Napoleonic HITS Game June 6-7

Sacré bleu!  The vile Austrians are in France!  They occupy Chalons and demand sausages and beer.  Mon Dieu, how could this happen!



An Austrian force, estimated to be a division, is occupying the town of Chalons.  This major crossroads is a critical objective for the Allies in their march on Paris.  Even as the air grows heavy with the smell of frying wurst, a French corps under the command of Maréchal Oudinot is rushing towards the town to eject the invaders.  Should they be allowed to consolidate their position it will not be long before they soil the cobbles of Soissons and Rheims.

This 3 hour battle will be fought on the new Cold Harbor map.  This will require that everyone have the newest versions of KS Napoleon mod 1.718 and the KS Supplemental Maps 1.07.  Note that much of the forest has been removed.  DO NOT use the ground color as a guide for the forest locations.  Only the visible clumps of trees denote wooded terrain.

As usual, no scouting more than 200-250 yd. in front of your troops is allowed.

This scenario will require 6-8 players for PvP and 3-4 players for co-op vs a French AI.

A link to the doodle sign-up is here: Doodle Link

Regrettably I am in France this weekend (though nowhere near Chalons).

I am playing some 1941 Russians in a biggish weekend-long game using Frank Chadwick's Command Decision rules and 15mm miniatures.

Kevin seems to mix Prussians with Austrians... Schnitzel in every possible variety is our main dish... Wurst is something more German, although not entirely absent

not sure if I can play Saturday - but I might be able to... Sunday for sure..

To me beer and sausages is German. Austrians (at least the Viennese) eat delicate cream-filled pastries.

Kevin seems to mix Prussians with Austrians.

You all look the same to me.

it's like comparing the US with Canada....

Working evenings all weekend. Hope you have a good game.

SolInvictus202 wrote:it's like comparing the US with Canada....

Why would anyone want to compare Austrian's (US) to Canadian's?

My lovely wife (aka commander, boss, periodic source of my humility) has requested my presence for a few events. I had signed up for 1900 thru 2100 and am now a "?" For these slots. Sorry for late notice, especially first time signing up. I will keep updated today. Hopefully can be back in time.

Charmead

To further aggravate the situation I in turn must change my "?" to a "I should most definitely be able to attend...  Sorry guys

SolInvictus202 wrote:To further aggravate the situation I in turn must change my "?" to a "I should most definitely be able to attend...  Sorry guys

There goes the neighborhood.

To further aggravate the situation I in turn must change my "?" to a "I should most definitely be able to attend... Sorry guys

Looks like we've got an Austrian CinC. The briefing is on the way. This being the case, lets start the battle at the usual time of 20:00BST today.

Charmeade told me he should be able to make.

I think an Austrian being the Austrian CinC is quite fitting.

Do we have to follow his orders Kevin?

Do we have to follow his orders Kevin?

Absolutely, no question. Of course sometimes I fail to get the orders...

2 points:

1.

Uncle Billy wrote:

Do we have to follow his orders Kevin?

Absolutely, no question.  Of course sometimes I fail to get the orders...

It should be an easy Austrian victory!

2. Now I know why you never follow my order unless I am right beside you. Not to self always have Kevin where you can see him.

Thanks for this imperative information!

It should be an easy Austrian victory!

Well I'm sure our CinC is factoring in the repercussions of your command being thoroughly destroyed.

What you talking about Willis?

I am going to stroll around the map and see the pretty flowers then after you guys have been beating to a pulp I will gallantly prance into the AO and win the game and you guys will think that it is Kevin and not Morsey.

I am going to stroll around the map and see the pretty flowers then after you guys have been beating to a pulp I will gallantly prance into the AO and win the game and you guys will think that it is Kevin and not Morsey.

Launching that premature attack wasn't the best decision. On the upside, I did look rather good trashing all those worn out enemy battalions and saving the day. I thank you for the opportunity.

there can be no doubt that the superior Austrian forces will emerge triumphant once again!

PS: that is all the battle plan we shall need for tonight's fight!

I am screwed

I must say for once my commanders on the field performed adequately and were their usual self - except Mike!


Pepe did an outstanding job and fought a superior enemy - not once asking for reinforcements!
Morsey outdid himself and actually had a command left by the end of the fight...

and then there is Kevin - he had the largest division on the field - over 10,000 men - and only saw minor action until called to attack a French gun position to his front...

initially I had ordered him to only pin the Frenchies to their position and have Pepe conduct a flanking assault and decide the day - newly arrived enemy reinforcements however made this impossible and left Pepe dealing with superior infantry to his front!
Thus Kevin was given Morsey to support a similar move to his right, but the usual differences between the commanders in the field left his main assault unsupported.

Eventually Kevin lost less than 1000 men taking those guns - which were lined up on good sloping ground with only a minor detachment of already broken infantry in support - altogether an impressive position - however poorly defended...

I must commend the Austrian infantry, which performed admirably - in their language it would be "brav" - and secured a glorious victory for its leader and the Empire!

A dispatch has been sent to my uncle in the "Hofkriegsrat" stating that a new GdD for the Division "Treuenfels" might be in order - my corps needs hard chargers and not the usual Wieners that are afraid to get their hands dirty!
the Grand Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa has been awarded to Teniente Pepe and the Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa to the General Chief of Staff (Generalquartiermeister) of the Austrian Division "Vogelsang" - who undoubtedly took control of the division to ensure its survival...

Where we at the same battle?

Vienna Austria; Fldm Vogelsang demoted royal Courier Reader to CAV cow patty detail!  After taking a wrong turn at Albuquerque witch placed Fldm "V" as he is know to his troops a bit north of the battle and investigation found that the Royal Courier Reader was at fault and swiftly put on the cow patty detail to cover the CAV tracks.

In his defense Lt Bedürfnisse-Brille claims that is was the General of the days fault because he could not read his gibberish.  Fldm "V" immediately put this to rest by sending the Lt to pick up crap for 30 days

The second interesting story of the battle that the Austrian Army won was that Fldm "V" received that dispatch from Fldm Kevin which stated that Fldm "V" was useless.  Fldm "V" was quoted as saying I went where they told me and that made me useless?

Fldm "V" was credited with the taking of Rhiems without fire on shot then turned south and engaged the enemy.

When asked by the Vienna Daily Schnitzel his thought on the battle.  Fldm "V" stated we won the battle which brings great credit upon his troops and what is all the hubbub about, this is war and things happen and we all have our own way of fighting and carrying order.  Although it is getting quite tiring that one week I am to aggressive and the next not enough.  These are the things us successful Fldm's must put up with.

When asked about future battles Fldm "V" stated that he will ask his illustrious leader if they want and aggressive or passive battle plan from him.  Then the Fldm slipped into a building that is know to be used to store Kevins Hoe's and not the gardening type, shortly after there was a ruckus and about a dozen half dressed women of ill repute where seen running and Fldm "V" yelling there is no room for this debauchery in the Austrian Army! There was a report of someone fitting Fldm Kevin's description seen running butt ass naked away from the building.

Yet another battle where my division was tasked with the heavy lifting.  As we were preparing to do battle with the enemy to the south, two French divisions came out of the west.  This was bad enough as I had to reorient the division in sight of the enemy, but the French commander saw this maneuver and sent in a regiment of cuirassiers to break up the redeployment.  Fortunately my men reacted swiftly and formed a hedgerow of squares, stopping the soup tureens from piercing my lines.  Having left their infantry far to the rear, the cavalry attack was a complete failure.



With the chance for a quick victory gone, the French proceeded to deploy their divisions to the west and NW.  I engaged both and was forced to call on my own Kürassiere to stem the onslaught in the NW.  This gave the rest of the corps sufficient time to deploy and meet an enemy attacking on two fronts.

When I received word the other two divisions were in position, I was ordered back east closer to Chalons.  The next task of breaking contact with a superior attacking force is not easy.  First I pulled out the artillery and then used my two brigades in a leapfrog maneuver.  All the battalions got safely away.  We redeployed on wonderful ground just west of the town.  So long as the two divisions could not overlap my flanks, I felt I could easily hold both of them off.

With our other two divisions fighting and beating the French division in the south, I set up a solid defensive position, rested my men and waited for the inevitable attack.  It came just as the battle in the south was winding down.  Led by an incompetent French general, he sent two brigades up the hill towards my position.  A single brigade along with my guns easily beat back their repeated charges.

I then made a grievous error.  I wrote our commander that I felt the French were a thoroughly defeated force.  He then sent a message back that could only come from someone completely unhinged.  He wanted me to advance and take the grand battery that had set up on a ridge across from me by storm.  It seems his original plan was to have a division south of me, sweep along the enemy flank and take the guns from that direction.  Unfortunately, they had run into fresh enemy troops, it turned out to be the third French division, and would not be able to carry out the maneuver.  I was promised support from our third division which took up position north of me.

This was a suicide mission as I could see a fresh brigade supporting the guns.  Along with the battered battalions in the woods leading up to that ridge, my men could not make a quick dash and secure the objective.  Rather they'd be subject to the guns full fury for an extended time.  I requested the division north of me to support my right and push away two broken battalions there so I concentrate on the objective.  That division promptly marched north into the woods and I never saw them again.  I suppose the flower picking was too much of a temptation.

As a result, I had to advance across a very long line and completely defeat an infantry division before I even reached the guns.  To make matters worse I kept receiving couriers from the CinC urging me forward.  I finally ordered my ADC to shoot any further incoming messengers.  After a very long and bloody assault, my two brigade finally reach the top of the ridge.  A battalion from each was tasked with destroying the gun line.  They caught many unlimbered and shot down the artillery crews.

At that point when my men were seeing off the final battalions of French a messenger arrived and told me I was to swing north and help our division there defeat the enemy in his front.  As a post script he wanted me to take another line of guns supporting the enemy there.  I shot my ADC myself.

I reluctantly sent one brigade north while the second finished the work around the former grand battery.  By the time my exhausted men reached the fighting, the French there were mostly a spent force.  A few volleys into their flanks and they ran west for safety.  That second gun line was not facing my advance so they presented no difficulty.

unbelievable - the personal viewpoints of a divisional commander matter nothing in the grand scheme:

nevertheless I shall mention 3 small situations either reported by my excellent AdCs or inspected myself:



1) the position I "allowed" Treuenfells to withdraw to - knowing he would not stand on anything but the most excellent ground:
(yes - the French attacked from the low ground UPHILL after facing the troubles of deploying while emerging from those woods...)





2) when I ordered this "fatal" frontal assault (Treuenfells lost less than 2000 men in the ENTIRE battle) I knew that the attack would mostly be covered by the same forest the French had attacked from - and the guns wouldn't be able to shoot there either!





3) once the reluctand Treuenfels had finally reached the other hill he was too slow to flank the guns to either side - complained about supporting infantry and failed to make full use of the available terrain... I had to ride forth personally and inspire the men while they were left standing facing the gun barrels of the French batteries.... a simple order of wheeling right about 50 meters would have allowed to take the very same guns at half the losses!

only the bravery of the individual Austrian soldier and the personal inspiration and natural leadership presence of FML Hiller (myself) ensured final victory on the field in this ill-lead attack!