Back to Biblicals

While armies were engaged in a heated, yet collegial, battle on the table yesterday on the field of Bassignana, today sees a return to the painting desk.  The painting desk also sees a return to mustering more Biblicals in 25mm.

Out from the painting desk are two stands of Chaldean archers, each of nine bowmen.  Figures are Newline Designs.  I enjoy painting Newline figures for their understated simplicity and quick to field nature.  When I want to pick up the production and get some bang for the buck, I pull out a handful of Newline Biblicals.  Always a pleasure to paint.   

Speaking of picking up the pace at the painting desk, painting sees an uptick in output with May benchwork making an attempt to push more lead across the work desk.  Currently, there are 46 18mm WAS Genoese just about to ready for basing.  Whether these figures make it into May totals or slide into June counts is still in question.  If finished today, May numbers will look quite good.  If not today, well, I have a good jump on June. 

I leave with a teaser photo from Thursday's Bassignana game.

Bassignana With The Rejects

The Battle of Bassignana was back on the schedule this week after a two-week hiatus.  For details of the earlier battle and a battle briefing, please visit Return to Bassignana.  As a reminder, the battlefield and initial army deployments are as shown in the photo below: 

Initial deployments

For Monday's game, I enlisted three of Postie's Rejects to test their mettle on the fields of Bassignana.  Richard would take on the role of King Emanuele III commanding the Austro-Piedmontese armies while Lee (Maillebois) and Steve (de Gages) would split the Gallispan Army with Lee commanding the French Wing and Steve commanding the Spanish Wing.  After fielding a number of questions in pre-game correspondence, players took the field.  For Richard's battle account, see Face to Face with Better Generals.

Gallispan Center looks on at the Piedmontese
situated across the Tanaro River.

On to battle!

With the Spanish holding the initiative as the battle opens, Steve puts both de Gages and Arambou's brigades in motion.  Those two formations march toward the bridge over the Tanaro River.  The river is low so fording this obstacle is possible.  Dice behind each unit denote current combat effectiveness.  Color of the dice delineates to which brigade a unit belongs.  White cotton balls signify a first fire bonus.

The Piedmontese King reacts by calling on Liguane's Brigade of Dragoons to redeploy from the far-right wing.  This redeployment will take some time especially given Liguane's hesitation in responding.

Seeing the road to Bassignana lightly defended, Arambou sends his cavalry across the river to attack the King's cavalry positioned on the heights.  What may seem like a rash move is initiated to protect the Spanish infantry as they cross the Tanaro in column.  Not content to stand idly by, the Piedmontese cavalry counter charge hitting the Spanish cavalry.  As in the historical battle, the Spanish cavalry are caught as they emerge from the river.  The Spanish cavalry is driven off as the Piedmontese horsemen carry on.  Unfortunately, the Piedmontese cavalry is raked by canister as it moves forward toward the bridge.  The King's horsemen are crippled by this sudden blast but they press on.  

Still, into the long columns of Spaniards splashing through the river they come.  With few organized horsemen remaining, the Spaniards drive the Piedmontese off.  The Spaniards breathe a sigh of relief but success is short-lived.  From the woods to the east, Piedmontese light infantry appear and send volleys into the densely packed Spanish infantry columns.  Casualties are high as the surprise attack stops the Spanish dead in their tracks.  Maillebois orders de Montal to move up on Arambou's left while de Grammont advances upon Chiesa de San Germano under the protection of an artillery bombardment.      

de Gages' Spanish advance toward the river.

Cavalry clash!

Piedmontese cavalry pay the price in driving off the enemy.
Canister!

Surprise!
The woods are alive with Piedmontese light infantry.

de Montal covers Arambou's left
 as the French cross the river.

de Grammont advances on the left against
Chiesa de San Germano and its Piedmontese defenders.

Having seen off the King's cavalry, Arambou replaces his wavering infantry with two fresh infantry regiments to deal with the harassing light infantry.  With the Piedmontese cavalry driven off, the heights are left undefended.  Seeing opportunity, de Gages and de Montal coordinate attacks against the defenders of Rivarone.  After bitter fighting, Piedmontese militia is ejected from the village and de la Chiesa's remaining infantry regiment is compelled to fall back from Rivarone.  The entire Piedmontese center is compromised unless d'Aix's Brigade can shift to the east to relief this quickly building pressure.

Spanish driving off enemy light infantry!

Defenders ejected from Rivarone.

Piedmontese Center gives away.

The Piedmontese Guard from d'Aix's Brigade heeds the call for help and moves out from the relative safety of Montecastelle.  Immediately, they are pressed into action.  Attacking into the French near Rivarone, the guards are repulsed.  The guards rally and go in again.  Again, the hardened Frenchmen drive the guard back a second time having suffered heavy casualties.  Can the guard muster enough strength to attack a third time?  No!  Continued French artillery fire finally causes the guards to break for the rear.    

D'Aix sends a second regiment east to plug the hole.  It moves up alongside de la Chiesa's remaining infantry regiment and together they make a stand on the high ground overlooking Rivarone.  Fighting is vicious as the Gallispans try to take control of the heights.  The Piedmontese fight on but their numbers are thinning as de la Chiesa's Brigade breaks.

Heavy fighting in the center...

ending in de la Chiesa's Brigade breaking.

In front of Bassignana, the Spanish begin to form up for an assault against the town.  To prevent interruption from Liguane's cavalry moving quickly to the front, de Gage launches spoiling cavalry attacks against Liguane's cavalry as they move up to Bassignana.  In a series of charges and counter charges, Liguane's Piedmontese cavalry are driven off.  The King and Bassignana are isolated!

Spanish form up for the assault on Bassignana...

while Spanish cavalry drive off the enemy.

With Liguane's cavalry scattered, Spanish cavalry drive toward the pontoon bridge spanning the Po River.  The Spanish reach the bridge before Schulenburg's Austrians can cross.  The King and the defenders of Bassignana find themselves nearly surrounded and cut off from the pontoon bridge.  The King chooses to defend the town.  Arambou leads the assault into Bassignana.  The King is driven out!  Not giving up just yet, the King leads a counterattack back into the town.  Unfortunately, his attack is repulsed.  

Assault on Bassignana.

Seeing his army in tatters and little hope of Schulenburg crossing the Po to rescue his beleaguered army, the King escapes to the west to fight another day.

Well done to Lee and Steve for their decisive and relentless attacks against the King's positions.  While several formations saw heavy damage in the fighting, none of the Gallispan brigades ended the contest broken.  The King saw two of his brigades broken in the fighting and salvation from the Austrians on the north bank of the Po dashed.

Richard put up a good fight but it was not enough on this day.  While the outcome may look dismal for the King and his Piedmontese, this result mirrored the historical result quite closely.  No need to lament a loss when you manage to replicate the historical result.  Richard is up for the challenge and willing to give the battle another try.  In a couple of weeks' time, the Rejects can reconvene on my field of battle.

Thanks fellas or another very entertaining game.  As always, much appreciated!

Be sure to check out Richard's observations on the battle.

Game lasted about three hours.

FRW French Light Infantry

Given other distractions upon my time, after last Thursday's Bassignana game, I failed to get a game onto this week's gaming docket.  Perhaps I was fatigued by the effort in hammering out Monday's battle report?  Perhaps I was too busy with domestic duties?  Whatever the reason, I could not muster the energy to even pull together a last-minute game.  That will change next week when games return to the table.

In the meantime, I have been using some of this downtime to catch-up on a little painting.  The gaming break this week actually allowed a few meaningful, early morning painting sessions at the painting desk.  Quite a variety of projects are crossing the workbench with one unit produced for one project and another unit produced for another project.   

First out of the gates are two, 13-figure battalions of FRW French light infantry.  Foot figures are Old Glory led by Eureka mounted colonels.  No flags distributed yet.  These fellas will be pressed into service for the 1799 Italy and Switzerland project.  The project has only seen one or two games, thus far.  Maybe only the Battle of Montebello?  For sure, none featuring the Russians.  One day, I may actually bring this collection to the gaming table with Russians on the table.  One can hope!

These figures have sat in the ready-to-go box with black primer for several years waiting for me to push them into the production line.  In an effort to reduce the aging in the ready-to-go box, I have been slipping a unit or two into the painting queue from time to time.  When I began painting the figures, I forgot that they were legere and began painting them as line.  It was only when I got to the breeches and over-the-calf, sculpted gaiters did I realize my mistake.  After a bit of rework, the figures were corrected and all was back on track.  I hate rework!

Anyway, I have most of the weekend to get in one or two meaningful painting sessions.  This is a luxury that is not often seen.  We will see if the reserved sessions actually pan out.  What is in work under the painting lamp?  19th Century Pathans, more Biblicals, WAS Spanish and Genoese, and Swiss crossbow.  Quite a lot of figures in a number of different periods.  Oh, and one Egyptian chariot for good measure.

While I am currently holding fast on figure purchases, this week did see some calls for restocking.  Orders to Tajima1 Miniatures for tufts and Litko for bases have been dispatched.  Also a couple of boardgames and a pair of WAS painting guides are enroute.

Return to Bassignana 1745

Ah, Bassignana.  We have seen Bassignana on the table before.  Almost two years ago, if I am counting correctly.  In the 2024 edition, Spanish units can now play Spanish and Piedmontese units can now present as Piedmontese.  After having fought a number of Italian Wars battles over the last two months, I decided to return to a different period and different rules.  With War of Austrian Succession seeing action at the end of 2023, I figured bringing that conflict back to the table would provide a welcome change.  Besides, I had a few requests for a return to horse & musket gaming as well.     

With Bassignana on the schedule last week, player counts initially showed a six-player game.  By game day on Thursday, numbers dropped and four players took to the field to contest the ground.  Mark and Alan would take command of the Franco-Spanish Army while Tony and Doug took up the task of commanding the Austro-Piedmontese Army.  While Mark and Tony had played the rules (Fields of Honor), Doug and Alan were new to the rules.  Player commands and army dispositions are illustrated in the photo below:

For the Austro-Piedmontese, Tony commands the Left including taking the role of King Emanuele III; Doug commands the right.  For the Franco-Spanish Army (Gallispans), Mark (General Maillebois) commands the French on the Left while Alan commands the Spanish on the Right.  

The French hold the Gallispan Left Wing.

Piedmontese hold Chiesa de San Germano.

The Spanish hold the Gallispan Right Wing. 

Piedmontese hold Rivarone in the Center.

Battle Briefing

Rather than fight as separate armies as seen in the previous year, the Bourbon armies decided to coordinate their activities on the Italian front in 1745.  Opting against an approach on Piedmont-Sardinia from the southwest, they would advance from the southeast in order to threaten either Piedmont-Sardinia or Lombardy and keep the Worms’ alliance guessing.  Bourbon strategists figured this approach may encourage the Piedmontese and Austrian armies to split with the Piedmontese retiring to protect Turin and the Austrians retiring to protect Milan.

When Pavia fell to the Gallispans on 22 September, the Austrians reacted.  Commander of the Austrian army, Count Schulenburg, decamped from the wedge of land between the Po and Tanaro where the two armies were situated near Bassignana.  The Austrians were sent to the north bank of the Po toward Vigevano to counter the increasing threat to Lombardy.  Charles Emanuele III and his army were left alone on the south bank of the Po in the triangle formed by the confluence of the Po and Tanaro rivers.

As soon as the Gallispans received word of Schulenburg’s retreat, plans were put in place to attack the Piedmontese who were left confined within the wedge near the fortress of Bassignana.  If the Pietmontese could be defeated, the north Italian plain would be open for the taking.  With Piedmontese and Austrians armies now split and Schulenburg marching northwards, Charles Emanuele and his capable Piedmontese army found themselves heavily outnumbered.

Could Schulenburg be convinced to return to the south bank of the Po to fight before his Piedmontese ally is overwhelmed?  Historically, no, but it may happen today.

The Piedmontese begin battle with their army thinly positioned strewn along the high ground on the banks of the Tanaro River.  The Bourbons are ready to strike.  De Gages is positioned to attack from the south toward the fortress of Bassignana, itself, while Maillebois has the weight of his command poised against the Piedmontese center.

Historical Outcome
The French, under Maillebois, attacked the Piedmontese center vigorously. Despite a tenacious defense from the Piedmontese guard and grenadiers, d’Aix’s position was ruptured and the Piedmontese position was split.  Concerned with being trapped in the wedge at Bassignana, Emmanuel gave up Bassignana to de Gages.  When de Gages destroyed the pontoon bridge over the Po, Emmanuel would see no relief from Schulenburg. Emanuele ordered a full retreat toward Casale.

Enough with the formalities, let's get to battle!

The Battle

De Gages and his Spaniards lead off the attack as his army marches toward the bridge crossing the Tanaro River on the road to Bassignana.  As the Spanish reach the river, King Emanuele leads his cavalry in against Arambou's cavalry as it splashes across the river.  De la Chiesa moves one of his infantry regiments to support the King's cavalry.  With fewer troopers and caught midstream in crossing, Arambou's cavalry are dispatched quickly.  Arambou, himself, is lucky to escape.  De Montal crosses the river driving back de la Chiesa's infantry that had only just reached the river.   One of Arambou's infantry regiments presses on across the Tanaro.  As it reaches the opposite bank, the Spanish are met with a volley from a body of Piedmontese light infantry.  Where did they come from?  From the nearby woods, I guess.  The Spanish suffer from this sudden volley and hesitate.  Their hesitation is at the wrong moment.  With their left uncovered by the scattering of Arambou's cavalry, these Spaniards are struck in flank by the King's victorious Piedmontese cavalry.  The lead Spanish infantry regiment crumbles before it can even set foot on the north bank of the Tanaro.  As the King's cavalry withdraws, the vacuum is filled by the Piedmontese light infantry.  The Piedmontese occupy the bridge!         

The King attacks!

Spanish cavalry are dispatched...

and the Spanish infantry handled similarly.

Piedmontese occupy the bridge to Bassignana.

On the Piedmontese Center and Right, the French advance.  In the center, de Montal moves against Rivarone.  On the right, de Grammont moves against San Germano while Senneterre advances upon Montecastelle. 

Seeing the enemy advancing slowly against their positions on the high ground, d'Aix orders his grenadiers and guard forward to contest the river crossings.  Volleys ring out and the river is blanketed in smoke.  When the smoke clears, d'Aix sees that one of Senneterre's cavalry regiments has slipped behind his lines and occupies Montecastelle! Having run the gauntlet of Piedmontese musketry, the cavalry occupying Montecastelle is only a few squadrons strong.

Piedmontese await the attack upon San Germano.

Grenadiers come down from the heights
 to contest the crossing.

Volleys erupt...

as Spanish cavalry slip into Montecastelle.

Seeing d'Aix commiting his brigade to a forward defense at the Tanaro (actually defending in the river!), de Grammont, brings up his brigade.  As de Grammont swings his cavalry around wide left, his infantry move up on the Piedmontese straddling the river and give them a blast of musketry. Liguane brings up half of his cavalry brigade to throw the Spanish out on Montecastelle.  Scattering the remnants of Senneterre's cavalry requires little effort.  Montecastelle is back in Piedmontese hands!

Piedmontese coming under French pressure at the Tanaro.

French cavalry ejected from Montecastelle.

With Montecastelle retaken, d'Aix resumes his advance against Senneterre's Brigade.  Already battered by the devastating volleys of d'Aix' grenadiers and guard, Senneterre gives ground as the Piedmontese push on.  Casualties are heavy across the board.  Senneterre falls.  d'Aix urges one of Liguane's dragoon regiments to join into pursuit. 

Senneterre falls back with d'Aix in hot pursuit!

While de Grammont pins a Piedmontese infantry regiment at the Tanaro, a French dragoon regiment slips into San Germano.  Luckily for the Piedmontese, Schulenburg has heeded calls to cross the Po.  Austrian cuirassiers arrive at San Germano just in time to throw the French out. 

French cavalry slip into San Germano...

but cannot hold long.

Situation looking from the southeast.

Back on the Piedmontese Left, the battle rages.

While the Piedmontese light infantry continue to hold up the Spanish, de Gage brings up infantry to prepare for an assault across the shallow Tanaro.  The King counters by bringing forward an Austrian infantry regiment from Bassignana.  Schulenburg's second cuirassier regiment arrives on the scene having crossed the pontoon bridge over the Po.

Heavy fighting at the bridge.

As Arambou launches his assault against the defenders of the bridge, Schulenburg attacks with his heavy cavalry into de Gage's cavalry crossing the Tanaro to the west.  The Piedmontese light infantry are scattered as the Spanish splash across the river.  As the Spanish infantry emerge, they are met by a devastating volley from the newly arriving Austrians.  The Spanish are cut down and their momentum stalls.  Overmatched by the Austrian cuirassiers, de Gage's Spanish are given a rude welcome.  The Austrian heavies smash into the lighter Spanish cavalry and send them reeling back.  In the chaos, de Gage falls.  

Arambou's Spanish carry the bridge!

Overview looking from the east.

In distance, de Gage's cavalry are beaten.  De Gage is dead.
In foreground, Spanish attack stalls.

With two Gallispan brigades broken, three generals dead on the field, and the army in tatters, French General Maillebois calls off the attack.  The Gallispan Army is beaten.  The Austro-Piedmontese did not get off lightly, though.  Both d'Aix and de la Chiesa's Brigades are wavering and teetering on the breaking point.  In addition to the four units lost, five of the Piedmontese units are down to but a single strength point.  The King's army is in no position to pursue.  They have held their ground but just barely.  

Dead Piles.

This Bassignana outing produced another riveting clash with lots of drama, tension, and so many casualties.  So many casualties.  Had Schulenburg dallied longer on the north bank of the Po, the result could have been very different.

Great job by all players but especially to Tony and Doug for their fine tactical work of being aggressive even when tasked with a difficult defense.  By popular vote, Tony's Piedmontese light infantry were awarded the MVP of the battle.

Outstanding game!

Thank you! 

Any interest in a rematch?