Our second game at Fall-In embraced the ‘gutsy move’ philosophy demonstrated by Pajol’s cavalry in game one. With all four players sending their troops pellmel into the perceived choke points between the two lines. On the Austrian right the aggression paused as soon as the two Forces realized how close they were and how little space they had to deploy and coordinate. Vandamme could be heard muttering something about his brilliant plan, while the Austrian player began lamenting the French skirmishing prowess as his chevaulégère evaded backwards following French skirmisher fire and a charge by the lancers.

The game ran approximately 14 turns in just shy of 3.5 hours, representing a bit under five hours of battle.

  • The Battlefield (from the southeast)
  • Light Cavalry Lead the Way
  • Contact is Made
  • The Battle Lines are Drawn
  • Time to Narrow the Field
  • Hiller Defends the Left
  • An Advance to Nowhere
  • A Clear Plan vs No Plan
  • The Real Fight Begins
  • Shrinking Options
  • The Pressure is On
  • The Center Gives Way
  • Vandamme Chooses the Moment
  • The Battle is Decided

The battlefield’s left quickly turned into an outright brawl. The French committed their partially deployed cuirassier division against the Austrian 3rd Hussars. While the hussars were beaten terribly, the cuirassier division, with less than half its squadrons deployed, was so disorganized and fatigued by the action that it was done for the day. This gave the Austrians a practical win on their extreme left as they no longer had to be concerned with the mighty French heavy horse.

With the remainder of his korps, Hiller deployed in the center: Radetzky’s infantry and Nordman’s Avant Garde facing two French infantry divisions. The French were predictably aggressive and drove forward quickly. Nordman’s uhlans and grenzers, outmatched by an entire division, began giving ground; Radetzky’s division held firm as its flank support fell back.

Hohenlohe, frustrated that Ulm’s division had become unresponsive while pinned between two villages, committed Lindeneau’s Grenadier Division to relieve them. Two of Ulm’s battalions went forward to try and knock out the French artillery, but were taken in the flank by part of the 1st Chevaulégère-Lanciers. With their sortie forward crushed, still under the merceless fire of the French skirmisher and guns, Ulm’s division cracked and retreated involuntarily.

Radetzky’s division with Lindeneau’s grenadiers would fall back to setup a secondary line and rear guard for the Austrian withdrawal; their early successes not receiving enough followup to push back the French surge.