The Battle of PLaytest Moor: The Beginning of the End

Well, the battle appears to have passed its crisis stage, and I must confess that my French have gotten the worst of it.

With the battle looking grim in the center and the right, the French light cavalry decides to launch into the damaged square of Landwehr in front of them. The landwehr rout, but the line infantry to the rear have time to form square, leaving our French cav vulnerable. They peel off, bloodied and disordered, but at least they managed to rattle the Austrian square.


In the center, while the French have driven off the hussar attack with a timely defense, their column is weakened and their line is wearing thin. Even though the Austrian reserve column is crappy landwehr, that may be all it takes at this stage of the game.


The Bavarians have driven off the Austrian advance guard, and it will come down to a slugfest in a turn or two. However, the Austrian cavalry, having demolished the battalion protecting the Bavarian flank will be in a position to tear into the Bavarian column in the flank, even if they are victorious in the melee.



So if I were a real-life French general at this point, I would signal a controlled retreat. Tactically, we could then declare the battle a draw (and Austrians would call it a major victory on their part. Later, historians would call it a minor defeat for the French). However, I'll play out one or two more turns, just because I like to punish myself.