Open Tournament 2016 Round 2

Round 2 - Game 2 - 412 Lübeck, North Gate (6 November 1806)

TheMP (French) 5
Groundeaux (Prussians) 7

The French opened with an attack on the Prussian right, driving the LT from the hills, then followed up with a Grand Maneuver/Bayonet Charge combo to force the Prussians from the town and all the way back to the north gate. Action then shifted to the center. The French set up a cavalry charge, taking out the Prussian ART. The Prussian GR formed square and were able to withstand the French charge in spite of a Break the Square card. The Prussians then gave the French the Cold Steel and eliminated one LC and mauled the other. A French bayonet charge against St. Gertrude’s Church met with disaster, when their dice turned stone cold, scoring no hits and losing an INF to the Prussian battle-back. The damaged French LC successfully exited the board. The end game saw the French execute another well-planned combined arms attack against a Prussian ART next to the church. Once again, the French powder was soaking wet at a critical time… of 8 dice rolled, there were no hits. The battle back left one of the French INF weakened and it was picked off by the Prussian artillery.

It’s interesting that both Vince and I won our matches playing as the Prussians. This game was notable for some very bad die rolls by the French at critical points.

EZPickens wrote it up well. I'll just add my perspective:

OT2016 R2G2

Back in command of the Grande Armee, I was feeling confident (who wouldn't be?), but I knew I had a tough hill to climb due to the prior 3-7 game. I was pretty confident in my ability to beat the Prussians, but less so in my ability to do it as "cheaply" as EZPickens managed to.

Things started off very encouraging, and the Prussian vanguard under Oswald on the French left was knocked out right away. EZ then reordered his line at about mid-field, with blocking the entire "north gate" segment. French assaults on the Church were beaten back at great loss on both sides.

Eventually, the French did force there way into the Church, but losses were extreme, and moral was low (aka, bad cards from here on out). There was a protracted artillery duel, but the fight was out of the French. Although they had inflicted terrible losses on the Prussians, their esprit de corps was all but gone. I would call it a Pyrrhic victory. EZPickens played a great game, and demonstrated masterful hand management on both the offensive and defensive.

Yep, I'll wait for that result before doing the next Round.

Thank you EZ for reporting the second game!

Game 1
EZPickins (French) 7 Banners 17 blocks lost
FrenchricusRex (Prussian) 3 Banners 24 blocks lost

A closer game than it appears. Started off with mostly artillery dueling with two of the French batteries trying to occupy the hills on the left. They got the worst of it and had to pull back out of danger. With two Bayonet Charges in hand the French assaulted the forward Prussian artillery and an infantry unit. The first charge eliminated the infantry and one foot artillery. The Prussian counterattacked but play of Infantry Combat First and a great roll eliminated another full strength line inf. The follow up charge killed another two foot artillery. The Prussians managed to inflict some casualties but in the end the French were able to take the church and get the win.

Game 2
FrenchriconRex (French) 7 Banners 26 blocks lost
EXPickins (Prussian) 5 Banners 24 blocks lost

The French quickly eliminated the LT on the left hill before he could escape. A few turns later the French once again play a Bayonet Charge and eliminate the FA supporting LN in the church which holds on an kills a LN in return. The LN in the church fires on the next turn killing another LN plus Rinaud. Long range fire is exchanged for several turns with one more banner lost by the French but they manage to eliminate the LN in the church and the adjacent GR with Yorck to gain momentum which carries them to victory.

These were two very fun games in spite of Vassal acting up.

Round 2 Game 2
Sansmerci (Prussians) 7 Banners 28 blocks lost
tlangston28 (French) 6 Banners 37 blocks lost

A very long game 3+ hours. The French started off well with a combined arms attack that destroyed the Prussian LT on the hill. After a cavalry charge by the French a bombard counter attack destroyed one French cavalry and damaged the second. A French Elan attack took

out the Prussian GR and evened the banners at 3 each. A cavalry charge by a one block French LC plus the pesky French HA took out another Prussian Art making the banners 5 to 5. A 7 die CA attack got only one hit on the Prussian LN the banners where 6 to 5 Prussians
with many damaged units on both sides. Several command cards where played with each side having opportunities to win. The last came on an Prussian Elan attack that got the 7th banner. Very intense game

sorry about that Tony.. now fixed

Hi Mark, You have me listed as winning 2 banners as the Allies but I actually won 3 banners. We are playing our 2nd game tonight.

Mark,

Just a quick note to say that Grondeaux and myself will complete the second game of this round on Nov.3rd. He has been away for the first part of the month and I the second part. We played the first match-up in the short window we had between those times. So we'll be 3 days late Mark

Round 2 - Game 1

TheMP (Allies) 7
Groundeaux (French) 5

The French unleashed a Bayonet Charge with their second card against the Prussians in the church and their supporting artillery. The Prussian INF took down some French INF blocks with them, but both units were overrun. The Prussian FA unit falling to the first dice rolled against it.

For a while the French looked ascendent from this and looked to press the Prussians further. But the tide seemed to change when their 2 x LC were unleashed on the next line of Prussian guns commanded by Yorck. These gunners refused to budge and basically assisted in removing both enemy cavalry units with some support from the single Prussian LC unit as well as their LI also getting involved. From here, the Prussians kept plugging away at their enemy, with Yorck and his guns seemingly the lynchpin in the centre. The French around the centre were eventually worn down, including a leader loss and the Prussians crawled over the line 7-5.

Round 2 - Lubeck - North Gate 6 November 1806
Sansmerc1 (French) 7 Banners 24 blocks lost
TLangston ( Allies) 3 Banners 24 blocks lost

Lots of maneuvering to begin the game left the Prussians with a mass art of their left. A bayonet charge by the French made it 3 banners to 2 for France. The Prussians counter with a well timed Bombard CC but didn't kill any French units. I did not have any center cards for the last third of the game and was fortunate that Tony rolled poorly several times. The game ended with a Give them the cold steel CC on a lone leader.

Game 1

Round 2 - 412 Lübeck - North Gate (6 November 1806)

Bangla (French) - 7 Banners
gottoman (Allies) - 1 Banner

French advanced in the centre thanks to a couple of fortunate cavalry attacks that wiped out the artillery there. More great dice rolling from the French meant this game lasted less than an hour. Greg was really up against it. the final banner for the French was a breakthrough movement by French cavalry that switched the score from 6-2 to 7-1.




Game 2

Round 2 - 412 Lübeck - North Gate (6 November 1806)

gottoman (French) - 7 Banners
Bangla (Allies) - 2 Banners

Always hard for the French to win this one and keep the Prussians to a single banner, or less. Greg almost did it, though with a lot of losses he had to keep funnelling 1- and 2-block units towards the rear to save losing banners. In the end, the Prussians managed a second one and then it was a matter of time before the French won the game, and without losing another banner too.

Game 1

Round 2 - 412 Lübeck - North Gate (6 November 1806)

Aaron (French) - 7 Banners
Mark McG (Allies) - 3 Banners

French advance across the board, and a desperate struggle for the Church ensued, which the French won at a price. Otherwise the methodological advance of the French pushed the Prussians back and in the end took them down



Game 2

Round 2 - 412 Lübeck - North Gate (6 November 1806)

Mark McG (French) - 7 Banners
Aaron (Allies) - 1 Banners

Keen to get rid of the advanced Prussian LT, a grand battery blew him away, 1 banner on 1st card!
The French cavalry then charged and took down one Prussian battery, and weakened a 2nd. After some more moving, the Cavalry lost 1 unit, destroyed the other battery, and exited the North gate. Tilly masterfully call forward his reserves onto the Prussian base line (a cheesy move..)

Then it was a matter of flushing the Prussians out of the Church, assisted by Aaron forgetting the Iron Will markers.

Game 2

Round 2 - Lübeck

mantra(French) - 7 Banners, 11 blocks lost
asyncritus (Allies) - 2 Banners, 25 Blocks lost

This was the second game of the match. The French pushed the hills hard and gained their heights. Once there they consecutively bombarded the Prussians in the field below. The Prussians attempt to push the French off the heights, but the French Inf. were able to make gains in the field and take the town. This was contested by the Prussians as they sent in their Lt. Cav. to shatter the French masses, but this came to no effect as the French were able to play the battle first tactic card. It seemed the Prussians could only chip away at the French with ranged fire. Their melee came up short.

Once the French had 5 banners, they earnestly started to push into the church and its environs. The Prussians did all they could, but were deeply outnumber and out gunned. The French would not be denied the victory and its spoils.

Both games were fun and well played by both. On to round 3!

Game 1

Round 2 - Lübeck

asyncritus (French) - 6 Banners, 29 blocks lost
mantra (Allies) - 7 Banners, 20 Blocks lost

This game came down to the wire. The French started to push for the church and were slowly chipped away and repulsed. They later switched their focus on the hills and easily took them driving away the Lt. Inf. into the town. The French building upon this success kept pushing into the town on their left with success until they were driven off with only the arty units holding the hill heights.

Switching back to center the French were able to take the St. Gertude Church with the use of the Infantry Combat First tactic card, if only for a brief moment, before being laid low by the Prussian Grenadiers. At this point the Banner count was 6/6. The Prussians played the Elan card and activated the Grenadiers and 2 Arty units to range fire on the French in the center to take the win. The last few plays were very anxious for both sides to say the least. A fun tense match. I look forward to switching sides next week

Round 2 (game 2) - Lübeck
Bayernkini (French) - Gonzo (Allies)
7 (17 blocks lost) - 2 (21 blocks lost)

French started with a Short Supply on the prussian left FA and moved his troops forward on left and center (preparing an attack because of a Bayonett Charge).
Prussian could counter twice with a Bombard, which suffers a few casualties (blocks).
French moved his CAV forward then (preparing a CAV charge) and in following turns, the french attack could destroy 2 ART´s
and one french LC could escape for a VP.
Outnumbered the prussian then on their right / center-right, it was only time, to get the last VP for the french.

Logfile again in 2 parts

Round 2 (Game 1) - Lübeck
Bayernkini (Allies) - Gonzo (French)
7 (25 blocks lost) - 5 (37 blocks lost)

It was an Artillery battle a long time, which killed a prussian ART and weaked 2 prussian ART down to 1 block.
The game was general lost at this time, but a wild running prussian single CAV could then destroy also 2 french ART´s in middle of game,
and this was the coming back time for prussian. Step by step they could weak the french now and after a few french misses in important last turns,
the Prussian could win.

Because of a dropout, 2 parts of logfile