Garden Wars I AAR 3

Turn 12 continued as the Russians had been maneuvered out of the town, now mostly assembled on their former left flank.  The Cossacks were almost cut off from the rest of the army by French Hussars and Dragoons that had pressed hard after crossing the river.

The whole of the center, seen from the 'former' French side of the river.

The end of turn 12, Cossacks on the left, Dragoons on the  right (in the shadows)

The Army of Italy now completed the new gun line, facing towards the remaining Russian forces.  There was also the first major clash of Hussars & Dragoons with the Cossacks. 

Italian gun line forms up.

There was only one battalion or squadron that needed to be overcome now by the Army of Italy in order to make the Russians fall back.

Now truly cut off from the rest of the Russian army, these Cossacks would have to fight to survive

The remaining Russians were still straining every nerve to push forward far enough to get some clear shots at the forming up French and Italians and their allied forces...

at long last the Russian Grenadier Guards were deploying into lines

Now with their new (correct) flags the Pavlov Grenadiers were looking dangerous in their own gun line

Alas, the Russian efforts on the flank were not to have much effect, for the Cossacks, cut off and facing blown and tired French Hussars and Dragoons simply could not overcome the drill and cohesion of the French horsemen.  The Cossack force was utterly routed.

outclassed, even with blown horses, by Hussars and Dragoons these Cossacks were routed

even blown (the horse markers are in the foreground 'behind the units') the French horsemen were better than the Cossacks

There would have been a bloody repulse had any of the other Russians attempted to advance, as the French & Italians had established their gun line.

The Army of Italy was set up with a new gun line firing into Russian positions

Final positions of the troops

This created an end of game situation as the score was 3 for the Russians and 9 for the French.

Final score at turn 13, 9 Russian battalion/squadrons lost to 3 for the French

The result was a complete FRENCH (Army of Italy) VICTORY.

Well perhaps not totally complete ... the Russians did manage to recapture that horse battery ... grumble, grumble.

I shall round out the post with some photos of the forces as they appeared at the end of the battle.

The town after all was done ...

The troops back in their drawers, ready to be packed away after a great day out in the Garden Wars!