5th Battle of Kurtstad

[Blathergut]

In anticipation of the next round of the conflict for the famous homlette:

Sticking to strictly the 1813 list since the Austrians are forced by lack of any other lists to do the same:

Corps: Marshal Blathergut (Barely Competent)

1st Div: (Competent)
-light inf (small)(ave vet)
-conscript inf (small)(ave con)(mandatory)
-light cavalry (small)(ave dr)(mandatory)
-med artillery (small)(ave dr)(mandatory)

2nd Div: (Competent)
-light inf (small)(ave dr)(mandatory)
-conscript inf (small)(ave con)(mandatory)
-light cavalry (small)(ave dr)
-med arty (small)(ave dr)(mandatory)

3rd Div: (Competent)
-line inf (large)(ave dr)(mandatory(4))
-conscript inf (small)(ave con)(mandatory)
-dragoons HC (small)(ave dr)
-med arty (small)

4th Div: (Competent)
-line inf (small)(ave dr)(mandatory)
-conscript inf (small)(ave con)(mandatory)
-dragoons HC (small)(ave dr)
-med arty

[Blathergut]

We'll try to out-gun the Austrians this time. Our boys are busy practicing their prolonging moves!

[viperofmilan]

Don't have the book in front of me, but I think you are limited to only 4 average drilled dragoons.

Kevin

[Blathergut]

Curses! You are right!

Curse 1813!!!!

[donm]

Don't you need more than 8 bases of hussars / light cavalry.

Don

[Blathergut]

Don't you need more than 8 bases of hussars / light cavalry.

Don

Minimum = 4 and Maximum = 4 + 6

All our horses are but stew in Russia I think!!

[SirGarnet]

Your French army has a remarkably Prussian feel to its structure with all mixed divisions.

[Blathergut]

Ah, just trying out something different.

[KendallB]

Does the list allow for four mixed divisions?

[Blathergut]

Does the list allow for four mixed divisions?

"Any number of mixed divisions may be used."

[SirGarnet]

It seems like the cavalry being distributed among the divisions is well suited for suppressing an enemy army full of Reformed infantry or Skirmisher attachments. It is interesting that Austrians are allowed Light Infantry or Skirmisher attachments (though not both) only in a single mixed division. I suppose you will maneuver the cavalry of the nearest two French divisions in support of the infantry fighting that Austrian mixed division.

[Blathergut]

French lost the initiative by 3, so ended up forming up on a large hill.

The small mxed divisions worked very well. The front line combination of inf + arty four divisions wide was very potent.

The horse in behind kept the Austrian infantry wary and the small number of units in each division meant recovering cohesion was fairly easy throughout the battle. This was the best army I have fielded so far. I doubt I would change much.

[Blathergut]

It seems like the cavalry being distributed among the divisions is well suited for suppressing an enemy army full of Reformed infantry or Skirmisher attachments. It is interesting that Austrians are allowed Light Infantry or Skirmisher attachments (though not both) only in a single mixed division. I suppose you will maneuver the cavalry of the nearest two French divisions in support of the infantry fighting that Austrian mixed division.

This didn't come into effect at all for the Austrians (no skirmishers other than one small unit of jaegers who ended up in a buildings in the middle of the field). French shooting was reduced by Austrian horse quite effectively.

The combined arms effect of the French army was very nice and caused hesitation on the Austrian part several times in the battle. I found this much more effective than having one cavalry division on a flank. The cavalry is best waiting for a ripe moment and kept safely behind the lines until then.

Having 8 artillery pieces was quite worth the price, esp. when I ended up defending. But we experimented with prolong movements, creeping within close range of the Austrian grenadiers. That was nice. But the Austrians didn't oblige us by breaking. They kept hanging on for far too many turns and it just never seemed to be the right moment for the French infantry (or cavalry in behind the artillery) to charge home.

Indeed, it seems that waiting for that moment can mean the battle goes on and on, with one side hoping to cave in a flank and another hoping to burst through the centre. Today's game was very enjoyable (hopefully from both sides) and definitely had the 'right feel' to it.

[panda2]

A slow sloging match in which you are trying to create a weakpoint with artillery that you can assault with infantry. Mmm, sounds like you were playing the Austrians!

Andy D

[SirGarnet]

It's the old shoot them to wavering, then give them a charge. Gets exciting if the opposing units are both wavering.

[deadtorius]

Of course he fails to mention that the Austrians killed a division commander who was charismatic, along with an attached Brigadier, and also took out 3 out of 4 artillery batteries, at the cost of 1 Brigadier and 1 battery of our own.
I made the mistake of letting my center get too close and his light infantry + artillery were hitting my Grenadiers with 11 dice per shot They did not fair well spending most of the game trying to recover cohesion.
Although the Austrians started making gains on the French left and right flanks, stopping to recover having to form square etc slowed our advance on the left and a glorious Hussar charge into wavering French Hussars on top of a hill (that was the end of Monsieur charismatic ) our own left collapsed along with the center eventually failing and allowing the French to once again claim victory.
I do have to say that we Austrians did much better this time out so that is something to pleased about. Still not sure that defending buildings is all that great as once again I was shot to rout by defending. Seems that conscripts are best to send into the buildings to defend.
Next weekend we shall fight once again in the ruins of Kurtstad, lets see if the Austrians can win 3 initiatives in a row.

[Blathergut]

I think if we added up all the artillery shots (4 x 6 + 8 + 3= 35 x 6 or more turns...210 shots and maybe 10-15 hits?) it was pathetic how well we could hit!

**Nappy puts in an order for smoke-less shells**

[deadtorius]

and you still hit more than I did on average. I am going to fire my gunners and try for some non blind ones next game

[panda2]

I'm glad both of you enjoyed the game and, in particular, that the Austrians are becoming more competative. Even if the Austrians didn't manage their first win it sounds like the French didn't have all their own way.

On reading through the posts a couple of things struck me.

I made the mistake of letting my center get too close and his light infantry + artillery were hitting my Grenadiers with 11 dice per shot They did not fair well spending most of the game trying to recover cohesion.

A similar thing happened to me in my first game, 2 units large units of conscripts (with rear support) walked into a hail of medium range skirmisher and artillery fire. I think one unit had 13 dice against it and the other 9 or 10. I tried to tough it out using generals to bolster them, but too no avail. There was just too much incoming. I realised afterwards that I probably should have tried a CMT to retire half a move facing the same direction. A slim chance with conscripts, I know, but rather better than my odds of staying put and trying to soak up the hits. Veteran Grenadiers on the otherhand have a pretty good chance of passing the CMT and it does buy time to recover whilst the French advance and force the artillery to make a CMT to prolong to keep up.

Still not sure that defending buildings is all that great as once again I was shot to rout by defending. Seems that conscripts are best to send into the buildings to defend.

I agree. A relatively isolated unit defending buildings is pretty easy to take out if you are willing to put enough troops into it and have the time. In deed, I would look a unit in buildings at the end of a line, for example, as a weak point in the enemies defences and a good place to focus my attack. This is especially the case for Austrians because it can be lot easier to get into close range relatively intact against a unit in a building than against the same unit in open ground.

Nevertheless, a unit in buildings with additional fire from units on each flank is a strong position. To get enough fire to break the unit in the building you generally need to overlap the frontage of the building. This can leave the flanking units of the attacking force taking fire not just from the building defenders, but also the flanking units, which will often force them to retire out of short range before they get a chance to shoot. If the Austrian Jaegers in this game had been set under 4 MU back from the front of the building on one flank supporting another unit defending the building they could have added 5 dice (on 5+) to the 4 dice (on 5+) against an attacking unit overlapping that flank. This would almost certainly disrupt it, probably force it to retire to 3 MU, and maybe (with luck) even reduced it to wavering.

Andy D

[deadtorius]

we shall see how the 6th battle goes. Trying to use the same set up on table again, sort of like a replay