Turn 7 begins with great danger for the French. Ott
is threatening to sever the French lines of communication, leaving Bonaparte’s
forces around Marengo dependent on a single supply wagon unit.
 |
| Morzin's grenadiers advance |
 |
| Hadik's charge |
The French manage to see the
Austrians off, but are left one figure away from their dispersal number, so
they stay put after rolling successfully for recall. Meanwhile, Kaim and St Julien
start getting their forces across the Fontanone in some numbers.
 |
| Austrian moves |
For their part, the French continue to fall back.
 |
| The French fall back from Marengo |
Not much firing from the Austrians, and what
there was didn’t have any effect. French return fire by Chambarlhac’s light
infantry brigade inflicted a hit on Morzin’s grenadiers closest to Marengo. That
brigade is in danger of being nibble to death by French fire. But with the FrLT
unit forced to change to column in order to retreat, this could be an
opportunity from some payback for the Austrians
 |
| The situation at the end of Turn 7 |
Turn 8: 1330
The
Austrians continue to advance in the area of Marengo village, and Ott’s column
continues to (slowly) deploy.
 |
| Turn 8 Austrian moves |
 |
| Turn 8 Ott's moves |
Elsnitz’s
cavalry takes on Murat’s light cavalry, which is in big trouble even if it
wins, being one figure away from dispersal. Will we see some Murat magic?
 |
| Elsnitz vs Murat |
Non-phasing
French fire fails to take another nibble from Morzin’s grenadiers, but one of
Gardanne’s brigades inflicts a hit on an advancing (limbered) Austrian
artillery battery.
In
the combat phase, Elsnitz’s cavalry inflicts two hits on Murat’s LC, Murat
fails to prevent dispersal and is killed in the process. The cavalry fails its
recall move and attacked the FrLN brigade that is now directly ahead. The
infantry fails to form emergency square but beats the cavalry off anyway,
thanks to the cavalry’s disordered status. The cavalry bounces back to near
where it started move 8, mission accomplished.
During
the French turn, the forces around Marengo continue to retire, Monnier’s column
starts to deploy, a little earlier than might be ideal but there is nothing
between them and the Austrian forces arriving from the north.
 |
| Monnier starts to deploy |
The
battlefield goes quiet as no Austrian units are in a position to fire at the
retiring French.
 |
| Situation at the end of Turn 8 |
Turn 9: 1400
On
the Austrian right, Hadik rallies his cavalry. The Austrian infantry in the
southern sector advances even without the support of Hadik’s cavalry – the French
heavy cavalry being one hit away from its dispersal number makes it worth the risk.
Hadik’s newly-rallied cavalry advances too, without waiting to regain good
order.
 |
| The Austrians keep pushing forward |
 |
| Morzin goes up a gear |
The
French heavy cavalry turn about to face the threat posed by the newly-re-ordered
Austrian light cavalry that had failed its recall roll a few turns ago. Victor
and Bonaparte attach themselves to Chambarlhac’s 2B/2/V for the same reason;
those Austrians are too close for comfort and the French have lost enough
senior commanders today. With Austrian infantry closing to the front, and
Austrian cavalry roaming to the rear, Gardanne’s remaining brigade moves into
the village of La Spinetta with the intention of holding on there until help
arrives.
 |
| Gardanne occupies La Spinetta |
Meanwhile,
Monnier’s column moves off in Ott’s direction, who is moving in Monnier’s
direction. Both have yet to complete their deployment out of march column, but
Monnier only has the Consular Guard still undeployed, whereas Ott has still to
deploy Vogelslang’s division. The stage is set for a “battle within a battle” -
if the French can keep their army on the field long enough to fight it…
 |
| A mini-battle in the making. |
At
long last, Marmont’s guns arrive and attach themselves to Chambarlhac’s 3B/2/V
for protection. Because of the Austrian cavalry wandering about close by,
Chambarlhac’s division has formed square.
 |
| Marmont arrives |
 |
| Situation at the end of Turn 9 |
