Black Powder Napoleonic Scenario.

French V Austrians. 1809.

Caught Napping.

Last Tuesday (16/07/2013) At my local wargames club, We played a game of Black Powder. This wasn’t my first game of Black powder, but the first one that I had remembered to bring my Nexus to document the occasion!

Austrian Briefing:

The opening moves of the 1809 campaign saw an Austrian attack into French allied Bavaria. It caught the French intelligence services and the Emperor cold. The initial blows fell on the Bavarian army and a continuation of the attack with all celerity will strike a huge blow against the French position and status within Germany.

*Pedants please note some of the characters and formations in this scenario are fictional as is the participation in this campaign for those units that can be historically identified- it is after all merely a game of toy soldiers.*

Austrian VI Armee-Korps has pushed on into the lowlands of Bavaria when word reaches them that the French have force marched to the aid of their hard pressed Bavarian allies. A seizure of the key points to the Armee-korps front is essential to hold back the French so that the Archduke can mass his main body and crush the French and their allies whilst they are still tired and disorganised after their arrival in front of the Austrian forces.

Orders.

You are General Hans Von Appfel-strudel commanding 6^th Division of VI Armee-Korps of the Imperial and Austrian army.

Seize the village of Oder Napping to your front and hold it against any French attempts to recapture it. Scouting reports indicate it is currently held by a small force of the Corsican upstart’s German lackeys, troops from Bavaria, Westphalia, Kleeve-Berg or some such provincial backwater. Your advance guard brigade may arrive on turn one, the remainder will turn up on the East road as fast as they can march (about 2 moves or so behind the advance guard).

Forces.

General Hans Von Appfel-strudel commanding 6^th Division of VI Armee-Korps of the Imperial and Austrian army., command level 8.

Advance Guard. Commander von Trapp, command level 8

2 Regiments Hussars, 1 Grenze battalion, 1 battalion Tyrol Jager Korps, 1 Horse artillery battery

1^st Brigade. Commander Uzlezz-sonovabitz command level 6

5 Battalions line infantry, 2 Landhwer battalions and 1 field battery.

2^nd Brigade. Commander Georg Von Vorman- level 7

4 battalions Line infantry. (Recently raised troops from Hungary and Italy)

Reserve Brigade. Commander Von Muller level 8

2 Battalions Grenadiers. (Crack hard nut troops)

1 Regiment Uhlans.

Type Armament H-H Shoot Morale Stamina Special Rules

Advance Guard Commander von Trapp, command 8

Grenzer Inf. Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Skirmishers

Hussars Cav. Sabres 6 – 4+ 3 Marauders

Jager Inf. Rifles 6 3 4+ 3 Skirm, S/shoot

Horse Artillery Art. S/B Cannon 1 3-2-1 4+ 1

1^st Brigade Commander Uzlezz-sonovabitz level 6

Fld Atrillery Art. S/B Cannon 1 3-2-1 4+ 1

Infantry Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 4 Large Unit

Landwher Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Unreliable

2^nd Brigade. Commander Georg Von Vorman-Grill level 7

Infantry Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Wavering

Reserve Brigade. Commander Von Muller level 8

Greanadiers Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Reliable, Elite.

Uhlans Cav Lance 7 – 4+ 3 Marauders, Lancers.

Special Rules.

Skirmishers.

Sharp-shooters. Re-roll one missed shot.

Maurauders, Ignore command distance modifiers for orders.

Large Unit +1 dice shooting, +2 combat

Unreliable. No move on equal command roll.

Wavering. Take a break test when they take a casualty.

Reliable +1 command.

Elite Overcome disorder at start of command roll with 4+ roll.

Lancers.1- against cavalry, -2 against infantry on charge.

French Briefing:

The opening moves of the 1809 campaign saw an Austrian attack into French allied Bavaria. It caught the French intelligence services and the Emperor cold. The initial blows fell on the Bavarian army and a continuation of the attack with all celerity will strike a huge blow against the French position and status within Germany.

With all rapidity the Emperor has managed to force march the Grande-Armee into Germany to halt the forces of the Austrian empire and rescue France’s Bavarian allies from their tricky predicament. French V1 corps has pushed on into the lowlands of Bavaria when word reaches them that the Austrians have force marched to the peril of our hard pressed Bavarian allies. A seizure of the key points to the corps front is essential to hold back the Austrians so that the Marshal can mass his main body and crush the “Whitecoats” whilst they are still tired and disorganised after their invasion.

You General de Division Jean-Paul Escargot tasked with the capture of the village of Oder Napping. You are are to take and hold this village to await the Marshalls concentration of forces later. You and one Brigade of your choice may appear on move 2, other brigades will appear on a move delay after that at 1 per move and arrive on a road from the North, West or South at random (1,2=N,3,4=W, 5,6=S)

Your forces.

GM de Division Escargot level 8

1 st. Infantry Brigade. Commander Poussin level 8

5 battalions French line infantry

2^nd Infantry Brigade. Commander Higgins level 7

4 line battalions, I light infantry battalion and 1 field d battery.

3^rd Infantry Brigade. Commander Lyon level 9

2 battalions line infantry. 1 light infantry battalion.

Cavalry brigade. Commander Lesttre-L’Pigott level 8.

2 Dragoon regiments, I Hussar regiment and 1 Horse artillery battery.

Type Armament H-H Shoot Morale Stamina Special Rules

Ist Infantry Brigade. Commander Poussin level 8

Line Inf. Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 4 Reliable

2^nd Infantry Brigade. Commander Higgins level 7

Line Inf. Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 4 Reliable

Irish Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 4 Tough Fighters

Light Infantry Inf. Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Skirmishers

Fld Atrillery Art. S/B Cannon 1 3-2-1 4+ 1

3^rd Infantry Brigade. C ommander Lyon level 9

Line Inf. Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 4 Reliable, Elite.

Light Infantry Inf. Muskets 6 3 4+ 3 Skirmishers

Cavalry Brigade. Commander Lesttre-L’Pigott level 8.

Dragoons Cav. Swords 8 – 4+ 3 Heavy Cav. +1

Hussars Cav. Sabres 6 – 4+ 3 Marauders

Special Rules.

Skirmishers.

Heavy Cavalry. +1 Combat result on charge.

Maurauders, Ignore command distance modifiers for orders.

Unreliable. No move on equal command roll.

Reliable +1 command.

Elite Overcome disorder at start of command roll with 4+ roll.

Oder- Napping garrison.

You are Brigadier Blazthoff of the Ducal army of Kleeve-Berg a staunch ally of the French emperor. You were directed here at great haste last week to provide assistance to the King of Bavaria in his attempts to hold back the Austrian invaders until aid from the French army can arrive. Local farmers have reported the presence of numerous Austrian soldiers nearby and they appear to be approaching this village. Hold them at all costs and await the arrival of French assistance.

You have two battalions available and a battery of field artillery.

Ist Infantry Brigade, Kleeve-Berg . Commander Blazthoff level 8

Line Inf. Inf Muskets 6 3 4+ 4 Reliable, small unit.

Special Rules.

Reliable +1 command.

Small Unit. -1 dice shooting, -2 combat.

The Game!

Black Powder Austrians turn 1:

Advance guard arrives on the table from the east board edge. . Rolls for brigade order advance and gets one move.

Black Powder French turn 1:

French stay still.

Black Powder Austrians turn 2:

Advance! Get three orders! Infantry advance and cavalry match pace. Now in cannon range of the defenders!

Black Powder French turn 2:

First reinforcements arrive from the south road.

Cannon fires at the limbered cannon. Misses.

Black Powder Austrian turn 3:

Fail reserves roll.
Right hand hussars advance to outflank the Germans. Get 2 orders and move forward.
Infantry advance next to them but don’t get enough to form line.
Other hussars try and charge the defenders. Only get one order. End there move in front of the troops.
Other infantry fails their advance order.

Cannon shoots at the defenders. One hit one kill.

Black Powder French turn 3.

Roll for reserves, infantry battalion arrives from the north road.
1st battalion (reserves from last turn) advance to occupy the hill. Roll three moves.
Defending musketeers fire at the advancing hussars. Small unit gets 2 dice, 1 hit. Saved.
Cannon misses!
Advancing French infantry get one shot at close range but miss.

Black Powder Austrian turn 4:

Initiative orders. Both hussars charge defenders. They roll to form square so the hussars retire.
The infantry near the village move up.
The infantry near the advancing French form line.

The cannon fires but the defenders save.
The line infantry fire at the advancing French, cause 2 casulties and a disorder.

Black Powder French turn 4:

Passed reserves, from the north. The reserves fail their order dice though so there’s no room!
Two of the infantry from the south advance, the one next to the hussars forms line.
The fourth fails its order.

The infantry that formed line enfalade shot at the hussars and get 6 shots. Three hits and 3 kills.
The squared troops get one disordering hit on the advancing infantry.
The hussars take a moral test and hold. But are shaken.

Black Powder Austrians turn 5:

Reserves!!
Reserve brigade advances onto the table in column of march.
The cannon turns to fave the hill.
The hussars use an initiative order to retire once (hopefully next turn rally)
The other hussars try to run round the rear of the cannon but fail.

Disordered infantry shoot the square. They get one hit but no casualties.
The cannon gets 2 kills on the infantry.
The line infantry hit, but fail to get a kilk on the other unit.

Black Powder french vs austrians

Black Powder french vs austrians

Black Powder French turn 5

Reserves arrive from the west
The north reserves advance twice and end right next to the hussasrs!
The cannon advances onto the hill.
The south reserves that advanced in column form line in front of the Austrians
The other unit that fired at the hussars blunders when it tried to chase them down and ends up running two moves away!

Two units shoot at just out of short range. Total of 6 shots. 2 hits one casualty and disordering hit.
Other unit move ng onto the road misses the skirmishers.

The north reserves fire at the hussars. 4 hits. One disorder. One kill.

Black Powder Austrians turn 6:

Pass reserves
The reserves are so spread out they fail their order dice. This means no reserves can move on the table.
Most of the Austrians are disordered, so only the skirmishers can move. Within 6 inches so they move in.

The cannon gets one shot at the elevated unit on the hill. Disorder! No casualty.

In combat the skirmishers cause 1 casualty and take none. The defenders pass their moral ( in square they ignore give ground)

Black Powder French turn 6

South infantry advance band form line behind the retreating hussars.
The ones that blundered form column and advance.
The west reserves move up once.
The north reserves stay still to shoot the hussars. One unit moves up to block the hussars advance.
The second brigade at the board edge gets one move up onto the hill.
One unit moves east towards the new Austrian reserves.
The cannon fail to move

The infantry in line cause one wound and a disordering hit.
The advanced infantry next to the hussars shoot, cause 2 kills, forces moral and the break!
The north reserves cause one casualty on the hussars.

Austrian skirmishers win combat by 1. French pass moral.

Black Powder Austrians turn 7:

Hussars retreat one move to behind the advanced south reserves.
The reserves fail their order again. But the c&c does a “follow me” order on the cannon which passes so it advances and unlimbers. Leaving g the c&c close to the reserves (better leadership)

Infantry in line disorders the French.

Austrians win combat. French hold.

Black Powder French turn 7

South reserve infantry form column and charge the line.
Unit moves up behind the hussasrs.
North reserves move 3 moves towards thge cannons.
The reserves that cut off the hussars charge into combat.

South infantry fire at the hussars. Disorder and cause them to be shaken.

French win the combat with the skirmishers, but they hold.

Black Powder Austrian turn 8:

Advance guards are now a broken brigade. The hussasrs and the infantry retire. The hussars end up in front of two units!!

The reserves commander tries a follow me order to the furthest unit but fails. The c&c tries to order the rest to advance but still cannot manage it. He moves as close as possible.

The cannons both fire but miss.

In combat the French win by 2 casualties, the Austrians retire. The square stays but the others follow up.

Black Powder French turn 8:

The infantry behind the hussars advance to close range.
The rest of the south reserves move up onto the road and towards the retreating infantry.
The shaken unit true to rally but blunder the run away 2 moves.

The large unit moving towards the cannon try to move up to musket range on the cannon. They get 1 move.
The north reserves up near the village wheel towards the south.
The west reserves fail to move.
The north reserves on the hill try to advance forward, they blunder. But get move to the left. This happens to be more or less where they wanted to be anyway.
The c&c tries to order the cannon from the other side of the field. Fails.

Infantry fire at the line infanty, cause 2 casualties which forces a moral. They break.
The skirmishers at the centre get fired at enough to break.
The other south infantry fire at the cannon and disorder it.

Black Powder french vs austrians

The game ended around here. Due to poor command roles, The Austrians clearly lost this game! It was a fun game, and highlighted the importance of a good command roll! I also learned a few things about different formations, which could have brought me closer together, giving the austrian reserves a better chance of actually passing a command role!
Well, we live and learn!

Really enjoyable game. Thanks again to Graham for putting it on!

(Also, sorry if the photos are out of sync, for some reason they’ve become mixed up as I uploaded them this time, I’ve tried to reorganize them as best I can!)

Chris.