Introduction
The latest in Victory Point Games’ Napoleonic 20 series (at the time of writing), Austerlitz concerns (obviously!) the battle of the same name. The game actually comes with three scenarios: the battle proper (which includes rules for French deception/Allied scouting and really needs 2 players to be played properly), a Historical Scenario (which loses some of the insight the game proper gives but allows players to fight using the actual historical dispositions) and a scenario entitled “The Earlier Battle” which covers the 1 and 2nd of December (the main rules and the Historical Deployment take place over the 2nd and 3rd of December, 1805)
For the purposes of this replay, I am using the second of these three scenarios: that is, the Historical deployment option (also the reason this begins on turn 6):
Situation at start of game
Retained card = “Vive L’Empereur!”
Turn 6: December 2, Morning (Allied) morale 8, French morale 8)
Weather = Fog
Under cover of fog, the Allies continue to close in on the French positions: 1AG moving south west adjacent to French cadre in Tellnitz, Russian 3rd corps also moving south west, Austrian 2/4 north west, 5th corps also north west (off the thin ice), Russian GD north on to the road and AG Cavalry and Infantry corps both along their road. Russian 1/4 does not move.
1AG attacks cadre in Tellnitz, forcing that unit to rout 2 hexes and ‘taking ground’. 1st corps attacks cadre outside Sokolnitz castle, forcing them to withdraw across the river which is a hazardous retreat. Cadre breaks instead (+1 Allied morale, -1 French morale) and 1st corps ‘takes ground’.
(random event = “Intelligence gathering” No effect as not using Fog of War)
Still under cover of Fog, the French also close in on the Russian and Austrian positions: Vth, GR and Res/H cavalry corps all along the road leading past The Stanton as IG and 1 corps move onto the same road. Finally, IVth corps moves south east out of Kobelnitz and III corps enters play as a 3-2 unit.
IV corps attacks uphill against Russian 3rd corps, with both sides remaining engaged.
Situation at end of turn 6
Turn 7: December 2, Mid-day (Allied morale 9, French morale 7)
Weather = clear
(random event = “We exist in Gloomy Apathy” Allied units may not enter EZOCs; those their must remain so)
Austrian 2/4 corps moves into Stare Vinobrady as Russian 1/4 corps toils uphill onto the Pratzen heights, joined by the Austrian 5th cavalry corps, which heads towards St Anthony’s Chapel. Russian AG cavalry moves to the north east of Bosenitz as AG infantry moves along same road but is not able to benefit from road movement as this would bring them adjacent to French C corps. Russian GD corps also moves along same road.
Russian 2 and 3 corps combine to attack French IV corps but both are forced to rout: 2 corps 2 hexes (into St Anthonys chapel); 3rd corps 6 hexes (-1 Allied morale) to the south-west of Krzenowitz. IV corps ‘takes ground’, surrounding the Russian 1 corps with Zones of Control. That 1 corps then attacks the Cadre (cross-river, so attack was optional) in Sokolnitz castle, only forcing a ‘withdraw’ result which cadre may ignore.
(random event = “Les Grognards” Associated roll = French lose a morale point)
Cadre at the bottom of the map crosses the river to their north as III corps moves along road, adjacent to the Austrian 1AG in Tellnitz. Further north, V corps moves south, GR moves along road to their vacated hex, Res/H cavalry corps moves north-east of The Stanton as IG moves south of the same along the road. Finally, Res/L cavalry moves to the south-west of Blasowitz and I corps moves into Puntowitz.
III corps attacks 1AG in Tellnitz, forcing them to withdraw and ‘taking ground’. IV corps and cadre combine to attack (surrounded) Russian 1 corps, who commit their reserves (-1 Allied morale) but are still forced to rout, for a distance of 5 hexes (another -1 Russian morale). The first and third of these hexes are hazardous retreats (1st as they are surrounded by Zones of Control, third as they cross a bridge into Reichmansdorf); they make both safely. Both French corps involved ‘hold ground’ rather than advance after combat. Finally, V corps attacks (uphill) against the Russian 2/4 corps in Stare Vinobrady, remaining engaged against the same.
Situation at end of turn 7
Turn 8: December 2, Afternoon (Allied morale 6, French morale 6)
Weather = clear
(random event = “Weyrother Meddles” Russian and Austrian units may not move through each others hexes or end move adjacent. Those already adjacent may remain so)
Austrian 5 cavalry corps moves north adjacent to 2/4 corps in Stare Vinobrady as Russian 1/4 corps heads towards Pratzen, with the Russian 3 corps skirting the south of the Pratzen heights. AG cavalry corps moves into Bosenitz as their infantry corps moves adjacent to French GR corps, with AG just behind.
Res/H counter-charges AG cavalry corps, forcing them to rout for a distance of 3 hexes. Res/H advances into Bosenitz, but does not pursue.
Russian AG infantry is now forced to attack both Res/H and GR corps, and ends up routing a single hex instead. Once again, Res/H advances after combat. 5 cavalry corps and 2/4 corps combine to attack V corps; both attackers are forced to withdraw and V corps captures Stare Vinobrady. Finally, Austrian 1AG attacks (and commits reserves against for -1 Allied morale) III corps in Tellnitz, and succeeds in forcing them to withdraw before recapturing that town.
(random event = “The Sun of Austerlitz”. All French units have +1 movement AND +1 Combat strength this turn)
With that card in play, the French forces all put a concerted effort to attack the Russians and Austrians: the cadre in Sokolnitz castle exiting that castle and crossing the river to move around behind 1AG in Tellnitz as the other cadre also moves up to aid in the attack (cross-river). IV corps moves uphill to the north of the Russian 2 corps in St Anthony’s chapel (also the south-west of the 1/4 corps) as the Res/L cavalry corps moves south of Stare Vinobrady. French Grenadier (GR) division moves to the north-east of that same location, and the Imperial Guard is commited (-1 French morale for early Guard committal) against the Russian Guard corps. Finally, 1 corps moves north-west of Pratzen.
Austrian 5 cavalry corps counter-charges French Grenadier division, to no effect.
The two French cadres and III corps combine to attack Austrian 1AG in Tellnitz, who are forced to rout for a distance of 3 hexes (-1 Allied morale). The first of these is a doubly-hazardous retreat (in French Zone of Control AND onto the ice in Satschen Pond); which the Austrian corps failing both of these rolls and so breaking instead (+1 French morale). The cross-river cadre advances after combat into Tellnitz. IV corps attacks Russian 2 corps in St Anthony’s Chapel, breaking that corps outright (-1 Allied morale, +1 French morale) and capturing the chapel for the Emperor. Res/L cavalry corps attacks Russian 1/4 corps with both sides remaining engaged. V corps attacks Russian 2/4 corps, forcing them to rout 4 hexes into Krzenowitz (-1 Allied morale) and opting to ‘stand ground’ rather than advance after combat. Grenadier division attacks Austrian 5 cavalry corps, but only succeed in remaining engaged. Imperial Guard attacks Russian Guard division, but are themselves forced to withdraw (-1 French morale for elite force unable to advance). Finally, Res/H cavalry corps attacks the (routed) AG infantry corps, forcing that unit to withdraw once more and ‘taking ground’.
Situation at end of turn 8
Turn 9: December 2, Evening (Allied morale 2, French morale 6)
Weather = fog
(random event= “hopeless leaders”. Russian Guard corps is chosen to withdraw, and may not move for rest of turn)
The Allies use cover of Fog to disengage from the French, with most of the Russian units and the sole remaining un-routed Austrian corps falling back from the advancing victorious French army. The sole exceptions to this are the Russian 1 and 3 corps, both of whom (slowly) continue to advance. The Allies then lose a single morale point as the French occupy two of their objective hexes (Stare Vinobrady and St Anthony’s Chapel)
(random event = “Unexpected Help”. Bavarian Division placed on time track; arrives on a roll of 6)
Still under cover of Fog, the French continue to fortify their gains with the I corps moving into Pratzen as Res/L and GR both move forward to attack. Res/H does the same, and Imperial Guard advances. The two cadre units combine to form the IV/2 corps just outside Tellnitz, and the III corps moves along the road into Satchen.
Austrian 5 cavalry corps counter-charges the Grenadier Division, forcing them to withdraw and advancing after combat.
Res/L cavalry corps commits their reserves (-1 French morale) against the Russian 1/4 corps, but are themselves still forced to rout 6 (!) hexes (another -1 French morale) into Puntowitz. 1/4 corps then advances after combat. Grenadier Division attacks Austrian 5 cavalry corps, forcing them to withdraw and advancing after combat. Finally, Res/H cavalry attacks Russian AG corps but, like their lighter counterparts, are forced to rout for a distance of 4 hexes (-1 French morale). AG advances after combat.
Situation at end of turn 9
Turn 10: December 2, Night (Allied morale 1, French morale 3)
Weather = n/a
(random event = “Kutuzov Plan Adopted”. Allied corps may march off the map before combat, increasing their sides’ morale by 1 in so doing)
Seeing the way the battle is going, the Allies finally decide to adopt Kutuzov’s defence plan and slowly begin their withdrawal under cover of darkness: every single Allied unit moves east.
That night, both the broken (Austrian) 1AG and (Russian) 2 corps rally, in Raussenitz and south-east of Austerlitz respectively before the Allies gain a single morale point from rest (+1 Allied morale).
(random event = “The Friction of War”. Associated roll = may place routed marker on single Allied unit not adjacent to or within 2 hexes of French unit. Marker placed on Austrian 2/4 just outside Krzenowitz)
The victorious French armies continue to pursue the retreating Allied army, with the exception of the corps in Stare Vinobrady and St Anthony’s Chapel respectively. Bavarian Division still does not arrive in play.
During the ‘night operations’ phase, the single broken French cadre remains so, and the Allies then lose two morale points (-2 Allied morale) due to their captured objectives of Stare Vinobrady and St Anthony’s Chapel. This ends the game with a French decisive victory!
Situation at end of game
Final thoughts
Once again, Napoleon triumphed at Austerlitz: helped, in no small part, by the incompetence of the Allied commanders who seemed unable to communicate properly, or to motivate their troops, and only decided to adopt Kutuzov's defence plan when it was too late to be of any use! Napoleon himself, on the other hand, had no such problems (the 'Sun of Austerlitz' card was especially helpful, despite not beginning in the French player’s hand at the start if the game).
As for the game, the historical scenario was maybe slightly less suited to solitaire play than any of the other Napoleonic 20 games I have played, simply because it’s quite hard to conveniently ‘forget’ what card the French player is holding: something that would not be a problem in a 2-player game! This is also the reason I chose that scenario rather than the main battle proper for this replay, which includes the use of dummy units when initially deploying. Despite that, I have to say that I still quite enjoyed this game and think that it is definitely a worthy new entry in VPGs ever-expanding Napoleonic 20 series. Now I simply have to decide which is my favourite: Waterloo, Bussaco or Austerlitz … ?
Last edited on 2010-02-07 12:29:58 CST (Total Number of Edits: 3)
Posted Sun Sep 6, 2009 7:57 pm
