Marengo 2025 Again Part Two

We pick up the game at the start of the Austrian 1230 turn.

The Austrians waste no time in launching an attack on Chambarlhac's Division

as well as a spoiling attack on the French heavy cavalry.

The attacks were very successful, and the Austrian cavalry seeks out fresh targets.

Without giving the French time to recover the Austrian cavalry again attack.

It looks dire, but Murat saves the day.

Around this stage both sides have exhausted all their free-rolls.

It is 1330.

The Austrians have an overwhelming amount of cavalry and run down Napoleon.

His horse is shot out from under him, but he struggled free, 

grabbed a riderless horse, remounted and will return to action...

Murat saves the day again!

After routing one unit of Austrian cavalry, he hits another.

And another, until the French cavalry are exhausted

and dissipated due to winner's losses.

Murat then joins his final brigade of cavalry that has just arrived.

The Austrian artillery has blasted the French defenders of Marengo into oblivion,

but there is still a battery to overcome. 

At Castel Ceriolo one half of the place has been vacated due to excessive French losses.

Murat has joined his final brigade of cavalry that has just arrived.

Monnier's Division has arrived and started to deploy along with the Guard

and Marmont has now got the reserve artillery in position.

Victor remains at the crossroads near Marengo. 

Play will resume with the Austrian 1430 turn (and Napoleon's return).

Carthaginians versus Republican Romans

An historical match of my Carthaginians and Karl's Romans.

The Romans were out scouted and found on a field of battle 

featuring some difficult terrain on the flanks.

The Carthaginians advance.

Skirmishers start to face off while the Carthaginians try to sweep round the Roman left.

The two armies are closing in...

Contact!

The Carthaginian Spanish and Gallic mercenaries defeat their opponents.

But the Romans strike back to devastating effect!

The Carthaginians start to crumble,

even though they have now flanked the Romans.

Defeat 

Next time they will bring the elephants!

Le Havre

Another week another new boardgame to try.  This one is a competitive but not confrontational trading game.  Beautiful graphics, plays quickly and presents some challenges that require planning and patience.

The boat is just a cute add-on to hold the tokens.

Richard identified this site for such things:

https://3dlevelup.com.au/

The value of buildings collected and cash in hand determine the winner.

La Belle Epoque all over again

It has been a while since we played this, but we picked it up quickly enough to have an enjoyable game.  Richard was England, Russell France, Jeff Russia and I was the Central Empires.

At the end of Turn 3 the Central Powers were in the lead, but by Turn 6 it was France.  The game ended on turn seven with a very close result.

England and France tied for first place with 125 points, but England was placed first based on prestige.  Central Powers was third with 121 and then Russia with 118.

Later Abbasid Arabs versus Ghaznavids Again

My Abbasids face the Ghaznavids again.

This time the Ghaznavids were out scouted.

The Abbasids plan to send their light cavalry round the difficult terrain on their right.

There is a wood and a village on their left.

The Abbasids change their plan and wheel to face the Ghaznavids.

Their skirmishers are sent to secure the wood.

The Abbasids shuffle units to protect their left flank.

The Ghaznavids are also shuffling about,

trying to get units ready to exploit the gap in the Abbasid left.

The Abbasids are ready for them,

one unit of Ghaznavids is shot up and retires.

The second unit of Ghaznavid light cavalry locks horns with the Abbasid light cavalry.

The main lines are fairly static exchanging some ineffective long range bow fire.

The light cavalry combat turns bloody,

The ineffective archery continues...

but starts to go the Abbasid's way as they advance.

Their light cavalry has also been successful.

The shooting continues between the opposing cavalry.

The Abbasid infantry has also advanced.

Crunch!

The Abbasid cavalry prevail, routing the Ghaznavid general,

but they are about to get their comeuppance.

While heavy casualties were suffered,

the Abbasids at least dealt with the flank change.

The infantry made contact,

but Ghaznavid losses saw their morale break

and another Abbasid victory ensued.

Marengo 2025 Again Part One

I am lucky to have a collection of players (collective noun needed) to play this game while it is all set up (the labels being the major chore after sorting out the figures).

For this round Stefan was the Austrians and Simon the French.  I umpired, interfered and also took over Lannes command.

Same set up, but this time I deployed the 1,800 men of the 24th Demi-brigade legere 

in Marengo as well as the artillery of Victor's corps.

The Austrians start off horribly congested.

1030 and Napoleon has arrived (top left-hand corner).

The Austrians have kept away from the centre, moving the bulk of their army towards Castel Ceriolo. 

This adds to the congestion as Otto is heading that way as well, but Lannes is almost ready for them.

The first clash has occurred with O'Reilly's cavalry charging the French (top right-hand corner).

Zack's Grenadiers go into action at Castel Ceriolo, trying to drive off the French

before they can have time to fully deploy.

O'Reilly's cavalry had bounced off the French square,

but his Grenzers are about to get revenge.

Until Napoleon arrives Victor and Murat have problems

getting their units in command.

Zack keeps pushing with his grenadiers at Castel Ceriolo,

But it all goes horribly wrong for him.

The Austrians cross the Fontanone and attack Chambarhac's troops.

The Austrians commit cavalry to the attack,

taking advantage of Murat's command difficulties

that have left the French cavalry unable to react.

But Napoleon gets Murat moving and a major cavalry melee develops.

However, it fails to produce any decisive results.

The end of the 1200 turn.

Ott is still deploying before Castel Ceriolo, now held by Lannes.

Zack's grenadiers have rallied, but are effectively hors de combat, being very close to dispersal.

Elsnitz's cavalry are across the Fontanone, with Melas bringing up infantry in support.

O'Reilly's formation is fatigued.

To be continued...

Burgundian Ordonnance versus Numidians

Not a friendly and definitely not an historical, but the first of my competition battles for the Club's 2025 Impetus League which had drawn Mark Woods to face me.  Cannons and crossbows versus sticks and stones.  What could possibly go wrong?

The Burgundians were not unexpectedly out scouted.

There is some difficult terrain on their left, a bit of broken ground top right 

and mostly out of view an impassable lake.

The Burgundians hold their ground and try shooting,

but to no effect.

They try again with the same results,

however, the Numidians are having more success,

with their low-tech missile weapons.

The Numidians decided not to waste time shooting, but charged in.

The organ guns took the brunt of the attack

and while the pike recoiled,

the rest of the line held.

The Numidians redouble their attacks.

The Burgundian knights start to get ready.

The Burgundian line is thinning,

but they have still manged to drive off some of the Numidians.

The Numidian centre has been dealt with

and knights are ready to charge on the wings.

Well, that didn't go very well.

Knights are bogged down and at risk of being attritted to death.

Desperately trying to gain an advantage

the Burgundian commander uses his Ace in the Hole.

Epic fail!

The battle grinds on.

But finally the Burgundians come good,

just in the nick of time,

and the Numidians break,

before any further damage can be done.

Phew!