The Russian troops in the North of the battlefield were hanging on!
Murat's Cavalry Corps pour forward again!
French Cuirassier leading the charge!
The French Guard was now assaulting their front lines and time was of the essence, they needed Bennigsen to complete his drive down the Pratzen and crush Soult and cut off the route back to Vienna.
Davout crossing the Goldbach in force.
Davout was now coming across the Goldbach in force to the south of Sokolnitz and cannonading the village of Telnitz. The Heavy Cavalry division was pressing the Russian support troops and forcing them into square, help was on the way with Russian light cavalry though.
Davout's Dragoons crossing the Goldbach.
Davout approaches Telnitz
Davout's lights engage Sacken's lights!
In the centre Oudinot was reeling from fresh assaults, the Russian Imperial Guard was now advancing practically unopposed across the Pratzen heading west to cut the retreat to Vienna. Soult was attempting to rally troops at the foot of the Pratzen, his troops in the Pheasantry were giving ground gradually but the Austrians were hot on their heels!
Giving ground in the Pheasantry.
Unfortunately after several turns of determined atttempts to rally Oudinot broke, smashed by allied cavalry and pressed by fresh infantry it was too much! Soult’s troops followed him with the entire French centre collapsing in!
The Allied troops flood down the Pratzen.
Davout was now thinking of covering the retreat and Napoleon would have to cut his way back through to Vienna.
The view of the Pratzen from the North west, you can see Oudinot's troops hurrying back in the foreground through the village of Puntovitz the Allies chasing them.
Fantastic game and a real teaser from the start, the mist played a decisive role in the game with visibility in the lower areas being reduced to just 18″ for 16 turns! Artillery therefore played a low part in the proceedings meaning that the Cavalry had a free rein and the infantry engagements were mostly at the point of the bayonet.
Tomorrow I will be presenting more images of the new figures to the Wargames Holiday Centre, with some more of Doug Mason’s work to come.
‘Til then!