DBN - Battle of Elchingen - 1805

GH came over today and we played a couple of games DBN. It was his first go at the rules so after a quick explanation we started.

I used the Command and Colours scenario, with a few tweaks, for the map and force composition. 

The French, under Marshal Ney, are poised to launch their attack.  The objective is to capture both of the small towns (non linear fortifications in DBN terms) or to inflict 5 loses on the Austrians.

The Austrians are set up to defend the small towns and the range of hills. Their force does not include any Light Infantry elements but does include 2 units of Cuirassier.

The French attack on their right with heavy Columns advancing whilst their left  is held back.  The French have 3 light units and get a plus one on their Cap dice where as the Austrians are a -1. This gives the French greater flexibility to out manoeuvre the more ponderous Austrians. The French can also use attack columns with a +3 bonus which makes them tough against Austrian lines.

The French attack against Elchingen is successful however a counter attack by a Austrian elite element recaptures the town.

The French attack against the church is however thrown back and Austrian Light horse moves forward to threaten the French Infantry.

French Light cavalry heroically charge an Austrian horse artillery unit but lose the close assault and recoil before receiving rasping canister fire which destroys them.

With the French attacks failing the Austrian counter attack on their left are are able to win 5 vs 4 elements lost.

After a lunch and a pint on a local pub we changed sides are refought the game. In this game the Austrians and French tried 5 loses each and the game went into sudden death which saw the Austrians able to win 6 - 5. 

DBSYW 15mm figures

I have been busy rebasing some old 15mm Tricorne troops for more playtesting of the SYW variant of DBN.

Some of the figures I have unearthed are 15mm minifigs from the 1980s and GNW cavalry. I also have a few newer figures including a couple of freshly painted French guns. The armies will represent the Grand Duchy of Calvados and the Electorate of Furstenburg-Lederhosen and its allies in the Electoral Kreis.

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.

Teugen-Hausen (19 April 1809) - DBN

I played the 3rd game this week of my solo DBN 1809 campaign. This time I did Teugen Hausen using the Command and Colours scenario as the basis for the set up and orders of battle.

The two ridges are key to the battle and these count as 1 unit lost to the side not in occupation.  The Austrians start occupying one of the ridges.  To win requires 8 units to be inflicted at the end of a complete turn. 

The French are the attacker and start by occupying the ridge on their left before a full out attack on the Austrian occupied ridge on the left.

The Austrians react to the attack by moving up reserves in support. The French columns are ravaged by musketry and canister but they prove to string for the Austrian defenders.

The Austrians are slowly moving a column around the French left flank. The battle rages on the French right flank as the Austrians counter attack. The French however are able to throw back the Austrians and consolidate their control of the ridge.

With the Austrians reaching 8 units lost (6 units plus 2 for the French control of both ridges) the Austrian launch an attack on the French left hoping to dispute control of the ridge.  The French win the combat and with that the game ends in a French victory 8 points to 3.

The Austfian lead in the campaign is now 2 - 1.

Sacile - 16 April 1809 - DBN

Another day, another game of solo DBN. DBN are perfect for my solo gaming now that I have retired. Today I am doing Sacile.

For this game I gave both C in C a -1  on their Cap dice. Each side has a sub commanders a -2 on their Caps dice.  This reflected the below average command capability of Eugene and Archduke John. This hindered the French most as at critical moments they often only had 1 Cap to play with.  The French were further hampered by the numerous streams which bisected the position and are treated as bad going.

The French are the attackers with Austrian defence based on 3 villages (Non linear fortifications in DBN terms).  Each village captured by the French counted as an Austrian unit destroyed.  The French have 19 units and the Austrian 17 units.  Victory goes to the side that eliminates 8 enemy units.

The set up as seen  from the Austrian side. The Austrians are set up in defensive positions with their Light Infantry garrissioning the 3 villages. The bulk of their cavalry is on their left.  The French have concentrated on their left and centre and plan to attack the 2 villages in this sector before the Austrians are able to redeploy to meet the threat

The French advance on their left starts off well and is initially well coordinated. The Austrian lines look solid but will they hold.

The French support the attack in the centre whilst holding back their right. In DBN you never have enough Caps to do what you want so it is better to have a plan and stick to it. 

The French attack in the centre initially captures the village however a swift counterattack by the Austrian recaptured it only for the French to attack again forcing the Austrians back. A final Austrian attack is fought off and the French are able to Garrison the position but at a high cost in French lives.

On the left the French take casualties but they push forward supported by light cavalry.  In the melee the French column bonus proves decisive as they destroy the Austrian line and in doing so recover a hit which recovers them from shaken.

The victorious French push on however the Austrian cavalry have arrived in the nick of time. The heavy cavalry charge the advancing infantry with their lights taking on their French counterparts.

The Austrians fight the heavy cavalry melee first. The French roll and are un prepared. Each side is therefore on a base 3 as the French get no benefit for being in column against cavalry. The Austrian roll a 5 and the French a 1. The French are doubled and therefore destroyed as they have been attacked by heavy cavalry.  As the leading unit has been destroyed the second unit in the column is also eliminated. 

The Austrian heavy cavalry breakthrough onto the French light cavalry who nevertheless throw back the Austrian cavalry.  The French have now lost 7 units and the next turn the Austrians, although themselves losing 7 units, are able to eliminate one more French unit to secure a 8-7 win.

The Austrians are now 2 - 0 up my 1809 campaign.

Pordenone - 15 April 1809 - DBN

I am using DBN to refight the 1809 campaign. The small game table (2ft square) and quick games are perfect for solo gaming on a kitchen or, when the weather is good, garden table.

I am going to be using my old 15mm collection which has been rebased and with new flags issued. The games are going to use the scenarios available for Command and Colours with a bit of tweaking here and there.

For my first game I selected the clash at Pordenone in Italy. The Austrians under Archduke John have invaded Italy which is defended by Eugene Army of Italy. This is a fairly even game with 11 units a side with Austrians attacking. Victory goes to the side which eliminates 5 units. If the French lose Pordenone it counts as an eliminated unit.

The Austrians push forward their cavalry on the flank supported by the horse artillery.  The French are out numbered so give ground before the weight of numbers reduces the French cavalry to a single unit.  

In the centre the Austrians advance 2 light infantry units and are able to quickly inflict loses on the French defending Pordenone.  French light cavalry un successfully attacks the Austrian artillery supporting the attack on Pordenone.

The French are losing so they launch a flanking march of Infantry and artillery which is slowed down by an Austrian Light cavalry unit. With the scores tied at 4 units lost the Austrians are able to gain one more hit on the French infantry defending Pordenone removing it from play and giving the Austrians a 5-4 victory.

This was my 3rd game of DBN and my first solo. I had to check the rules a few times but the game took about 1 hour to play.

Operation Battle Axe

I popped over to see James R last night for a our first game of Rommel by Sam Mustafa.  James has an extensive collection of Western Desert figures and has a gridded desert cloth he uses for his Crusades games. 

A general overview of the set up after the British first move. The largish 8" squares easy accommodated 3 units and did not look too crowded.  The ridge line was impassable except via the 3 passes with the Halfafa Pass being defended by Italians from the Trento Division.

The 15th Panzer Division opens with an attack on Fort Capuzzo and after 2 attacks captures the Fort.

The British start advancing along the coast with towards Halfaya Pass and Solum, seen here defended by Italian Infantry.

Both sides used there artillery to support on their troops. In Rommel they can add their barrage value to combats.

The British advance to attack the German on Hafid Ridge. This proved a tough but to crack with the extra AT gun capability and the prepared defences proved too strong in defence for the British before the German 5th Light Division arrived on their flank.

A couple of views from behind the German position.

At this point we called the game and agreed that we had learnt a lot about the rules and will reset the game and play it again next week.

Charge Rules

I use the Charge rules for gaming with my classic Napoleonics. Yesterday I went to Vapnartak in York for my first Wargame show in 2 years. It was busy however there was sufficient space as there were no large demo games or the bring and buy.

The show was predominantly a trader show. I has gone along to catch up with LAOW forum members with nothing much on my shopping list other than some MDF bases.

Well I was pleasantly surprised to find an old copy of the Athena Charge booklet for the principle sum of three pounds.

This is a slimmed down version of the full Charge rules using smaller units and half scale measurements and was published in 1981.

On the back page there is useful play sheet.

However what is most useful are the Napoleonic amendments and I am  pleased to have copy of these.

On other matters I have almost finished rebasing my 15mm North Africa collection. Italian tanks, artillery and Bersaglieri motorcycles are now done.