Guest Post from Reject Richard - The Battle of Distanza Part 5

Part 5 of a Socially Distant Wargame

The Battle of Distanza, 15 June 1746

Phase 4, c.12:45pm

A little apology to begin. My cellar is never great for photos, but for some reason this phase of the game engendered even poorer quality pictures.  Even leading a dramatic cavalry clash being rendered to a written account only.

At the end of the last installment the situation was as follows at about 12.45pm:

The French Artois regiment starts by blazing away at the Austrian artillery of 1^st Brigade…

… killing the gunners to a man.

Aggressive French advances by 1st and 2nd Brigades and fire by Champagne regiment does damage on IR8 Hildburghausen on the central heights.

While on the far western flank, the Austrian dragoons continue to make progress around the French left flank and Sociale prompting Marshal Ray to shift his command to get this end moving.

But on the central heights IR8 return fire with a withering volley that sends Champagne regiment reeling back.  Shaken but not destroyed.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Austrian 1^st brigade’s performance is barely satisfactory… typical Lee-esque dice rolling!

However, Austrians of the 2^nd brigade inflicts heavy casualties on the Picardy regiment, who are forced to temporarily withdraw.

Meanwhile, on the bloodied soil of the south eastern flank, Ray’s battered cavalry are setting a trap for Lee.  Will the Austrian orders drive them into the net?

On the French right flank of the line, Piedmont regiment is charged by the Austrian grenadiers who advance determinedly despite well trained musketry by the French infantry.

French grenadiers also seek action by launching themselves at IR27 Baden-Durlach, who are taken by surprise at the speed of the charge.

The Austrian grenadiers win, throwing the Piedmont regiment back.  However, they have now suffered horrible losses themselves.

On the central heights, the French grenadiers keep honours even by defeating IR27 who retreat over the river.  The heights now seem to be disputed.

The grenadiers now exploit the situation and charge IR10 Jung-Wolfenbuttel, who just have time to release a volley before impact…

… and after a close and vicious melee push the grenadiers back towards Sociale – have the grenadiers exhausted themselves?

This is the situation at around 1pm.

The Austrian grenadiers are quickly wiped out as the French 2^nd brigade extract revenge.

But in the west the Austrian dragoons start to cross the river south of Sociale.  However, Ray is redeploying his 3^rd brigade to counter.

This is the point where my already dodgy photography seems to give up the ghost.

Which is a shame as in the southeast Lee’s cuirassier dutifully follow his aggressive orders and charge straight into Ray’s cavalry trap.  No 4 Stampbach cuirassiers is consequently wiped out to a man (and steed) when it is charged by both French units – one in a devastating flank attack.  The secret to decisive melee in this age.  La Reine chevaulegers breakthrough onto No 3 Palffy cuirassiers, who put up stern resistance before their morale cracks, forcing their ragged withdrawal.

Below is the now untidier battle lines from west of the central heights looking east.

General Lee is seen exhorting his troops to great effort despite losing two units destroyed in a quarter of an hour.

And so, we have the situation as the clock ticks towards 1.20pm.

Both armies are taking a battering.  The French are bloodied and having to react to some troublesome Austrian cavalry but have all units still available for action.  The Austrians are holding the heights but only with a titanic struggle and now with two units destroyed.  Which side will see their will to fight crack first and gain the ascendancy they seek in northern Italy.

Until the next instalment.