Caldiero 1805 - Part 2

This is the second part of our Caldiero refight AAR. In the last post two brigades of French light cavalry were on the point of scaling the Colognola Heights in an attempt to turn the Austrian right. In the centre Massena was preparing to advance whilst on the French right, more cavalry movements were taking place.

Again I have attempted to make a pictorial sequence from the same angle, trying to obtain a timelapse effect.

Charles seizes the initiative and advances with his left wing while swinging back his right flank and reinforcing the Colognola with the bulk of his cavalry  (far distance). In the centre, the French mass threateningly

The Austrian left continues to move forward. At the other end of the table,  the threatening French cavalry is faced with superior enemy horse and are forced to withdraw from the Colognola.

It is now midday. Massena hurls his Regulars against the Austrian centre.  The whitecoats, however, are protected by a set of earthworks and let off a convincing volley of musketry and canister.

 

Not to be outdone, the French return fire as convincingly.  With both sides disordered and blooded, the French close in at the bayonet but the attack is repulsed.

While the French attack progresses in the centre, Charles masses his infantry threateningly on his left.  In the distance, Austrian and French cavalry square off, each side waiting for the other's move. Who shall prevail?

This is where we left off.  Game time is 12.30, and visibility is now fully restored, the thick fog having lifted by 11.30.  It is still relatively early in the game (5 / 16 moves completed) so it can still very well go either way. We shall reprise later this week or early the next. In the meantime I am adding some pics showing the situation at the end of move 5 from different angles.  Enjoy the eye candy ! :)

Sweeping shot of most of the field. Village of Caldiero in the centre.

French and Austrian cavalry square off

The centre of the field is a seething mass as casualties mount on either side

Austrian line infantry and grenadiers gather threateningly

Another view of the centre

The Austrian centre left advances