Phil, our good e-friend and dedicated solo wargamer recently finished another game based on a battle of the bicentennial years, this time staging an excellent re-fight of the combat around Wachau on the first day of Leipzig. He has kindly sent me photos and a report of the game to post here.
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Step
1: Painting – lots of Austrians.
Step 2: Research – hmm – None of these maps are the same! Hard to fit everything
on, so ground scale is compressed and movement reduced accordingly.
Step 3: The armies form up.
Klenau’s Austrian IV Corps form the Allied left.
Platov’s Cossacks.
Poniatowski’s Poles march from Connewitz to Markkleeberg to stem the tide.
Guard cavalry.
Young Guard move to the French centre.
Step 4: To battle!
Klenau moves to occupy Seiferstshain, with Zieten(?) on his left.
Allied centre – Gortchakov emerges from Grossposna to begin his advance on Liebertwolkwitz
Wachau, Russian artillery begin bombardment supported by Cossacks and hussars
Kleist’s Prussians move up on the left.
Another view of same.
8am; Austrian II Corps advanced troops move up on the west side of the Fliese they make slow progress owing to the marshy ground...
9am; Young Guard move to defend Liebertwolkwitz & Augerau is moved towards Markkleeberg to support the Poles.
Platov’s Cossacks plunge into the woods in the east.
10 am; Macdonald's XI Corps also move up. The dice are favouring the French with casualties more heavy as a result of the shorter movement.
View Of French left/centre.
11 am; The fight for Markkleeberg begins. The Poles throw back allied attacks while in the centre the French of V Corps take heavy casualties. Russian Grenadiers arrive.
General view of Eastern flank.
12 am; Austrian cavalry attack.
Clouds of Cossacks (shaky pictures!).
Klenau finally attacks Holzhausen.
1pm: the battle surges back and forth with counter attacks from the Young Guard met by Russian light cavalry near Wachau. Lauriston clashes with the Prussians.
The remnants of V Corps prove that frontally assaulting artillery is a bad idea under any rule system and break, fleeing to the rear....
The maps were contradictory but I probably started the allies too far back hence their poor performance at this point compared to the historic situation.
2pm: Allied reinforcements (including Russian/Prussian Guard arrive).
Wachau remains firmly in French hands! – (this is a good example of game not following historical precedent).
Heavy Polish casualties at Markkleeberg but they stay in control (allied units too far back to take the ground).
3pm – Young Guard spearhead French counter attack in the centre, Cuirassiers and Guard Cav sweep forward...
4pm - The Russians try their luck at Markkleeberg supported by a cavalry attack on Augerau’s depleted command.
Despite the allied reinforcements allowing the offensive to be renewed they fail to make head way.
French counter attack deep into the allied side of the board while the Cossacks are driven off by French light troops on the West side (not pictured).
General view of East side – note fibre wadding smoke to help keep track of who has fired!
6pm The Poles evacuate Markkleeberg to counter the threat from the Austrians moving up on their right which allows the Russians to take the village. By now allied artillery fire means that Wachau is also empty of defenders but these are the only Allied gains.
The French retain the upper hand around Liebertwolkwitz but are not really in a position to consolidate.
Vast Austrian reinforcements pour in over the Fliese mean allied victory in this sector is inevitable but overall it is probably draw (with the French having remained on top throughout really) just like the real thing. I blame the General(s).
Klenau’s Austrian IV Corps form the Allied left.
Platov’s Cossacks.
Poniatowski’s Poles march from Connewitz to Markkleeberg to stem the tide.
Guard cavalry.
Young Guard move to the French centre.
Step 4: To battle!
Klenau moves to occupy Seiferstshain, with Zieten(?) on his left.
Allied centre – Gortchakov emerges from Grossposna to begin his advance on Liebertwolkwitz
Wachau, Russian artillery begin bombardment supported by Cossacks and hussars
Kleist’s Prussians move up on the left.
Another view of same.
8am; Austrian II Corps advanced troops move up on the west side of the Fliese they make slow progress owing to the marshy ground...
9am; Young Guard move to defend Liebertwolkwitz & Augerau is moved towards Markkleeberg to support the Poles.
Platov’s Cossacks plunge into the woods in the east.
10 am; Macdonald's XI Corps also move up. The dice are favouring the French with casualties more heavy as a result of the shorter movement.
View Of French left/centre.
11 am; The fight for Markkleeberg begins. The Poles throw back allied attacks while in the centre the French of V Corps take heavy casualties. Russian Grenadiers arrive.
General view of Eastern flank.
12 am; Austrian cavalry attack.
Clouds of Cossacks (shaky pictures!).
Klenau finally attacks Holzhausen.
1pm: the battle surges back and forth with counter attacks from the Young Guard met by Russian light cavalry near Wachau. Lauriston clashes with the Prussians.
The remnants of V Corps prove that frontally assaulting artillery is a bad idea under any rule system and break, fleeing to the rear....
The maps were contradictory but I probably started the allies too far back hence their poor performance at this point compared to the historic situation.
2pm: Allied reinforcements (including Russian/Prussian Guard arrive).
Wachau remains firmly in French hands! – (this is a good example of game not following historical precedent).
Heavy Polish casualties at Markkleeberg but they stay in control (allied units too far back to take the ground).
3pm – Young Guard spearhead French counter attack in the centre, Cuirassiers and Guard Cav sweep forward...
4pm - The Russians try their luck at Markkleeberg supported by a cavalry attack on Augerau’s depleted command.
Despite the allied reinforcements allowing the offensive to be renewed they fail to make head way.
5pm The remaining Poles move up under Poniatowski’s direction and cavalry battle breaks out around Wachau (Berg Lancers= Esci figures on HaT horses).
(Oops beware the Hun in the sun!).
French counter attack deep into the allied side of the board while the Cossacks are driven off by French light troops on the West side (not pictured).
General view of East side – note fibre wadding smoke to help keep track of who has fired!
6pm The Poles evacuate Markkleeberg to counter the threat from the Austrians moving up on their right which allows the Russians to take the village. By now allied artillery fire means that Wachau is also empty of defenders but these are the only Allied gains.
The French retain the upper hand around Liebertwolkwitz but are not really in a position to consolidate.
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Another top report of a fabulous game, thanks Phil!!
Very impressive, the mass effect is excellent on your pictures...a great looking battle!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Phil, an awesome sight of figures and terrain... the photos are great!.........marvelous!
ReplyDeleteMan that looks good fun!!!
ReplyDeleteA formidable array! And, of course, the famous Hessen-Homburg Hussars are ornaments to any battlefield.... I have a special fondness for the Austrians, and their white uniforms add just that extra touch of class, don't you reckon?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments! Also thanks once again to James and the ANF for posting this and making sense of my inane ramblings. I too really like Austrians, these are a right mix of makes with some conversions and some metal figures. There are even more in my Leipzig South game which I hope to be able to post pictures of as well at some point.
ReplyDeleteMarvelous looking, huge game. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteVery impressive! Great looking Austrians.
ReplyDelete