Montebello: The Empire Strikes Back

Once more, back to the battlefield of Montebello and facing off against my worthy opponent, Jake.  While the first two games saw Jake commanding the French, this time, Jake takes the helm as the Austrian commander, Stadion.  I lead the French and Sardinians (as Forey) in an attempt to thwart the Austrian aggressions in the foothills of the Apennines.

As the battle opens, French general Forey responds quickly to reports of Austrian capture of Genestrello.  Lead elements of Beuret's brigade take fire on the approach to the village.  As Austrian musketry increases, two French battalions are repelled from Genestrello.  Beuret's 4kg guns are disorganized as Austrian jaegers concentrate their fire upon the now exposed guns. 

French advances on Genestrello meet tough opposition

Bringing up reinforcements, Beuret forces the 3rd battalion of IR39 out from Genestrello, disorganized, while half of the 3rd Jager Battalion falls back to cover the left flank of Montebello.  Baum's Austrian brigade, facing Cascina Nuova, falls back to the grain fields to the north of Montebello.  Seems Stadion has no stomach to maintain an advanced position! Instead, he chooses to fall back and prepare a defense.

Austrians ejected from Genestrello

Beuret redoubles effort against Genestrello

With Genestrello in French hands, Austrian wing commander Hesse in the north remaining immobile, and Baum falling back from the center, Stadion's plan for conducting this battle begins to emerge.  The Austrian battle plan seems to focus on a delaying action around Montebello while Paumgarten's center wing is brought up to reinforce Urban as quickly as possible.  No flanking maneuver with Hesse.  Stadion intends to stand and defend in depth!  

Overview of early stage of battle

The Austrian defensive wall begins to align using Montebello as a fulcrum.  No pressure upon Calcabobbio from Hesse in the north and the important rail bridge at Cascina Nuova is safely in French hands.  Scaffgotsche abandons any claim upon Genestrello as the second half of the 3rd Jaeger departs the village on its way to cover the southern approaches to Montebello.

Austrians abandon Genestrello

Montebello, key to the Austrian defense

As the Austrian defensive line stiffens, Forey continues his advance upon these newly formed positions with thoughts of breaking through.  In the north, Sonnaz' Sardinian light cavalry skirmish with Hesse's lancers.  No advantage gained in the north for either combatant.

Forey advances upon Austrian positions

Battle overview from behind French lines

Having committed to a defensive line in the center and Paumgarten's reinforcements arriving in a constant stream of humanity, Stadion stakes out his ground and defies Forey to wrest it from his control.  Without hesitation, Forey obliges his opponent's wishes.

Forey prepares to attack the Austrian line

With Austrian batteries deployed all along the line, the French have great difficulty approaching unscathed.  French casualties mount in trying to close on the tough Austrian positions.

Arrayed in depth, French attempt assaulting
the Austrian positions

Unable to bring the two French batteries into position, Forey presses on without their support.  Taking casualties in the open without redress, French resolve begins to waver while the Austrians suffer few casualties.  In an effort to break the stand off against Hesse on the northern flank, Sonnaz launches repeated charges first against the Austrian cavalry and then against newly arriving infantry.  French suffer great casualties in these efforts with little gain.

Cavalry action in the north while line forms in center

French casualties mount in front of Montebello

As the cohesion of his fighting force deteriorates following wave after wave of French infantry crashing upon the white rocks of the Austrian line, Forey decides that discretion is the better part of valor. Unable to press his attack to push the Austrians back across the Coppa River, Forey orders a general withdrawal back to the security of Voghera.  Forey chooses to live to fight another day.

French cavalry in disarray after repeated charges

What a fine battle!  Jake played out a brilliant hand by foregoing the use of Hesse in the north as a flanking move and rushing Paumgarten's center wing pell-mell to the front.  While Paumgarten raced to the front, Urban pulled back his forward forces to consolidate a line centered on Montebello.  Few casualties were suffered by the Austrians as the French captured Genestrello almost without a fight.

The Long White Line stands firm

The French, upon approaching the Austrian defensive line, suffered greatly from Austrian fire.  Battalion after battalion failed to press on.  Taking even light casualties was sufficient to stop the French attack in its tracks as the French juggernaut repeatedly failed response tests.  This was a battle in which the French really never got into the fight.

Congratulations to Jake as he stymied French efforts at every turn and every roll of the die.  Despite their success in stopping French aggressions, the Austrians were awarded a minor victory.  Pursuing the French back to Voghera would have been an unlikely outcome.  Still, a great victory for Jake and Austria as Stadion pulls out the first victory for the Austrian empire in the mulit-game series on Montebello 1859.

For Jake's battle preparations, see Jake's comprehensive plan of battle (see Operation Design Montebello).  Reading through Jake's post on his pre-game planning, I wager the French had little chance!  I was outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted.  

After cleaning up the carnage from the battle, the table, now devoid of troops, awaits the deployment of troops for the 1800 Battle of Montebello. 

The barren landscape readies for Montebello 1800