It's been the summer, lots to do in real life, but always wanting to get on with this AAR. Part of the problem is not in playing the game, but in the extensive write-up that goes with each turn, but I am attempting to show the full capability of this apparently simple game. The more I play, the more I discover how a basic game system can deliver a real rollercoaster of ride.
.............................................................................................
Turn Report
Turn 10 (weather raining – terrain mud)
Situation: What a difference a day makes, we found out where one of the other French corps was, as MASSENA suddenly appears at REGENSBERG and straight into battle with ROSENBERG. MASSENA has the advantage, but after so many withdrawals and manoeuvres, I decided to stand our ground and set ROSENBERG’s battle stance to 'defence in depth', well that hurt, with the biggest loss of the campaign so far (see results).
The French retirement has stopped and NAPOLEON is moving forward again
Now almost a side show, KOLOWRAT captures NEUMARKT and some supplies (20)
BELLEGARDE was too slow at STRAUBING and Tharreau escaped back across the DANUBE to re-join LANNES.
Looking over the reports of the day, CHARLES discovers that news that a cavalry division (Marulaz) of MASSENA’s IV Corps had been seen in STRAUBING, before he had ordered the advance, which comes as an unwelcome surprise, looking around for scapegoats he realises that the information had been available, but he had failed to notice it. There had been a lot to do and it may not have altered the orders, but the change from the initial defensive strategy, into an advance across the DANUBE, had cost the first serious casualties of the campaign.
He kept these thoughts to himself and resolved to be more observant in future.
This is a real roller coaster of a ride, with the situation changing daily, but now things are getting serious, I became over-confident and I think will pay for it. MASSENA only arrived suddenly, because I missed the clue on the map, more of that later.
Better news from HILLER, although he has not moved, possibility because of the orders delay this far out on the flank, LEFEBVRE is reported as 'shattered', which is to be expected from the loses suffered in trying to force a crossing of the INN against HILLER, so it's not all bad news. If CHARLES can get things moving on this flank it may relieve the pressure on the opposite flank.
Note: none of LEFEBVRE's units indicated as shattered after the battle at BRAUNAU, so LEFEBVRE himself has shattered after the effects of the battle. No actual French units are shown as shattered in the 'Victory Report' button, although overall French confidence has taken a knock and is down to 2.
The Coalition advantage in confidence points in the ‘Victory Report’ is worth 2 additional victory points, but I am not sure whether it has any other effects in confidence calculations in the rest of the game calculations.
This is something of a victory, although the overall victory points are moving against the Coalition.
Results: French losses 51 SP – Coalition losses 35 SP (11 – 25 this turn)
Victory points -19 against the Coalition
Coalition Replacements available 6
Strategy: Survive in the centre, attack on the flanks
Orders:
CHARLES Army Commander; moving back with HOHERNZOLLERN
BELLEGARDE I Corps; defend STRAUBING
KOLOWRAT II Corps; forced march to defend SCHWANDORF
HOHENZOLLERN III Corps; move back towards DEGGENDORF
ROSENBERG IV Corps; forced march CHAM (retreat point)
LOUIS V Corps; forced march to defend CHAM, but all units detached.
HILLER VI Corps; forced march to MUNICH
LIECHTENSTEIN IR Corps; unchanged
KIENMAYER IIR Corps; unchanged
Klenau (Cav) detached from KOLOWRAT, forced march with 'fall-back' orders for a cavalry raid NURNBURG
Lindeau and V Corps artillery detached independently and ordered forced march to CHAM
Schustekh (Inf), Schustekh (Cav) and Reuss-Plauen attached to CHARLES and ordered forced march to CHAM
Comments: Reminder of the scenario victory conditions, NAPOLEON must capture VIENNA, or destroy the Coalition army, so CHARLES must keep NAPOLEON back, without suffering catastrophic losses. Up to now CHARLES was succeeding well, keeping the French in check, by manoeuvring and tactical withdrawals, but has now suffered the first significant losses.
All is not lost, the situation on the Austrian left flank is good, with LEFEBVRE shattered, the way to MUNICH is open. CHARLES does not expect to advance that far, except for perhaps a raiding mission, as there is known to be huge supply stocks in MUNICH, which the Emperor must defend, or see them burn. Any French units sent to defend MUNICH cannot be on the road to VIENNA.
CHARLES will have to give ground on the right flank allowing ROSENBERG to retreat through CHAM (it may not be possible to stop him being driven back anyway) and BELLEGARDE could pull back also, through CHAM, or DEGGENDORF, but where does that leave KOLOWRAT.
Looking back at the pre-battle screen, where I decided on ‘defend in depth’ battle tactics for ROSENBERG, that decision becomes highly questionable when noting that ROSERNBERG has no artillery, which means that a meaningful defence in the face of French firepower is doomed to fail. These stance postures are very important, both marching instructions and battle tactics and I should have been more careful, although not wanting to continually withdraw, it was the smart move in this case. Now I have a corps in such a bad condition that withdrawal becomes the only option.
The top section of the image shows the forces when the battle is first notified, it is clear to see that ROSENBERG has no artillery, as this is a meeting engagement as MASSENA marching out from REGENSBERG runs into ROSENBERG moving out from CHAM and his artillery is behind on the muddy roads. This is what I saw before I made the battle stance decision and should have taken more notice.
The lower section of the image is the pre-battle screen after the battle stance decisions have been applied, I should have taken note that ROSENBERG had no artillery unit on the battlefield, so any meaningful defence was likely to fail, with ROSENBERG having a cavalry advantage, but MASSENA having an artillery advantage of +33%, with an additional 20% for artillery in the open terrain. MASSENA’s ‘frontal assault’ blasted through the ‘defend in depth’ that I selected and I should have given the battle stance more thought. The staff advice was there, but I failed to notice it and ROSENBERG paid the price, how much better would it have been to continue tactical withdrawal and delay MASSENA, until other corps could have been manoeuvred in support. Hero to Zero in one turn.
The divisions actually involved in the battle are severely damaged, however, this is not in actual casualties, but in strength lost as stragglers. This corps must be pulled back, but not too far if the stragglers are to be able to re-join, but another battle could ‘shatter’ the corps beyond repair. An extended retreat march could do more damage and the stragglers could never re-join. The retreat point for ROSENBERG is CHAM, which is what CHARLES instructs, with the urgency set at ‘forced march’ in hopes of keeping ahead of MASSENA.
When ROSENBERG pulls back from the crossroads at 24,06 (which is inevitable), then communications with KOLOWRAT will only be possible via PILSEN, the orders delay will increase, with a possibility that he will be cut-off entirely.
Getting LOUIS into position now becomes vital, CHARLES is not pleased that the survival of the army may depend on the young prince, who seems reluctant to leave the night-life and society to be found from staying near to PILSEN.
CHARLES’s patience is at an end, whatever the consequences in VIENNA, because LOUIS’ corps is split with half of his units at the designated reserve position at KLATTAU, but the other half still back on the road and an order to LOUIS now, would have some of the units counter-marching and wasting time re-joining the corps, whilst LOUIS’ administration level is poor at 2, meaning he is slow in getting units moving. He will be better in battle where he scores 5, which only KOLOWRAT matches.
CHARLES needs to get these units moving quickly to block MASSENA and give ROSENBERG some shelter to reorganise and decides to take command himself, by detaching units from LOUIS and giving direct orders to get each unit moving by the quickest route, intending to restore command to LOUIS when in the battle area. Timing will be vital as the corps must be reunited under LOUIS’ command before being thrown into battle, where LOIS should perform better. This does demonstrate the flexibility of the command system in the game, which allows higher command to intervene directly where necessary.
As an experiment I am going to allow some units to move independently and other to be attached to CHARLES to see how this affects the response to orders. All V Corps units, including LOUIS, himself have been given orders to ‘forced march’ to CHAM, where the corps will be returned to LOUIS’ command. However, the roads are deep in mud, when will this weather clear, long enough for them to dry out. Hopefully NAPOLEON is also struggling with the mud. All V Corps units on ‘defend’ order in case they run into the French, this will make withdraw battle stance available if required.
I have covered this section in some detail to show what the game is capable off, simple to operate, but with subtle commands and effects available.
ROSENBERG, retreat on CHAM, or SCHWANDORF ? : CHAM to retreat on supply and to the designated retreat point which should regain stragglers, or SCHWANDORF hoping to evade MASSENA, or draw him away from CHAM, threatening to close in behind if MASSENA decides moves onto BELLEGARDE.
CHARLES has chosen CHAM to avoid the army being split by MASSENA, at the risk that ROSENBERG may suffer further attack and suffer greater, even terminal damage.
KOLOWRAT can be a threat to MASSENA via SCHWANDORF, or stay with the plan and head INGOLSTADT/NURNBURG ?
Is CHARLES going stay on the far bank of the Danube and give the Emperor another Battle of ECKMUHL ?
On the left flank CHARLES sees a greater opportunity, an attack on MUNICH will be a rapier through the heart of the beast. MUNICH is known to hold a large supply depot and if HILLER (will he be a rapier?) can only get a cavalry raid into the town to torch the supply, it would be a huge blow to NAPOLEON’s ability to move his army and might act as a distraction from the action through CHAM and STRAUBING, whilst also pursuing LEFEBVRE to total destruction by not allowing him to re-organise. LIECHTENSTEIN and KIENMAYER will need to move quickly to cover HILLER’s advance, but the mud !
The replacement pool has grown to 6 and now is the probably the time to start using them, but carefully, as there will be no additional reinforcing units until JOHN arrives with his corps, near PRESSBURG, in 78 days (information from ‘Situation Report’ side button), many turns away and a long way East.
Units need to be about 5 hexes from the Operations Centre at PILSEN, then the 'Add Replacements' button should light up and I will be able to restore the units to full strength. The distance from the Operations Centre to be able to add replacements might vary, but I have seen up to 7 hexes.
Klenau has been detached from KOLOWRAT at NEUMARKT and sent on a raid to NURNBURG, having come so far with the flanking movement we cannot now retreat with just a few supplies captured, there must be more to achieve.
KOLOWRAT is ordered to cut short the flanking movement and move to SCHWANDORF, this is partially self-protection to avoid the French moving in behind and cutting him off from the supply base at PILSEN, but also to offer a threat to any move MASSENA makes into the Austrian rear area. I had already sent some supply to AMBERG (35), which is already on the way, KOLOWRAT captured a small amount at AMBERG (8) and has (56) on hand with corps. That should be enough to keep him going for a while, also I have ordered KOLOWRAT to draw supply from SCHWANDORF where there is captured supply (15), hoping that it will move before MASSENA gets there. I could have ordered the SCHWANDORF supply moved to PILSEN, but the convoy may have used the road that MASSENA is about to advance onto, designating the supply for KOLOWRAT should get it moving the other way.
I have described these supply possibilities in some detail to show how that within a simple control system you can have large variations and options and if you do nothing the computer can still control events.
Supply at PILSEN is down to 22, but a big supply column (461 supply points) is passing KLATTAU and should enlarge the depot in the next two days.
LINZ has a supply depot (1300), which can be used to support the left flank move towards MUNICH, whilst HILLER, LIECHTENSTEIN and KIENMAYER have all been set to draw supply from LINZ, this will reduce the dependency on the ‘Centre of Operations’ at PILSEN.
