Lodi AAR x2

[Glyph]

This scenario uses the armies as set forth in the Pre-Lodi AAR. (Again, my pics didn't transfer).
Two AAR's in one; the second AAR follows this one.

A river separates the town of Lodi on the left (south) from the two buildings on the right. A single bridge spans the river. French artillery has deployed between Lodi's walls and the river. Dallemagne's grenadiers and carabiniers infantry are poised to march out through the gate in the walls and across the bridge.

The Austrians have occupied the buildings on the right bank with two large infantry units. In the center, a large Grenzer unit in skirmish formation stands ready to fire on the advancing column. The Grenzers mask a unit of medium artillery placed between the buildings. The Austrians intend to stain the bridge, and the approach to the buildings with French blood. The Austrian cavalry bides its time at the rear. The Austrians have decided to try a defense away from the bridge and the deadly French artillery fire.
Both sides have off-board units who may enter. For the French, Beaumont's cavalry division may enter after turn 3, on a roll of "5+" on a single die, checked during the Austrian movement phase. The Austrians have Nicoletti's division, and Neopolitan cavalry who may enter on a roll of "4+" on a single die, each attempting separately, after Beaumont's cavalry has entered. (Having played this a couple times, for better balance, I would allow the Austrian off-board forces to begin checking on turn 4 to enter, whether Beaumont's cavalry successfully enters or not).
The French begin. They open by concentrating fire on Vukasovich's grenz...without effect. On turn 2, artillery fire disorders the grenz. The grenadiers decide to cross and hope to change formation. They get across, with Dallemagne attached, and get the second move, and make the second CMT to change formation. The grenz fire is ineffective. The grenz pull back behind Vuk's artillery...leaving the French grenadiers staring into the maw of those guns. The grenz recover from disorder.
The grenadiers bravely charge into the mouth of the Austrian cannon. The gunners decide to fire and run for cover. They pass the CT, but only score one hit, which the superior assaulting grenadiers brush off. The gunners run into the building at their right, which becomes the new target of the grenadier assault. The defenders fire, for a single hit, which is shrugged off by the grenadiers (don't know if I handled that correctly). In the assault, the grenadiers are disordered and fall back to recover.
The firing during the Austrian turn is ineffective. Tragically, the Austrian gunners fail to recover their artillery and the guns are lost; the plan to bathe the bridge in French blood with artillery fire is a complete failure.
4th turn: The French move Dallemagne's carabiniers from the bridge and successfully form to tactical. Massena's light infantry queue up behind, followed by the light cavalry. The Austrians consider a cavalry charge against the grenadiers, but Vuk's grenz are blocking the way...as they are different divisions, the cavalry cannot charge through them (but they're skirmishers, so maybe they should have been able to?). During movement, the Austrians remedy the situation by moving the grenz to the side and aligning the cavalry for a straight shot at the grenadiers. No sign of Beaumont' French cavalry in either direction.
5th turn: Dallemagne's infantry declare an assault on the building on the Austrian's right. The fire from the Austrians has no impact on the assaulting French. Massena's light troops cross and successfully form tactical. Dallemagne's cavalry also crosses, and goes into formation. Dallemagne's guns limber to prepare to cross. In the assault, both of the French units and the Austrian unit become disordered; the French fall back, and avoid passing through their comrades who are blocking the bridge. Both French units recover.
Although positioned to charge the carabiniers, the Austrian are reluctant to do so, as the infantry would likely succeed in forming square, and the French light cavalry is positioned to counter-attack the Austrians once they are disordered in melee. So the cavalry holds position. The grenzers move to the left flank. Still no sign of Beaumont. Rosselmini's troops in the building recover from disorder.
Turn 6: the French assault both buildings and charge the enemy cavalry.

Massena's light infantry stall under fire, but Dallemagne's troops soldier on. They succeed in disordering the defenders and remain locked in combat. The French cav becomes disordered but cause the Austrian cav to waver and retreat. The pursuit is short. Both are spent. The French recover.
The Austrian cavalry can't move far enough because of the size of the board to avoid another possible charge by the French cavalry. The grenzers move forward on the left to duel with the French voltigeurs. No sign of Beaumont. The combat for the building continues...without resolution.

Turn 7: the French cavalry assault their counterparts, who pass their CT but are unable to counter charge, taking the attack in the flank. The ranged fire is ineffective, except from the grenz who disorder the voltigeurs. In the combat, the Austrian cavalry breaks, and retreats to the board edge. The French pursuit eliminates the Austrian cavalry. The French attacking the building on their left cause the defenders to waver. Massena's light troops recover from disorder.
The Austrians can smell defeat. They can now earn points by exiting unbroken units along the LOC. Unfortunately, the French cav occupies the LOC. Sebbotendorf elects to continue delaying the French by defending the buildings. (The game should have ended at this point...but I wanted to see what would happen).
Turn 8: the French make some adjustments, including the unlimbering of Dallemagne's batteries on the Austrian side of the river, and the light troops deploy into skirmish order. All firing and combat is inconclusive.
The Austrian turn: The troops inside the besieged building remain in wavering condition.
Turn 9
The firing is without impact on both sides. Massena moves another unit across the bridge, but it must remain in column. The assault on the building continues with the combatants unable to gain additional advantage.

The Austrians in the building finally break. Because the French occupy their LOC, they cannot recover, and are eliminated. The Austrians concede defeat.

By centering the defense on the buildings rather than the bridge, the Austrians allowed the French too much freedom to cross and change formation. Concentrating at the buildings also allowed the French to outflank the Austrians and take the LOC. The Austrians also proved unlucky with their artillery. Next time, the Austrians will do better...maybe.

[Glyph]

The French setup substantially as in the previous AAR. The Austrian setup puts the Grenz at the bridge edge, with Vukassavitch's artillery a few inches behind them. One of Rosselmini's two large infantry units is placed between the buildings; the other is at the left of the building on the Austrian left. Rosselminie's cavalry are positioned at the rear center.

The French begin by targeting all of their cannon at Vuk's grenzers. Not only was the barrage ineffective, the grenz fire disordered Dallemagne's artillery battery. It took nearly 40 minutes of steady bombardment to drive the grenzers away from the bridge. Unfortunately for the French, the Austrian cannon remained prepared to receive them…until the French guns unloaded a devastating barrage of counter battery fire, diving the Austrian guns back through, and disordering Rosselmini's troops between the buildings.
The guns then pounded the Austrian infantry, causing them to waver. The expectation began for the possible arrival of French cavalry, but there was no sign of horsemen. The Austrian cavalry moved toward the Austrian right flank.
The French guns pounded away at the Austrian infantry while Dallemagne's grenadiers crossed the bridge. But fresh troops for Austria arrive. The Neopolitan hussars on the right and Nicolette's mixed division of infantry and cavalry on the left.

Sebottendorf moved forward on the left and improved cohesion in the artillery and infantry in the center.

The French brought Dallemagne's infantry across and formed tactical; the divisional cavalry followed. The artillery came as well, but had not completed the crossing. The Austrians slowly gave ground, rallying successfully as they did so.

At the start of turn 7, the Austrians can begin retreating along the LOC for points.
The French are just beyond assault distance, but Rosselmini's cavalry seizes the opportunity to charge the carabiniers. The French stand and fire, turning back the Austrians.
As turn 8 begins, the French have crossed and established a bridgehead that the Austrians are not capable of challenging. However, the Austrians have lost no units and protected their LOC. They can win by simply exiting the troops along the LOC. Unless the French cavalry arrive to prevent that (it did not)...the Austrians have gained a victory.
The soft defense worked better for the Austrians. This is a rearguard action for them. They only need to delay, not defeat the French. If they fight, giving ground to avoid casualties, they can win. It also helped that the French flanking force, Beaumont's cavalry, never found a place to cross the river and join the battle.