Napoleonic 28mm

Having been contacted by a visiting wargamer I initiated him into the joys of Hail Whoever  this afternoon.  I recycled a scenario from a couple of years back.  The Austrians hold a village with an infantry division.  The French have 3 small infantry divs and 2 cav divs lined up to attack when another Austrian infantry div and 2 cavalry divs arrive off the French left flank.

The French had an early setback when the Austrian gun in the village broke their artillery battery moving up the road with their first shot.   But this seemed to be balanced by the Legere blundering into a charge at the village and breaking part of the Austrian front line straight up.

The Austrian cavalry has forced the French left into square while a counterattack has driven the Legere back out of the cornfield.

The Austrian infantry are deploying at their usual slow pace, but their cavalry are keeping the French left pinned down.  The Legere in the centre are under pressure from infantry and cavalry.  The French attack on the far side of the village is going well & they have taken the front hedgegrow.  

On the far flank the French attack has been halted by fire from the second line behind the rear hedge & in the house.  In the centre the Austrian Cuirassiers have broken the Legere square, then ridden down the column behind.  Left of centre French infantry have gone into line and have broken an Austrian battalion.

The French commander saw his army melting away and launched a desperate cavalry attack on the near flank.  It was was a double or nothing move & was swatted back with ease by the better Austrian horse.  In the centre the Cuirassiers have fallen back to rally.

The French army has not yet broken, but its demise is now inevitable and the battle is conceded to the Austrians.