Small Napoleonic

The Marengo campaign has again failed to produce a battle so we set up a might have been scenario.  In the campaign, the Austrians only defended the passes with forts with small garrisons, they never made a serious stand.   Tonight we tried out what might have happened if they had.

The wooded slopes on each side are very difficult ground - much more difficult than they look, but we didn't want to spend all night moving trees out of the way.  Not all teh Austrian troops are on the table, some are hidden in the woods or in houses.

The Zoom set up: Two fixed cameras for over-views & one mobile camera (on small tripod) which also the microphone & speaker.

The French have sent most of their infantry thru the scrub on both flanks.  It's a slow process, but they are in no hurry.  Meanwhile their superior artillery destroys the Austrian bbattery & starts bombarding the town.  

The Austrians have a line infantry & a Grenzer unti in the scrub on each flank, but they are outnumbered & gradually worn down.  The grenzer on the near flank have already broken.  The troosp in the houses are being weakened by artillery.  The writings on the wall, the Austrians concede & begin to withdraw.

We allowed the 1800 era French Line to move in skirmish order thru the srub.  The Austrian line was allowed to be placed there to defend, but limited their ability to manoeuvre in that formation.  The French had 2 more infantry units & an extra gun & cavalry unit.  The result was never in doubt.  So it seems the Austrians were right to not seriously try to defend the passes in ground better suited to the French infantry.