Battle of Wachau Playtest, Part 2

First, an overview of the situation at the end of FTF play. The Austrian reserve Corps is threatening the French right, with the lead elements crossing the river  Elster. 

Most of the French Right.

French Center.

French Left

Allied Left.

Allied Left Center. The Prussians have taken heavy losses, with most of their remaining units routing!

Allied Right center looks weak, too. 

Allied Right, which has been only lightly engaged thus far...

Scwarzenberg had one card left from the FTF play, and it is a MOVE. He rolled well for options, and thus, by command, can use Infantry Fire or Artillery Fire. All routers will have to move, however, regardless. 

Hessen-Homberg rolls, well. as he did almost all game to get as far as he has - a Triple Magic Move!

The lead unit of Cuirassiers easily defeats the battered Polish Chasseurs, but not decisively. The rest of the Corps shakes out and moves up - a big, white sledgehammer aimed at the French right!

Meerveldt rolls up a double move, but no Fancy Business! He had considered taking the Artillery Fire for his battery, but with 3 markers it was unlikely it would accomplish much. 

The lead Austrian column fires at the Old Guard as it crosses the Elster, and drives them back with some losses - Shame!

With most of the Corps Routing, von Kleist chooses to act on Artillery Fire with his battery, as the rest of his Corps streams to the rear! The Allies really need to inflict losses on the French! Their fire is ineffective, however. . 

The combined Russian and Prussian Footguards opt to use Artillery fire; the Russian Guard Foot artillery routs a French Cuirassier brigade with heavy losses. Yay, Team!

1st Russian Guard Cavalry Division manages a double move, but rolling odd, no charges. 

The Guard Cuirassiers move forward, and their Guard Horse artillery comes up in support. 

The second Guard Cavalry Division rolls a double move as well, and advances onto the battlefield. This sector is now looking a lot better than it did!

Pahlen's small Russian line cavalry Division rolls a Triple move, but no charges. 

He uses it to withdraw one battered unit to a better position for rallying, and  repositions the other unit. 

Eugene seriously considers using Infantry fiore, but really wants to get his artillery a good field of fire, and make way for the Grenadiers. Unfortunately he rolls... poorly. 

As the (still unloaded) Russian Infantry attempts to pull back, two opposing Young Guard battalions fire at long range. Their powder was evidently wet, as their fire has no discernible effect. 

The French line firing at the retreating Russians does only marginally better, disordering the Russians but not inflicting any meaningful losses. 

Situation between Wachau and  Liebertwolkwitz thereafter. Raevsky rolls a 1 for the Grenadier command, who could not use Infantry or Artillery Fire anyway - and thus the Grenadiers remain stationary. 

Platove gets a double move, but no immediate melee. Thus one of his cossacks pulls back, and the other unit continues its rout. 

Klenau manages a single magic move. He move up his infantry, while his hussars charge a battered French Hussar unit, forcing it back with losses. 

Time for a new initiative roll; Napoleon wins, and rolls even, so the next initiative will have 2 cards. Not surprisingly, the French chose to act first.

A MOVE card, and exactly the same as the Allies before them, Napolwon wins by 4 on an even roll. Thus each command can chose to act on MOVE, INFANTRY FIRE, or ARTILLERY FIRE. 

The French start with Sokolnicki's polish Cavalry command. With their Horse battery long gone, there really is no choice but to MOVE. With a lackluster roll, some minor repositioning (withdrawals) takes place.

Chastel's Light Cavalry Division rolls a double move, but on an odd score cannot engage in immediate melee, or change facing or formation. 

Chastel move both Lancer unit up i9nto contact with the Cuirassiers that have just crossed the Elster.  There is no melee, but the gap is plugged... for now. 

Friant rolls a 1; the Old Guard cannot MOVE. Merde!

The guard Foot Artillery doesn't need to debate; it treats the card as ARTILLERY FIRE. Their aim is off, however, and their shots fall short. They reload waiting for their next opportunity. They could fire again, but that would leave them unloaded, and thus vulnerable. 

Poniatowki rolls up a triple move, but no "Fancy Business". He repositions his troops.

Victor rolls up a plain Jane single move segment, and also repositions his infantry. 

Odd again; double move, but no melee initiation. The Cuirassiers pull back. 

As they pull back, one of the Curassiers is targeted by two separate batteries. Riding through a dip in the ground, the cannon balls pass harmlessly overhead!

Another lackluster MOVE roll results in some more repositioning. 

Augereau rolls up a Double move; nothing fancy, but the old campaigner has no need of subtlety!

His infantry advances off the hill; one regiment is struck by fire from a battery and some weakened Jagers, and the combined effect drives them back with heavy losses before they have the chance to shoot. 

A French column follows up and dose shoot, but forgot to prime their pans, and accomplish nothing. 

The Young Guard, under the command of Marshals Oudinot and Mortier, rolls up a Triple Magic Move. "En avant, mon enfants!"

First, the Corps artillery fires (this will leave them unloaded). They inflict heavy losses on a Russian column, routing it. 

"Chargez!" Bopth assaults are successful; on the right, the Jagers have reached 4 UI losses, and disperse. 

Pajol's Dragoons decide their horses coats need brushing... 

Lauriston gets a simple, single move. However, he judges the time is right to advance!

His men take defensive fire as they advance, routing one of the French columns. 

The remaining French fire in their turn, to somewhat less effect. 

Sebastiani's Cavalry rolls a single magic move. Every beau sabre knows what to do with those; "L'audace, toujours l'audace!"

Defensive fire by the Austrians drive the Hussars back, and the Carabiniers gain the upper hand on the opposing Cossacks, becoming Disordered in the process. 

As the clash continues, the armor of the Carabiniers and the lack of room for the Cossacks to use their lances results in the defeat with horsemen of the  Steppes, with heavy losses, 

MacDonald's men,. tired from their march to the battlefield, can only manage a single segment of movement. They are in need of a Happy Meal, it seems. 

The Corps Artillery shoots, tearing large gaps in the ranks of an Austrian column, routing them. The rest of the Corps then advances.

MacDoanlds infantry fires, et sans resultat. "can we have fries with that, jeer the opposing Hussras, unphased. 

Nansouty , commanding the Guard cavalry, can only barely manage a single MOVE. 

The Artillerie a Cheval of the Guard fires, inflicting light losses upon he target. It then limbers up and moves, closing the range.

Situation on the French left after the advance of the Guard cavalry. Now for the next French card!

Sacre bleu! A Lull; Schrwazenberg seizes the initiative from the Emperor!

The Allied joy is short lived, however, as they turn their own LULL on the free card and Napoleon takes the initiative back in turn!

Napoleon's free card is LEADERSHIP. When he rolls for options, he has the choice of LEADERSHIP (he has quite a few units to rally), MELEE (there are units in contact with the enemy waiting to enter combat), MOVE, and ARTILLERY FIRE (The French have many unloaded batteries, and the others all have good targets), and MOVE. Having rolled odd, whatever he choses applies to entire Army. 

What would YOU chose at this point?!