OT2024 Round 5

OT2024 Round 5
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OT2024 Round 5

Match 1
302 Günzburg (9 October 1805)

Renaud (Austrian)  5 banners won
Mark McG (French)  7 banners won

Game opened with a bang with the French making a Grand manoeuvre on both flanks, and the Austrians counterattack lifting off the first unit attacked, and nearly the second.

The French centre attack on the island was thrown back, and facing a massive hit deficit, the French dug in for a long battle. The island became a no man's land, and the flanks a stand off.

The Austrians then made an attack on their left, which looked dangerous, but fluffed an important roll and when the dust settled, the French remained in the town, and the unit losses had equalized. At this point the French grenadiers ventured across the river to the island, and in a do or dare, charged across the island to the bridge, eliminated the artillery in the town and took a town hex, relative safety.

With 5 units now across the river, I could afford to lose 1. I did, and almost a 2nd, but standing at 5 banner apiece, I could claim 3 extra banners for units across the river (2) and 3 towns (1 banner).

A 2 hour match, leaving me sweaty and drained at the end.. though that could be the COVID.
 

Match 2
302 Günzburg (9 October 1805)

Mark McG (Austrian) 5 banners won
Renaud (French) 1 banner won - conceded

No luck for Renaud here, after an initial blaze of glory chopping down the LT stuck on the island, the French struggled, with the Austrian artillery dominating the island.
A French cavalry charge ran into a timely drawn Cannister, and short of some ART killing dice, it was done in the centre except for the Austrian firepower.

On the French right, the initial French leader assault was checked, and then cavalry cut down the falling back Line and ldr. A promising force march across the bridge failed to deliver a result, and was cut to pieces and was struggling.
On the French left, the Austrians got to the town first, and the flank settled to a stand off.

With 3 towns, 2 French dead and 2 French leaders dead, vs 1 Austrian LT eliminated, Renaud hoisted the white flag, and it probably had very little left in it. I was likely enough to kill 2 units in my next turn.
 

Mike Stanley (scipio1zama) – French – 7 banners – won

Nickolay (Lornlane) – Austrians – 6 banners


Long game saw fighting move from section to section, trading shots, slowly trading kills, no significant breakthroughs or brilliant maneuvers, just a real slugfest.  Score was 1-0, 1-1, 1-2 (Austrians occupied 3 towns, never relinquished this banner), 2-2, 2-3, 3-3, 4-3, 5-3, 5-4, 6-4, 6-5, 6-6 and finally 7-6.  49 turns were played – for a 7 banner game!

match 1 viridovilas austrian 6 39 block losses
              philippe     france    7 29 block losses

more 2h played ,34 long turn,,,with french slow move without baionnet or march forced,,,and used a lot bombard card with lucky dice along the game...austrian missed some match ball when 6/6 ,,it was a deal match as good card to austrian and good dice for french,,,,dice won card ....my log was over? i ve just final save.
 

match2 viridolas france  5  
             philippe autiche 7

35 turn long game turn,,,,,french unit had pushed on the left but few infantry first card helped austrian unit to stand.and as rally card coming in the austrian side, the balance lucky reach towards me and i suceeded with artillery after a long shot time...

Mike Stanley (scipio1zama) – Austrians – 7 banners – won
Nickolay (Lornlane) – French – 4 banners
Another long (but exciting) game started with a French attack in the center, followed by a Cavalry Charge that quickly led to the demise of the Austrian forces on the island – FA, LT and the leader D’Aspre.  Exchanges of ranged fire also took out a French LN on their left.  A LOT of maneuvering followed which saw the Austrians gain a banner for town control (briefly lost then regained) and set up good defensive positions.


Meanwhile, a massive build-up of French forces on their right flank totaling 8 units portended what was to come.  The Austrians moved their two LC to that flank, which later turned out to be a decisive decision.  A French Force March launched the climactic battle, marching up to the bridge, marshes and woods and doing some damage to the Austrian LN in Leipheim.  But the Austrians had just drawn an Assault Left card, and were able to launch cavalry and infantry attacks that put units in square and put 3 hits each on two French LN. 

The carnage continued, the French eliminating the Grenadier and reducing an Austrian LN to one block and another to 2 blocks while capturing the town.  But the Austrians maneuvered to put three French units in square, and eventually eliminated 2 LTs, a LN and the leader Lefol, while recapturing the town.  The final event was an Austrian Bayonet Charge which ordered a single unit – a 2-block LN attacking a 2-block French LN in Square and rolling 2 hits for the 7th banner.
Nick only joined the wargaming community last year, and this tournament has been his first experience with C&C Napoleonics, but he played both games like a pro and made the contests fun and challenging!

Match 1, Gunzberg

Jim (Austrian) 7 banners won

Steve T. (French) 6 banners won

Steve jumped out to an early lead, crushing my forces on the island and generally kicking butt. Over time, the Austrians started to climb back into it. The Austrian forces are really quite powerful, with plenty of grenadiers, those big 5 block infantry units and 3 artillery.

The French were still mostly in control, but a couple of dice rolls that could have ended the game did not, and the Austrians launched a bayonet charge to try and steal a win. Somehow the dice gods smiled and Steve's French were narrowly defeated. I told him at the end I stole it and should have worn a mask. If you play through the log file, you will see what I mean. I'm sure he is looking forward to the return match.

Match 1

David (Austrian) 3 banners won

Michał (French) 7 banners won
 
 

Match 2

Michał (Austrian) 7 banners won

Dawid (French) 5 banners won
 

Round 5 Game 2
Austrians – Steve T; 7 banners taken, 36 blocks lost
French – Jim F: 5 banners taken, 39 blocks lost
This was a long, slow battle with feints and attacks up and down the front, with both sides trying to wring every last bit of advantage from terrain, units and cards. Very close and it could easily have gone the other way. It’s the first time I’ve beaten Jim in four games, he is a very challenging opponent, and a pleasure to play against!
Battle began with the French attacking the island, with the loss of the Austrian battery and a very lucky escape for the shattered Austrian lights (0-1). My Austrians brought their cannons forward to the centre ridge and both sides were moving reinforcements toward the French left. The French LC here seized Reisenburg but were repulsed by an Austrian bayonet charge. An Austrian attack into the central island took two banners (with one for all four towns making 3-1), but the French reorganised with LGM and destroyed or repulsed the attackers (3-2). There followed limited but unsuccessful French attacks on both flanks (4-2). On their right, the French appeared to be preparing a forced march two hex advance across the bridge by a pair of LI with leaders (looking at the log file I can see Jim didn’t have this card – nice bluff!) – so my two infantry units attacked first: with one destroyed and one driven back (4-3).
After further manoeuvering, both sides had amassed some strength on the French left. My Austrians attacked and were defeated (4-5) and the French advanced across the Danube here and occupied the bridge on the other flank, holding three of these and threatening an extra banner. The Austrian reply destroyed two French line (6-5), reoccupied a Danube bridge, and in the following turn destroyed the nearby one block French art (7-5).