Monday 26 December 2016

DBN19 Battle of Elchingen 1805


French Troops cross the Danube & attack Elchingen.


Another spiffing Age of Eagles scenario, this time Elchingen 1805:
 http://napoleonicscenarios.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/7/7/2377799/elchingen_1805.pdf

1805 Ney commanding a moderate force must cross the Danube & set up a bridgehead.  A larger Austrian force marches to stop him.  Spav took the Austrians & yours truly ze French.  We went with the standard one base equals one element, so this game managed to fit on a 3 foot by 2 foot table.  Our DBN conversion is as follows:

French Army
Marshall Ney (+2 Caps) Starts turn 1 crossing the bridge
Light Infantry x4, Line infantry x 2, Foot Arty x1,
Light Cavalry x4, Horse Arty x1.

Sub-General Mahler(0 Cap) Arrives turn 8 onwards, a roll of 4 to 6.
Line infantry x8, Foot Arty x1,

Austrian Army
General Riesch(-1 Cap) Set-up turn 1 North of the Danube
Line Infantry x 5, Line Infantry(E) x2, Foot Arty x1, Heavy Cavalry x2

Sub-General Laudon(-1 Cap) Turn 6 onwards 1-2 left, 4-5 middle, 5-6 right.
Line Infantry x 5, Line Infantry(E) x2


FORWARD!  Ney leads the French across the River Danube 

A small Austrian force opposes the French

Quickly the French mount an attack.  The Light Infantry advance.

Austrian Caps were woeful for the first part of the game.

The first French assault on Ober-Elchingin goes in.

Spendid!! French Cavalry cross the Danube.

The Austrians form a line between Ober & Unter-Elchingen

The first French attack on Ober-Elchingen is repulsed

I divide the French Cavalry, it would later prove to be a mistake.

The Austrian Cuirassiers mount a demonstration of force

Austrian Infantry provide support for the troops in Ober-Elchingen

Austrian Grenadiers == Hard

WOOOAA!! Spav makes his reinforcement roll, the Austrians arrive on the French left flank.

It's not looking good the French.  The French Hussars take a spanking...

With the arrival of the Austrians on the left, it's now a matter of the French forming a defensive position around the bridge.

I'm not liking the match ups, I try to calculate how long before the Austrians will over run the bridgehead.

The Austrians attack the bridgehead

A view from behind the Austrian lines, the French are pinned against the Danube.

CHARGE!!! Ney leads forward the French Dragoons in a bid to break out.
It's risky, but  Ney gives a whopping +2 on the combat dice.

The French Foot Artillery help on the left flank.

General Mahler arrives on the right!

Ney doing what he does best, inspiring the troops to feats of glory!

Overall view at this point

GGgggrrr... Those pesky Austrian Grenadiers! 

It's good, but the French Dragoons aren't overwhelming the Austrians.

The French fall back & reform the line.

Charge!!!!!

Mahler's first assault on Unter-Elchingen is a failure....

At last the Austrian Caps begin to improve.  Spav plans a Cuirassier charge...

The French Dragoons destroy the Austrian Infantry but take heavy losses.

Ney falls back & forms a defensive pocket.  Hopefully Mahler will arrive to save the day.....

French Column vs Austrian Line


I'm confident that the French Artillery will keep the Austrian's at bay....

CCHHHARRGE!! The Austrian Cuirassiers attack...

A mighty sight, unstoppable....

The French guns ring out, but the die rolls are poor...

Oh no!! the French Cavalry are forced back & are destroyed...

Another attack, but it's not the breakthrough the French need.

Oh my word... The Austrian Heavies are going to smash everything in sight....

Ney tries to help out, but is injured in the process...

BREAKTHROUGH!!!  The Austrian Heavies advance straight into another combat & it's DOOM for ze French!
To make matters worse Mahler is repulsed again.....

Ney's staff rush the injured Marshal from the battlefield, the game is over.


Bugger.... The Emperor is not impressed!
Well that's how NOT to perform a river crossing....  Spav has his revenge.  His reinforcement roll was spot on, the Austrians turned up in the right spot & put the French on the defensive.  For once my Cavalry couldn't force a Breakthrough.  Those pesky Austrian Grenadiers were a rock & don't mention those Cuirassiers.....

 Another BIG thank you to the Age of Eagles  Grognards, the scenario was spot on.  well worth trying them out:  http://napoleonicscenarios.weebly.com/scenarios.html

Friday 2 December 2016

DBN Brunswickers


I've been re-vamping some of our Napoleonics in the wake of choosing to play 'Big Base' DBN.  One of the mini projects was to upgrade our Brunswick Corps.   There's something about the Black Uniforms that makes them look so cool.   As it stands the majority of them would be 'Militia' class, but they are still one of my favourite set of troops.  They have featured in one of our games, the 'Rumble on the Escourt' 1815 variant http://mrfarrow2udba1519k.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/dbn15-french-vs-allies-1815.html   

For the 100 Days Campaign the Corps was about 6000 strong.  The foot troops amounted to 8 Battalions, about 5000 men.  A Brigade in DBN amounts to about 2000-2500 men.  I took the liberty to 'stretch' the formations & plumped for 3 Foot formations, 2 of Light & 1 of Line.  (Basically to use up the hordes of Jaeger & Lieb guard figures I've got)  The cavalry & artillery were very straight forward, 1 Brigade & 2 Batteries.


The Mighty Brunswickers




Light Brigade, Lieb Guard.  Minifigs & Lancashire Games figures


Another Light formation, Jaegers & Light, Avantgarde. 


Cavalry Brigade, Minifigs & some conversions (too many Uhlans I know, bet hey..)


The Hussars, the standard is made up.

The lovely Uhlans

Duke Of Brunswick & chums (I need to give him a beard...)

Line Brigade

Minifigs

Massed Artillery

Foot Battery, Minifigs & Lancashire Games figures

Horse Battery, Minifigs, Essex & Lancashire Games figures