The Battle of Teugn-Hausen, 19th April 1809: A Scenario for ‘Napoleon’s Battles’

A few weeks ago at W.A.S.P. we had planned to continue our Battle of Neumarkt 1809 game, which had ended on something of a cliff-hanger, with several turns still to play.  However, our Marshal Bessières sadly had a family tragedy to deal with and wasn’t available, so we needed to find an alternative scenario for our booked game-day (though we do hope to return to Neumarkt in the future).  Keeping with the 1809 theme, I decided to quickly knock up a scenario for the relatively small Battle of Teugn-Hausen.

I was rather expecting this game to be something of a walkover for Marshal Davout’s veteran III Corps, but it actually turned out to be a far more exiting game than I’d anticipated!

As usual, this scenario is designed for Napoleon’s Battles rules, which is a ‘grand-tactical’ ruleset, set at roughly 1:100 ratio, where every tactical unit represents a brigade or large regiment.

The Historical Guff

The War of the 5th Coalition – Opening Moves on the Danube

At the end of 1807, Napoleon was master of Europe.  Austria and Prussia had been crushed, Hanover was wiped from the map, Russia was forced to become a reluctant ally, Poland (in the limited form of the Duchy of Warsaw) arose from the ashes, Portugal was occupied and the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved and transformed into the Confederation of the Rhine.

However, the illusion of Napoleon’s invincibility was broken forever in 1808, with Spain in full revolt, the surrender of Dupont’s French army to Castaños’ Spanish army at Bailén, and the further defeat of Junot’s French Army of Portugal by Wellesley’s British army at Roliça and Vimeiro.  The rapidly-deteriorating situation in Spain therefore forced Napoleon in November to launch a full-scale invasion with a massive army of over 278,000 men, including 108,000 men withdrawn from Germany.

With Napoleon deeply committed in Spain and French forces in Germany greatly reduced in strength, Austria decided to take advantage of the situation.  Archduke Charles had been rebuilding, reforming and retraining the Austrian Army since the humiliating defeat of 1805 and it was probably in better shape than it had ever been.  However, with plenty still to do and with the average age of senior Austrian commanders being 63, Charles was pessimistic about their prospects in a new war against France.  Nevertheless, by December 1808 Austria was set on a course to war and having failed to win an alliance with Prussia, had at least reached a secret agreement with Russia that the Russian Army would only intervene in the war at a glacially slow pace and “avoid every collision and every act of hostility” (thus giving lip-service to their alliance with France).  Great Britain had also promised to keep the pressure on the French armies in Portugal and Spain.  To that end, a new 5th Coalition was formed against France, consisting of Austria, Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, Sardinia and Sicily.  Thus persuaded that Austria could win, Emperor Francis gave his assent to the plan and ordered Charles to mobilise the army for war.

As soon as the Austrians started to mobilise, French spies passed word back to Napoleon, who quickly realised that war was imminent.  He quit Spain for France in January 1809 and ordered that the infantry of the Imperial Guard be transported to Germany on carts, to save their strength for the campaign to come.  Marshal Davout’s III Corps in Bavaria was ordered to concentrate, along with Prince Eugène’s Army of Italy, Prince Poniatowski’s Army of the Duchy of Warsaw and Marshal Marmont’s Army of Dalmatia.  Marshal Murat’s Army of Naples meanwhile, would defend southern Italy against the ever-present threat of a British naval landing.  Napoleon further wrote to the monarchs of the Confederation of the Rhine, requesting that they mobilise their forces and form three new army corps; VII (Bavarian), VIII (Württemberg) and IX (Saxon), as well as number of smaller formations from the smaller states such as Baden and Hesse-Darmstädt.  While Napoleon attended to urgent matters in Paris, Marshal Berthier would take command of the newly-forming Army of Germany.

Napoleon may have been the greatest captain of the age, but he was also possibly the greatest micro-manager of all time and being in Paris didn’t stop him from sending a flurry of contradictory orders to Berthier based on out-of-date information, some of which then arrived in the wrong order!  Berthier was completely out his depth when Austrian forced crossed the border into Bavaria on 10th April.

As a consequence, Davout’s III Corps found itself isolated in a bend of the Danube, south of the city of Regensburg (Ratisbon to the French), out of contact with Marshal Lefebvre’s VII (Bavarian) Corps to the west and some 120km distant from the rest of the Army of Germany!

Davout was now faced by no fewer than eight Austrian army corps; I & II Korps were advancing on the north bank of the Danube, while III, IV, V, VI, I Reserve & II Reserve Korps were on the south bank.  However, the appalling weather was against the Austrians and on the 13th Archduke Charles had to call a halt to rest and reorganise his exhausted army.

As the advance resumed, the weather finally broke and the Austrians arrived at the Isar River in glorious sunshine, to find Deroy’s 3rd Bavarian Division waiting for them, defending the crossing at Landshut.  Considerably outnumbered and outgunned by the Austrian V Korps, the Bavarians made a brave stand, but were finally forced to withdraw when news reached them of Hiller’s VI Korps having made a crossing of the Isar at Moosburg, some 15km upstream.

As the Bavarians fell back toward the Danube at Abensberg, Charles did not set off in hot pursuit, but instead used the breathing-space to bring his entire army over the Isar, believing that the enemy army was concentrating at Abensberg and intending to defeat them there.  However, as he resumed the advance on 18th April, reconnaissance reports revealed that Davout’s III Corps was now isolated with his back to the Danube at Regensburg.  With his I & II Korps preventing any escape through Regensburg to the north bank of the Danube, Charles now had the perfect opportunity to destroy Davout in detail.  Ordering the V Korps and II Reserve Korps to maintain pressure on Lefebvre’s Bavarians and with VI Korps continuing its flank-guard role to the south, Charles ordered III, IV and I Reserve Korps to strike north, aiming to trap and destroy Davout.

In the meantime, Napoleon had arrived and taken command of the Army of Germany.  He was furious to discover the confused state of the army’s deployment, particularly the isolated position of Davout’s III Corps and sent orders for them to immediately withdraw up the Danube, to regain contact with Lefebvre’s VII (Bavarian) Corps (who were ordered to protect Davout’s line of retreat) and then to concentrate with the main army at Ingolstadt.  Davout received these orders on 18th April and ordered his divisions to be ready to march at first light on the 19th.  Despite Davout’s isolation, Napoleon still expected Archduke Charles’ main force to advance directly from Landshut to Ingolstadt, so was deploying the Army of Germany accordingly and had allocated no additional forces to march to Davout’s aid.

The Battle of Teugn-Hausen

Beginning his march at 0500hrs, Davout’s cavalry advance guard and corps train were soon well on their way to safety through the village of Teugn, followed by Morand’s and then Gudin’s Divisions.  Saint-Hilaire’s and Friant’s Divisions, the remainder of the cavalry and some light infantry from the other divisions brought up the rear, while the 65e de Ligne had been left to garrison Regensberg.

Hohenzollern-Hechingen’s Austrian III Korps meanwhile, had begun its march from Rohr at around 0700hrs and within a couple of hours had marched the 10km to the village of Hausen.  At Hausen, Vukassovich’s Advance Guard Division discovered and drove out French vedettes and foraging-parties before moving on up onto the wooded ridge of the Hausener-Berg, from where they would have an excellent view of the village of Teugn and Davout’s line of retreat.

At 1100hrs, Saint-Hilaire’s division was passing through Teugn when it suddenly came under fire from Austrian skirmishers posted on and around the Buchberg, a short distance to the south of the town.  The white-coated battalions of Kayser’s Brigade (Lusignan’s Division) were also starting to appear on the crest of the Hausener-Berg.  Immediately recognising the seriousness of the situation, Davout directly ordered the 3e de Ligne to mount an immediate attack on the Buchberg and sent orders to the 10e Légère, who had already passed through to the west, to immediately return to Teugn.

Rushing up the Buchberg at the double in loose order, the 3e de Ligne were already winded as they approached the crest and now ran into a wall of musketry from the skirmishers of the Peterwardeiner Grenzer.  The 3e de Ligne were easily repulsed, but they had bought time for the 57e de Ligne to organise a more deliberate assault.  This time the attack succeeded and the renowned 57e de Ligne (famously known as ‘Le Terrible’) successfully drove the Grenzer back from the Buchberg.  With the situation temporarily stabilised and with Saint-Hilaire organising the 72e & 105e de Ligne as a reserve near Teugn, Davout felt secure enough to ride off in search of Gudin’s and Morand’s Divisions, who had already marched away to the west.

However, Lusignan was now advancing on the 57e de Ligne with the six battalions of Kayser’s Brigade (three battalions each from IR 7 ‘Schröder’ and IR 56 ‘Wenzel Colloredo), supported by their brigade battery of 6-pounders and on the left flank by the resurgent Grenzer and the Waltrich Jäger Battalion (i.e. the 1st Battalion of the Archduke Charles Legion), who were now threatening to turn the right flank of the 57e de Ligne.

When word of the new Austrian attack reached Davout he turned about and rode hard back to Teugn.  Passing the 10e Légère also hurrying to the sound of the guns, he ordered them to climb the Buchberg at Roith and drive in the left flank of the Austrian light infantry.  Davout also then ordered two rallied battalions of the 3e de Ligne to advance back up the hill to shore up the right flank of the 57e de Ligne, while Saint-Hilaire brought up the 72e & 105e de Ligne to provide a second line behind the crest.  A third battalion of the 3e de Ligne was then ordered to hook around the flank at Roith and fall upon the rear of the Austrian light infantry in the woods.

The counter-attack was completely successful and the Austrian light infantry were thrown back in considerable disorder, with some being surrounded and captured in the woods near Roith.  The tables had now been turned on Lusignan, who now found himself outflanked.  His supporting brigade battery was also forced to withdraw as it came under fire from the skirmishers of the 10e Légère.  Lusignan was forced to fall back to the Hausener-Berg and with his situation becoming ever more desperate, requested urgent assistance from Hohenzollern-Hechingen and the rest of III. Korps.

Unsure of the situation beyond the wooded ridges, Hohenzollern had cautiously remained at Hausen and had deployed a 12-pounder position battery there to guard the bridge over the Feckingerbach stream.  He had also placed the bulk of the 3rd ‘Archduke Ferdinand’ Hussars and a cavalry battery (both from Vukassovich’s Division) on high ground near the village of Buch, watching the western approach to Hausen.  As St Julien’s Division began to arrive, he collected them together near Hausen.  Archduke Charles was feeling similarly cautious and had also halted the I Reserve Korps a short distance away to the east, while he waited for information to come in from the advance guard divisions of III & IV Korps.

However, as reports began to arrive from Lusignan, emphasising the increasingly serious situation on the Hausener-Berg, Hohenzollern-Hechingen ordered forward Alois Liechtenstein’s Brigade (consisting of three battalions, less two companies of IR 12 ‘Manfredini’ and two battalions of IR 23 ‘Würzburg’) from St Julien’s Division.  However, the situation had deteriorated even further on the Hausener-Berg.  The depleted 108e de Ligne and the massed Voltigeurs of the 33e de Ligne from Friant’s Division, reinforced by a battalion of the the 7e Légère detached from Gudin’s Division, had easily traversed the open woodland along the ridge and now fell upon Lusignan’s right flank!

With their position now completely compromised and Lusignan himself falling wounded, Kayser’s Brigade was driven back from the Hausener-Berg and out of the southern edge of the woods.  At this moment, the whitecoats of IR 12 ‘Manfredini’, advancing up the slope past the hamlet of Saladorf, were most disconcerted to see thousands of their comrades streaming out of the woods ahead of them.  They were even more disconcerted a short while later, as the French infantry also reached the edge of the woods and began pouring a withering fire into the approaching columns.  Seeing his men start to waver, Alois Liechtenstein rode over to the regiment and seizing a colour, personally led them forward.

The regiment, inspired by Liechtenstein’s example, surged forward and broke into the wood, being soon joined by IR 23 ‘Würzburg’ and rallied elements of Kayser’s Brigade.  However, with French artillery and further battalions from Friant’s Division joining the battle, the Austrians could make no further headway and soon fell back down the slope, carrying the severely-wounded Liechtenstein with them.

Hohenzollern himself now entered the fray, leading his last reserves, IR 20 ‘Kaunitz’ and IR 38 ‘Württemberg’ in fruitless counter-attacks before falling back to Hausen, where he had established a large battery.

The time was now around 1500hrs and at last, with a firm sense of where the main French effort was, Archduke Charles ordered Generals Rohan and Stutterheim forward, with four grenadier battalions, CR 4 ‘Vincent’ and a cavalry battery to stabilise the situation at Hausen.  However, this was all too little, too late and a violent thunderstorm erupted over the battlefield, dampening the powder and quickly turning the ground back to a quagmire.  With Gudin’s Division also now arriving in strength, the Austrians were forced to concede that the day, which had started with the promise of a victory, had ended in ignominious defeat.

Scenario Outline

The scenario lasts for 14 turns or until one side achieves victory or until a violent thunderstorm stops play (see weather rules below).  The scenario starts with the Austrian 1130hrs turn and ends with the French 1800hrs turn if victory conditions have not already been met or if the storm hasn’t already stopped play.

The Austrians have the first turn and control the Initiative Marker.

All units may deploy as per the deployment map above.  French units are all deployed in March Column formation, while Austrian units may be deployed in any formation.  Note that Vukassovich’s Advance Guard Division is split, with the light infantry brigade deployed well forward on the Buchberg and the 3rd Hussars left behind with the cavalry battery near the hamlet of Buch, covering the western approach to Hausen (only one squadron of the 3rd Hussars was historically deployed forward at the Buchberg).  Vukassovich can’t be in both places at once, so will need to carefully decide where he needs to be at the start of the scenario.

If the umpire is feeling generous, he can allow a slightly more free deployment, as per the map below.  All units may start in any formation, anywhere within their divisional box, though may not start the game occupying a village.  The Austrian position battery must remain in the marked starting position (in Unlimbered, Limbered or March Column formation).  The French deploy first.

Victory Conditions

Austrian Victory – The French army is ‘Hopelessly Broken’* OR the Austrians hold Teugn with at least one undisordered brigade at the end of the scenario.

French Victory – The Austrian Army is ‘Hopelessly Broken’* OR the French hold Hausen with at least one undisordered brigade at the end of the scenario AND Teugn is unoccupied by the Austrians.

Draw – Anything else.

* The Army Morale level will increase as reinforcements arrive on table.  The Austrian Army may therefore become temporarily ‘Broken’ and then recover when reinforcements arrive and push the Army Morale level up.  The army will normally only become ‘Hopelessly Broken’ if the maximum Army Morale level of 8 is breached (note that while Routed units may count towards an army becoming ‘Broken’, only eliminated units may count toward an army becoming ‘Hopelessly Broken’).

The Austrian III. Armeekorps

Feldmarschalleutnant (FML) Hohenzollern-Hechingen
8”G(10)+1D
[5 Free Rolls]

Advance Guard Division – FML Vukassovich      3”G(7)+0
Advance Guard Light Infantry Brigade      16 AsGRZ [10D]
Husaren-Regiment #3 ‘Erzherzog Ferdinand’      12 AsLC [6D]
6pdr Cavalry Battery As6#

1st Division – FML Lusignan      3”A(6)+0
Infanterie-Regiment #7 ‘Schröder’      24 AsLN [12D]
Infanterie-Regiment #56 ‘Wenzel Colloredo’      24 AsLN [12D]

2nd Division – FML Saint-Julien      3”P(4)+0
Infanterie-Regiment #12 ‘Manfredini’      24 AsLN [12D]
Infanterie-Regiment #23 ‘Würzburg’      16 AsLN [8D]
Infanterie-Regiment #20 ‘Kaunitz’      24 AsLN [12D]
Infanterie-Regiment #38 ‘Württemberg’      16 AsLN [8D]

Artillery Reserve – Oberst Smola
12pdr Position Battery      As12#
12pdr Position Battery      As12#

Grenadier Reserve – Generalmajor (GM) Rohan      4”A(6)+1
Grenadier Brigade #1      24 AsGN [10D]
Grenadier Brigade #2      24 AsGN [10D]

Cavalry Reserve – GM Stutterheim      3”G(5)+0
Chevauxleger-Regiment #4 ‘Vincent’      12 AsLC [6D]
6pdr Cavalry Battery      As6#

Austrian Notes

1.  Only the units actually present at the battle are shown here.  There were numerous detachments that were not engaged or which were engaged elsewhere and these are not listed.

2.  The Austrian army has a morale level of 2M until St Julien arrives, when it increases to 5M. It increases to 8M when the reserve brigades arrive.

3.  One of the two Reserve Position Batteries is on-table at the start.  The second will arrive as reinforcements at the rear of St Julien’s column.

4.  The Advance Guard Light Infantry Brigade consisted of the II./Grenze-Infanterie-Regiment #9 ‘Peterwardeiner’ and I./Erzherzog Karl Legion (Waltrich Jäger).

Austrian Order of Battle Reinforcements

1230hrs (Austrian Turn 3) – St Julien’s Division arrives at Point D.

1600hrs (Austrian Turn 10) – Rohan’s and Stutterheim’s Reserve Brigades arrive at Point E.

Use variable arrival times for each formation listed above, though not for each individual unit of the division.  In the Reinforcement phase, roll 1 D10 for each reinforcement formation: Two turns before its scheduled arrival time, the formation will arrive on a roll of 1.  One turn before its scheduled arrival time, the formation will arrive on a roll of 1-3.  On its scheduled arrival time, the formation will arrive on a roll of 1-6.  After its scheduled arrival time, the formation will arrive on a roll of 1-8.

St Julien’s Division may only bring one unit on to table per turn and all units will arrive in March Column formation.  The supporting battery will arrive with the last unit.

All units of the Reserve Brigades may arrive on the same turn, up to 6 inches either side of the road at Point E, in any formation.

The French III Corps d’Armée

Maréchal Davout, Duc d’Auerstädt
11”E(10)+1
[6 Free Rolls]

2nd Division – Général de Division (GD) Friant      5”E(8)+2
33e Infanterie de Ligne      16 FrVLN [6D]
108e Infanterie de Ligne (+)      24 FrVLT [10D]
111e Infanterie de Ligne      12 FrVLN [5D]
48e Infanterie de Ligne      20 FrVLN [8D]

3rd Division – GD Gudin      5”G(6)+1
12e Infanterie de Ligne      16 FrVLN [6D]
21e Infanterie de Ligne      16 FrVLN [6D]
25e Infanterie de Ligne      16 FrVLN [6D]
85e Infanterie de Ligne      16 FrVLN [6D]
2/6e Artillerie à Cheval      Fr4#

4th Division – GD Saint-Hilaire      4”E(8)+2
10e Infanterie Légère      20 FrVLT [8D]
3e Infanterie de Ligne      16 FrVLN [6D]
57e Infanterie de Ligne      16 FrVLN [6D]
72e Infanterie de Ligne      20 FrVLN [8D]
105e Infanterie de Ligne      16 FrVLN [8D]
5/8e Artillerie à Cheval      Fr6#

Reserve Artillery – GD Hanicque
Artillerie à Pied      Fr12#
Artillerie à Pied      Fr12#

French Order of Battle Notes

1.  Only the units actually present at the battle are shown here.  There were numerous detachments that were not engaged or which were engaged elsewhere and these are not listed.  In fact, most of Gudin’s Division did not historically fight, having already marched through Teugn.  However, they were ordered to return to Teugn and could easily have joined the battle had the fighting not moved south to Hausen, so are included here.  That said, if you’re short of troops they can happily be left out of the scenario, especially if they are too far away from the action to influence matters, though apply the increase in army morale for their arrival, as the other French troops will have their spirits boosted by the imminent arrival of reinforcements.

2.  The massed Voltigeur Companies of Friant’s Division and the III/7e Légère from Gudin’s Division were attached to the 108e de Ligne, hence its classification as Veteran Light Infantry (VLT) and its high strength, even though several companies had already been detached from the regiment.

3.  The French army has a Morale Level of 3M until Friant arrives, when it increases to 6M. When Gudin arrives it increases to 8M.

French Reinforcements

1130hrs (French Turn 1) – 10e Légère (Saint-Hilaire’s Division) arrives at Point C.

1300hrs (French Turn 4) – Friant’s Division arrives at Point B.

1400hrs (French Turn 6) – III Corps Artillery Reserve arrives at Point A.

1530hrs (French Turn 9) – Gudin’s Division arrives at Point C.

Use variable arrival times for each formation listed above, though not for each individual unit of the division.  In the Reinforcement phase, roll 1 D10 for each reinforcement formation: Two turns before its scheduled arrival time, the formation will arrive on a roll of 1.  One turn before its scheduled arrival time, the formation will arrive on a roll of 1-3.  On its scheduled arrival time, the formation will arrive on a roll of 1-6.  After its scheduled arrival time, the formation will arrive on a roll of 1-8.

Each reinforcing formation may only bring one unit on to table per turn and all units will arrive in March Column formation.  Any supporting battery will arrive with the last unit in the division (the batteries of the Artillery Reserve may arrive on the same turn).

Terrain Notes

The map represents 5′ x 4′ on table, equivalent to 5km x 4km.  Each grid-square is a square foot/km.

All streams are very minor obstacles and are passable by all troop types as linear rough ground.

The woods are passable to all troop types and are very open, being completely cleared of underbrush.  Troops in March Column, Column or Limbered formation may therefore pass through at full speed, though lines of sight will still be obstructed and troops will still suffer combat penalties for fighting in woods.  Troops in Line, Unlimbered or Square formation will apply the Rough Terrain movement penalty.

The villages of Teugn and Hausen may each accommodate two brigades in defence.  All other villages and hamlets are only small affairs and may only accommodate a single brigade.  No villages prepared for defence and only carry a defensive modifier of +1 and a cover modifier of -2.

Hills provide the defender with a +1 combat modifier if they are uphill of the attacker.

Weather

Starting in the Weather Step of the Austrian 1600hrs turn and repeating in each Weather Step thereafter, roll a d10.  On a roll of 1, 2 or 3 the scenario is immediately ended prematurely by a violent thunderstorm.

Unit Labels

I’ll post the after-action report next time!  Continuing the current 1809 theme, we’ll be playing Eggmühl in early September, so I’m currently conducting a long-overdue expansion and improvement of my collection of Bavarians.  I’ve already added an extra corps to my Austrians since May and have been photographing those, so there’s lots more 1809 goodness to come.