There Was Such Great Promise

On Sunday, Matt (wargamesinthedungeon) and I met on the remote fields of Bassignana to witness the third playing of the battle.  For those following earlier accounts, the ground should be well traveled.  For those new to the battle, below is a photo of the battlefield showing initial troop dispositions and place names.   

Initial dispositions

Matt took command of the combined Franco-Spanish armies while I headed up the defending Piedmontese/Austrian armies.  Rather than umpiring, I actually took up a command in Sunday's contest.  With two games in the books and the decision split, which way would the battle turn in Game #3?

French wing ready to step off.

Spanish army poised for action.

Matt's initial attacks and probes.

De Gages' brigade reaches the Tanaro River. 
His cavalry cross and are immediately
attacked by enemy cavalry.

Unsupported, the rash Piedmontese cavalry are scattered.
Not a good start for King Emanuele.
Artillery at Rivarone causes casualties upon Arambou's
 infantry as it prepares to the cross the Tanaro.

Battle view looking from the east.

Maillebois' French brigades prepare to cross the Tanaro
opposite Chiesa de San Germano and Montecastelle.
The defenders await.

In the center, de Montal attacks
 de la Chiesa's brigade at Rivarone. 

View of battle from southwest.

Despite artillery bombardment from the heights above,
de Montal's attack ejects the militia from Rivarone.
The militia is dispersed.
De la Chiesa goes down in battle, hors de combat.

Flush with seeing success at taking Rivarone,
Arambou assaults the guns at Rivarone.

De la Chiesa's battery is overrun.
The Piedmontese center has cracked!

Against Chiesa de San Germano,
 de Grammont lines up two battalions on the banks
 of the Tanaro and fires into the defenders.
The Piedmontese grenadiers are unmoved.

Senneterre sends two battalions across the Tanaro
 in an assault against Montecastelle.
The first attempt is bloodily repulsed.

While the Piedmontese left and center crumbles,
the right stands firm. 

On the Spanish wing, de Gages establishes
 a bridgehead across the Tanaro.

de Gages forms up his infantry and blasts
 the light infantry in front of Bassignana.
The light infantry melt away.
Bassignana is undefended!

With Rivarone in French hands,
 de Montal and Arambou prepare to press ahead,
 up the heights. 

In a concerted effort, de Montal and Arambou overwhelm
 de la Chiesa's last remaining battalion.
With their general dead on the field,
the Piedmontese scatter.

Isolated, King Emanuele falls to the calamities of war.

Having split the Piedmontese line,
 de Montal changes focus to attacking
D'Aix' position at Montecastelle. 
Before de Montal can close,
 the defenders of Montecastelle destroy
 one of Senneterre's battalions with volleyfire. 

De Gages has a firm grip on Bassignana.

With King Emanuele dead on the field and de la Chiesa's brigade destroyed, even the timely arrival of Austrian cavalry cannot stabilize the situation.  The Franco-Spanish army has won the day!  Congratulations to Matt for a well deserved victory.  Before battle began, the position of the King’s army held much promise.  While the fighting may have extended another turn or two, left with mainly cavalry, the Piedmontese/Austrian armies could not have recovered and held lost ground.

As in the historical battle, the Piedmontese army was split and overwhelmed before Austrian reinforcements could intervene.  Casualties were surprisingly evenly distributed with each side losing about a half-dozen units in the action.  The Piedmontese army would withdraw back across the Po River as they did historically.  This time, without their King!

Matt's screenshot of endgame action as seen from his iPad.
Looks good, no? 

Game length clocked in at about 2.5 hours and six turns played.

Still, great fun and another interesting outing at Bassignana!