Brought out my only "Austrian" Napoleonics for a quick solo game, The "Hungarian Militia" are now sporting proper shakos while their former headdress of corsehuts hats now are adorned by the "Austrian Landwehr" wearing grey uniforms. The scenario was simply to have the French get to the brewery, load up the wagon full of beer and get back down one of the roads. The Austro-Hungarians were to approach from the east to stop them from doing so.
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They are up against my dismounted French Dragoons. I wanted to use the dragoons on the table as I recently added a horse-holder group from Brigade Games. As not sure of the compatibility with the existing Perrys ordered only one group; and while the uniforms are early vs late war, the sizing is close.
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| The discouraged French dismounted dragoons (indicated by the newly dug grave marker!). Showing the Brigade Games horse-holders |
The rules I made up on the fly, were a simple 6+ activation with 6s hitting or combat, with units in cover needing an extra hit to kill and the Landwehr in close order 5,6 =hit in close combat. This simple system worked well as I couldn't be bothered to put down my beer to find the proper rules.
The confident French marched from the west while the sweeping advance through the woods on horse quickly stalled from good musket fire from the Hungarian militia along the wicker fence line forcing them off their horses and into cover. There they would remain pinned.
The other south unit of Hungarian militia also kept the French elite company pinned. The Landwehr urged on by their aggressive officer on horse, moved down the road from the east in close order (their permanent formation as I have the miniatures in very close together on their bases!) to charge into the dismounted dragoons and put them into flight. The other French lost heart and the Austro-Hungarians celebrated a grand victory.
As it was the Austrian Landwehr unit's first battle being newly recruited and all ( in other words: painted), it was indeed a surprising outcome.
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| Austrian Landwehr in close order down the road. "Victory is at hand!" |