Revolutionary Wars Batrep - The Battle of Pasta Castiglione 1796

 

The Rejects got together last weekend for our 2nd game of 2022, you've not missed the 1st game. I've not posted it yet!

Reject Richard got out his French Revolutionary figures once again, after his great game he put on at Broadside in November we all said we'd like a few more games, for a 3 reasons, 

1. They were a bloody good set of rules. 

2. We need to play them or we'll forget the rules. 

3, See 1 & 2

Smiffy & Postie were the French

Me, Lee and Surj played the Austrians

The set up

Our right, my command.

The plan was to hold

Our centre, Lee's command

This was our weakest area, the French had a hell of a lot of troops facing us.

The Plan, hold the line!

Our left, Surj's command on the hill and to the far left.

The plan, try and take the road if possible?

I moved forward, just to give myself a bit of room and squash the French up facing me, commanded by Smiffy.

Lee also moved up, to hopefully get a few shots on Posties command as they came in.

Commander on the right

The French move forward

I get off a shot with my artillery.

What's Postie gonna do with that column?

Postie pushed 3 columns forward

Ol shiny head himself

There wasn't a great deal going on on our left. 

Just a lot of manoeuvring.

a view down the table.

Smiffy's troops

Hopefully we win the dice for who goes first, we should be able to charge?

BigLee doing his thang!

The French are getting close, Postie charges on the hill. As its only 1 unit charging I should do it some damage as it comes in. 8 dice needing a 4+, then 3 D6 needing 4+ for the artillery...

Uh oh, this isn't going well?

Only 1 hit!

Then the 3 D6 for the artillery, I threw three bloody 1's!

I think it was because Lee was standing next to me?

And Postie strolled into contact.

Smiffy didn't advance, so I did. I also entered the town.

Lee moved back, hopefully out of charge range.

Just incase I lose the melee....

Come on Austrians!

I lose the melee, but only just. I get pushed back.

And also retreat my entire line back.

Lee moves his troops on his left to attack Posties units.

Still not a lot going on?

Lee takes a shot

And next turn, we win the first move and charge in.

Even if we lose, it should hold the French up for another turn.

I charge up the hill and move forward in line with my artillery.

A pic from the French side of the table. It always looks worse when you do this!

The French Dragoons

Come on Surj, Charge!

Again from the French side

And finally there's a cavalry charge.

We fortunately won the first turn, Surj charged in. He hit the first unit on the left within half their movement, so Postie took the charge at the halt. But could counter charge with the other unit. 

So they're all in.

The melees didn't really go our way. Surj smashed one French unit routing it, as it was so close to the table edge, it fell off the planet never to return, that raised an Austrian cheer, until Richard told us we had to dice to follow up. So Surj carried on the charge and fell off the table edge as well, never to return!!

Then he went and lost the other melee and was pushed back.

I win the melee on the hill

Pushing Postie back.

I withdrew my troops again

Apart from those in Solpherino.

Smiffy moved forward, to charge the next turn, while I turned my unit to face the French flank.

Postie still managed to get in 2 charges. 

Its a bit of a mess.

I charge Smiffy in the flank, his other column charges my line and Smiffy charges my troops in Solferino.

Postie wins a melee and pushes Lee back, but then Postie fails a brigade morale check and all his units move back one move.

Now we, the Austrians thought the battle was going our way when.....

The Ray's got the dice curse came back (not really sure it had gone) and bit me on the arse!

I lost the fight for Solperino, I shouldn't have, but my dice were truly awful.

Not only did I lose the melee but I then failed the morale test and was pushed right back.

Then I lost the melee in the centre which again I shouldn't have done and was pushed back 8 inches. Smiffy threw 2 D6 to see if he could catch me in the follow up, he threw an 8 which caught me in the rear destroying the unit!!!!

This caused a brigade check which of course I failed. this actually saved my bacon, as it pushed all my units back 8 inches. which in turn left one of my units protecting the road to Perscheria. 

And there the game ended

Conclusion

Richard added the points up for the game, destroyed units, captured colours, leaders killed and the like and declared the Austrians the winners!!

To be honest it was a really close game and could have gone either way.  At the end of each turn we played it swapped who had the upper hand, it was so close. Although neither side achieved their goals, the French were a spent force. Statically the Austrians lost the game as we didn't achieve our historical aims but due to smashing the French we won the game.

Great game Richard, it was a very difficult game to play and really made you think with each turn we played. 10/10

You can see by Richard's check sheets, just how the French were punished in their attack.