Christchurch Volley & Bayonet Weekend
Over the weekend of the 8th and 9th of August 2003 a few of us managed what can be described as a "mini gaming weekend" in Christchurch New Zealand. The games were a result of Andy Nicoll travelling back to the UK following four years working in the United States. Also in attendance for one of the games was Colin Sharples who now resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Colin having immigrated a couple of years ago from the UK was long overdue for a wargame. Now Colin, Andy and myself last caught up across a wargames table during a V&B refight of Gettysburg in Leicester England during 1998. That weekend was hosted by Martin Soilleux-Cardwell and the Leicester V&B gamers. So after five years it was time for another game, but this time on the other side of the world!
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well as several members of the Christchurch V&B gaming community an old friend
Andrew Taylor, who currently lives in England, was able to join us. Andrew and I last gamed
at High School more years ago than I care to remember. As you can see it's a
reasonably historical moment, well worth some photos.
Two games were organised, the first on Friday evening was the Battle of Ligny, while the second on Saturday afternoon and evening was Aspern-Essling. Both games were to take part in my wargames room, which due to space operates best with around 5 gamers or less. The figures are, as usual, from my own 6mm Heroics & Ros collection and based using "half scale". Both games fit easily on my 6' x 4' gaming table. |
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Above, just before Ligny gets under way, are the gamers arrayed. From left to right are Adrian Powell, Keith McNelly (back row), Andy Nicoll, Alastair Penney and Robin Sutton.
The French team consisted of Andy, Keith and Adrian, while Alastair and Robin commanded the Prussians. All are locals with the exception of Andy. Alastair had played Ligny twice before and both times as a French player. This time he was placed in the role of Blucher in direct command of the Prussian centre and the Prussian I and II Corps. Robin Sutton, on the right of the picture above, took the Prussian left flank with the Prussian III Corps opposite Adrian Powell.
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I can't describe the Prussians plan or even if they had one. Of course they will claim to have had one after the event, but you can never be too sure at the start of the battle. The French plan for "victory" however centred around Vandamme's (Keith McNelly) III Corps moving around the Prussian right flank and rolling up the Prussian line. I now wonder why I was allocated this flank, perhaps to carry the blame of defeat in history? Gerard (Adrian Powell) was to hold the Prussian III Corps and pin around Ligny. I admit to smiling at the concept of Adrian "pinning" rather than launching a full scale attack, but then again I seemed likely to receive most of the cavalry as the battle progressed, and you can't attack without cavalry! |
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Anyway, back to the plan. The reserve, consisting of among other things the Guard, were retained under the Emperor's (Andy Nicoll) direct control. Despite several hours fighting only a few crossings of the Ligny stream had been secured. Even these were by French units that of Gerard's Corps were supposed to only be pinning forces! The main French assaults were held by a Prussian line around Marbais. It was on this flank that I can recall most facts. Suffice to say that "several" cavalry divisions were thrown against the Prussian defenders around Marbais. After several hours, and as many exhausted cavalry divisions, not even a dent was made in the Prussian line. One Prussian Landwehr Regiment, probably the 3rd Westphalian Landwehr, particularly distinguished itself. This stand withstood two French cavalry regiments and one infantry attack before finally breaking on the fourth assault by another French infantry regiment. With the arrival of the 9pm turn and night the French forces admitted defeat. Ligny it would seem was to be a Prussian victory.
Our second game was Aspern-Essling and arranged to be start on Saturday afternoon. The game got underway around 1pm and continued until 11.30pm, with a suitable break for dinner of course.
| From left to right are
Barrie Cameron, Andrew Taylor (seated), Keith McNelly, Andy Nicoll
and Colin Sharples seated on the right. The French team consisted of
Barrie Cameron and Colin Sharples (Napoleon) while the Austrians
were commanded by Andy Nicoll (Archduke Charles), Andrew Taylor and
Keith McNelly.
Unlike some of my other experiences refighting Aspern-Essling this time the French were to play reasonably cautiously. The French cavalry being particularly so in the opening hours of the battle. This gave time for VI Armeekorps (Andy Nicoll) and I & II Armeekorps (Andrew Taylor) to advance and place the defenders of Aspern under heavy artillery fire. |
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Napoleon (Colin Sharples) was to feel the pressure of the Austrian artillery in this sector as the battle progressed. While the considered nature of the French defence was apparent from the start it was also later to result in a significant bottleneck as ground and space for deployment became critically short.
It was only with the arrival of the Leictenstein's Austrian Cavalry Reserve (Keith McNelly) that the French cavalry under Bessiers (Barrie Cameron) was finally committed to action. The initial French cavalry attacks were unsuccessful. Hoping to catch the French cavalry at a disadvantage after their failed attack of 4pm, Leictenstein orders an all out attack. However, disaster strikes and the French cavalry repulse all attacks. Now the Austrian cavalry are scattered and in risk of total defeat themselves. Over the next few hours and in a series of move and countermove the cavalry of both armies continues to be locked in combat. Only the Austrian infantry advancing in dense columns saves the Austrian army from total disaster as the French cavalry drive a dangerous wedge between IV Armeekorps and the rest of the Austrian army. French victory looked assured.
However, not all was lost. While the Austrian army was dangerously split the infantry of I Armeekorps were instrumental in capturing parts of Aspern. While unable to completely dislodge the French from all of Aspern the success forced the French to deploy forward and thus more exposed along the embankment to Austrian artillery. Deployed in grand batteries the Austrian artillery made the French defenders of the embankment pay a terrible price for crossing the Danube.
On the second day of our refight (the 22nd May 1809) the French were short of room as their bridgehead was now pressed back to a line along the embankment by the Austrians. Napoleon ordered the French to advance and make room for the reinforcements now flooding across the Danube bridges. While the attacks were made with great courage and elan the French were unable to expand sufficiently. The cavalry heavy attacks in particular collapsed under the Austrian infantry fire and cavalry counterattacks. By 10am of the 22nd, with his cavalry destroyed as a fighting force and Essling and part of Aspern in Austrian control, Napoleon ordered a retreat to the Danube leaving the Austrian's the field.
And so ended our "international" V&B weekend. Now it's just determining the location of the next international V&B game.