Whack a Cossack: Campaign of Nations battle

A Campaign of Nations AAR:

Out on the far flank of Maréchal Macdonald's XI corps there has been a Cossack incursion into Bavaria.

Scraping out a few cavalry brigades and ordering Count Hogendorp to go out to cover the flank Maréchal Macdonald had the situation in at least a stalemate for a few days.  Then the Cossacks got past the smaller number of brigades and began to threaten communications in the rear.  A full division of cavalry was then dispatched, and once it arrived began looking for ways to attack the Cossacks...

Cossack Colonel Bergmann

One opportunity presented itself as a Cossack force had become separated by more than 6 miles from the others, seeking to find the French supplies?  Doing a probe?  No matter, time was nigh to start pushing back the Cossack menace. posed by Colonel Bergmann.

This time the Cossacks had located near a township, with a number of hills to screen out the French artillery menace.  Though perhaps the Cossacks had taken too much libation from the town the night before?

a large township and hills were the only features to this battlefield

Bruno's Westphalian horse were part of the French allied contingent attacking Cossacks this day

even though they were outclassed the Cossacks were resolute in their defense

the Cossacks made maximum use of the hills to cover from French Artillery

The French wasted no time in sweeping forward, to reach out to come to contact with the Cossacks, while the Westphalians and Wurtembergers moved their artillery into positions.

start of turn 2

French Cavalry pushed forward hard

all effort to reach the Cossacks before they could flee

Early skirmish went well for the Cossacks on the left, while on the right the Westphalian horse did yeoman duty protecting their Horse Battery to get the guns set and driving off a determined Cossack attack!

start of turn 3

Cossacks win a battle vs. Chasseurs

then loose one vs. Westphalian light horse

During the rally, most Cossacks recover and one French Chasseur totally refused to recover - indeed the confusion in this Squadron lasted all of the battle!

force of Chasseurs (in the center) is blown and disorderd - did not recover all battle (note the use of 'battle debris' as a marker for shaken and disorder along with a dismounted horse for 'blown' from a cavalry charge)

Start of turn 4

French artillery continued to fire, keeping the Cossacks in a state of disorder, while the first of the flank forces had arrived, though it was not to make contact as the Cossacks could not stand up to the rolling attacks of the Chasseurs.

Cossack force in foreground did not rally, was shattered by Chasseurs

even though at 50% casualties the Cossack Division refused to yield

fire poured out from Wurrtemberg horse batteries on the hilltop

Hogendorp watches on from the distance as the 5th Light Cavalry Division sweep on to victory

some Chasseurs never managed to recover

Westphalian Light Horse go on to get the last kill before another flank force can arrive

Cossack Colonel Bergmann was able to convince his men to stand and fight, covering the retreat of the others who would certainly have been butchered by the French, though this cost him his command as he was made prisoner this day.

Cossack Colonel Bergmann becomes a French prisoner