My opponent was one of our newest members, Joe Alberti, now a member of the Austrian army. We played 2B. The Battle of Teugn-Hausen. I was the French (but of course) and Joe commanded the Austrians.
This was Joe's first game against me and he is still learning the ropes. I felt that this was a good choice as it had alot of cover. No use in putting him out in the open yet.
My Frenchmen made their way to the Austrian left flank. I have learned in the past to avoid the open ground in the middle until more French troops arrive. Destenberath's brigade went around the western flank of the Buch Berg and took Roth. Pressing foward against the AdK Legion was Bethezene's "Terrible" 10th Legere regiment. Quickly they overwhelmed them and Joe fell back towards the woods behind the hill and then onto the left flank of his line.
His Hussar #3 squadron on his left was pressed back with much loss. Meanwhile, Lorencz's brigade secured the middle while the artillery moved up to get into position to shell the Austrians assembled to the front of the Hausner Berg.
Soon Friant's division began to make its appearance. As they came on that signalled Grandeau and Petit to start their advance through the woods on the far French left towards the Austrian victory objective in hex 18,23.
The artillery moved forward to bombard the ridge. St. Hilaire's division by this time was moving against the Austrian left. The 10th Legere still held the Buch Berg guarding the horse artillery that was hitting Joe's lines with some effect.
Friant came up to the middle and this signalled the rest of St. Hilaire to press against Joe's lines. The fire was fiercest in the middle as the Austrian lines were able to get in some good shots. Their artillery was putting up a rapid pace of fire making things hot.
However, I had brought up all of the French artillery and they were hitting the Austrians on the flank. Several of Joe's battalians were disordered thus cutting down his fire effectiveness. A key melee in the middle netted several guns.
As the French left came through the woods they ran into some Austrian infantry moving up. A similar event occurred on the Austrian right. Joe was putting his troops into the line.
A fierce but short struggle took place for the small hill at 18,23. The French took that location with no small loss. Meanwhile, the Austrians had abandoned the forward ridge after losing the 250 point objective and were falling back into the woods in much confusion. Joe was able to keep a coherent line throughout much to his veteran wargaming credit. The woods are very difficult to press through. With Austrians in line it makes it very hard to get any advantage.
Some of the French skirmishers poked through the woods where they could get a view of the open terrain to the south only to come face to face with a battery of 6 pounders and some infantry. I pulled them back less they rout. Fighting was fierce in the woods in this area. Joe had placed a 1000 man battalian as an anchor on his left in the woods (around hex 10,24) and it was useless to try and outshoot it. Meleeing it was out of the question.
In this battle I held off on meleeing alot. Instead I put down some accurate fire and it succeeded in disordering several of Joe's battalians. From past experience I had learned it useless to try and press the Austrians into the open. The lack of cavalry would cost me dearly when I reached the open spaces.
On the Austrian right Joe was pressed back a bit to the edge of the woods. There he set up a gunline on the open terrain adjacent to the woods. I kept my worn battalians back and pushed forward some skirmishers around his left. They raced out into the open only to be cut down by some of Joe's cavalry.
On the next turn my light infantry put down some good fire on his cavalry and they routed back! I moved forward with the skirmishers and was able to capture a battery which was located near hex 18,33. This was the extent of my forward progress. The next turn I pulled them back lest then get cut down by Austrian cavalry which by then was reforming.
My past lessons learned, by this time I just stayed in the woods out of LOS of his artillery and line infantry. The battle ended with a Minor Austrian Defeat.
Summary: Joe is a good guy to game with. You guys are in for a treat as he doesnt brag about his play in his games and offers up some nice insight along the way. While he is learning I fully expect that before long a baton or two might be captured by this fine officer. Best wishes to you Joe and much thanks for the game.
(I plan on putting up some screenshots of this action on my website - look for a link that will offer this text and images of the battle)
Bill Peters
Armee du Rhin - V Corps, Cavalerie du V Corps, 20ème légère Brigade de Cavalerie, 13ème Hussar Regiment
HPS Napoleonic Scenario Designer (Eckmuhl, Wagram, Jena-Auerstaedt and ... more to come)
[url="http://www.fireandmelee.net"]Fire and Melee Wargame site[/url]
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