Black Powder: The improbable battle of Mussen

 

As a meeting engagement, aside from His Venerableness' garrisons, both sides' infantry and artillery arrive in column of march, guns limbered. Only the respective light cavalry screens are deployed.

The French commander, Marshal Ma Foie de la Touche Froid, realises that he must strengthen his right if he is to achieve overwhelming superiority close to the bridge and fords.

However hasty redeployment is never easy in the face of the foe and several brigades simply head towards the nearest enemy!

However these early blunders are not confined to the French: An Austrian brigades advances upon the French centre whilst in March Column, and several Russian battalions simply will not or cannot deploy out of March Column!

They say victory goes to the side that makes fewest mistakes - today competition is fierce...

 but the French with their better Staff Ratings get their stuff together first...

They mass against the Coalition centre...

A succession of charges is met with indifferent closing fire, even from the massed Russian batteries!

The French columns shoulder aside the artillery and blow torch through the Russian lines to split the Coalition line. The road to the bridge is clear!