Wagram, or the Big Boys' Sleep-over - Part 2

After promising to report on the second half of the Wagram re-fight early this month, here it is (finally!). Sorry it's taken so long, but real life has got in the way. With the fast approach of the end of my leave, I've decided to extract the digit and get the report out of the way.

As the original battle lasted only for one day out of the planned three (see Big Boys' Sleepover pt 1.), the consensus was for the clock to be rewound to the period when the Austrian III and VI Korps appeared on the board and everyone was on an Attack order; none of this poncy withdrawing and defending stuff! Quinny was in high spirits as this meant he (as Napoleon) had the Guard to play with!

Again it turned into a French victory with the French right wing under Garry with Davout's III Corps making light work of the Austrian Avant Garde and VI Korps. For the result of completely smashing these two formations, Garry lost the grand total of 8 figures! Never was a victory gained so economically on the tabletop!

The rest of us had a harder task of it, but nevertheless ended with our forces triumphant. Tim (VI Korps) gave his all against Robin on the left flank, but Tim didn't have enough troops of high enough quality to get past Robin's IV Corps and Tony's VII Corps Bavarians. Paul (II Corps) and Darren (XI Corps) didn't have so easy a time of it second time around, although they were putting steady pressure on Pete and John in the centre. Andrew S.' III Korps had some limited success against Jenko's IX Corps Saxons and coupled with Malcolm's spectacular cavalry charge into the midst of my Army of Italy, that's where the French were under the greatest pressure. That's also where the Imperial Guard where steadily moving towards, so I wasn't unduly fussed with my temporary setback, knowing that I had Boney's hard men just behind me. My greatest disappointment was that I couldn't put MacDonald's giant square formation into practice before I was recalled to make way for the Guard. I had it all planned out and had the whole corps ready to form up as it advanced, but it was being hammered by Malcolm's's artillery, so it probably would have melted like the snow under the sun before they reached the Austrians, as happened historically!

As it was, Malcolm's grenadiers tried to advance to follow up the advantagegained by his cavalry, but were stopped by a combination of the remnants of the Army of Italy and the fact that the Guard infantry were fast coming up the centre, while the Chasseur's of the Guard were about to envelop his flank.

With the Austrian left flank all but destroyed and the Guard about to punch through the middle, the game was declared another French victory after another enjoyable day and a half's play interspersed with much good food and drink and conversation (including the famous Panda Poker discussion; you had to be there!)

Paul's 'humourous'  depiction of the previous day's fighting.

His converted artilleryman as a marker for destroyed guns. This chap's been using too many ACME products!

Another converted piece for dead/wounded generals

...and yet another! The French certainly needed that with the number of general casualties over the weekend.

The setup from the arrival of  VI and III Korps on the far flank

Archduke Charles encouraging the lads

Malcolm's highly successful cavalry charge starts by smashing the Chasseur division...

...crashing through the guns immediately behind, whose gunners fled. Meanwhile the infantry get disordered by the fleeing cavalry and are unable to form square!

The cavalry sweep aside the 3 regiments facing them...

...and end their gallant charge facing Imperial Guard artillery , with Imperial Guard Chasseurs on their flank  and a surviving Army of Italy regiment to the rear.

After that unfortunate event, MacDonald's corps advances ready to form up in the giant square, while the tiny Italian Guard cavalry have forced the right hand Austrian grenadier regiment into square. The accompanying Guard artillery are unlimbered and waiting for the cavalry to clear their front before giving them curry.  Behind them come more Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard

MacDonald's battered corps stand fast against the grenadiers, while the Italian Guard infantry lend support on the right, their fire stopping the attack in it's tracks. 

My trusty little 3 lber batteries move to the front to try and add their weight to the deteriorating Austrian position, accompanied by more Guard Chasseurs.

Boney's hard men steam in for the kill!  Allez La Garde!

Quinny puts in the coups de grace with the Guard Chasseurs that rolls up Malcolm's line, spelling the end of the game.

Not the kind of  Panda Poker that featured in our conversation!