Yep, my performance as CiC was not fine, the french outmaneuvered us, and only their late and uncoordinated attack gave us the victory.
After cupping the objetive I discovered French Pecheux div marching E-W, attacking them on route will have expose my troops to a counter by the French cavalry near crete one, so they completed their march and deployed N of the objetive, perfect for a flanking attack.
Prussian were on the defensive, initiative was french, their tactical options (as I saw them) were
1) Attack from the North to force the Prussians to commit most of their infantry there and then launch a full scale attack E-W towards the objetive.
2) Coordinated attack from the N and the E forcing the prussian to angle their line to fight in two directions.
They started attacking from the North, very aggressive, advancing the de artillery to break prussian lines with canister.
But their center kept waiting, maybe variant 1), maybe a fatal delay in variant 2).
That was the prussian opportunity to defeat Pecheaux division in detail, the prussian counterattack with superior numbers and more important, cavalry support, forced the french to retreat N, Pecheaux division was still combat capable but after losing most of the artillery and several battalions, could no be a credible threat to the objetive anymore.
Then just when prussians started to to reposition their forces facing E, the French center began to move.
But they had yet to cope with the Prussian Bde to their left, in a superb figth Von Hiller (Biondo) engaged Vichery div and half of the french cavalry, not only keeping them busy till the end, but also winning the fight.
Only Hulot division marched to attack the prussian batteries in front of the objetive, but was too late for the french, a weak infantry bde in reserve and several battalion disengaged from the North battle blocked their way, taking advantage of the french cavalry absence, the last prussian cavalry forced them to retreat. When the french cavalry arrived, caused some damage but without infantry support their gains quickly evaporated.
For me the keys of the french failure:
1) They fought three different battles in time and space, each force without support of the others.
2) Poor cavalry support, none in the North, late in the center, ineffective in their left.
3) Excellent performance of Biondo in the prussian right, threatening the french main force advance and finally keeping more than half of them from joining the decisive combat.
Great game as always guys,