Cursory AAR report. April 19th 2009

600 points of Russians and Austrians vs. 600 points of French

1300 hrs - I Corps sends two divisions sprinting up the center in an attempt to get across the stream before the Russians can put up a defense there. Everything seems to be going well.

An instant later when the Russian blinds are revealed. In a complete surprise to the French, those were Russian Cossacks to their front.

The Cossack charge fails to rout the French march column but the French are certainly thrown into confusion.

The French manage to get some rudimentary deployment as the Cossacks reorganize.

Here, the size of the Russian column bearing down on the central village can be appreciated. On the coalition right flank, the Austrian column is pushing forward enthusiastically.

In the center, the Russians manage some decisive combined arms attacks with cavalry and infantry but they are entirely unable to bring their artillery batteries to bear. Russians columns are making aggressive use of the bayonet. For the French, the rear elements of I Corps are slow in coming forward. It becomes a tenacious battle where the French cling to the bridgehead by the fingertips.

French III Corps is crossing the ford and will oblige the Cossacks to voluntarily rout to safety but thereafter they would end up taking no further part in the battle. At this point, III Corps commander was still undecided about whether he should move left against the Austrians or hurry to aid the much put upon I Corps.

French reinforcements have arrived in the form of 1st Cavalry Corps. They would be discomfited by  the small wood to their front that was not on any oftheir maps. The Austrian column wheels right to deal with the cavalry threat, hoping to press it against the extreme flank.

An hour later though and the French Cuirassier have taken the opportunity to hurl back the Austrian light cavalry. Austrian infantry begin to prudently flip into squares but the French III Corps has made its decision and is throwing its weight against the Austrians' now exposed left flank.

Back in the center, the Russians continue to press. The battle is heated but still the French manage to hold on.

The Russian cavalry reserve has imprudently committed themselves on the Austrian right and, in their haste to deploy have disordered themselves by moving through routed Austrians. French cuirassier then reacted and bounded forward, poised to strike.

The Russian Cuirassier Division is routed even as the pressure against the Austrian left by I Corps is also becoming too much for the Austrians to handle. The French Cuirassier that rout the Russian heavies would go on to push deep into the rear before it was obliged to fall back and regroup.

Due to the loss of the Russian Heavy cavalry, the Russian Guard infantry is unable to advance to the aid of the Austrian right. Although two French brigades have been routed from the central village, they are starting to try to advance against the Russians there. In the foreground, French III Corps is advancing purposefully.

End of the day on the French left. Things are dire for the Austrians after the Cavalry gets behind their front rank. They also lose all of their artillery to cuirassier.

In the center, the rightmost division of the Russians is beginning to waver after several hours of withstanding French musketry and cannon fire. At dark the crossroads and bridge would remain contested.