A Christmas Day Battle

I dragged out the 160x90cm table and organized a four-player family game of Napoleonics. An allied Russian and Austrian force vs. a French infantry and cavalry division. 

We've used Victorious Eagle Warfare again, with the added modification that two successes on a rally remove the Shaken status AND one casualty, so units would, in theory, last longer.

Austrian player

Hungarian infantry, 6 base, É2 FI2 FP2

2x German infantry, 4 base, É2 FI2 FP2

Grenzer (Skirmish), 4 base, É2 FI2 FP2

2x Hussars, 4 base, É2 FI3 FP1

Cavalry artillery battery, 2 guns

Russian player

Guard infantry, 4 base, É3 FI2 FP2

2x Line infantry, 4 base, É2 FI3 FP1

Cossacks, 4 base, É1 FI3 FP0

Cuirassiers, 6 base, É2 FI4 FP0

Artillery battery, 1 licorne 1 cannon

French infantry division

1x Voltigeurs (Skirmish), 4 base, É2 FI2 FP2

2x Line infantry, 4 base, É2 FI3 FP1

2x Veteran infantry, 4 base, É2 FI3 FP2

1x Italian allied infantry, É2 FI2 FP1

Horse artillery, 1 howitzer 1 cannon

French cavalry division

2x Cuirassiers, 4 base, É2 FI4 FP0

2x CAC, 4 base, É2 FI3 FP1

1x Hussards, 4 base, É2 FI3 FP1

Horse artillery, 2 guns

As you can see, there are some minor differences, but the chances are more or less even.

A die was rolled each turn to see how many units could enter the table. I counted with the average 3,5 on 1d6, but the rolls were so high on the first turn, that by the second, everyone was fully deployed and ready for action.

The battle would have lasted until one side lost six units, either by routing or having them destroyed.

We also drew lots who would control which division, I ended up with the French cavalry, and used them with daring (and luck) any French general would have envied. Here, my cuirassiers prepare to crash into the thick of the enemy infantry. The Chasseurs á Cheval were worse off, being routed multiple times.

A view from the other side of the table. The big Russian cuirassier regiment also fought valiantly, but a square of French grenadiers finally halted them, repulsing their charge twice. (Meanwhile, the combined charge of my cuirassiers broke a Russian square and wiped the line infantry out.)

The Russians were slow to deploy, which sort of saved their strength: this also meant the Austrians were suffering more in their stead.

Although the French infantry attack stalled on their left, mainly due to the determined defense of the Hungarian Hussars, the cavalry could wreak enough havoc to tip the scale in their favor. After two hours of bitter fighting, the Allied forces quit the field.