Some days the Austrians do incredibly well. But the fourth game at Fall-In! 2019 was not that day.

Klenau moved his ArmeeKorps over the river at the north end of the field, led forward by a brigade of chevaulégèr. Opposite him, Lannes directed his light cavalry to screen ahead of his lead infantry division, looking to buy space and time for deployment. At the south end of the field, Hiller advanced in two prongs, around a large wood. To the north marched the Austrian Avant Garde, while Vincent’s hussar brigade went ahead of Radetzky’s infantry around the left of the forest. In an odd turn of disposition, Bernadotte, opposite Hiller, advanced quickly and deployed his two infantry divisions in parallel.

Knowing he had to secure a bridge head and space for his infantry, Klenau sent his cavalry forward into the French hussars. The action seesawed, but ultimately the Austrian horsemen broke and the French retreated, having expended themselves. Meanwhile, Hiller’s thoughts of bridging the gap to Klenau with his Avant Garde are dashed when Bernadotte deploys along a nearly three mile front. With the bulk of his Korps south of the forest, he must either withdraw, or concentrate ahead of the woods, he chose the latter.

Having secured the river crossing, Kleanu immediately fanned out to the left and right to deploy around the crossroads. Now both the Austrian Forces became hedged in. In the south, Hiller’s infantry still struggled to deploy while Bernadotte begins to wrap the Austrian position with his dragoons. In the north, Lannes has brought his second division online against the Austrian left, necessitating that Klenau refuse his flank.

In the south, the action was decided quickly. Bernadotte pressed in with his left, and while the Austrian Avant Garde put up a significant fight, both it and Vincent’s hussars were compelled to retreat through the woods, leaving Radetzky’s infantry isolated. Once the French committed their 2nd Division, the Austrians again put up a good fight, but it was for not as La Houssaye’s dragoons began swinging around their rear to cut the line of retreat.

In the north, Lannes struck against the joint of the Austrian line and Kleanu was forced to retreat back towards the river for protection.

  • Game Briefing
  • Kleanu’s Advance
  • Bernadotte Marches at the Head of His Corps
  • Hiller’s ArmeeKorps
  • An Overview
  • Risk and Reward
  • Hiller Must Address Bernadotte
  • A Clash of Sabres
  • Deployment Matters
  • A Pause
  • Winning is Hard
  • A Southern Update
  • The Battle Takes Shape
  • Hiller’s Position from the French Viewpoint
  • A Deployment Race
  • Hiller Sees His Fate
  • The GM Sums Up the Situation
  • The Seen in the North
  • The Retreat Begins
  • All is Lost.