Bassignana, A Battle Report

Having passed out Battle Briefings and set the table, it was time to rev-up the engines for the first of hopefully a few refights of the 1745 Battle of Bassignana.  First test would fall upon the shoulders of the UK-based Monday Night Group.  The battle would be fought remotely with five players in attendance.

As a reminder (see On the table today is), the battle layout is, 

Battlefield and initial dispositions.

The Franco-Spanish objective is to either destroy the Austro-Piedmontese army or seize the villages on the north bank of the Tanaro River.  While the outnumbered defenders are primarily Piedmontese, Austrians reinforcements may arrive late in the battle with a bit of luck. The Piedmontese need to hang on to avoid defeat.  Will the Austrians arrive in time to turn the battle?  The commands were split two Piedmontese players to three Franco-Spanish players.

View of battlefield from east.

View of the Spanish from behind Piedmontese left.

View of the French from behind Piedmontese right.

The Spanish (flying French colors). 

The French.

Let's see how the battle played out.  Note that much of the battle will be relayed through screenshots as I once again was too pre-occupied to stop and snap more photos.  As in other BatReps, white arrows suggest movement, yellow arrows denote retreats, and red arrows show combat.  I apologize that the player overlays occupy the right portion of the screen obscuring that part of the battlefield.

The French poised to splash across
 the Tanaro River on the attack.

With de Gage's Spanish on the Franco-Spanish right having the honors to step off to battle first, off they go, smartly stepping off toward the bridge over the Tanaro.  On the left, Maillebois' French cautiously advance toward the river while artillery in the center provide some covering fire.  To counter de Gage's advance, Emanuele pushes troops from his left, forward toward the Tanaro.  With the Tanaro only knee-deep in most places, crossing may not present much of an obstacle to an advancing army.  Hitting the enemy as it emerges from the river looks like a solid plan. 

The battle begins.

As de Gages' command reaches the river, a firefight erupts east of Rivarone.  Both sides suffer casualties as the crossing slows.  The Spanish find themselves in a chokepoint that must be broken if they are to make progress.  Piedmontese lay in wait expecting to pounce when the first Spanish cavalry reach the north bank.

de la Chiesa's defenders of Rivarone.

On the French left, de Grammont's brigade pushes across the southern fork in the river.  Liguane's dragoons counter this maneuver by moving across the north fork to challenge the French.  Senneterre's lead infantry battalion wades across the river to confront the Piedmontese defenders in Montecastelle.  Artillery fire from the guns atop the hill at Montecastelle disrupt Senneterre's second infantry battalion as it awaits orders to cross.

The Franco-Spanish breach the Tanaro.

Arambou's infantry battalions on the Spanish right attack across the river only to be bloodily repulsed for their efforts.  To add insult to injury, these retiring battalions are subjected to artillery bombardment as they reform in the rear. Ouch!

Heavy fighting near Rivarone.

De Gages' cavalry cross the bridge and splash across the river to engage the lone enemy cavalry to their front.  Meanwhile, on the French front, Maillebois orders his command to cross the river.  At the end of the French line, de Grommet is tasked with both forcing a crossing of the Tanaro and preventing a flanking maneuver by Liguane and his dragoons.  

Spanish cavalry strike!

The battle heats up with de Gage crashing into the defending Piedmontese horsemen.  The defenders are driven back from the river and retire back to the heights.  Given some breathing space, Arambou's infantry attack to the west of the bridge while de Gages' infantry attack across to the east of the bridge.  Facing overwhelming odds, both defenders are scattered.  A huge hole opens up on the Piedmontese left.  Seizing this opportunity, Spanish cavalry are sent rushing toward Bassignana.  Wisely, Emanuele sends Piedmontese back to occupy the Bassignana fortifications.

The Tanaro is breached and the race is on.

Seeing Spanish cavalry making a beeline toward Bassignana and the vital pontoon bridge over the Po, the Piedmontese cavalry, recently sent packing back onto the heights, whirl about and take up the chase.  It may be a race back to the Po.  If the Spanish arrive first, Austrian reinforcements are unlikely. 

The Tanaro, knee deep in French and Spanish.

In the center of the Piedmontese line, firefights reach a crescendo as the militia battalion defending Rivarone takes a pounding.  So far, the militia holds in its salient at the foot of the hills.  Senneterre attacks Montecastelle but makes little headway against the defenders.  Maillebois pushes French cavalry across the Tanaro ignoring the unpleasant destruction of one of his cavalry formations at the hands of enemy dragoons.  The French left looks vulnerable.

Heavy firefights in the center.

Remaining with the fight at Rivarone, Arambou's infantry assault the guns.  The guns are overrun in the attack and de la Chiesa goes down in the fighting.  The Piedmontese left and center are crumbling.  Still, the defenders of Montecastelle and Chiesa de San Germano hold firm.  Realizing that attacking these two strongpoints is risky, Maillebois sends de Grammont's infantry and cavalry out to the left in an attempt to flank the Chiesa de San Germano position.  As a diversion, Senneterre is sent in against Montecastelle. 

The Piedmontese left crumbles.

de Grammont attacks Chiesa de San Germano

Senneterre launches an attack.

Attacks against these two strongpoints are both repulsed although casualties are light.  On the Spanish flank, de Gages' pushes infantry toward Bassignana.  With no sign of Schulenburg's reinforcing Austrians, time may be running out for them to successfully intervene.  Caught in the valley between San Germano and Montecastelle, French cavalry suffer mightily at the hands of Piedmontese volleys.  Their only hope is to continue running the gauntlet to escape the valley at the north end.

The Piedmontese right holds
as the left is under heavy pressure.

Even though the Piedmontese right is holding up against repeated attacks, the Piedmontese left and center are dissolving.  De Gages' infantry secures Bassignana just as Spanish cavalry reach the pontoon bridge over the Po.

Bassignana falls and the race to the Po.

As Schulenburg approaches the pontoon bridge from the north, he witnesses the bridge fall into Spanish hands. With the Piedmontese army shattered to his front, he refuses to fight across the Po.  The battle is over.

The Piedmontese defense thwarted.

Positions at end of battle viewed from east.

Despite seeing unfavorable odds for the defending Piedmontese, Bassignana produced a most enjoyable battle refight.  Outnumbered, the defenders still had opportunities to gain a victory albeit tough.  Fate did not smile upon the Piedmontese since their allies, under Schulenburg, failed to arrive in time to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  They held out long enough to give the Austrians a chance to arrive but, alas, Schulenburg and his Austrians made an appearance only near battle's end.  An arrival one turn earlier would have allowed the Austrians to secure the pontoon bridge and begin to bring troops across.  It was not to be.  Still, a very exciting battle with a lot of ebb and flow throughout with D-Aix's command throwing back every French assault.  Once again, history repeats itself.

Well played by all!

Look for more Bassignana refights in the weeks to come.  Plenty of new approaches to try and plenty of play left in this battle.  Thanks again to André (Wackenshofen Anno Domini) for bringing this battle to my attention and inspiring this effort.