Between Ulm and Austerlitz; A Sharp Practice learning campaign

Yesterday my chum, Laurence, and I played a game of Sharp Practice. As Laurence is new to the world of Lard I thought best to throw him into the deep end right away and dive into a full blown campaign! However, for once, common sense spoke to me and, for once, I paid heed. Much better he learns the way of Lard the gentle way so we're doing a linked narrative campaign with Laurence taking the role of the dastardly Frenchies while I take the role of the noble Austrians and no worrying about casualties and reinforcements etc between games.. instead I can concentrate on developing the background to these chaps as they are all my minis and developing character for miniaturre heroes and villians is something that I really enjoy.

It is late October 1805, the "unfortunate" General Mack has surrendered his army too Napoleon at Ulm. Further east, the Russian General Kutusov,  commanding a mixed force of Russian and Austrian troops is pulling back in the hope of joining up with General Buxhowden who is advancing towards Austria with the main Russian army.

There followed a series of small skirmishes between the French and the Russo-Austrian forces, a few of which will be the focus of our narrative.

 Let us meet the heroes of these tales....

The Austrian leaders. L to R; Ensign Helmut Schiner,  Leutnant Stepan Krappe, Drummer Hans Solo, Kapitan Otto Traedor, Feldwebbel Karl D'Lippe. On horseback, Leutnant Gustavo Prime and his largely irrelevant bugler

The French; L to R Sgt Alex Craimontt of the Voltiguers, Sgt Baptiste Lebatard of the Dragoons, Leutenant Bernard Herge, Capitain Jean-Pierre Lefeu, Sgt Clovis Leclair, Drummer Max Volugme, Surgeon Alphonse Pied D'Athlete

It is a well known military maxim that an army marches on it's stomach and, being a nation that is know for it's love of a full stomach,, the French Grande Armee made great efforts to forage thoroughly when on the march in enemy territory. So it came to pass that the small Austrian hamlet of Eggentoste was visited by a foraging detachment of French under the command of Capitain Jean-Pierre Lefeu. Caught unawares, the locals were in fear of their lives, however help was at hand in the shape of  Kapitan Otto Trader and his men.

the farm of Hans Grubber

Capitain Jean-Pierre Lefeu urged his men to step out. It had been many a moon since he had enjoyed a decent meal and, now on the outskirts of Eggentoste, his dragoon detachment scouting reports of plenty of cattle, sheep and pigs in the fields of Eggentoste had proved accurate. If he hadn't been able to hear them above the noise of his mens chatter he could certainly smell them!! Sending the reliable Sergent Alex Craimont and his voltiguers around the flank of the town to "requisition" the sheep who were grazing there.....

Eggentoste receives a visit from a hungry group of Frenchies

"'Ja, definately zat vay, mein herr.."

Barely able to contain his anger and frustration, Kapitain Otto Tradoer's face was a deep red from the aforementioned emotions and also the effort with which he was rushing  his little column of men toward Eggentoste. Lt Gustavo Prime's Hussars, screening the remnants of the Austrian army's withdrawal had spotted a French column approaching Eggentoste.
A former prisoner of the French whilst serving in Italy, Tradoer had gained, through his knowledge of the French language and some very loud mouthed, bragging French officers, an insight into how they garnered their supplies whilst on the advance and had deduced that this was a foraging party.
He had sought out his battalion commander and had been granted permission, after some nagging, to ambush the French in Eggentoste.
Delayed by the time spent gathering his force, Traedor was already too late to spring an ambush on the French. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, he decided to meet the French head on and, who knows, perhaps garner something tasty to eat from the grateful populace of Eggentoste....

Otto Traedor leads his men through Grubber's farm

..whilst Leutnant Stepan Krappe and his men rush to secure the beef ration...sorry, Farmer Gruber's cattle

the Dragoons advance...but cautiously...

Craimont's gourmands use all the available cover to advance 

Capitain Lefeu sends a group on a flanking manouvre under Lt Herge

Lefeu's formation begin an exchange of musketry....

...with Traedor's formation. A slug fest ensued which the French got the better of...

The Hussar's sense a chance for some glory

Lefeu, seeing Traedor and his men pulling back, sends a group to take the pork ration in hand. The pantry was flling nicely

Ensign Helmut Schiner and his musketeers spring a surprise on the French voltiguers. Lacking imagination, both sides traded ball across the small back yard 

Batard's dragoons dismount to join the skirmishing

GustavoPrime and his hussar chase Lt Herge's command from their cosy bolthole

Capitain Lefeu leads his hungry Henris forward towards the beef choice as Traedor attempts to rally his men before having to swallow the unappetising fact that the French were gaining the upper hand. 

Leutnant Gustavo Prime urged his horse over another jump. The tired horse barely made it and Prime, glancing back to check to see if he was out of musket range, allowed the poor beast to slow to a walk. His men; dead, captured or scattered, Prime was alone. Ahead, he could see the some white uniformed Austrian infantry men disappearing through the farm gates but, beyond the, he could see no more of his fellow countrymen except those lying dead and wounded in front of the farm. Where had Kapitain Traedor and his men gone. Not long ago they had been beating the French and now the Austrians were gone...
A musket ball whizzed by, missing him by inches. Prime looked around in horror. From a nearby field, men in French uniforms were running towards him, shouting  at him and one another as they raced to capture such a valuable prize. Prime dug his heels into his tired horse's flanks and spurred the unwilling beast on in the direction of the farm. "Come on, Concorde, we must fly!!"

Post Script

That was quite an enjoyable little taster. The Austrians were winning on the right flank against the skirmishing troops, driving them back and wounding both NCOs. Gustavo Prime's rash charge undone them, though. Though they drove back Lt Herge and his men, those that were still alive, they had garnered a lot of shock themselves and a volley from Lefeu's formation had finished them off.  A couple of  painfully bad rolls on the Bad Things Happen  chart and it was Good Night Vienna for Traedor and his Landsers

I'll have to think up a suitable linked scenario or main course for our next helping of Sharp Practice. Till then, chaps, keep taking the Gaviscon (other indigestion remedies are available)...pip pip

General Jimbob