Age of Eagles - Game Report 2

Refight of Encounter at Perlach

Introduction

I have looked at a lot of wargaming rules, but I often return to the same sets to play games. Fire and Fury and Col Bill Gray's derivative sets- Age of Eagles - are just one set. 

My friend "up north", Dave, expressed an interest in exploring Age of Eagles as he was looking for a grand tactical or operational level set of rules for the Napoleonic period. Of course I volunteered to put on a game for him. It was an excellent opportunity to conduct a "so what" game. I had the terrain set up for "The encounter at Perlach", why not refight it with Dave in command of the Austrians?

The Game

Well for a start the Orders of battle remained the same, with each of us having a Corps each. My French Corps of 2 Infantry Divisions and a Lt Cav Division, his with a standard Austrian Corps of 1809 with 2 line Infantry Divisions and a light or Advance Guard Division. The one change I did make was in the troop strengths in the orbats. I changed the French large Infantry Brigades and isntead deployed them as individual regiments. I wanted to see whether this would increase the tactical flexibility available to the French.

The Austrians arrived on the battlefield concentrated and in mutual support. The Advance Guard on the left supported by a Line Division and another Line Division using the road to seize Perlach  and the adjacent woods.

In the distance the French Infantry have also arrived concentrated and they advanced astride the centre wood. There were some low hills between the two woods to the French front that would be ideal for artillery to dominate the ground to the front.

The Austrians have managed to secure Perlach and its woods and Haching to its south. The remainder of the Divisions are forming up to support the defence of these positions. The Austrians are conducting a classic defensive battle.

The French deployment did not go smoothly. The right of hand of the infantry divisions, advancing through the gap in the woods, had a number of command and control failures and failed to advance. Moreover the initial artillery duel went very much to the favour of the Austrians. The French Light Cavalry Division has arrived and is in support on the right flank.

The Austrian cavalry attempted to overrun the French Artillery but were thrown back with losses and disorder. Their overall position remains sound with a series of strong points along the front. Dave wanted to see how the charge mechanics and combat worked out.

 Meanwhile the French Infantry regiments are moving forward to the attack!

After a series of inconclusive exchanges of preparatory fire, the French went over to the attack and their columns advanced to engage the Austrians. The Austrians were thrown out of Haching by the Baden Brigade supported by French Light infantry, The Austrian Grenzers retired in relatively good order to the high ground to the East of Haching. 

On the Austrian right flank the fight fid not go quite as well for them. The Hessian Brigade and French Infantry Brigades successfully attacked the woods to the North of Perlach. Driving the Austrians back with significant losses. However, Perlach was proving a much more difficult nut to crack. The Viennese Volunteers fought grimly and threw back a number of French attacks. The French decided to regroup and conduct a musketry duel.

Outcome

For my part I enjoyed the game. Dave obtained a good appreciation of the rules, although he remains skeptical about the formations that the rules allow. He felt that the rules gave more a flavour of an 1870 battle rather than Napoleonic. Although he did like how the skirmishers were dealt with in the rules.

A takeaway from the game was that the change to the French orbats seemed to work well. Dave recommended that I try to keep the infantry formations to around 3000 men and adjust the orbat accordingly. A reasonable suggestion  which I shall explore further.

For the combat calculations I used my automated game assistant, which works well and liberates one from the boring sums and calculations. However, it might have been better if I had used the combat table for Age of Eagles rather than the one for Fire and Fury! This is why it might have been a little too 1870 rather than 1809. 

That flaw in the automated assistant has been fixed and the result seems to be much better in the couple of game turns I played on playing solo!