Marengo - Part 1

Today Stephen N and Mark B got together at my place to refight Marengo.  This was a refight of a scenario I had done two months ago with Richard, but this time using a printed playing surface.  I umpired, but also took Ott's command.  Stephen was Melas and Mark Napoleon.

The French deployed on the Marengo plain.

Victor's troops deployed around the town of Marengo, behind the Fontanone Creek.

The Austrians.  Note improved movement trays and large print labels, specially designed to blend in with the playing surface.

The scenario allows the Austrians to deploy within six inches (six hundred yards) of the French.  It's a tight fit.

Ott arriving in march column.  It is good to see those limbers getting some use.

At the end of 10:30 the Austrians have advanced Elsnitz's cavalry across the Fontanone Creek and into the marsh.

The French move Lanne's corps to Castel Ceiolo.

11:00 and the French launch an all out cavalry charge against the Austrian horse still entangled in the marsh.  (The units are roughly equal - all 12 figures strong, but the Empire basing of Stephen's Austrian figures doesn't translate well to Napoleon's Battles basing.)

The French seemed to have formed a solid line...

The cavalry clash was inconclusive.  The Austrians have pushed round the French left flank and driven off one of Victor's brigades.  Napoleon has arrived (top left hand corner).

The Austrian's make a combined arms attack on the remaining brigade of Gardanne' division.  This was amazingly successful and Frimont's cavalry went on to cause havoc, running through the French left, cutting down routers and threatening Napoleon himself.  He was only saved by a lucky use of a free roll that turned a captured result into a minor wound.

12:00 and while Napoleon was being covered in gory glory blood, the Austrian cavalry recovered from their earlier set back and charged...

Murat handled his cavalry with the skill expected and the Austrian cavalry are severely repulsed.  What is left of Elsnitz's division is now fatigued. In the top middle can be seen the Austrian cavalry who gave Napoleon a near run thing.

Marengo is surrounded, but the Austrians make no impression on its defenders.

Ott has been rather tardy in his advance, behaving with excessive conservatism.

Murat strikes!  Despite a free roll, the Austrian grenadiers twice fail to form square and are ridden down.  They sweep round the rear of Morzin's grenadier division into O'Reilly's command routing a brigade of Grenz and supporting light cavalry.

14:00 and French reinforcements are arriving.

At this stage we had played for around six hours and we adjourned till a later date.