Battle of Zengo

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job
Destroyer of Worlds
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Battle of Zengo

Post by job » Sun Aug 30, 2015 2:47 pm

The Battle of Zengo
August 30th, somewhere between before here and after there


Austrian Order of Battle

CIC Komura, FML Rating 8

Vanguard Brigade (8)
1st jaeger battalion, Regular, Skirmisher, Sharpshooter
Erzherzog Karl Infantry regiment No.3, Regular, Crack
Stain Infantry regiment No.50, Large, Crack (3rd Battalion)
Two 6Pdr artillery batteries

Center Brigade (8)
Anton Mittrowsky Infantry regiment No.10, Regular, Crack
Erbach Infantry regiment No.42, Regular, Crack
Stain Infantry regiment No.50, Regular, Crack
Stain Infantry regiment No.50, Regular, Crack
Two 6Pdr artillery batteries

Rear brigade (8)
Stark grenadier battalion, Regular, Elite+4
Nissel grenadier battalion, Regular, Elite+4
Nissel grenadier battalion, Regular, Elite+4
Hohenlohe grenadier battalion, Regular, Elite+4
Two 6Pdr artillery batteries

*All Austrian units had the "Crack" rule, but during the game it was unused as both participants routinely forgot.

French Order of Battle
46th Division Order of Battle
CiC Division de General Hercule Lafayette (8)

Brigade de Friant (8)
9th Legere [Skirmisher, Sharpshooters]
15th Ligne
48th Ligne
1st Suisse [Elite 5+]
Line Foot Artillery battery 6-pounders
Line Foot Artillery battery 6-pounders

Brigade de Coignet, Guards Brigade (8)
3rd Battalion de Regiment de Fusilier-Grenadiers [Reliable, Elite 4+] AT2
3rd Battalion de Regiment de Fusilier-Chasseurs [Reliable, Elite 4+] AT2
1st Ligne de Vistule Legion [Tough Fighters, Elite 5+, large] AT1
Line Foot Heavy Artillery battery 12-pounders
Line Foot Artillery battery Howitzers

Brigade de Feraud (8)
1er Cuirassier [Reliable, HC D3]
Lancers de Vistule [Reliable, Lancers, Marauders] AT1
7e Hussards [Marauders]
Horse Artillery 6-pounders [Marauders]
Horse Artillery 6-pounders [Marauders]
*All units have Pas de Charge rule [reliable Attack Column] and are regular sized units unless otherwise noted.

Once again the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte of the French Empire and the forces of Emperor Francis of the Austrian Empire were at war. Both forces, seeking to seize control of central Europe drive deep into the center of Germany, the age old stomping ground of the two adversaries. Napoleon drives his Grand Armee hard for the Danube, but so doing leaves his rear exposed. Archduke Charles, hoping to capitalize on the gap in the French disposition, dispatches General of Division Komura with a division to seize a ridge line . In recognition to the sudden exposure to the French lines of communication, a force is hastily mustered under GdD Hercule Lafayette, merging a Brigade under GdB Friant and a detachment of Imperial Guard and Vistula Legion. Gathering calvary locally available, the French make for the very same ridge line as the Austrians.

Marching through a light drizzle, the forces meet at the gap at Zengo....

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The Austrians deploy in long, steady columns.
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The French arrive in attack columns full of vigor and a bit of disorder, and their cuirassier and lancers riding to their flanks.

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The French horse artillery dashes forward and unlimbers in the gap. The battle is opened with a salvo which disorder the 1st Nissel Grenadier battalion.

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General Komura orders the brigades into brigade columns, and masses his batteries to either flank.

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The Center Brigade hammers away at the Vistula Lancers disordering their horses and intervals as roundshot slams into the them.

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But, the French are not faint-hearted, least of all the Guard! Lafayette orders the Frenchmen, Poles and Swiss to continue their advance.

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GdB Coignet orders the Guard into the exposed flanks of the Austrian Center Brigade. The serried ranks of the attack columns rise over the ridge and catch the Austrians off guard. An intense combat of point-blank musketry and bayonets ensues!

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The horse artillery continue to batter the 1st Battalion of the Stain regiment who remain in column.

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The battalions of the Fusilier-Grenadiers and the Fusilier-Chasseurs drive the men of the Anton Mittrowsky, Erbach and Stain regiments into retreat, but reinforced, large 3rd Battalion of the Stain Infantry Regiment hold their ground before the equally numeric Vistula Legion.

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The Austrian Center Brigade breaks and the Guard push their assault into the enemy.

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General Komura, undeterred, deploys his Grenadiers and infantry into a new line attacking the gap and enveloping the Guard.

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The Stark Grenadiers deliver a vicious volley to the horse artillery shaking the unit. And the dogged Austrian 3rd Battalion of Stain infantry defeat the lauded Vistula legion who retire to lick their wounds!

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But, the Guard are not to be stopped. Their battalions shrug off the skirmish fire into their ranks. The Cuirassier charge the 2nd battalion of the Nissel Grenadiers who can only form a disordered square.

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The Fusilier-Grenadiers drive away the Austrian Jagers and the Fusilier-Chasseurs carry the fight into the Erzhergoz Karl Infantry Regiment. And the Stark battalion receives in turn a cannonade from 4 batteries and an enfilading volley from the Swiss.

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The unfortunate Nissel-men are sabered and ridden down by the ferocious French Cuirassier who carry the fight into the artillery. The Austrians begin a grim retreat from the harrying French.

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The battle was over before 1 in the afternoon. GdD Komura oversaw a rearguard conducted by the Rear (Grenadiers) Brigade and the men of the ferocious 3rd Stain Brigade. GdD Lafayette, having seized the critical ridge line, dispatched his light calvary to watch the retreat of the Austrians and maintained control of the field to await reinforcements from his Emperor.

In hindsight, the French came off very well, suffering a single shaken horse battery and some pips of damage to the Polish units and the Guard. The Austrians had two battalions and two batteries rout and several others shaken or driven from the field. Of course, it really came down to a critical assault by the Guards battalion 360 paces (36") into the flank of the Center Brigade. There was also a disordered square before a cuirassier charge. Both were rather lucky. Both were just the fortunes of war games.

There were moments of Austrian glory, such as the gritty stand of the 3rd Stain Brigade from a flank charge by the Vistula Legion. And there were also moments of French glory much of it going to the French Guardsmen who drove their assault deep into the Austrian right and center.

Overall, it was a lot of fun. The field and table were packed with models. I have to say the Austrian artillery looked fantastic. I look forward to the rematch/revenge GdD Komura has promised the French! :) ;)
Models Painted, 2020
70 28mm miniatureS

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