Battle of Landshut - DBN

 Today I played out the 4th battle of my 1809 campaign using DBN.  The scenario is taken from Command and Colours.

The French objective is to inflict 7 units lost and capture Landshut. The Austrians win if they inflict 7 loses on the French.  If Landshut is held by the Austrians is counts as a French unit lost.

This is a tough game for the French who are faced with rivers that can only be crossed by one of the bridges or the  ford.

Moulton commands the French left and gets 2 CAPs per turn. Lannes commands  the bulk of the French army.  The Austrian commander Hillier objective is to hold the position.

The French open their attack with Mouton clearing the Austrian Jager and cavalry before advancing his Infantry towards Landshut.  His light cavalry easily see off their counterparts and breakthrough and attack the Austrian infantry defending the bridge. After winning the initial melee the cavalry they are however repulsed by the Austrians who form square. 

In the centre Lannes launch attacks across the river hopingto break the Austrians and allow French Infantry to attack Landshut in support of Mouton.

Unfortunately for the French  the Austrian defence, with plentiful artillery and light Infantry support on the flanks, is too strong and the French attacks are parried.

With both sides loses mounting the French have one chance of winning by launching Moutons  columns across  the bridge against Landshut.

The first attack, led by Grenadiers, takes heavy fire as it goes in and in the resulting close combat loses and are destroyed.  Mouton is in the forefront of the attack and leads a charmed life as he orders of fresh Infantry to charge across the bridge into Landshut.  The next two rounds of combat are tied so each side takes 2 loses and are shaken.

The game comes down the to the wire with the forth close assault being a winner takes all. Whoever loses will have lost 7 units however this means that if the French win they take Landshut and win the game.  After calculating the melee factors the French are on 5 and the Austrians 7.  The Austrians win the combat and the game. 

The Austrians now lead the campaign 3 - 1.