4th Battle of Kurtstad

[Blathergut]

As the glorious French army, commanded by Blathergut himself, approached the tiny hamlet of Kurtstad (for the fourth time)(such a popular destination for the warring crowd), the French forces were noted as follows as they camped an evening or two before the actual engagement:

Blathergut (feeling somewhat stressed from workload unrelated to the peace and calm of the battlefield so feeling merely competent but knowing that was more than enough to trounce the puny Austrians yet again)(Corps Commander)

Divisional Commander (Competent)(Charismatic)
-6e Reg. d'Inf. Legere (small ave drilled Light Inf)
-4e Reg. d'Inf. de Ligne (small ave drilled Inf)(+ officer)
-14e Reg. d'Inf. de Ligne (small ave conscript)
-2e Hussards (large ave drilled Light Cavalry)(+ artillery)
-Artillerie (small ave drilled MED)

Divisional Commander (Competent)
-_e Reg. d'Inf. Legere (small ave drilled Light Inf)(+ artillery)
-_e Reg. d'Inf. de Ligne (small ave drilled Inf)(+ officer)
-_e Reg. d'Inf. de Ligne (small ave conscript)
-Artillerie (small ave drilled MED)

Divisional Commander (Competent)
_e Hussards (large ave drilled Light Cavalry)(+ artillery)
_e Cuirassiers (small ave drilled Heavy Shock Cavalry)(+ officer)
-Horse artillerie (small ave drilled)

(724 pts)(In reserve, ready as per usual some dragoons.)
(The forces should clash this Saturday.)

[SirGarnet]

The hamlet of Kurtstad must be a pile of rubble by now! Yet an essential symbol of national prestige. Which foolish foe faces French fierceness?

I am always curious to know the strategy and doctrine behind the army. Lots of guns and horse: is the plan to have the 1st Division fix the opposing center while its artillery supports the other two divisions bearing down on a wing with massive combined arms?

[Blathergut]

Versus Austrians.

Hussars in a 6-pak + artillery in behind the light infantry. If enemy disrupts from the lights shooting, in we go. Extra dice with cannons and one less hit from shooting for large unit + more dice for self-support.

The hussars in the cavalry division are the same but to give them more bite versus the Austrian horse.

So far, all 3 games have seen the meek Austrians perched on hills. We now know to advance initially in extended line so as to minimize those dastardly Austrian cannons on the hills. Hopefully the mixed division, with artillery support from the other inf. division go right through the stuff in front of them. Wish they could be veteran, but too costly! (Bubblebath for the pool back in the palace and outfits for the bubblettes has been expensive lately)

[Blathergut]

The hussars in behind the light infantry has that 10MU range. The light foot can stand just inside 6MU range, shooting at the Austrians with cannons on both sides. If we get a disruption, the hussars will charge through. The light foot can also be in skirmish order, with no loss to their own shooting at med. range but trickier to be hit by those Austrians.

[SirGarnet]

The hussars in behind the light infantry has that 10MU range. The light foot can stand just inside 6MU range, shooting at the Austrians with cannons on both sides. If we get a disruption, the hussars will charge through. The light foot can also be in skirmish order, with no loss to their own shooting at med. range but trickier to be hit by those Austrians.

Good points on the approach. The Hussards' attached guns won't get a chance to fire under this doctrine, so that battery may end up unused. The Hussards do still need a CMT to Assault through friends, a 5-6 unless led by an officer. Swap the battery for the Cuirassier officer? That will give the heavies an edge over any Austrian horse, and some square busting potentil.

I've always preferred shockingly heavy Cavalry myself, but in these rules I've seen the lights can still do a proper job if the enemy foot is exposed or softened up first.

[Blathergut]

I know the artillery attached to the hussards in the mixed div. wouldn't shoot while in behind. The thought was to buy them an extra die on the combat if the enemy foot forms square. They wouldn't need to be heavy since they'll get the +1/-1 for rear support. The hussards in the cav. div. would be free to romp and shoot.

[edb1815]

What were the conposition of the Austrian forces? Any Jaeger or Grenzer to skirmish with your lights?

[Blathergut]

Haven't met up with them yet. They're about a day's march away we think.

One infantry division with skirmishers I'm betting. Hopefully we target the other one.

[deadtorius]

Alas Jagers can not skirmish in the 1813 list, and the Grenzers are either permanent skirmish or poor quality light infantry. Their poor performance in our first game has kept them out of the army so far. Unfortunately at present I am having to use an Austrian army at their worst fighting an 1812 army Du Francais They are just a better list until the army list book finally comes out and I can see what 1809 had for Austria

[Blathergut]

The battle (French defending)(a first!) hinged on a small hill and buildings in the mid-French center. One small unit of french line went into the buildings (after a 3rd attempt was finally successful). A small unit of lights hung beside/behind, supported by some conscripts. The remainder of the French army formed up to the left of this, two small units of artillery on the hill (but unfortunately, since the French were so unused to defending, had to deploy on the back slope and were unable to move onto the slope until 3 turns in.

Notable Events:

-wavering French conscripts pass tests twice when charged (same unit) and they shoot and stop Austrians from hitting them
-Austrians converged on the building and quickly routed the French inside, soon defending the buildings themselves
-French cuirassiers hitting a disordered Austrian square, passing through it, into Austrians in extended line (that was interesting )
-the two units of French hussars, large + artillery attachments were very nice (but couldn't actually hit anything with those guns)
-lots of movement and many weird dice results
-main French force was hung up for most of the battle by a unit of Austrian hussars and cuirassiers...didn't want to charge into them fresh but could never seem to actually hit them When I finally just decided to move infantry and horse up to within 2MU and take the automatic cohesion drop to my infantry, the Austrians found the wall-to-wall formation too daunting I think. Close range shooting finally did them in. I think the lesson learned, re: facing enemy cavalry, is to stay tight, with combined inf-cav, and move right in. Your own horse will intercept and keep them off the infantry unless you are perfectly lined up.

It was a very enjoyable game: interesting movements and dramatic swings of fortune. The rules to give a very enjoyable game once you have played them a couple times (though a detailed errata/clarification would be very nice). Eventually, Austrian cohesion broke down in almost all units and the French were poised to take good advantage of that.

Most unusual point found in the rules: (p. 69) "...A cavalry unit only may will also become Spent if..."

The forces have withdrawn to regroup and have at each other again over the ruins of Kurtstad. (French will use solely the 1813 list with its cavalry-poor make-up, and see if this gives the Austrians a bit of an edge. So far, it's 4-0 French wins.) Has anyone been using Austrians? Hints on their use against the French? We're assuming the 1809 list will beef them up a bit.

[Blathergut]

Re: light infantry and divisions

Is there anything stopping me from having 2 or 3 light infantry units all in one division?

[deadtorius]

Well the Austrians would like to log a formal protest against it
Other than that who knows???

I need to buy some luckier dice...

[SirGarnet]

Re: light infantry and divisions

Is there anything stopping me from having 2 or 3 light infantry units all in one division?

The general definition of division types and the list restrictions in the rulebook lists don't preclude it.

Hints on Austrians (from past posts):
“The Austrians throughout the period never do get this business of integral skirmish companies quite right. They did it a bit but not enough and not in enough numbers nor trained very well nor were they sound in their use of specialist light infantry or pure light infantry - which was woeful. My view is that the Austrian army was at its best relative to its opponents in the 1790s. But it has good artillery and good cavalry and in later periods can be used in Corps mixed in with divisions from other nations.” (Mike Horah)

Unreformed infantry without Skirmisher attachments is best in Large Units so they can take hits while advancing to Close Range or Assaulting.

Advancing on Unreformed opponents such as Austrians to shoot them at medium range can force them to enter close range, giving you the first close range volley on them and possibly weakening them enough for an assault. “My Austrians have been soundly thrashed by tooled up (ie attachment rich) British veterans using these tactics.”

“For what it is worth, Austrians are currently my favourite army to play under FoGN. I seem to have no less success with them than with my French Line Corps. [Among my most successful armies are] an Austrian Reserve Corps (Grenadiers and lots of cavalry, especially Cuirassiers). The Reserve Corps is fun to play, and a particularly difficult force for opponents to face. As previously mentioned, use of cavalry and large units can minimise the effect of enemy skirmish fire. However you do need a degree of courage to push your unreformed troops forwards to close range when on the offensive. Makes for exciting games. Most importantly, the Austrians (Reserve Corps aside) usually outnumbers their reformed opponents.” (Brett)

Large units of the best troops are expensive. “The French veteran Light infantry come in at almost 3 times the price of the Austrian conscripts. That's 3 of his units against one of mine.”

Terry Shaw argues the Austrian army has some strengths to compensate for its weaknesses:
“> They are 20% cheaper than their (French) opponents.
> It is strong in Artillery
> It can have one mixed division in which every line unit can have a skirmisher attachment (making them the equivalent of 'reformed' for firing).
> It can have up to 22 bases of cavalry without using a cavalry division.
> It can have almost all units in 4's or 6's.
Austrians can't use the same tactics as most of the other nations and have to develop their own. They can work well though, and if anyone wants to play the earlier period battles, it's a skill that will be needed, because most nations have 'unreformed' infantry prior to 1810.”

[deadtorius]

lack of successful die rolls is my main failure in leading the Austrians so far.Napoleon was once quoted as saying that he would rather have a lucky general than a good general, blathergut is much luckier than I am