Battle of Hanau 1813 - After Action Report

Last Saturday, Ralph Holoway put on a game of 4th edition Napoleon's Battle at the store. He took several pictures of the game and wrote up a report on how it went. I have re-posted his AAR with his permision below. 

The initial deployments were based off of historical deployments, the Bavarians (Ronald and Daine Oldman) to the north of the Kinzig, with their cavalry and the Raiding Force of Austrian and Cossack cavalry on the far left, and the Austrian corps and cavalry south of the Kinzig Stream.

The French (Jeroen Koopman and Gary Smith) were deployed in the Puppenwald and Lamboi woods initially shielded from Bavarian and Austrian artillery and musket fire.

The action started slowly in Turn 3 with the French infantry moving forward on their right in the Puppenwald and the 2nd Guard Cavalry moving out of the Puppenwald to the open terrain on the French right. The Bavarians began to engage the French in the Puppenwald with their artillery.

The Austrian commander then chose to begin the move of two brigades of his cavalry to the left flank to aid the Bavarian cavalry and the French received the 2nd Light Cavalry Division in the Puppenwald.

As the cavalry battle was joined between the Bavarian light cavalry and the Raiding Force, and the 2nd Guard Cavalry, this seemed less necessary. The allied cavalry soundly repulsed the Guard Cavalry (three consecutive rolls of 1 by the French).

On Turn 3 the French received he 4th light Cavalry Division deploying out of the Puppenwald to aid the French cavalry on the right.

The French infantry on the left flank in the Puppenwald moved to engage and combat the Bavarian left flank infantry vicinity Neuhof Farm on Turn 4. The Bavarians abandoned their guns during the onslaught.

Meanwhile on the French left in the Lamboi Woods, the French infantry had moved forward to engage the Bavarians south of Neuhof Farm. They were fired upon by some Austrian artillery south of the Kinzig Stream as well.

Between 12:30 hrs. and 1330 hrs. the 1st Old Guard Division, the 2nd Old Guard Division and Guard Artillery arrive arrived via road in the Lamboi Woods. The Guard moved forward to engage and combat the Bavarians and Austrians south of the Neuhof Farm.

On the French right, the cavalry battle continues with mixed results for the French. The Bavarian light cavalry is forced to withdraw, but Austrian cavalry arrived to reinforce the flank.

The game ended on Turn 8 or 13:30 hrs. after approximately five hours of play.

Conclusions I drew from the play of the scenario as written:

- Need to start battle later,11:00 hrs. versus 9:00 hrs. This will start that fight earlier in game play and give the French cavalry on the right two more light cavalry divisions for the cavalry fight on the right.

- Also, would probably preclude Austrian cavalry from south of Kinzig Stream affecting that fight. This is more historical in outcome, as the French cavalry threatened the Bavarian infantry after their defeat of the allied cavalry. Also, this would bring the main fight of the Old Guard to clear the north of the Kinzig Stream earlier in play.

- Need to give more depth to the French deployment area in the woods for Imperial Guard deployment.