A week ago, Mike and I journeyed to Jared’s (of the excellent Twenty-sided Gamified Podcast) home in Torrington for some Napoleonic wargaming with Field of Battle, 3rd edition. Jared used the Bloody Big Battles scenario for Aspern-Essling as a basis for this highly “bath-tubbed” version (one infantry unit is about 4,000 men, if I recall correctly). As such, it fit on a 5 x 8 foot table using Jared’s extensive 15mm collection. In the photo above (courtesy of Mike, along with the next 2), the pins are color coded to the command the unit and leader belong to. The blue pins denote Hohenzollern’s Corps.
As more of their Corps advance, The Austrians press the attack!
Later in the day, Austrians threaten Essling (Class III terrain to account for the Granary, etc.).
There were a few minor variations to the QRS to allow for the smaller figures and tables (decreased movement, ranges, etc.), and a deployed Skirmisher rule (essentially, a unit with such a stand gains an UP 1 when shooting and a DOWN 1 when shot at; it is removed whenever the unit first suffers a UI loss). The rest of the special rules for the scenario follow…
The “Torrington Transmutation” Sequence Deck Variant
Use the standard FoB3 rules to determine the composition of the Sequence Decks for both sides. Add an extra card (let’s call it Brilliant Leader, after the usage in classic Piquet). This card allows one command to use it as any action card they wish (Move – Melee – Infantry Fire – Artillery Fire – Leadership). Remove the MOVE cards (but not any Move One Command cards) from the deck and place them face up
Each initiative, without looking at any of the cards drawn, the player may choose to replace ONE of the cards from that initiative’s play deck with a MOVE card. Thus, it could be the first card, the last, or any in between. Shuffle the decks on any tied initiative roll as usual.
This idea worked really, really well!
Aspern – Essling Special Rules:
French Special Deployment Rules:
Each Move Card, new units become Available to cross the bridge. Roll LD vs D6. Lose= no troops cross. Win= 1 unit crosses Win Even= 2 units cross
Units may only be chosen to cross if they are Available as specified by the OOB.
Austrian Special Deployment Rules:
Make standard LD checks per command at the specified destination. If a 1 is rolled, place the command on the table, on the board edge.
General Deployment Rules: Any troops that have the name of a place listed as their destination are deployed in that location at the beginning of the game.
Artillery: No more than 2 Artillery units may be attached to a single Corps. Once attached, Artillery units must remain with that Corps throughout the battle.Austrian Battalionmasse– it is assumed that all Austrian infantry utilize this formation, unless formed into Square, March Column, or Assault Column.
Night Interval:
Lannes Corps arrives during the Night Interval and become Available.. The Night Interval occurs when the French have played through their full deck. If a tie occurs, the Night Interval starts early! Follow BBB rules for Night Interval redeployments, rallies, etc. Each army will count as getting a free Leadership card.
Deploy up to 4 Infantry, 1 Cavalry, and 1 Artillery. These troops may come from Lannes Corps and/or troops from other commands that are Available. The deployment zone is anywhere 9” from the bridge, and more than 6” from Austrian units.
Objectives: Gain a Morale Chip for controlling any of the following objectives. When an objective is taken by the enemy (by driving the enemy out and occupying the location for at least 1 turn- units do not have to camp on the location), lose the Morale Chip and give to the enemy.
Aspern
Essling
The Danube Bridge
Gross Entzersdorf
Gemeinde Au Wood
Bohemia Road Exits
When the second day of battle starts, the French may remove Gross Entzersdorf as an Objective and replace it with a different village.
Napoleon Bonaparte C-in-C LD12 27 Morale Chips
Archduke Charles C-in-C LD10 32 Morale Chips
Both Napoleon and Charles may reroll a single command roll using their own integral leadership. The command must be within 10” of Napoleon or Charles. Doing so puts them in danger of being removed from the battle. (i.e., they are subject to Leader Survival test on the next Army Morale card).
AUSTRIA OOB
Army Artillery
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Artillery
CD12 / DD6
NA
Attach
Artillery
CD12 / DD6
NA
Attach
Artillery
CD12 / DD6
NA
Attach
Artillery
CD12 / DD6
NA
Attach
VI Korps/ Hiller LD8
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Hirschstadten
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Hirschstadten
Artillery
CD12 / DD6
NA
Hirschstadten
I Korps/ Bellegarde LD8
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Hirschstadten
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Hirschstadten
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Hirschstadten
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Hirschstadten
Light Cavalry
CD10 /DD6
NA
Hirschstadten
II Korps/ Hohenzollern LD8
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Breitenlee
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Breitenlee
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Breitenlee
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Breitenlee
IV Korps/ Dedovich LD8
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Rassdorf- M2
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Rassdorf- M2
IV Korps/ Hohenlohe LD8
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Arrive M2- Pressburg Exit
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Arrive M2- Pressburg Exit
Light Cavalry
CD10 /DD6
NA
Arrive M2- Pressburg Exit
Reserve Cavalry/ Liechtenstein LD10
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Cuirassiers
CD12 /DD8
NA
Arrive M2- North Edge
Cuirassiers
CD12 /DD8
NA
Arrive M2- North Edge
Dragoons
CD12 /DD6
NA
Arrive M2- North Edge
Dragoons
CD12 /DD6
NA
Arrive M2- North Edge
Reserve Infantry/ Lindenau LD10
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Grenadiers
CD12 /DD8
NA
Arrive M2- North Edge
Grenadiers
CD12 /DD8
NA
Arrive M2- North Edge
FRANCE OOB
4th Corps/ Massena LD10
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Aspern/Essling
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Essling
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Aspern
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Bridge
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Available M2
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
No
Available M2
Light Cavalry
CD10 /DD6
NA
Aspern/Essling
Hussars
CD10 / DD8
NA
Aspern/Essling
II Corps/ Lannes LD12
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Night Interval
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Night Interval
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Night Interval
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Night Interval
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Night Interval
Infantry
CD10 / DD6
Yes
Night Interval
Imperial Guard LD10
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Guard Infantry
CD12+1 /DD8
Yes
Available M3
Guard Infantry
CD12 / DD8
Yes
Available M3
Guard Cavalry
CD 12+1 / DD8
NA
Available M3
Cavalry Reserve/
Bessieres LD10
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Hussars
CD10 / DD8
NA
Available M1
Cuirassiers
CD12 / DD8
NA
Available M1
Cuirassiers
CD 12 / DD8
NA
Available M1
3rd Corps/ Davout LD12
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Available M5
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Available M5
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Available M5
Infantry
CD10 / DD8
Yes
Available M5
Army Artillery
CD / DD
Skirmisher?
Deployment:
Artillery
CD12 / DD6
NA
Attach
Artillery
CD12 / DD6
NA
Attach
Artillery
CD12 / DD6
NA
Attach
