Victoire pour la grandiose armee......

With the Blucher bug taking full effect we had to run another game last weekend. We played a scenario from the internet where my Dads Austrians were defending against a French attack played by me. I had a slightly larger force but the terrain was more favourable for tne Austrians. There were two main objectives I had to capture for a complete victory or as per the rules if you could break your opponents army rating. After a full afternoon of gaming I managed to break the Austrians after capturing one of those objectives. It was a real tough slog to achieve the result and my cavarly Corp took a right battering from their Austrian counterparts. However my Guard Corp proved their metal in destroying the Austrian force defending the left hand side objective behind the stream and capturing it. In the middle of the battlefield both armies inflicted heavy casualties on each other in some fierce fire fighting and H/H combat. However I was able to pick off a few retreating Austrian brigades with my light cavalry pushing the Austrians past their break point, forcing them to retire from the field. We both managed to lose a our Sub commanders who while leading from the front managed to be one wounded and had to retire from the battlefield. Another fun filled exciting game with these excellent rules, here are some action shots,

The Guard Corp on the advance through the woods

The Austrian line Infantry ready themselves for the Guards attack. A lucky shot from my Guards artillery saw the Austrian guns forced to retire before they had even managed a shot, this proved to be a big loss for the Austrians.

The Main body of French infantry push forward in the centre towards The hill line defended by the Austrians, Awaiting behind to hill is a large presence of concealed units.

The first corps attack is repelled although it does make in roads against the Austrian infantry corp. at this stage I activate my Heavy cavalry corp who charge upon tne unprepared infantry and ride them down.

Close range volley fire and canister fire starts to take its toll

The Guard start to get the upper hand in tne skirmish fire and weaken the Austrians enough to ready for the Bayonet charge

The French Dragoons take the fight to the Ulhans and push the Sustrian cavalry back from threatening  the French infantrymen flanks in tne centre 

Tne Austrian reserve corps reveal themselves and tne Austrian Currasiers charge into the French Currasiers while behind The hill the Austrian Guard corp take the place of the wavering Line infantry.

The Guard cavalry charge the Austrian infantry brigade who have a torrid time from the Guard artillery. Unprepared and heavy casualties made this a one sided combat round.

Been at risk while rallying my infantry my sub commander had to test to see if he became a casualty....on a roll of a six........he was removed from play

The Guard crash home into combat and drive the Austrian defenders back from tne stream Howard's to objective in tne farm area.

After riding down the Austrian infantry and pushing back a brigade of Currasiers the Guard cavalry are over realmed and routed by the remaining Austrian Currasiers although the attached Austrian sub commander becomes a casualty leading the charge.

The Austrian Guard brigades start to push the 2nd French infantry corp back with a fierce counter attack.

A clash between the light cavalry sees the Austrains come out on top forcing tne Zfrench cavalry to retreat.

The Guard continue to push forward as to Austrian infantry break around tne objective leaving it in French control.

 French light cavalry retreating from the combat 

However a brigade of Light cavalry manAges to catch and ride down a retreating Austrian infantry brigade.

The final actions of The game saw the Austrian Currasiers beat and force the French heavy cavalry to retreat heavily depleted, but the loss of a Guard brigade who were caught in flank by two French brigades saw tne Austrian morale broken.

My French force had proved victorious late in the day as tne remaining Austrians retired from the battlefield.

The French army on the March in pursuit of  the retreating Austrian army, Viva Le France...... Well at least for this day anyhow :)