France 1814 : Black Powder rules.

Steve C and I managed to fit in another game today - a combined Russian/Austrian & Bavarian force attacking the French on the defensive. Steve won the toss and chose to be the French.

The Allies are attacking right to left, the French trying to hold the river line. The French have two infantry brigades and a large light cavalry brigade, three guns.  

 There are three Allied infantry brigades backed up by three small cavalry brigades, four guns. 

A French infantry brigade defends a village and bridge.

With skirmishers deployed outside the village.

An Austrian brigade, grenadiers to the front, is heading straight for them.

To the left of the village, another battalion has lined out facing across the river

They are soon troubled by enemy artillery on high ground facing them

The Austrians are quick to charge the village and drive back the French skirmishers

They have retreated onto the bridge

No wonder with three Austrian battalions coming at them !

In the Allied centre, Russian infantry keep behind the cover of high ground as their cavalry move in front of the woods

The French have deployed a gun close to the ford

The Allied heavy cavalry is now formed up in the centre

but opposite them are six French regiments of light cavalry

Right of centre of the Allied lines, a Bavarian brigade advances

They receive fire from a French brigade which has taken the left hand village and deployed a gun. 

Extreme left of the French positions, Austrian Lancers and Hussars sweep around the woods which are occupied by French skirmishers

The Austrian attack across the bridge can be seen here - and the Russian infantry brigade is now advancing over the high ground

They are in attack columns

The French light cavalry advance towards the Russian cavalry

They have picked up one casualty marker from enemy artillery fire

The Bavarians have put one battalion in line beside their artillery on the crest, facing the French cavalry

Prepare to charge !

The French in the left hand village have beaten off attacks by the Bavarians - in the process, the Bavarian brigade has lost one unit and a second is shaken and disordered meaning the brigade is broken.

Here we see the advance of the French, supported by a horse gun. 

The charge of the French dragoons forces the remaining Bavarian battalion into square

They will be unable to break this and to make matters worse, the cavalry receive fire from the Bavarian gun at close range

The Austrian grenadiers are across the bridge and charging a French line

the French lose the melee and have to retreat

The Russian infantry have now charged the ford - the French gun fails to cause them any damage.

Cavalry melee !  Four French light cavalry regiments take on the Russian Cuirassiers and Dragoons

Meanwhile, the French dragoons have become disordered by the Bavarian fire and the Chasseurs next to them also receive fire

The sweeping flank move by the Austrian light cavalry continues

The French feel they have secured the left hand village now the Bavarians have been driven off

All but the square have now withdrawn

The French line which retreated from the Austrian grenadiers is about to be charged again 

The cavalry melee has not gone well for the French - one unit has been destroyed, others shaken, resulting in the whole brigade being broken

The Russian cuirassiers have followed up and chased off another regiment as the dragoons continue their melee with the French Chasseurs a Cheval.

The Austrian infantry attack succeeds again and now this French brigade is broken from a combination of fire and melee.

Two out of the three regiments are shaken and disordered. 

and the Russians have now destroyed the French gun guarding the ford

so the Allies are across the river at two points

with the French cavalry in full flight

and the right hand French infantry brigade broken too, the remaining French forces must retire from the field - an Allied victory. 

The Russian commander can feel mighty pleased with himself

Russian High Command plan the next phase of the campaign.

Last word goes to the Austrian Grenadiers - Huzzah !!!

An enjoyable afternoon's gaming punctuated by a trip to the pub for lunch, of course !