305 Mariazell (8 November 1805)

305 Mariazell (8 November 1805)

even with a good start the Austrians seem to struggle in this one. Just not fast enough to chase down the French.

Well, I have solo-played this one as my first Austrian scenario, and I was very delighted with it. It ended up 4-1 for French, but gee, I really thought, that Austrians will win this one, as there were so many French single units.. twice single infantry unit (one with leader), solo LC with leadear, two LC with leader. Apart from crazily great Leadership (2x LC with 2 and 1 block and full moved LN with leader) - destroyed 3 infantry units and full strength artillery. Awesome scenario!
I am looking forward to other scenarios

After 7-8 played games and all won by French I really will start playing/testing this scenario with Austrian going first.

The problem with this scenario is the close setup. So the player, who goes first, have an advantage and with good cards a big advantage

Therefore the setup should have at least 1 or 2 row(s) more between the armies.

Pulled off a win with the Austrians in Mariazell, but we played with a modification I had seen recommended elsewhere - the Austrian artillery is moved one hex back, still adjacent to the town.

The French moved on the left, causing the Grenzers heavy casualties and forcing them back to the hills. After that it was a shoving match in the center between French and Austrian infantry. The French light were driven back, but the French line managed to reach the hills by taking ground after assaulting the Grenzers a second time. Luckily the Austrian infantry line was able to repulse them with heavy casualties shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, around the town, the Austrian infantry slowly pushed back the French cavalry, eventually scaring them into retreating to their baseline by the end of the battle.

Wow, the French light are up against it in a hurry. I played the French and lost 4-2, the cav on the right had smashed one massed battalion and had the other down to 1 block at games end. On the left, had taken the hill, but Grenadiers rudely obliterated what took it. In all, could not get flags to make Austrians run, and had to whittle them down and lost attrition battle. Good fun none the less!

Not sure how the Austrians win this. We started all the French units one hex towards their baseline and withdrew the Austrian artillery unit behind the town as suggested elsewhere, and the French still won 4-0 and 4-2 (one banner was a leader loss). On the plus side, both games took less than one hour in total so we could move on to another battle in the same afternoon.

Extremely close, and Austrians are lucky to take it 4-3. Initial melees break up and each side regroups. Came down to a do-or-die roll.