Back to LE FEU SACRE
I thought it might be fun to show him how fighting in and around BUAs can be very challenging.
The French, and Polish allies were tasked with holding an important substantial village against Austrian
attempts to take it
C-in-C - SOLID [DAv, LFS +1]
Sapper Company 1 Coy +1 added to a unit they are attached to in BUA
1st French Infantry Division - SOLID [DAv, LFS +1] (c5,400 Infantry, 400 Cavalry 16 guns)
Bde
Two Legere Btns C Class Sk 1
Two Legere Btns D Class Sk 1
Bde
Three Ligne Btn C Class Sk 1
Two Ligne Btn D Class Sk 1
Cavalry Bde
Chasseur A Cheval Regt C Class Light Cavalry
Artillery
Two Foot Batteries B Class 16 x 8lb Medium Guns
Polish Division – SOLID [DAv, LFS +1] (c2,400 Inf, 12 guns, 800 Cavalry)
Bde
Sapper Company 1 Coy +2 added to a unit they are attached to in BUA
2nd Polish Line Regt B Class Sk 2
C Class Sk 1
Two Btns 4th Polish Line Regt C Class Sk 1
Polish Foot Battery C Class 6 x 6lb Medium Guns
Polish Horse Battery C Class 6 x 4lb Light Guns HA
Bde
2nd Polish Uhlans 4 Sqn C Class Lancers
4th Polish
Chasseurs a Cheval 4 Sqn C Class Lancers
One Fake
Austrians
C-in-C MERVELDT – CAUTIOUS/SOLID [DAv-1]
Reserve Artillery [12 guns] - CAUTIOUS/POOR [DAv-1]
Two Foot Artillery Batteries 6 x 12lb guns C Class
Infantry (Light) Brigade SORBENBURG – SOLID [DAv-1, LFS +1] (2 Btn; 1200 Inf, 1200 Cav, 8 guns)
Grenz Regt 2 Btns C Class Sk 2
Two Hussar Regts C Class
Dragoons B Class
Foot Artillery 8 x 6lb guns C Class Medium Gun
Infantry Division – A. LEICHTENSTEIN – CAUTIOUS/SOLID [DAv, LFS +1]
[12 Btns; 9,000 Inf, 16 guns]
Bde KLOPPSTEIN
Kaunitz Inf Regt #20 1 Btn* C Class Sk 1
2 Btns C Class Sk 1
W. Colloredo Inf Regt #56 3 Btns D Class Sk 0
Foot Artillery 8 x 6lb guns C Class
Bde MECZERY
Reuss-Greitz Inf Regt #18 1 Btn* C Class Sk 1
1 Btn C Class Sk 1
Vogelsang Inf Regt #47 1 Btn* D Class Sk 0
1 Btn D Class Sk 0
1 Btn*(Land.) E Class Sk 0
Rainer Inf Regt #15 1 Btn*(Land.) E Class Sk 0
Foot Artillery 8 x 6lb guns C Class
Independent Grenadier Brigade – FURSTENWERTHER – SOLID [DAv-1, LFS +1] (4 Btns; 3,600 Inf, 8 guns]
Grenadiers 4 Btns* B Class Sk 0
Foot Artillery 8 x 6lb guns C Class
Independent Kurassier Brigade - ROTHKIRCH – CAUTIOUS/SOLID [DAv-1, LFS +1] (800 Cav)
Two Kurassier Regts C Class Heavy Cavalry
No Fakes
* Denotes 18 figures strong
I deployed my forces just on the table edge; Light Brigade to the left, Reserve Artillery opposite the village
and my Infantry Division on the right. I decided to leave my Kurassier and Grenadier Brigades in the centre
just off-table on HOLD orders. The Light Brigade had orders to swing around the wood and attack the Farm,
Artillery Reserve was to attack the village with close range cannister whilst the Infantry held their initial
position until I was aware of what i was facing.
Nige deployed one blind on his extreme left flank, one behind the village and one on his extreme right.
Nigel moved his central blind into the town, refused his left flank and advanced forward on his right flank.
I tried to prep the village first by firing 12lb grape into it. I had placed a battery of two heavy cannon, in
range and arc of fire, with orders to attack the village (In other words advance to within grape range and
engage). However, I had problems spotting the blind and couldn’t really do much except for fire once
before I was forced to assault. I spotted the blind to the right of the town as a fake however.
On my left Nige had tried to attack in column with an Infantry Division of two Brigades. This had surprised
me somewhat. Nige is a very defensive player and I must admit I had completely underestimated him.
My opposing Light Brigade had orders to advance and flank the village to the east. I had repelled his attack
with two Battalions of Grenzer in line, supported by two Regts of Hussars and one of Dragoons, forcing
both Battalions to retire 4” shaken.
Next turn my chip had turned up first. With my units now on hold orders (I had changed their orders with my
C-in-C) but still being pinned, I rolled enough PIPs to allow one Grenzer Battalion to attack resulting in a
French Battalion routing and triggering a nearby shaken unit, within 8”, to rout too.
Next turn his chip turned up first and he fired his artillery shaking my Infantry and preventing me following
up my success. He then rallied his routers and formed square with his leading battalions, within charge
range of my cavalry. Next he assaulted my shaken Grenzer unit with an attack from two more Battalions in
column and routed them. This triggered another of my shaken units within 8” to rout, sadly through the B
class Dragoons behind them, disordering them (batter class) and routing a Hussar Regt (same class).
Stalemate had ensued on this part of the battlefield as both sides licked their wounds.
Realising I needed to get a move on, I brought on a Brigade of four 18-figure strong Austrian Grenadiers, in
column, with orders to attack one half of the village.
These fought a close affair with the Poles opposite them. An attack upon a Polish (light) horse battery and
adjacent Polish line battalion resulted in the gun being abandoned and Poles withdrawing though winning a
firefight (C Class Vs B Class Grenadiers). Another Grenadier battalion assaulted the BUA held by a Battalion
of 2nd Duchy of Warsaw Inf Regt. (B Class, Sk 2) with a large Sapper Company attached adding a +2. Not
unexpectedly I was repelled.
I then sent in a full Austrian Division of twelve Battalions, in desperation, to assault the other half of the
BUA as the evenings action was almost up.
It had taken all evening to get them to move as they were Cautious and had managed to sit idle for six
turns! Not only that but having a mixture of C and D Class troops I needed many PIPs to be able to
manoeuvre properly.
That half of the village was defended by another Battalion of 2nd Duchy of Warsaw Inf Regt. This was rated
as C Class, Sk1, and Sapper base attached.
Assaulting were;
Austrian 47 Inf Regt ‘Vogelsang’; two 12-figures, one 18-figure Btns, D Class, Sk 0 from West.
and 20 Inf Regt ‘Kaunitz’; one 18-figure and one 12-figure, C Class, Sk1 from South.
Firstly I must mention it took four PIPs to assault. Kaunitz – 1 PIP, Vogelsang – 3 PIPs. As the Divisional
Commander was a Cautious/Solid Commander this in itself was no mean feat for Austrians.
Also the Poles had taken a casualty from a 12lb prior in the turn.
Anhow here’s what happened;
Poles;
Basic CV 2
Sappers attached in BUA +1 = 3
Village Defence factor +2 = 5
Total difference in Skirmish factors; Poles 1, Austrians 2 (Sk 1, 1, 0, 0, 0 = 2) = -1
= 4 TOTAL CV
Austrians;
Basic CV 2
Outnumber enemy 3:1 + 2 = 4 (Actually it was over 6:1; 11 Poles Vs 72 Austrians)
Outclassed by enemy –1 = 3
= 3 TOTAL
Nige rolled D6 and obtained an 8 + 1 (difference between respective CV’s)
9 = Lower CV retires Shaken 4” and loses 2 casualties. Poles lose 1.
So the valiant Poles repelled five enemy Battalions forcing all to be shaken. Next turn they would require
FIVE PIPs to unshaken all units alone, let alone advancing others in support. Ouch!
The game ended I must say with two Regts of Polish Lancers turning up on my shaken units flank. The next
turn would have seen carnage if my troops had been affected by cautious chip or lack of PIPs again.
Nige also started to move units from his right flank over to attack my centre and the badly shaken up
grenadiers.
A great game though.
