further French attacks on the center eventually cleared all but one hill hex of Austrians. The CU on the Austrian right then took out the French ART. After the Austrians picked off a 1 block French INF, a CU attack on a French LC on the hill resulted in a lucky kill, and the game.
For most of the game, it was too close to call, and could have gone either way. Thanks to Tony for an enjoyable afternoon spent on the battlefield.

Round 1, Game 1 Elchingen, 14 October 1805
EZPickens - French, 7 Banners, 32 blocks lost
Bangla - Austrian, 6 Banners, 27 blocks lost

I'll post a report of this one in due course, but just to show we have moved this match-up to halfway Needless to say, a close one which could have gone either way.

Round 1, Game 1 Elchingen, 14 October 1805
Game 1
Gonzo (Allied): 7 banners won
Mark McG (French): 6 banners won

A rather bizarre game where my dice were smoking hot in the early part of the game, I was getting things like 5 ART hits on 7 dice. French reached 5-0 ahead. But the dice couldn't last, and the cards started snookering French plans. A load of Right cards (5 of 6 cards) meant the vital centre was on starvation rations. French got to 6-1, and then the Austrians took 6 banners in a row in a dramatic turn around. Mainly this was the result of a French assault on the Abbey, which a 2 strength Austrian Grenadier defied 3 full strength French Line and put them into graves.



Game 2
Mark McG (Allied): 1 banners won
Gonzo (French): 7 banners won

The shoe on the other foot here, from the outset I couldn't hit a damn thing, and it persisted that way for the entire game. The only Austrian kill was getting 2 CAV on 5 dice vs a Heavy Cavalry retiring. Everything else just folded up, the Abbey fell without a single French casualty. Worse still, as the game progressed, the Austrian cards got worse, all flank cards and half were the now vacant Left Flank.

Game got broken up by a VASSAL outage, and about a week elapsed between pt1 and Pt2

kind of disappointing to see only 6 games of 12 played this close to the deadline, though I understand some have been played and not reported. So I'll extend the deadline to the end of this weekend, Sept 18. Please get those games played and the results reported.

Round 1, Game 1
Elchingen, 14 October, 1805
FrenchricusRex (French, Ney): 7 banners
Gottoman (Allied, Riesch): 5 banners


A close fight indeed. French guns opened the ball, but the Austrians answered in kind. French legere attempted a push on Elchling, but were slowed and forced into square by Austrian cuirassiers. Riesch, sensing the threat of supported French cavalry, bolstered his position in Elchling and on the heights. Perhaps trying to make a name for himself, Ney threw the dragoons at the center of the Austrian line between the heights and the town. They managed a breakthrough, only to be thrown back by Austrian grape from the heights and musket fire from the town. On the French right, the Austrian cuirassiers were wreaking havoc, but were played out by musket fire from the woods. The French then massed on the right, preparing for an all-out assault on the Abbey Church. La Victoire est a Nous could be heard through the crisp Autumn air as the Mahler's division advanced on the church. bayonets flashing, the French swept the Austrian grenadiers from the churchyard. But Riesch pushed back in the center, routing what remained of the initial French push on the heights with murderous volleys from his big battalions. Mahler, seeing his opportunity, pushed into the Austrian left/rear, mopping up stragglers as he went.

At the end of the day, Ney had taken the Abbey Church and unhinging the Austrian left, threatening Riesch's interior lines. Riesch still held the heights and the town, but had taken very serious casualties throughout. A near run thing.

Greg was a most gracious opponent, setting straight many of my newbie ways. He revealed to me that his hand at the end of the game was entirely right flank cards... useless. He was living "card to card," and played it very well. I am very much looking forward to our next game!

Round 1 Game 2: Elchingen 304
tlangston28 (Austrian) : 7 Banners , 11 blocks lost
Grondeaux (French) : 2 Banners, 29 blocks lost

(EDIT: to keep block count consistent on loss with game 1 posting)



On our second game of the the first round, Almost the entire battle was fought on the French Right Flank. After an initial French approach, the Austrians countered with the HA and CU moving up and the HA taking a pot shot at a LN unit drawing first blood. This setup an combined arms attack on the next Austrian turn that was foiled by a French first strike that ultimately destroyed the CU. The French then setup 2 different assaults, one on the GR unit in the Abbey which, while ultimately clearing the church, cost them much in the way of casualties as the Austrians were able to spend a turn firing on the approaching line and then were able to play a First Strike and a First Infantry Combat Tact card on two different melees. This left the French right with all units containing 1 or 2 blocks. The second assault came in the center as he played a cavalry charge to threaten the FA on the hill with LC and a HA combined arms and the Austrian HA on the right. A play of an Artillery Canister card forced the LC to retreat back to the Danube and the HC attack on the Austrian HA did not result in a kill. On the follow up turns, A counter attack on the HC by an Austrian LC eliminated the HC and the attached leader. The followup breakthrough was able to eliminate the LN unit in the abbey. Having both of these assaults blunted by tactical cards and unlucky die rolls put the French on their heels. A final cavalry charge by the Austrians eliminated a 1 block FA and the followup bonus attack defeated a 2 block LN unit in square, combining arms with an HA unit.

As mentioned at the beginning we were both tied to the French Right / Austrian Left as our card play seemed to indicate that. My tactician cards were very opportune: Artillery Canister, First Infantry Combat and Capable Tactician. This allowed me to collect the First strike card played by Grondeaux on my initial CU charge, giving me 3 opportunities to turn the tables on assaults. Grondeaux I believe played his hand to the best that could be done, but it seems as in the first game, the French assault on the right faltered, in the first game to cold dice and in this game to the Austrians having optimal tactician cards to play. Another enjoyable game with Thom.

Our second game kicked off with hot action on the left flank which pretty much ended in a draw and not much left there. Action moved to the right and center with an aggressive French BC card and then the battle raged for control of the abbey and town. French held both and gained two banners, enough to add to 5 banners from kills to win. French payed aggressive and it paid off in this game. David is a great player and sport, glad he's joined in the MT and OT's!

Combined Games with FrenchricusRex
Game 1 Greg O Allies lost 5-7
Game 2 Greg O French won 7-1