Last Stand at Bassignana

Postie's Rejects return for an encore performance at Bassignana (see earlier battle report at Road to Bassignana).  Rather than a three-player game as in the first playing, Ray joined Richard to fill out a four-player game.  Richard and Ray took command of the Austro-Piedmontese Army while Steve and Lee headed up the Franco-Spanish Armies (Gallispans).  Commands are illustrated in the table-shot below:

Initial dispositions

For Richard's account of the action, please visit The King is Dead...and so is his dice rolling.

How did I see the battle unfold?  Please read on.

Having chronicled a handful of Bassignana battles, the ground and situation are likely familiar to regular readers.  Given that familiarity, we jump straight into the action.

The battle opens with the Spanish stepping off toward the bridge spanning the Tanaro River.  The Spanish come on in densely packed formations with General de Gages at the head.  King Emanuele III sends the Austrian defenders of Bassignana forward to contest the crossing.  On the Gallispan Left, the French advance against Chiesa de San Germano and the Piedmontese defenders on the heights.  The Piedmontese Right keeps a watchful eye on the advancing Frenchmen. 

Spanish advance toward Bassignana.

The French advance on the Piedmontese positions
 at Chiesa de San Germano.

d'Aix' Piedmontese watch from Chiesa de San Germano.

Back on the Gallispan Right, de Gages pushes his Spaniards into the Tanaro.  As cavalry emerge to the west of the bridge and infantry climb the banks to the east of the bridge, they are met by musketry.  Piedmontese light infantry pop up from the brush along the river and their fire rips through the Spanish horse.  A number of horsemen fall but the Spanish press on and into the light infantry.  The light infantry are no match for the cavalry as the horsemen charge out of the river.  The light infantry suffer heavy casualties as they retreat back toward Bassignana.

Following closely behind the Spanish cavalry are Spanish infantry.  One regiment crosses the Tanaro in column and then deploys into line under the watchful eye of the King and his cavalry perched on the hill and de la Chiesa's guns.  The Spaniards deliver a first fire into the King's horsemen before they, in turn, are raked by canister.  Bodies fall in both formations.

In an attempt to slow the attack and encourage the light infantry, King Emanuele joins the light infantry on the road while his wavering Piedmontese cavalry charge into the similarly wavering Spanish infantry.  Battered and shaken from their earlier exertions, both formations disintegrate in the melee.  

Facing odds of three to one against, the Austrians lining the Tanaro are overwhelmed by the masses of Spanish crashing into them.  First softened up from a devastating volley delivered by Spanish infantry in the woods, the Austrians face waves of Spanish infantry.  Unable to withstand this tsunami, the Austrians scatter.  

Defense at the bridge.

Spanish form a bridgehead on the north bank of the Tanaro.

Piedmontese driven back from the Tanaro.

Only the King and a few light infantry
 stand in the way to Bassignana.

Is all quiet on the western front of the battle?  No!

General Maillebois sends his two brigades on the left forward while de Montal demonstrates in the center against the defenders of the village Rivarone.  As de Grammont's two cavalry regiments splash into the Tanaro, Liguane moves his two Piedmontese dragoon regiments up to contest the crossing.  De Grammont's cavalry charge out of the river and into the Piedmontese.  Suffering heavy casualties, the French are sent back from whence they came!  

Under constant harassment from Piedmontese guns outside of Montecastelle, Senneterre sends one infantry regiment across the Tanaro to deal with these pests.  A second French regiment follows up in column.  Perhaps not seeing the Piedmontese grenadiers supporting the guns, the French in column are caught off-guard when the grenadiers charge down from the heights and smash into the column.  Not surprisingly, the French regiment scatters to the wind. 

Seeing de Grammont's cavalry streaming back through his own cavalry, Senneterre orders his two cavalry regiments forward.  In the second charge out of the river, Senneterre's cavalry are repulsed.  Again, casualties are heavy but this time, Liguane's Piedmontese are broken.  While the cavalry are locked in combat to their left, French infantry line the Tanaro and attempt to shoot the enemy out of San Germano.  They make little headway against the Piedmontese Guards barricaded in the church.   

As de Grammont brings his cavalry forward...

Liguane counters with his own cavalry.

de Grammont's cavalry are sent reeling back!

French sent to deal with d'Aix' guns.

Senneterre attacks Liguane's dragoons

Piedmontese grenadiers destroy French infantry
 as the Frenchmen cross the Tanaro!

Liguane's Brigade of Piedmontese dragoons is broken.

French try to blast the enemy from the church.

Pinning de la Chiesa's Piedmontese at Rivarone with de Montal's Frenchmen, de Gages clears the heights overlooking the main road by overrunning a battery and destroying the Piedmontese militia.  With two of his three formations scattered, de la Chiesa's Brigade is broken.  With two of his three brigades broken and no sign of Schulenburg's Austrians, the King tries to buy a little time.  Time, he does not have.  In coordinated attacks, the light infantry to which he is attached breaks.  In the confusion, the King falls.     

The Piedmontese position collapses!

With the King dead on the field and his army broken, survivors retreat to the northwest to salvage what is left of the Piedmontese Army.  Where were the Austrians?  On this day, they never made it to the battle.

The result of today's battle was not unlike the first Reject game.  That is, the Piedmontese fell to the Gallispans.  Still, the game returned another historical result with the exception that the King fell again.

Congratulations to Lee and Steve for a well-played game.  They attacked early, often, and kept the pressure up throughout.  Ray, commanding the Piedmontese Right made a remarkable stand against the attacking waves of Frenchmen.  His efforts were not enough to turn the tide of battle.  My condolences to Richard and Ray in a tough loss.  They, too, played equally well but fortune was not in Richard's court (again) on this day.

Great game fellas and thank you!     

This is the Last Stand at Bassignana, for now.  Next up?  I think we may return to battles in Ancient Sumeria.