War of Austrian Succession: Madonna dell' Olmo 1744

[DintheDin]

Battle of Madonna dell'Olmo

The Battle of Madonna dell'Olmo or Battle of Cuneo was fought on the outskirts of Cuneo on 30 September 1744, in the War of the Austrian Succession. The battle ended in a victory for the armies of Spain and France over the Kingdom of Sardinia but it did not advance the victors' campaign. (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Madonna_dell%27Olmo

About one month ago, we played Madonna dell'Olmo with Honours of War rules, according to the scenario of Damnitz (Honours of War forum)
http://honoursofwar.com/thread/636/battle-madonna-dellolmo-1744

Greg brought his Austrians and together with docVag took the Austro-Savoian army.
Miltiades and I, played with the Franco-Spanish, Miltiades taking the left wing, letting me to defend the village of Madonna dell'Olmo

The battle viewed from the Franco-Spanish side: Tetto San Giacomo where the French left wing was anchored, Madonna dell'Olmo to the right and Stura river.
In the centre of the Franco-Spanish positions I placed one cascina - little rural house in Italian- (for decorative reasons), to each side of it, two batteries behind earthworks (soft cover)
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (1) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

The starting positions viewed from Stura river
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (3) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

20200111_124704 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

Map by Damnitz

   

[DintheDin]

The Austrians make the first move
20200111_124806 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

20200111_131400 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

French troops barricaded in Madonna dell'Olmo
Untitled by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

The Franco-Spanish right-centre
20200111_124832 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

Prince de Conti de Bourbon, accompanied by Filipe, Infante d'Espagna
20200111_131337 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

The Austro-Savoian continue their advance, their elite Swiss battalion first
20200111_131623 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (6) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

Croats and Austrian Grenadiers attack Madonna dell'Olmo!
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo ( by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

20200111_131531 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

20200111_131522 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

French left: French infantry defending Tetto San Giacomo
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (10) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

While the Austrian cavalry try to cross the ditch...
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (9) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

...Miltiades orders all his left wing cavalry forward!
20200111_132009 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

20200111_132528 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

The  Austro-Savoian lines in the center are closing for battle!
20200111_132513 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

20200111_132457 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

[jambo1]

Super looking game. Lovely figures and a good looking table, great to see it.

[DintheDin]

Miltiades sees that all the Austrian cavalry has crossed the ditch and is forming. Fearing that his own will be squeezed between Austrian cavalry and a couple of battalions Greg moved from Austrian infantry left, with a double move, makes a turn to the left, passing the road behind Tetto San Giacomo to take positions in the open space to the extreme French left.
Untitled by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

20200111_134735 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

20200111_134805 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

Super looking game. Lovely figures and a good looking table, great to see it.

Thank you! Stay tuned for the continuation!

[DintheDin]

Firefight in the center with no serious results.
Although the Austrian guns are superior, they are shooting at the French batteries behind the earthworks, causing minimal casualties.
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (14) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

So, they decide to switch target and aim French left wing cavalry and Spanish right wing infantry 
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (15) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

I form three battalions from the French reserves in columns of march to plug the gap that Miltiades opened between our center and Tetto San Giacomo when he moved all his cavalry to our extreme left.
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (16) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

My only cavalry reserve remaining, is a single regiment behind the center.
Untitled by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

A side view of the battle. A long marching column of French cavalry passing behind Tetto San Giacomo
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (19) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

The defenders of Tetto San Giacomo
WAS Madonna dell'Olmo (20) by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

20200111_134957 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

Left Wing French and Right Wing Austrian cavalry clash! One cavalry from both sides retreat with 4 hits, for the rest there is a standstill, waiting the right moment to strike.
20200111_151501 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

20200111_151519 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr

Both sides are shifting infantry near the cavalry melee. The French are quicker and intercept the Austrian Grenadiers before to reinforce their cavalry
20200111_151532 by Miltiades Michalopoulos, on Flickr