Battle of Wachau Playtest, Part 4

Schwarzenberg wins the first initiative of the new Turn; rolling even, both sides will get two cards. Behind the eight ball in Army Morale Points, he opts to go first, trusting he won't turn the Army Morale card. TACTICAL  ADVANTAGE isn't much help; he holds on top the card and turns the second one. 

INFANTRY FIRE; not bad, but the options roll isn't kind. It will have to serve for the whole army. 

Smoke markers are removed from infantry units wherever allowed (routing units cannot do so). This Russian Line regiment fires, and forces the enemy back in Disorder, with losses. 

Two Russian grenadier units firing barely effect the opposing Young Guards. Their commander, Raevsky, calls for some Vodka to dull the pain!

The fire of the Grenzer is ineffective as well.  Overall, disappointing results on this card for the Allies. 

The initiative passes to the French; their roll for options is far more helpful; each command may choose any action except Leadership!

Friant chooses MOVE, but the Grognards remain in place, smoking their pipes, and... waiting. 

The Foot Artillery of the Guard, naturally, chooses ARTILLERY FIRE; its bombardment routs an Austrian regiment with heavy losses. More morale points flow back into the French supply!

With little else to do, Sokolnicki chooses MOVE; the Polish horse make some minor adjustments to their positions. 

Bourdeselle also chooses MOVE, and wins two segments. This allows him to move up the now rallied Cuirassiers quite some distance. Otherwise he dresses the lines of the French Heavy cavalry. 

Also with little else  to do, Victor chooses MOVE, and makes minor adjustments

Doumeerc also Chooses MOVE.  Although he rolls up a double magic move, he opts to pull back the isolated Cuirassier unit that charge well in advance of its supports. Some of his other troopers could charge, but none of them would have any real advantage. As the exposed Cuirassier unit pulls back, both Russian batteries fire, to minimal effect; this will leave both "unloaded, and potentially vulnerable in the future. 

The Young Guard choose MELEE, and close with a battered Russian Line regiment and an "unloaded" Russian battery.  The weak musketry of the Ivans fails to deter the Guardsmen, despite their prior losses and Disorder, and they charge home.

Both of the melees go the way of the surging French; the Musketeers are routed with heavy losses. The Artillery batter is destroyed (any loss of one or more UI in melee destroys an artillery unit). Ouch!

Situation after the charges of the Young Guard.

Augereau plays it safe and uses INFANTRY FIRE to remove many smoke markers. 

Lauriston also opts for INFANTRY FIRE, but the results are minimal. 

Sebastiani chooses MELEE; the recently rallied Carabiniers are just within charge range. The battered Austrian column shoots, but the men are tired and are low on ammo, and their fire is ineffective. 

Imposing in their scarlet crests and copper cuirasses, this time the Carabiniers are not to be denied. they ride down the Kaiserlicks, sabering the regiment almost to a man! (the Austrians have lost 4 UI total, and are thus automatically removed). The Carabiniers "seize the position" and keep in good order on an "even" roll. 

Noncounty opts for MOVE for the Guard Cavalry. and wins 2 move segments, but no fancy business. 

The Guard Chasseurs a Cheval, Grenadiers a Cheval, and the 2nd "red"/"Dutch Lancers all move into contact. The Austrian defensive fire doesn't deter the guardsmen. 

MacDonald rolls up a triple move. 

His infantry advances en masse, perhaps recalling the glory days at Wagram, his Corps artillery redeploys towards the center, and the Corps cavalry brigade advances on the Austrian battery stationed on the hilltop... a battery that has hardly fired all game thus far, in part due to being blocked by friendly troops. 

The next French Card is LEADERSHIP; the options roll allows commands to choose that or Infantry Fire. 

The loaded Young Guard Volitgeurs takes a long range pot shot at the Mounted Jagers, forcing them back with losses. 

Another Young Guard pot shot is less effective, so is the return fire! Several units from different commands also regain losses or become Ordered on the Leadership action, but many more fail to do so. 

The French win the next initiative; both sides will get two cards, and the French will go first. Their first card is MOVE. 

The French also get Artillery fire as an option, by command. 

The Old Guard gets a Double Magic move, and uses it to adjust it dispositions protecting the right flank of the army; the most battered unit moves into the town for protection. 

Overview of the position of the resultant Old Guard poasitions along the river Elster.

Bourdesolles Cuirassiers get a double move. 

Doumerc's Heavy cavalry Division gets a single move; the heavy cavalry consolidate their position, presenting a pretty unified front... at least for now! 

Augereau's Corps marks time. 

Pajol's Dragoon Division moves forward cautiously. 

Lauriston's Corps, however, rolls a Triple Magic Move!

The Division's Legere regiment deploys out of the town of Liebertwolkwitz, advances to point blank range of the unloaded Russian Grenadier regiment, and pushes them back without inflicting significant losses. 

Two French Ligne regiments make a Wienerschnitzel out of the outflanked Austrian Line regiment, inflicting heavy losses and  routing them! 

Sebastiani's cavalry Division gets a single move/ 

Positions after their maneuvers. 

The Guard Cavalry Division uses ARTILLERY FIRE; it horse guns routing yet another Austrian regiment!

MacDonald gets a Double Magic Move. The Corps Artillery redeploys towards the Center..

The Corps Light cavalry Brigade rides down a mass of routed enemy troops, and then 

threatens the Austrian Battery.  The battery fires over the head of the fast moving enemy horsemen, having little effect. 

The infantry of the Corps moves forward and starts angling towards the center, as there is little fight left in Klenau's men at this juncture!

The Final French card for this initiative is LEADERSHIP; the roll also give MELEE as an option by command. 

The Chasseurs of the Guard and the Carabiniers gain an edge on the opposing Uhlans in the first round of Melee. 

The second round sees the Uhlans routed; the Chasseurs seize the position. 

The Austrian battery holds off the charge of MacDonald's Chasseurs in the first round, by the use of clever tactics; the second round sees the battery take a 1 UI loss, which results in its elimination. the other commands make rallying rolls, with some successes. 

The Frtench have now acted on four cards in a row, all to effect. Overview of the battle from the French Left as the initiative passes to the Allies.