Amstetten, November 5th 1805.
This was the second re-fight of the battle of Amstetten using my Napoleonic wargames rules, "Black Powder & Blue Steel"
My friend Andy Crofton had expressed the preference to be Murat – I played Bagration.
Andy adopted a more cautious, "wait and see" approach than did Murat himself on the day, and so at first, he decided upon a little softening up the Allies lines with his divisional artillery for a nominated eight turns.
This did indeed cause a lot of disorder to the Grenzers and to a lesser extent the second line of Russian infantry who were of a better quality. Finally, however the Grenzer battalion on my right flank broke and fled, rallying behind the second line. Whilst this was happening an artillery counter-battery duel began between my 12 pounder half-battery and his horse artillery; forcing the enemy to retire to the flank, my twelve pounders won, destroying the battery. But then, I was lucky to get 3 sixes out of seven or eight die rolls!
Oudinot then issued engage orders and in particular for the divisional skirmishers to engage with the artillery supporting, closing to the range. Slowly, the Grenz skirmishers gave way, being forced back into the own battalion supports.
An assault was ordered, but before the French elites could close, the combination of artillery fire and skirmishers finally pushed the Grenzers into a brigade command reaction test; this was failed and they routed, rallying behind the Russians.
In the meantime, Miloradovich`s division was arriving and was forming behind that of Bagration. But this deployment was delayed because the Nostitz-Reineck`s Grenzers had routed to the position that Miloradovich`s troops were deploying to. The Austrian brigadier had to regain control of his troops and withdraw them and this took about three, or four turns to resolve.
With the Grenzer`s dealt with, Andy ordered Fauconnet`s Chasseurs to support Oudinot`s left against the threat of Russian Hussars and Cossacks there and then he resumed the action on the Russian line, using the same methods as before; a combination of skirmisher combat and artillery fire which after several turns had disordered and shaken a part of their line. Seeing this develop, Murat moved to Général de Brigade Laplanche-Morthières` regulating battalion and personally ordered his brigade alone to attack the Russians. The first brigade advanced, deployed to line and breaking through the Russian line, caused them to make their first command reaction test. Laplanche-Morthières was wounded and the Russian morale test was passed.
Having routed the Azov musketeer battalions, Murat (Andy), taking personal control wheeled the first brigade to the right in order to roll up the Russian line. Unfortunately, for the French assault, Miloradovich`s Russians had deployed a six-pounder half-battery in the path of the second battalion of Oudinot`s first regiment. It routed, shaken.
Then, Général de Brigade Dupas leading the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Grenadier Regiment, assaulted the Russian battery itself, but this too was seen off by the Russian gunners!
From this point, Bagration`s Russians were on a divisional command reaction in every turn because their line of battle had been broken and enemy units were in the gap, exploiting their success.
But time was running out; the action had started with the French arrayed for battle at about 15:50 hours and we had taken 45 turns (at four minutes per turn) it was now about 18:00 hours and starting to get dark. It was agreed then, that both sides would withdraw… and no doubt both will write up a victory for their respective commanders in chief!
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paints the Dogman from the Flintloque starter set.