We (the Corlears Hook Fencibles) played the 1793 battle of Wattignies Thursday might. Rick was Austrian Field Marshal Coburg and Tom was French General Jourdan, dogged by Committee of Public Safety member Carnot. Both commanders were treated as competent, but perhaps Jourdan might be downgraded to poor because he was saddled with Carnot.
The Austrians had a small force of 21,000 stretched over a three mile line, facing 43,000 French, most of them conscripts. The French artillery was massed in battalions, while over half of the Austrian guns were light battalion guns.
The First French attack was launched on the left, where four French brigades attacked one Austrian. The Austrian brigade was driven back in disorder but not before several French brigades went about. The Austrian brigade on the extreme right flank came up and a fierce counter-attack ("follow me" card and hot dice) dispersed one of the four brigades of French regulars. Two brigades of French conscript cavalry and supporting horse artillery moved over the bridge on the Austrian right, uncovered by the infantry move. They fell on a brigade of Austrian light cavalry and drove it back, nearly getting to the town of Bourg de Quesnoy behind the Austrian right center, near the critical road to Maubeuge. A brigade of Austrian heavy cavalry intervened, crushing one brigade of French cavalry and sending the other to the rear on jaded horses.
The heavy cavalry had come from the center, as had an infantry brigade. The French surged forward in the center and drove into the Austrian line between the town of Douriers in the center and Wattignies on the Austrian left. A counter-attack slowed the French for the moment. We broke for beef stew. After dinner, the sheer number of French in front of him rattled Rick and he pulled his line back in most places. A shot-up brigade in his left center came under attack by 6 French brigades with artillery support. The brigade dissolved under the massive blow.
The French occupied the original Austrian position while the white-coats reordered a new line about a mile back. 30 Austrian position guns began to play on the French.
The French replied with some 45 guns and drove a cavalry brigade back in disorder.
On the Austrian left, a "someone has blundered" card sent an infantry brigade on a wild goose chase and left guns unsupported. The French infantry surged forward and drove the guns off in disorder, taking some. On the other flank a French infantry brigade with 30 guns in support marched up to the vacated village of Bourg de Quesnoy and then used an "on the double" card to march through and past it. The 15 horse artillery guns unlimbered and drove the right flank Austrian brigade back with canister. Rick threw in the towel and raised the siege of Maubeuge.
Not counting dinner, we'd played 10 turns in two hours and 5 minutes. The Austrians lost over 3,600 troops, 3 or 4 position guns and a few battalion guns. French losses were 3,500 troops, less than the 5,000 of the actual battle. The Austrians were mostly winkled out of the position with a few hard attacks. It takes nerve to hold those thin lines when mobs of French come surging forward them.
We're happy with the way the movement pips worked. The rally pips have been made separate and there seem to be too many of those. More tweaks are needed but the game feels like it is starting to gel.
ponders nirvana.
