Lasalle 2 Napoleonic Wargame Battle Report

Another game of Lasalle 2, but this time we were blooding some new players and experimenting to see if we could play a 300 point game on a weeknight - with an early start at work the next day. 

Both turned out successful! 

Our game was ... run up and murder each other - rather than a scenario. My opponent and I both like the 1/3 sudden death victory condition - so we used that. After an initiative roll off, it was the Austrians to go first. With great haste they rushed across the field - using their maximum movement in march column. They pushed 3 of their 4 batteries to the front of their attacks and changed formation. A bombardment activation followed - hoping for many bounce through effects on the still marching French formations. A few hits resulted by nothing too serious. 

After this, it was the French who used their MO points. Faced with three batteries in key positions - two taking up a hill in the centre of the table (supported by a brigade of grenadiers) they decided to rush to the attack. They marched within 4 BW and formed attack columns. At this stage, the Austrians could interrupt and seize the initiative but as each unit had moved, changed formation and bombarded nothing could be done. Superior French skirmishing at the beginning of next turn would decide who would move first ... at it was the French. 

Attack columns smashed into the Austrian batteries before they had a chance to fire with two falling and only one being able to withdraw. The French had struck an early blow with 2 units of the 5 needed for victory falling at the beginning of Turn 2. Another Austrian infantry unit would follow as it had strayed too far forward allowing multiple attack columns to rout it. 

But now a harder prospect remained for the French. The grenadier brigade on the central hillock. They would charge against the mix of veteran and conscript French battalions - but to little avail. The French doggedly rolled 2-3 defence dice hits denying the Austrians the 'win by 3 or more' factors needed to easily rout opposition. 

On the French right, a single Young Guard brigade stood in the path of the Austrian Avante Garde. This mixed force only pressed ahead later in the battle. A furious French assault drew the attention of both Austrian players who continually invested command points (MO) into fending off and counter attacking the French centre and right. This suited Napoleon just fine as this is where the bulk of his forces lay. 

The Young Guard used 'le order mixte' and a battery to prepare a fearsome firing line. 

On the right a French brigade of veteran battalions continued to drive forward. They attacked a Austrian brigade depleted of one foot battalion and artillery support after the initial French assault. Columns surged back and forth but the French were holding on in defence and wearing down their enemies. Having a 3/2 advantage was weighing greatly on the men in white. It was here another battalion would fall - leaving the French one away from victory. 

The French now began to suffer some casualties - losing two battalions - but they still had only one to take. 

It was not the grenadiers who would fall ... 

The Young Guard remained firm ... though they would soon be forced into squares by the approach on one regiment of cavalry. 

It was the French cuirassier who swept from their reserve position into the centre. Quickly striking at one Austrian cuirassier regiment with a two to one advantage (16 dice to just 5) it looked like the game was sewn up. But their steeds stumbled and they struggled back. 

The Austrians countered but stumbled themselves while the French reformed their squadrons and achieved the 3 or more combat factor - routing their opponents. 

It wasn't the glorious first charge of heavy cavalry that decided the battle but it was achieved in the swirling melee of countercharge that proved crucial. At this the Austrian commander withdrew his troops losing 5 units to 2. 

Lasalle 2 continues to impress. We have a bit of trouble in organising our forces (our troops keep running into each other during formation changes from march column to attack or mass formation) and I intend to make a transparent template to aid alignment and direction in charges. I really want to introduce the advanced skirmish rules and the command trait - as atm it is too tempting to commit your general to generate an additional 1d3 command points at the beginning of each turn. Having a alluring alternative gives another head scratching command choice that I like in my wargames. 

 

Lasalle 2 Napoleonics

A return to Lasalle, for me, is a return to that definitive rivalry of the Napoleonic era - France against Austria. Tonight we dusted off the cobwebs (having not played Lasalle 2 for around 2 months) and dived deep once more into this excellent and challenging set of rules. 

Above the French form their line. Having lost initiative, the French formed up to face the Austrians who rushed across the field. This caused some problems as - in the Lasalle scenario 'The Dark Forest' - extensive woodland discourages players from entering. Woodland does not slow movement in Lasalle but increased the command cost of marching troops through it. As command points are always at a premium - neither Ian or myself were brave enough to try. 

At the bottom of the image above can be seen my brigade of Chasseurs. These I kept in the centre - a tactic that is becoming repetitive for me. Centrally placed cavalry can run riot in Lasalle or just halt an enemy advance. They would play a key - but not decisive role in this game. 

Next, an image of my friend's well painted AB Austrian grenadiers. He's been aching to put these on the field but they are a bit pointsy. In this battle they struggled to get into action. As the Austrians rushed up, they then encountered problems in shaking out. Their batteries were impeded. Ian made the choice to hang back with his grenadiers to allow his batteries to fire. 

Above are the poor Austrian brigade who led the attack. Due to holding the grenadier brigade in the centre back, these were thrust forward making them the key French target. The village on Bosco was also an objective for this evening but Austrian morale would crumble before this would fall. 

The glory of the French lines. We too struggled to get clear of the forests but they did protect our flanks wonderfully. The French were in two lines throughout the night - but the second line was only needed once. This played a key role as the right brigade poured forward in attack columns repeatedly smashing into the projecting Austrian brigade around the village. This would ensure victory as four battalions fell in this area while not French losses were suffered. 

A good battlefield shot. The depth in French deployment, while offering excellent support in reserves, did mean we faced bounce through cannon balls throughout the game. Fortunately, timely rallying enabled us to stave off the worst of these result. The recruits of 1813 stood manfully while cannonballs slashed through their ranks for the glory of their III corps and Emperor.