On Friday, February 6, the Schnepf Bros hosted a game at the HMGS Cold Wars convention. Along with playing many fun games and meeting interesting people, they got to break out their growing miniatures collection again for The Battle of Aspern-Essling.
Historically, Napoleon rushed across the Danube in an attempt to catch the Austrians, but he underestimated them severely. Archduke Charles attacked with his full force and dealt Napoleon his first defeat as Emperor. This momentous battle goes down in history among Napoleon’s great battlefield gambles. How will it end this time?
The game setup from afar. Those 6mm Napoleonics look microscopic from this distance!
This battle focuses on the first day of battle, May 21, 1809, near the town of Aspern, just east of Vienna. Old Boney has got himself into quite a tight spot — the Austrians are coming from every direction!
All the players group around the table to plan their strategy. The rules for this game are Blücher by Sam Mustafa. They are fun and simple to learn — perfect for an engaging convention game.
The Austrians move first and begin an aggressive advance towards Aspern.
The fortified town of Aspern awaits the onslaught. The French prepare for a bloody day of fighting.
The Austrian cavalry surges forward to meet their French counterparts. A swirling melee will soon ensue.
A devastating bombardment opens up on the French defenders. One hundred seasoned Austrian guns throw everything they have at the town.
Napoleon’s veterans hold steady and wait for reinforcements. A steady trickle of forces makes its way into the fortifications.
The Austrians prepare for the big push. The church of Aspern stands tall amongst the smoke and fog of the battlefield.
The Habsburg horsemen saddle up for their charge.
The cuirassiers will meet them!
They counter valiantly, charging every whitecoat in sight. The Austrian cavalry is dispersed, and the French follow hot on their heels.
The German cavalry join the rout and press the advance.
Meanwhile, around Aspern, the Austrians have finally arrived at the outskirts of the village.
The French duck behind stone walls and shoot from windows. The Austrians must fight for every inch of ground.
The French call upon every reserve for the defense. This means those German conscripts who thought they would spend the day in the woods. Looks like they must go straight into the fire of the Austrians now!
The French are hard-pressed. They can sense defeat around the corner. The entire French force is engaged, and reserves have been committed.
But finally! The French cavalry arrive on the Austrian flank after their grand charge. Their timely appearance can change the tide of the battle.
The Austrians throw everything they have to take the town. Many of the houses switch hands multiple times. The fighting is fierce and down to the bayonet. Everyone senses victory looms over the town of Aspern.
And without a moment to spare, the French reinforcements barge into the town and push back the Austrians, ensuring a slim victory.
The Austrians stumble back with a bloody nose. The day was lost. The town was held. And the French are victorious. Both armies must lick their wounds for the next day to come.
The French celebrate their hard-fought victory and praise their steadfast troops.
After weeks of design and play-testing, the game went perfectly. I think we had just as good a time as the players. Thanks to their cooperation and humor, this game could not have been more fun.
While Cold Wars was quiet this year, it was full of beautiful tables and amazing games. Thanks to the HMGS coordinators for such a smooth event and the many hosts for the limitless gaming.
Looking forward to hosting at Historicon in July!
2026 HMGS Historicon
Lancaster, PA
July 15 to 19
All miniatures are from Baccus 6mm. They are painted in a simple and easy way using Vallejo Paints. The beautiful, highly detailed buildings are from PaperTerrain.
Schnepf Bros on YouTube
Schnepf Bros on LinkedIn
Schnepf Bros on Instagram
Schnepf Bros on Facebook