The Hunwickian: Napolionic meeting engagement AAR

Last weekend we ran another game of Blucher with our French and Austrain armies. My new Bavarian corp made its debut in what turned out to be a cracking battle. The morning and early afternoon part of the battle certainly belonged to the My dad and his Austrians as some well timed Currasier charges really dented my infantry attack and threatened to completely overrun my left flank. However a couple of light cavalry brigades managed to hold the Austrain advance at bay for a few vital turns so my Infantry could reposition itself into a orderly battleline. Over on the right flank my Bavarian corp attacked late in the afternoon and attacked with some vigour as it pushed the Austrian left flank back,destroying a couple of brigades in the process. The game was very much in the balance as both sides threw there reserves into the action to try and grasp the victory. My French Currasiers managed to rout a couple of retreating Austrian infantry brigades and over run a heavy artillery mass battery to come within one unit of breaking the Austrian army. In my dads last turn he committed his elite Grenadiers into Davouts remaining depleted infantry brigades who somehow against all the odds managed to hold their ground. Unfortunately we had reached the time we agreed the game would finish as darkness started to descend across the battlefield. Victory was in my grasp and one more turn I am certain would have managed to break one more Austrian brigade to break the armies morale. It most certainly played out to be a game of two halves, I really felt the game had gone when those Austrian Currasiers reeked havoc on my startled French infantry. However once those Austrian Currasiers lost there impetus and started to suffer heavy Casualties and my dad started to roll me some decent command points! the game seemed to turn. My artillery was once again constantly inflicted casualties on the massed Collumns of Austrian infantry and the Bavarians made a resounding debut. I'm really enjoying everything about Blucher rules, long may it continue..Great stuff all round.

My 1st infantry corp and artillery advancing on the left flank.

Davouts corps led by himself, consisted of 6 brigades of infantry two of which were elite. These units were to lead the attack in the centre of the battlefield with every intention to sweep away all in front of them. The Austrian infantry moved up to meet this advance head on.

The Austrian infantry brigade suffers in a fire fight with the French infantry after they advance to the base of the hill after coming under heavy fire from the Bavarian heavy guns.

The Austrian infantry corp on their left flank activate themselves and move across the battlefield to threaten Davouts corps right flank.

Seen the danger of the Austrian infantry moving towards Davouts flank the Bavarian corp makes its first move as it heads to intercept the Austrian corp.

Austrian Veteran Grenz and Landwehr brigades occupy the town.

The first of the Austrian Currasiers are revealed from their concealed position and charge into the unprepared French infantry led by Davout.

Over on the French right flank I'm again totally taken by surprise as another Curradier brigade hammers into my startled French infantry, again unprepared!

The French artillery taking position in front of tne town. Later in the game this artillery unit would be over run by a brigade of Currasiers.

With their Austrian counterparts been in the thick of tne action I launched my Heavy cavalry corp from reserve in support of the Bavarian corp. however a couple of turns of poor command points saw this attack falter for the moment.

The Austrian grenadiers follow up the Currasiers attack on the French left hand side corp. the result of tne combat sees the French infantry give even more ground as the left flank threatens to collapse.

Over on tne right flank the Bavarians finally get into the action and along with a brigade from Davouts corp manage to break two Austrian brigades and take there ground.

These two brigades of French cavalry helped stem the tide on the French left flank as there constant attacks against the Austrian grenadiers and remaining depleted Currasiers allowed the French infantry reform. They just about managed to remain in the game but there exploits had left them severely spent.

The final attack late in the game from the elite Austrian Grenadiers broke one of the French brigades on the hill but somehow the other French brigade managed to actually win the melee!

The Bavarian corp and French cavalry push deep into the Austrian deployment area as the Austrian left flank starts to collapse and retreat.

With a brigade of Austrian Grenadiers badly worn in their sights and unprepared the French Currasiers ready themselves to charge their foe and almost certainly (dice rolls permitting) gain the Final point needed to break the Austrian army but the game had come to its conclusion as the time was up.