Along the Danube 1809 (Or Mini-Essling) with Black Powder

Dave was over yesterday for our first game of the year - a cracking Napoleonic game of Black Powder.  I had thought about hosting a game of either Commands & Colors: Napoleonics playing the Aspern-Essling Scenario (just Essling) and, well, one thing led to another and I had all the forces out but no hex grid or square grid.  Black Powder it is! 

Dave (Lannes) surveying the field.

 So we ended up playing the game with Black Powder with a twist; we used the BP modifications from the excellent "Blunders on the Danube" blog.  "Gonsalvo" sent me the QRS they used for this excellent Borodino Bash [click] and Dave and I incorporated it into our game to make the units feel more like Brigades.  You can see all the mods at the bottom of his post at the link I provided.

The Granary in the center, Essling in the right-center.  Austrians (left) advancing with 2 x ArmeeKorps on the Granary and Essling.

I really like the modifications to Black Powder that streamline the game and make it play even faster, and if you know my thoughts on Black Powder, you know that I already think it plays quickly!

 Dave and I had 2 full Cavalry Divisions facing off against each other on the Austrian right flank.  The natural inclination for Dave is to charge his cavalry!

The Austrians, with their command values of "7" step off very slowly.  The attack makes slow progress, except for the ArmeeKorps on the Austrian left, who have a very hard time moving anywhere at all!  They fail their command rolls spectacularly each turn!  Essling seems so far away!

Meanwhile, my marauding Austrian light cavalry assault french guns in front of Essling to remove them and they are successful! 

The Austrians go in against the granary with 2 full divisions

meanwhile an entire Austrian corps just sits there...

Army artillery watches the flanks while Dave's French steamrolling cavalry charge home!

A menacing sight with French heavy cavalry and 2 light cavalry units bearing down on your flank!

The fight for the granary heats up.  Dave finally moves his reserve infantry Division up to plug the gap between the granary and Essling.  Is it enough?  

The Austrian Korps facing Essling is perfectly content behind these hills while the fight for the granary rages on.

 THe Cavalry fight on the right finally happens.  Dave charges and the Austrians countercharge on the hill.  Each unit is locked into melee.  Dave's Cuirassier vaporize a unit of Austrian Hussars, French and Austrian Hussars fight in the center, while my Austrian heavy horse knocks out a French light cavalry brigade.  10 x attacks in Melee!  My heavies finally defeat the French heavies, but at a tremendous cost as the  Austrian Cavalry brigade breaks.

Swirling cavalry battle.  The timing works in the Austrian's favor as my Heavy Horse make a sweeping advance and they duel with the French heavies.  It's all come down to this!

 The granary changes hands for the first time as French reinforcements gather.  Dave uses Lannes' excellent command rating of "9" to move up the infantry to retake the granary.

Lannes finally gets them moving

Austrians take up positions in their new digs - for now!

Dave's units come on fast and hit hard!  The granary will fall again!

epic napoleonics!

 We are playing to turn 10.  So the Austrians have 10 turns to capture both Essling and the granary complex.  We are at roughly the halfway point.  The Austrians are moving their cavalry over to the right of the field, while the infantry Korps moving against Essling gets their rears in gear and finally crests the hill.  I love the tension created by Black Powder.

Austrians doing their best to reinforce the granary but the French attacks are hard-hitting

Austrian units finally reach Essling!  Hard combat follows in the woods and the town

A unit of RISK pieces i painted!  I think they look cool!

Dave recaptures the granary again and pours flanking fire into the Austrian flanks!

New residents of the granary again as my Cavalry sweep by.

 Dave tries launching his light cavalry on the Austrian right at the granary and his Hussars are sent back a few times before they finally break on the last turn.

Essling is ours!  The Austrians rejoice even as the Granary falls.  This battle is far from won!

 We play all through turn 10.  I bombard the granary with 2 full batteries of Austrian guns hoping to dislodge the french (who have 3 hits each!) but in the hardened structures they easily pass their morale saves.  That's it!  So a draw - the Austrians hold Essling and the French hold the Granary.  All in all, a very fun and relaxing game.  Perfect for a rainy Saturday afternoon!