Alex and I decided to get together for a game and we decided to give Field of Battle 3. Originally I had planned to pull my 10mm Crimean War figures out but realized that I hadn't painted any Ottoman artillery and that would be problematic for a proper game.
I opted instead to try out my 6mm stuff for the Franco Austrian War of 1859 (or second war of Italian Independence). I had just enough to give us a small game with three brigades a side.
(Left: Overview with French on left and Austrians on right)
The scenario centered around an Austrian delaying force under Field Marshal Montenuouvo trying to slow the advance of the French as the remainder of the Austrian force retreated to the safety provided by fortresses of the Quadrilateral.
For the French commander, General LaMotte-Rouge, the French objectives were to 1) drive the Austrians forces from two farmsteads and 2) push the Austrians from the field of battle. To accomplish this, the French had two brigades of infantry (one of line and the other comprised of zouaves and foreign legion) with artillery attachments and a small brigade of cavalry.
The Austrians began the game with two brigades of infantry with supporting artillery and on turn 5 would get a small cavalry reserve led by General Zichy on the table.
(Left: Austrian jagers deployed in San Matteo)
I assumed command of the Austrians and devoted one brigade (Brigade Hodlitz, pictured above) to the responsibility of the roadside farmstead Cascina San Matteo in the center and the left flank. San Matteo was defended by an elite battalion of jagers with three line battalions and an artillery battery in support.
(Left: San Martini with Austrian defenders)
The other brigade (Brigade Reznicek, above) was assigned to secure the hilltop farmstead Cascina San Martini on the right. Jagers screened in front of San Martini with a battalion of line fortified within the walls of the farm. Two other line battalions and artillery provided support.
Alex assigned the 2eme Brigade, under General Castagny (above), comprised of zouaves and foreign legion to advance upon San Matteo while General Lefevre's 1eme Brigade and the General Villaine's cavalry moved towards San Martini (below).
It didn't take long for me to realize the dice gods weren't in my favor when my first 3 die rolls were ones and the fourth roll was a two. That trend of poor Austrian rolls would continue for the remainder of the game.
2eme Brigade advanced slowly through the vineyard rows towards San Matteo while the cavalry had some great movement rolls that saw them bolt forward and threaten the Austrian right flank and rear. The Austrian defenders of San Martini unloaded an enfilade volley into the flank of the French cavalry only to see their efforts produce no casualties (below).
I moved an uncommitted infantry battalion in march column from Brigade Reznicek through a valley between two hills in my rear in an attempt to block the threatening French cavalry. Unfortunately, bad rolls and card draws doomed them to inactivity and doom.
1eme Brigade advanced uphill (above), brushed off an ineffective volley from the jagers screening San Martini and routed the "elite" Austrian light infantry who fled into the same valley as the Austrian battalion trying to march to meet the French cavalry (below).
Meanwhile, things weren't much better on the Austrian left flank an infantry battalion Brigade Hodlitz routed from French rifled artillery fire (above).
Back on the Austrian right, the French assaulted San Martini and forced the Austrian infantry to fall back from the farmstead. They joined the mass of panicked and confused infantry in the valley to the rear (above).
On the left, Austrian artillery from Brigade Hodlitz finally struck home and caused casualties to a French zouave battalion, forcing them to route. Unfortunately for Field Marshal Montenuouvo, another zouave battalion for the better of a firefight with the jagers in San Matteo and drove them out of the buildings (above).
At this point things were looking fire for the Austrians but reinforcements arrived in the form of a light cavalry brigade. Sadly, they wouldn't get a chance to make an impact on the battle.
The next roll for initiative saw the French win by 8, allowing them to draw at least 8 cards before the Austrians would be able to counter. Alex finally got the cards to allow his cavalry to change formation and charge into the panicked Austrian infantry masses in the valley to the rear (below).
Two disadvantaged Austrian infantry battalions (one in March column and one in rout) were destroyed by the French cavalry by this point, the Austrians were left with zero Army Morale Points and would need to roll for break on the next Army Morale card they drew.
Finally, it was the Austrian turn to try and stabilize the quickly disintegrating situation. On the first of the eight cards to be drawn, the Austrians turned over the Army Morale card (above) and promptly rolled a 1. With that, the Austrian army retired from the field, having been driven from both San Matteo and San Martini. It was a smashing victory for Alex's French.
I rolled poorly and drew the wrong cards from my army deck at the most critical moments. I don't think that was the reason for the Austrian defeat; Alex was aggressive and took advantage of Austrian malaise.
Despite the thrashing, I really enjoyed the game. It felt (and looked) like a battle from the 1859 campaign. Alex and I forgot some of the rules but that's only natural when you haven't played a ruleset in over three years. We both agreed out next battle of FOB3 would have to happen sooner than the last time.
