312 Eggmühl - Day 2 French Left (22 April 1809)

312 Eggmühl - Day 2 French Left (22 April 1809)

Davout dismembers Rosenberg’s position with machine-like efficiency. French win 9-1. The Austrians attempted an attack in the center which degenerated into a slaughter.

Evert plays the French first, but my Austrians made the early running with a concerted attack centre left that eliminated two French infantry and took the score to 3:0. The French hit back hard, taking out three Austrian infantry to level things at 3:3. (We had some good cards: "Force March" and "Bayonet Charge" on my side while Evert had an "Elan".)

The Austrian infantry pushed forward in the centre, taking damage but removing two more French Line, only for Evert to finish off two of the battered infantry and put pressure on Unterlaichling. That's 5:5.

Skirmishing around the battlefield followed: Austrian attacks took out the French Light cavalry probing the Austrian left flank and a battered Line left of centre. And then a second Light cavalry on the right. That's 8:5 and I only need one more banner.

Then the French surged forward (Evert had a "La Grande Manoeuvre" followed by a "Bayonet Charge") into the woods in the centre and left of centre where they removed two Austrian Line and General Rosenberg. Suddenly it's 8:8 and anybody's game. However, I was able to finish off a French Line in the woods for a hard-fought victory 9:8.

That was a fierce battle that took 28 turns and kept us busy for just over two hours. Great stuff - will the re-match be as good?

I’ve also posted this report on my BGG blog (with pictures!): www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/175424

It's my turn to play the French after my victory with the Austrians.

The French infantry marched forward in the centre, chasing the Austrians out of the woods next to Unterlaichling and then taking the village with the demise of its defenders. First blood to me and Evert loses the banner for the village, so the score's 1:0.

Austrian demonstrations towards Unterlaichling were beaten off (losing one unit) and the advancing French centre blew away the Grenzers in Oberlaichling and the Line infantry in the woods in front. The Austrians got one back from the French left. That's 5:1 now I have the banner for the village.

Fighting shifted to the French right with the Austrians re-taking Unterlaichling and removing two French Line and General Deroy (leading the French response). However, my Light cavalry got lucky and took out the Austrian artillery by sneaking behind the field works, only to be beaten back and eliminated by their Austrian counterparts. (5:6 as the Austrians have the banner for Unterlaichling.)

Action switched back to the centre with fighting around Oberlaichling where both sides lost a Line infantry. Most battered French units retired (I used "La Grande Manoeuvre" to get infantry out of harm's way), but the Austrians finished off a Light infantry that didn't get away: 6:8 and it's almost over.

As a 'Hail Mary', I threw the right-flank French cavalry against Unterlaichling and got lucky again: Austrian Line removed and village back in French hands to make it 7:7.

The score went to 8:7 with the banner for the village and the French finally made a move on the left to eliminate one of the Grenzers in the woods. That last-minute turnaround meant a win for me, 9:7.

Another great fight. It lasted a few turns and 20 minutes less than the first game. And the aggregate score is 18:15 to me.

I’ve also posted this report on my BGG blog (with pictures!): www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/175444

9/7 for the Austrians then 9/5 for the French.
Guillaume has already a problem with his dice...

Evert and I have now played all the Austrian scenarios, but there are a few we wanted to re-visit. As usual, Evert took the French first and the battle started with skirmishing through the woods on the left. Both sides lost a Line infantry, so the score's 2:1 (as I still have the banner for holding Unterlaiching).

Then Evert used a "Force March" to attack in the centre, pushing the Austrian infantry out of Unterlaiching while a lucky shot took out General Dedovich. So it's now 1:2 and 1:3 when the French get the banner for the village.

Continuing French attacks centre-left took out another two Austrian Line infantry: 1:5. Then the right-flank cavalry hit the Austrian left flank. Out went the Horse artillery, then a Light cavalry and another Light cavalry. It's now 1:8. And Evert played a second "Cavalry Charge" on the trot to finish off a third Light cavalry and take the win.

This was a fast-paced game - just 19 turns in 90 minutes - and a very different result from our previous close games.

The return match was a couple of weeks later and my turn with the French. After musketry took out an Austrian Line infantry in the centre, battle was joined on the right. I had a "Cavalry Charge" and the Austrian horse had carefully moved into range. The Cuirassiers eliminated a Light cavalry, then a second and the Horse artillery as I pressed the attack, taking the score to 4:1.

The plucky last Austrian cavalry took out a Cuirassier, but was immediately crushed by the rest of the French horsemen: 5:2.

Things went quiet for a while (I'd run out of right flank cards) while I consolidated the French infantry left and centre, hoping to make a concerted attack. The Austrians did the same and rather better as they eliminated a French Light infantry. However, they'd also vacated Unterlaiching, so the score's still 5:2.

I retreated my battered cavalry from the right flank and took Unterlaiching ("La Grande Manoeuvre" does its thing), only for Evert to remove the infantry in the village (5:3) and re-take it (5:4 in due course).

A "Force March" let me attack en masse in the centre. The result was both sides losing an infantry unit (6:5). Then there was finally some action on the left, advancing French infantry eliminating an Austrian infantry uni. (7:5)

The coup de grace came centre-right when French cavalry and infantry finished off two Austrian infantry on their last legs.

That was a longer game - 27 turns and almost two hours - and more like the close battles we had the first time we played this scenario. This time, the French won both times and Evert wins the scenario on aggregate 10:14.

I have also posted this report on my BGG blog (with pictures!): boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/181128