316 Aspern-Essling - Day 1 Essling (21 May 1809)

316 Aspern-Essling - Day 1 Essling (21 May 1809)

No doubt, this is a well balanced scenario. With the Austrians' burden of attack comes a sweeping advantage in that the French have no right flank (as defined by the sector cards). Creating a right flank by moving units across seriously weakens the centre; failure to do so can result in three or four right flank cards in the French player's hand which are useless. That happened to me just as I possibly had the upper hand. The only benefit was that my opponent was faced with a dearth of those same cards.

One rule change I would propose is that ALL cards have the possibility to order ONE unit (anywhere), not only some of the special cards.

This was a very balanced scenario, playing to 9 medals. We traded body blows, back and forth. I finally forced the French from the defensive position in the Long Garden, gaining a medal and making the score 8 to 6. On his next turn, the French Cuirassiers devastated one of my Line Infantry units and took out a General. The score was now 8 to 8. All that was left was for me to take out a lone Light Infantry at his baseline. If I had rolled poorly, he would have easily won on his next turn.

Vittoria Francese 9-2. Gli Austriaci attaccano e conquistano dopo molti turni il Granaio...ma per poco. L'intervento della cavalleria francese sulla loro sinistra e un buon uso delle carte tattiche (ben 6 per il francese!) ristabiliscono la situazione. La mancanza di carte per ordinare le truppe sul lato sinistro austriaco influisce non di poco sull'esito dello scenario.

The end at Essling, a big Austrian win 10-4. Charles was slow and steady on approaching the French positions slowly picking off blocks with artillery and ranged fire. The French cavalry was decimated by canister (twice). Napoleon must pull back is spite of the win at Aspern.

A week or so before Christmas, nephew Tom and I fitted in a on Vassal. We went for this scenario as the stats say it's a very even fight. As always, we used the Tactician cards and Tom drew the French.

After some skirmishing in the centre, Austrian infantry under Generals Hohenlohe and Rosenberg advanced on the right to engage the French Light infantry under Gen Fririon holding the Long Garden. The Light infantry fell, Gen Fririon escaping, and the Austrian Line under Hohenlohe took the garden. {A "Force March" card brings me the first banner to make the score 1:2 - remembering the French have two for holding Essling.}

As French artillery softened up the Austrians on the left, Hohenlohe and his men had to retire, having run out of ammo {Tom used a "Short Supply" Tactician card.}.

The Austrians continued to press on the right, Line infantry pressurising the French Lights in the woods right of centre. The Austrian Light cavalry trampled Gen Fririon on their way to thumping their opposite numbers and then occupying the Long Garden. {2:2}

The French Light infantry in the woods right of centre fought off one Austrian Line, which was then finished off by the artillery. But the next Austrian Line infantry eliminated the Lights to occupy the woods while the Light cavalry trotted out of the Long Garden to finish off the French horsemen and then force a reinforcing unit of Light infantry into square {shown by the yellow flash on the unit and that's 4:3}

The only problem for the Austrian Line infantry was that they were under the muzzles of the French artillery and a combination of the guns and French Line moving out of the town obliterated them. {Tom was lucky with his Combined Arms dice and that's 4:4.}

The Austrian infantry finally came off the hills in the centre, attacking the French positions in and around the Granary. Both sides lost a Line infantry unit, but the Austrians got into the Granary. {A "Bayonet Charge" gives me an attacking opportunity and the score's 5:3 as the French lose their majority of the town hexes.}

Continuing their attack, the Austrian infantry finished off the battered French infantry in the Granary (General Valery escaping) to take the whole thing into Austrian control and eliminated the infantry under Gen Boudet on the other side. This General scarpered too. {7:3}

The French advanced on the left, immediately allowing them to re-take part of the Granary with the loss of the Austrian infantry holding it while the French cavalry got in among the infantry outside. {7:4}

And then the Austrian cavalry charged home, chasing off the opposing horsemen and then destroying both French artillery units on the left, while harassing the unattached Gen Valery in the centre. {My turn for the lucky dice to get the artillery and that's a win 9:4}

For once I was able to attack with cards in my hand to continue that attack, first on the right and then in the centre. While Tom struggled with right flank cards in his hand after all his units in that section had gone. That was my most decisive win for a while, but we'll see how well I do when it's my turn to play the French.

Despite his unaccustomed drubbing a few days earlier, nephew Tom was up for another afternoon of games while he was between jobs a few weeks ago. This time we continued with our return match at this scenario.

Given what happened in our previous game, I expected a tough fight for the Granary. Tom moved more troops onto the hills to shoot at the Granary. This concerted fire took a toll on the French defenders, leaving the scores level at 2:2.

Meanwhile, I bolstered my right flank and then attacked, prompting another fierce battle around the Long Garden as the Austrian left responded in force. The scores remained close, one getting ahead then the other catching up and ending at 4:4.

Tom's Austrians then attacked on their right, the cavalry smashing their French opposite numbers even as the French infantry got the upper hand around the Long Garden. 7:8 is a small lead for Tom as one of the French Generals fell in the melee.

The final act was around the Granary with the French artillery finishing off a couple of battered Austrian infantry units for a hard-fought victory 9:8. As I won 9:4 as the Austrians, that's a crushing 18:12 overall!

There are three errors in the "Battle Notes" section for unit composition:
1. The Austrians are supposed to have one Heavy Cuirassier Cavalry unit. It is not on the list.
2. The list shows three French show three Light Cavalry units. They only have two.
3. The list shows one French Foot Artillery unit. They are supposed to have two.

airjudden wrote:

There are three errors in the "Battle Notes" section for unit composition:
1. The Austrians are supposed to have one Heavy Cuirassier Cavalry unit. It is not on the list.
2. The list shows three French show three Light Cavalry units. They only have two.
3. The list shows one French Foot Artillery unit. They are supposed to have two.

fixed, thank you for reporting,

I've actually played this scenario a few times - online and tabletop - so I have some idea how to approach it. My Austrians go first, but Evert surprised me by marshalling his forces and launching a combined arms attack on the right that took out my Light cavalry. This makes the score 0:3 (with the two banners for the village).

The rest of the Austrians held firm and took out all three attacking units - infantry, cavalry and artillery, General Fririon narrowly escaping. That's 3:3 and the French no longer have a right flank - Evert ended up having to play right section cards for no effect.

As the Austrian left flank closed in on the right side of the French centre, the French attacked (a "Bayonet Charge") out of the Granary, eliminating a Light infantry from the hills. However, the village is now empty, so the score is 3:2.

Battle then raged around the Granary as the Austrian cavalry got in on the act, removing a Line infantry and forcing two more into square. Then the French cavalry joined in and took out the Austrian Heavies: 4:3. (We both played "Cavalry Charge".)

Continuing to press, the Austrians eliminated three French Line infantry in quick succession without further loss: 6:3.

Muskets removed a French Light cavalry left of the Granary (7:3), but the Cuirassiers went after the Austrian Lights, pushing them back to the baseline. As the Austrians finally got into the Granary, the Cuirassiers finished off their target but another French Line infantry fell: 8:4.

With the Austrians poised to get the banners for the village, the infantry blew the French Cuirassiers away as they retired (so much for those breastplates) for the win 9:4.

That was a harder fight than the scoreline suggests and was 29 entertaining turns over an hour and a half.

I’ve also posted this report on my BGG blog (with pictures!): www.boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/176030