Jemima Fawr's Miniature Wargames Blog

Ask anyone to name the last battle of the Napoleonic Wars and the answer in 99% of cases will be ‘Waterloo’.  However, the war continued for some time after Napoleon’s catastrophic defeat.  The remainder of the war for the most part consisted of sieges, assaults on forts, small actions and clashes of outposts, but before the war finally ended there was one more large battle fought between two armies in the open field.  This battle occurred ten days after Waterloo on 28th June 1815, along the River La Souffel (or ‘Suffel’), just outside the fortress-city of Strasbourg.  It resulted in a victory for the French Army of the Rhine, commanded by General Rapp.

However, unlike the other major battles of 1815, the details of this battle are extremely scant, with General Rapp’s memoir providing the most detailed description of the battle though being frustratingly vague in many places.  Further details can be gleaned in the published reports to London from a few British liaison officers, as well as footnotes in other histories, the ever-essential orders of battle by George Nafziger and some very detailed online discussions on fora such as The Napoleon Series.

Although some of the details still require a fair degree of guesswork, La Souffel is a very interesting, modestly-sized battle that should provide an excellent game within a reasonable timeframe.  It’s certainly not one I’ve wargamed before, chiefly as the essential details are only really now available to be discovered thanks to the wealth of information now available online.

As always, this scenario is written for Napoleon’s Battles rules, where each unit represents a brigade or large regiment at a ratio of roughly 1:100.  The scenario would be easily adapted for similarly-scaled rules such as Age of Eagles or Général d’Armée.

Historical Background: The Hundred Days on the Rhine

Following Napoleon’s sudden return to power in 1815 he rapidly built up France’s armies to face the inevitable military response by his enemies.  By the end of May, he had rebuilt the army from 56,000 to 198,000 men.  The I, II, III, IV & VI Corps, the Imperial Guard Corps and the Cavalry Reserve, stationed along France’s northern borders and Paris, would become the Army of the North and would march north with the Emperor.  The rest of France was very sparsely defended by a number of ‘armies’, each being at most only the strength of a weak corps.  However, Napoleon hoped that with the advantage of interior lines, he could quickly knock out the  Allied armies individually as they appeared before turning to face the next one, much as he had tried (and ultimately failed) to do in Germany in 1813 and France in 1814.

The strongest of the subsidiary ‘armies’ defending France was the Army of the Rhine (otherwise known as the V Corps) under Général de Division Jean Rapp, centred on the fortress city of Strasbourg.  By mid-June this formation had around 24,000 men under command, organised into three infantry divisions (Rottembourg’s 15th, Albert’s 16th & Grandjean’s 17th), a light cavalry division (Merlin’s 7th), a reasonably strong artillery component and a weak reserve division comprising Gardes-Nationale militia, commanded by General Berckheim.  Although pretty anaemic as an army, as an army corps it was actually stronger than most.

The Allied Powers, then convened at the Congress of Vienna, scrambled to form a new Seventh Coalition and to mobilise forces to oppose Napoleon.  Wellington’s Anglo-Allied Army in the Netherlands and Blücher’s Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine were among the quickest to assemble and being close to Frances’s northern border, were Napoleon’s most immediate threat and would be tackled first.  The Russians would of course, take some considerable time to appear in the theatre of war.

The various south-western German states (Bavaria, Württemberg, Baden, Hessen-Darmstädt, etc), would be able to mobilise and arrive on the French border relatively quickly, but would operate under the command of Prince Schwarzenberg’s Austrian Army of the Upper Rhine.  This would take some time to assemble as the very large Austrian component was assembled from across the Austrian Empire.  Matters were further complicated for Austria when Joachim Murat, the King of Naples, declared war on Austria in March 1815, thus kicking off the Neapolitan War.  This was resolved with Murat’s defeat in May, but forced Austria to divert considerable forces and materiel at a time when they needed to build up their forces in western Germany and northern Italy.

Nevertheless, by mid-June, Schwarzenberg had assembled an army of over 260,000 men on the eastern bank of the Rhine, outnumbering Rapp’s tiny command by more than ten-to-one.  This massive force comprised the Austrian I Corps, Austrian II Corps, the ‘Austrian’ III Corps (which was actually mostly Württemberger, with Austrian and Hessen-Darmstädt divisions), the IV (Bavarian) Corps, ‘Austrian’ Reserve Corps (again including a lot of allied German contingents, especially Badener), a multi-national Blockade Corps and a Saxon Corps.  To this was added Count Lambert’s Russian Corps, being the advance guard element of Barclay de Tolly’s Russian Army, the bulk of which was still weeks away.

Schwarzenberg’s plan required the Right Wing, consisting of the Crown Prince of Württemberg’s III Corps and Wrede’s IV Corps, with Lambert’s Russian Corps guarding the right flank, to cross the Rhine north of Strasbourg and then swing around to cross the Saar and cut Strasbourg off from its western lines of communication to Nancy, Metz and the Vosges Mountains.  The rest of the army would form the Left Wing under the command of Archduke Ferdinand.  This would cross the Rhine to the south and would drive on Nancy from the south, aiming to cut off Strasburg’s lines of communication with the interior of France.  Barclay de Tolly’s Russian Army would also aim to concentrate at Nancy as they arrived and would eventually form up on Schwarzenberg’s right as they advanced into France.

Cautious as to Napoleon’s intentions, Schwarzenberg’s army remained stationary until at last Schwarzenberg received word of Napoleon’s invasion of the Netherlands.  Spurred into action at last, Schwarzenberg issued his orders.  However, by the time those orders were acted upon, the Battle of Waterloo was already being fought!

Wrede’s IV (Bavarian) Corps crossed the Rhine on 19th June, followed by the Crown Prince of Württemberg’s III Corps.  In response, Rapp marched his corps north to meet the invaders, intending initially to defend the line of the River Queich (which forms a natural barrier, extending east from the dense Pfälzerwald forest, through the small fortified town of Landau to the Rhine) before falling back to defend the ‘Lines of Wissembourg’.  This chain of fortifications had been built in 1706 by Marshal Villars and stretched between Wissembourg and the densely-forested hills of the Mundat Forest to the west, along the River Lauter, to Lauterbourg on the banks of the Rhine, to the east.  These fortifications had been fought over during the War of Spanish Succession and the War of Austrian Succession and again during the War of the First Coalition in 1793.  However, Rapp now found the Lines to be in a very sorry state of repair and almost indefensible in their current state.

Only Rapp’s advance guard was able to reach the Queich before Allied troops from the Crown Prince of Württemberg’s III Corps were present in significant numbers.  Rapp therefore had to content himself with reinforcing the garrison of Landau with a battalion and conducting a skirmish along the river, before falling back to the Lines of Wissembourg.

It was at this time, on or around the 21st June, that Rapp received word of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo.  Rapp decided not to tell his men about this catastrophe, fearing what it might do for their morale.  One account also says that Napoleon had ordered Rapp to march to Paris, but Rapp made no mention of this in his memoir.  Nevertheless, Rapp must have received some form of communication from the Emperor, as on 25th June, Lieutenant Colonel George Jenkinson (Royal Horse Artillery), the British liaison officer to Crown Prince of Württemberg’s headquarters, reported that Rapp had written to the Crown Prince during the previous day, advising him that Napoleon had on 22nd June formally abdicated in favour of his infant son (who was at the time a ward of his grandfather, the Austrian Emperor Francis).  The Crown Prince surmised (probably correctly) that this was merely a play for time rather than a serious overture for an armistice and operations therefore continued.

In any case, Wrede’s IV (Bavarian) Corps had on 23rd June, seized the crossings over the River Saar at Saarbrücken and Sarreguemines and by the 24th was in full flood across Rapp’s lines of communication to the west.  The fortress of Bitche was blockaded and called out to surrender (which they refused), while Bavarian cavalry penetrated as far south as Saarlouis.  Lambert’s Russians followed in Wrede’s wake and pushed west to observe the fortress of Metz and the River Moselle.  As Wrede continued to advance on Lunéville and Nancy, any hope that Rapp had  held of retreating to the west or linking up with forces at Metz now vanished (General Gérard’s French IV Corps had been posted at Metz a few weeks earlier, but had been called away by the Emperor to join his doomed march on Brussels).

With Rapp having established a new defensive position along the decrepit Lines of Wissembourg, the Crown Prince’s III Corps advanced to contact, leaving Count Wallmoden-Gimborn’s Corps (a divisional-sized multi-national formation from the Austrian Reserve) to blockade Landau.  As the Crown Prince formed up in preparation for the assault across the River Lauter, Rapp was finally able to gain a full appreciation of the disparity in numbers.  Having left one of Rottembourg’s brigades to guard the flank and rear along the Rhine, Rapp had only around 11,000 men to guard 12 miles of ruined fortifications and was outnumbered at a ratio of roughly 4:1!  With the Allied assault expected at dawn on the 25th, Rapp’s army quietly slipped away southward during the night of 24th June.

As Rapp retreated back toward Strasbourg, he would be forced to pass through the large Forest of Haguenau.  There would then be an opportunity to turn on his pursuers at the village of Surbourg, which guards the entrance to the only practicable route through the forest.  At the eastern end of the forest, one of Rottembourg’s brigades garrisoned Seltz, which guards the narrow defile between the forest and the Rhine.

The Crown Prince did not disappoint, as on the 26th his advance guard immediately launched an attack on Rapp’s rearguard, which stood on the high ground north of Surbourg.  The Württemburg cavalry were given a bloody nose and fell back to await the arrival of Austrian infantry, but the French rearguard then fell back over the River Sur to repeat the exercise.

The situation was repeated at Seltz, where Wallmoden’s Corps, having left a detachment to watch Landau, launched itself at the French flank-guard.  Accounts are conflicting, but the assault seems to have been bloodily repulsed before Rottembourg fell back to the next position.  Both sides claimed victory at both actions, but on balance they seem to have been very effective rearguard actions by the French; inflicting damage and delay on the enemy, followed by counter-attack before falling back to the next defensive position.

However, it was during this period of rearguard and withdrawal that Rapp’s men discovered the truth about Napoleon’s defeat and became mutinous!  Rapp discovered that one regiment, of impeccable fighting reputation, was already formed up with its supporting battery limbered, preparing to march off without orders to the Vosges Mountains and from there mount a guerrilla campaign.  Seizing their Eagle, Rapp exhorted them to retain their honour and stand with him in the defence of France.  This seemed to work and the men cheered him before returning to their duties.

With mutiny averted and having passed through the Forest of Haguenau, Rapp’s rearguard made another stand at Haguenau on the 27th before falling back once again after a sharp skirmish.  Rapp considered offering battle at Brumath (aka Brumpt), but with Rottembourg’s 15th Division still detached and with Wrede’s Bavarians making unchecked progress in the west, Rapp decided to fall back to a more defensible position along the River La Souffel, in front of the walls of Strasbourg itself.  At last, Rapp’s army was united and formed up along the river.

On the morning of 28th June, Rottembourg’s 15th Division formed up on the right of Rapp’s army, in front of the village of Hönheim, with his right resting upon the River Ill and his left on the village of Souffelweiersheim.  Albert’s 16th Division formed up on the left, with his left flank resting upon the Hausbergen ridge.  The left bastion of the defence was formed by the village of Mundolsheim, which had been prepared for defence by Général de Brigade Beurmann and the 10ème Légère.  One battalion of the 10ème Légère had also been posted on the north bank of the river, to fortify and hold the village of Lampertheim, which guarded the northern end of one of the few bridges.  Grandjean’s 17th Division and Merlin’s 7th Light Cavalry Division were held in reserve near Bischheim and Berckheim’s Reserve Division of Gardes-Nationale was also somewhere in the vicinity.

The Battle of La Souffel

Accounts of the Battle or La Souffel are fragmentary, contradictory and brief.  Jenkinson’s and Rapp’s accounts of the day read as though they are of completely different events.  Note also that Rapp’s memoir (and those accounts drawn from Rapp’s account) often refers to ‘Austrians’ where there were no Austrian forces present.  It makes far more sense when we take ‘Austrian’ to mean ‘Allied’ or ‘enemy’.  Anyway, here’s my best stab at describing the action.  Any mistakes or misunderstandings are entirely of my own making …

The Crown Prince wasted no time on deploying his troops for a deliberate assault on Rapp’s line, instead throwing his divisions straight into the assault as they arrived on the battlefield.  Palombini’s Austrian division, forming the right flank of the army, was the first to arrive and was ordered to assault the detachment holding Lampertheim.  The battalion of the 10ème Légère posted there apparently did massive damage to the hasty Austrian attack, but faced by overwhelming numbers was forced to fall back over the bridge to the regiment’s main position in Mundolsheim.

As Prince Emil’s Hessen-Darmstädt Division arrived, it too was thrown into the assault, attacking Mundolsheim from across the river to the east, while Palombini’s Austrians attacked from Lampertheim.  Graf Kinsky’s Austrian hussars meanwhile, found more crossing-points to the west and was soon joined by some of Palombini’s Austrian infantry, who moved up to attack Albert’s left flank on the Hausbergen Ridge.

General Beurmann and the 10ème Légère somehow managed to beat off repeated assaults, but soon found themselves completely surrounded and cut off from the rest of Rapp’s army.  A counter-attack by the 32ème de Ligne of Albert’s Division relieved the situation for a while, but with the arrival of Franquemont’s Württemberg Corps, a wedge was driven between Rapp’s two leading divisions and the 10ème Légère were once again isolated and cut off from support.

As Albert’s 16th Division was pushed back on Hönheim, Rottembourg’s 15th Division wheeled left to face the renewed threat.  Rapp ordered Grandjean to send a brigade forward from the reserve (the 36ème and 103ème de Ligne) to hold the centre.  The 36ème relieved the defenders of Souffelweiersheim but then, for reasons that aren’t clear, were then pulled back out of the village in order to mount a counter-attack to relieve the beleaguered 10ème Légère.

This counter-attack proved to be successful and the heroic General Beurmann with his 10ème Légère were finally able to withdraw from Mundolsheim, but there was now a huge hole in the centre, through which the Württembergers poured!

Franquemont’s Württemberg infantry swarmed across the river and occupied Souffelsweierheim before Rapp could react.  Nevertheless, Rapp quickly organised a counter-attack and Generals Fririon and Gudin moved forward.  Despite initial success, Württemberg reinforcements arrived and the French were able to make no further headway in recapturing the village.

A great mass of Württemberg infantry and cavalry, supported by a large number of guns, now appeared in the centre, aiming to drive across the main Brumath Road bridge between Souffelweirsheim and Mundolsheim.  Prince Adam led his Württemberg Cavalry Division across the bridge in an audacious charge, which sabred at least one French battery before it had time to escape (two French battery commanders were killed while defending their guns, so it may have been two batteries, but one complete French horse battery was captured and the guns taken away as trophies before the French could counter-attack).  Some Württemberg cavalry apparently got so carried away in the pursuit, that they came within range of the guns on the walls of Strasbourg!  With the Allies now in full flood across the river and driving into the French centre, the critical moment of the battle had now been reached.

However, in driving deep into the French position, the Württembergers had exposed their left flank to Rottembourg’s division, which had already wheeled left to face just such an eventuality.  Rottembourg’s artillery poured a devastating fire into the Württemberg flank.  With the Württembergers now wavering, Rapp drew his sabre and placing himself at the head of two of Merlin’s cavalry regiments (the 7ème Chasseurs à Cheval & 11ème Dragons), launched a charge into the disordered enemy!

The effect of this timely charge was clearly devastating.  In Rapp’s own words, “I routed the first line, penetrated the second, and overthrew every thing that offered me any resistance.  We made a dreadful slaughter of the Austrian and Württemberg cavalry.  At the same time the 32nd came up at the charge in close columns, and prevented them from rallying.  They were thrown back on their own infantry, whom they put to flight.

General Rottembourg, on his side, pushed forward his right wing, and opened on the enemy, who defiled in confusion before his columns, a most destructive fire of artillery and musquetry; in an instant the field of battle is covered with the slain, and the immense army of the Prince of Württemberg is routed.  The defeat was so complete that baggage, which was two leagues in the rear, was attacked and plundered, and the Prince himself lost his equipages.  The confusion extended itself as far as Haguenau, and would have gone still farther if 30,000 Russians, who came up from Weissembourg, had not by their presence encouraged the fugitives.”

Rapp’s heavily-outnumbered Army of the Rhine had won a remarkable victory at La Souffel, but what was it all for?  Immediately following the battle, Rapp withdrew his army into Strasbourg fortress, which was what the Allies had been trying to achieve all along.  If nothing else, Rapp had regained some of France’s wounded pride and honour, but at the expense of over 2,000 men killed on each side.  The battle also had consequences for the local civilians in the immediate aftermath, as the Crown Prince of Württemberg took his frustration out on them, burning the village of Souffelweiersheim and threatening the parish priest, seemingly out of petty vengeance.

With Rapp having refused all entreaties to surrender, the Crown Prince blockaded Strasbourg.  However, he lacked a siege train and in any case, didn’t have the numbers to formally besiege a fortress as large as Strasbourg, so Rapp was able to mount numerous sorties and expeditions outside the walls.

On 4th July the Crown Prince’s III Corps was relieved by Hohenzollern-Hechingen’s Austrian II Corps.  Hostilities finally came to an end with the news of the fall of Paris and the signing of a local armistice in Alsace on 24th July.  However, Rapp’s problems were not over.  His men, fearing not being paid for their service upon demobilisation, mutinied and took over the fortress and held the officers hostage, demanding their back-pay!  At last however, the mutiny was resolved on 5th September and the Army of the Rhine, the last standing formation of Napoleon’s army, was finally dissolved.

Game Outline

The game starts with the Allied 1430hrs turn and ends with the French 2100hrs turn, so the game lasts for 14 turns or until the Allied victory conditions have been met.  The battle actually ended long before nightfall, so this could be shortened to 12 or 10 turns if preferred.

Although the number of troops wasn’t all that vast, the battle was fought over quite a large area, so the table is 8′ x 6′.  Each grid-square on the map is equivalent to one square foot on the table or 1,000 Prussian ‘paces’ (‘schritte’), as per the map below.

[N.B. Having been working on the assumption that a ‘schritt’ was ‘about a yard’, I’ve since discovered that a ‘schritt’ was only about 2 feet, or two thirds of an Imperial yard.  This map could probably therefore be reduced in size by a third, to around 6′ x 4′, but I can’t be arsed…]

Victory Conditions

Very simply, the Allies need to break the French army’s morale in order to force them back into Strasbourg fortress.  The French just have to frustrate the Allies’ objective in order to achieve victory, though of course they will win a glorious victory if they succeed in breaking the Allied army’s morale.

III Austrian-Allied Corps Order of Battle

Feldmarschall Kronprinz Friedrich Wilhelm Karl von Württemberg
9”E(10)+0 (6 Free Rolls)

Württemberg Corps (Centre)

Feldzeugmeister Friedrich Graf von Franquemont                           8”G(5)+1 [4F]

1st Württemberg Division – Generalleutnant Christian Johann Gottgetrau von Koch      3”A(6)+0
Kirchberg’s Brigade (IR 2, IR 4 & IR 5)                                               28 WtLN [17D]
Misani’s Brigade (IR 3 & IR 7)                                                               24 WtLN [14D]
Lalance’s Brigade (IR 8)                                                                          16 WtLN [10D]

2nd Württemberg Division – Generalleutnant von Döring      3”G(6)+1
Stockmayer’s Brigade (IR 6)                                                                  16 WtLN [10D]
Hügel’s Brigade (IR 9, IR 10 & IR 11)                                                   28 WtJG [14D]

Württemberg Cavalry Division – Generalleutnant Prinz Adam von Württemberg      3”G(6)+0
Jett’s Brigade (CR 2 & CR 4)                                                                    12 WtLC [6D]
Moltke’s Brigade (CR 3 & CR 5)                                                              12 WtLC [6D]
1st Horse Battery                                                                                        Wt6#
2nd Horse Battery                                                                                      Wt6#

Württemberg Artillery Reserve
12pdr Foot Battery                                                                                      Wt12#

Right Wing (Temporary Corps)

Feldmarschalleutnant Giuseppe Federico Palombini                          5”G(4)+0 [3F]

Austrian Division (Palombini) – Generalmajor Franz Graf Kinsky  3”A(5)+0
Kinsky’s Brigade (HR 6)                                                                             20 AsLC [10D]
Luxembourg’s Brigade (IR 18 & IR 47)                                                   28 AsLN [17D]
Czollich’s Brigade (IR 49 & IR 63)                                                           28 AsLN [17D]
12pdr Position Battery                                                                                As12#

Hessen-Darmstädt Division – Generalleutnant Prinz Emil von Hesse  4”G(7)+1
Folhenius’ Brigade (Leibgarde, Garde-Füsilier & Erbgrossherzog IRs)  16 HsGD [6D]
Gall’s Brigade (Prinz Emil & Leib IRs)                                                    24 HsLN [12D]

Left Wing (Flanking Corps)

German Division – Feldmarschalleutnant Ludwig Graf von Wallmoden-Gimborn 4”A(7)+0 [2F]
Ysenburg-Büdingen’s Rhenish Brigade                                                  20 RhLN [12D]
La Roche-Starkenfeld’s Baden Landwehr Brigade                               20 BdLW [14D]
4 Sqns, Austrian Chevauléger-Regiment 1 ‘Kaiser’                               8 AsLC [4D]

Allied Order of Battle Notes

1.  III Korps was officially an ‘Austrian’ corps, though in reality was a multinational formation, led by the Württembergers, hence the ‘Austrian-Allied’ tag.  Very strong for an army corps, III Korps was a de facto army, with the Württembergers organised in their own ‘corps within a corps’ under Franquemont.

2.  The Württemberg brigades are very unbalanced in strength, so I’ve shifted some strength from Kirchberg’s and Hügel’s colossal brigades to Lalance’s & Stockmayer’s brigades in an attempt to slightly balance things out.

3.  I’ve shifted the strength of the Hessian ‘Erbgrossherzog’ Infantry Regiment to Gall’s brigade in order to separate the two Guard regiments of Folhenius’s brigade as a dedicated Guard brigade and have Gall’s brigade as the Line brigade.  Feel free to reverse the strengths if you prefer, though you’ll then have to decide whether or not to class Folhenius’ large brigade as Guards.

4.  Pallombini appears to have been placed in command of the right wing, consisting of his own Austrian Division and Prinz Emil’s Hessian Division.  Pallombini has therefore been elevated to the position of Temporary Corps Commander, with a slightly increased command-span.  For game purposes, I’ve arbitrarily appointed a random brigade commander (Graf Kinsky) to take command of Palombini’s division.

5.  As the Napoleon’s Battles site has gone down, I’m using the generalship ratings from the 1st Edition Red Module for Palombini and Prinz Emil (though it strangely says that Prinz Emil died in 1813 – he was taken prisoner by the Prussians at Leipzig, but didn’t die!).  However, I’ve got no ratings whatsoever for Döring or Koch, so have just given them very average base stats (though Döring gets a boost from the presence of the hard-fighting veteran Major Generals Stockmayer and Hügel).

6.  I’ve been unable to establish the first name of Generalleutnant von Döring.

7.  By a process of elimination with there being a few Grafs Kinsky on the Austrian Army List, I think that this Graf Kinsky must be Franz de Paula Joseph Graf Kinsky von Wschinitz und Tettau (aged 46), as he was the only Graf Kinsky still alive and still serving with the rank of Generalmajor at the time.  The family at the time also included the still-serving Feldmarschalleutnant Karl Graf Kinsky and the retired Generalmajor Philipp Joseph Graf Kinsky.

8.  There is some disagreement in sources regarding the identity of Württemberg and Hessian brigade commanders, with some sources showing Hohenlohe in lieu of Kirchberg and Stockmayer elsewhere (commanding the Württemberg Landwehr), with Lalance commanding both IR 6 & IR 8.  They also show all the infantry grouped under Koch, with no divisional command under Döring.  Some also describe the army as being commanded by Duke Eugène of Württemberg, but that is definitely wrong.  One source shows Generalmajor Schönberg commanding the Hessian 2nd Brigade instead of Gall.

9.  The Württemberg reserve 12pdr battery may be commanded by either of the Württemberg infantry divisional commanders.

10.  Thoughts and Wafflings on Wallmoden’s Corps:  A divisional-sized ‘corps’ commanded by the Austrian Feldmarshalleutnant Ludwig Georg Thedel Graf von Wallmoden-Gimborn formed the detached Left Wing of the Crown Prince of Württemberg’s command.  A grandson of King George II (his father Johann having been an illegitimate son of the King, though holding high office in Hanover), Wallmoden was then serving as an Austrian officer, having previously held Hanoverian, Prussian, Austrian, British and then Russian commissions.  Wallmoden had made a name for himself as a light cavalry commander during the Battle of Wagram in 1809 and as the leader of the multi-national corps fighting in northern Germany 1813-14.

However, Wallmoden’s active participation in the Battle of La Souffel is a matter of some debate.  His corps had already fought a sharp action on 26th June against Rottembourg’s Division at Seltz and although some thumbnail biographies mention his involvement at La Souffel, Lt Col George Jenkinson mentioned that “The division of Count Wallmoden took no part in the action… opposed as they were by a well-known position, which the enemy occupied, between the Ill and the Rhine.”  This was probably the fortified bridgehead at Englisch-Hof, held by Berckheim’s Garde-Nationale, so in game terms, Wallmoden probably did appear ‘on the table’, but didn’t actively engage the enemy.  I’ve therefore included his corps as late reinforcements.

Despite having decided to include Wallmoden, I must confess that I have been unable to exactly discover what the strength and composition was of his corps.  George Nafziger shows his division at the commencement of operations as belonging to the Austrian Reserve and comprising only a single brigade of four Rhenish battalions (Reuss, Ysenburg, Fulda and Frankfurt), commanded by Generalmajor Graf Ysenburg-Büdingen.  One board-game of the battle shows Wallmoden’s corps as comprising ‘Landwehr’ of indeterminate nationality.

Lieutenant General Stewart, the British liaison officer to the Austrian Imperial Headquarters, reported on 25th June that Wallmoden had “ten battalions and a regiment of Austrian cavalry” blockading Landau and went on to say that “four thousand men and some squadrons… will be left before Landau.”  However, Lt Col Jenkinson, being much closer to the action, reported that only a ‘small detachment’ had been left at Landau, which does suggest a much smaller number than 4,000 (a force of that size would have represented a very large chunk (possibly the majority) of Wallmoden’s ten battalions).

Digby Smith states that Wallmoden had six battalions and four squadrons present at Seltz on 26th June, totaling approximately 4,800 men, which would suggest that there was more than just the Rhenish brigade.  Lt Col Jenkinson meanwhile, mentions the heroic presence at Seltz of a Major General Wrede (not to be confused with the Bavarian army commander of the same name), who led the ‘Lunebourg and Frankfort battalions’.  The ‘Frankfort’ (Frankfurt) battalion is certainly one of the Rhenish units mentioned above, but the ‘Lunebourg’ battalion must surely be a mistake (Lüneburg being a Hanoverian city that at the time was providing two battalions to Wellington’s army).  Jenkinson’s spelling of people and place names is fairly random, so might this battalion perhaps have been a Baden Landwehr battalion from the city of Laufenburg?

At the end of the Battle of La Souffel, one account mentioned that the only remaining threat to Rapp’s army was ‘Wallmoden’s cavalry’, which must presumably refer to the above-mentioned four Austrian squadrons (almost certainly belonging to the 1st ‘Kaiser’ Chevaulégers).

From all of this, it would appear that Wallmoden had taken a portion of the Baden General Graf Hochberg’s Division under command.  According to Nafziger, Hochberg at the start of the campaign had Stockmayer’s Brigade (1st, 2nd & 3rd Württemberg Land-Regiments (i.e. Landwehr), a Württemberg battery and a Hessen-Darmstädt Landwehr Battalion), Volkmann’s Brigade (1st, 5th & 8th Baden Landwehr Battalions, 4th (Landwehr) Battalion of Austrian IR 63 ‘Bianchi’, Austrian Chevauléger-Regiment #1 ‘Kaiser’ and two Austrian 3pdr foot batteries) and La Roche-Starkenfeld’s Brigade (three unidentified battalions of Baden Landwehr and the Baden Jäger Corps).  According to Lieutenant General Stewart, Hochberg was tasked with taking Volkmann’s Brigade, ‘some Hessen-Darmstädt troops’ (the Landwehr battalion, presumably?) and two squadrons of the ‘Kaiser’ Chevaulégers to invest Neu-Breisach.  If the remainder were left with Wallmoden, that would amount to the above-mentioned ten battalions and four squadrons.  Assuming that one brigade was left behind to cover Landau, that would leave Wallmoden with six battalions and four squadrons, so this seems possible.

I’m also guessing that Wrede replaced had La Roche-Starkenfels as commander of the Baden Landwehr?  I’ve arbitrarily included Wrede on the label sheet, anyway.  La Roche-Starkenfels does however, appear slightly later in the story, being wounded and captured by the 57ème de Ligne while in command of some Allied cavalry during a skirmish outside Strasbourg.

Anyway, this is a lot of research, waffle and speculation to then just make a wild-arsed guess as to the composition of a very small formation that probably won’t do very much, but that’s how I roll… 🙂

The French Army of the Rhine (V Corps) Order of Battle

Général de Division Baron Jean Rapp
10”G(10)+2 [7M] [6F] (5 Free Rolls)

15ème Division – Général de Division Henri Rottembourg           4”G(7)+1
Garbe’s Brigade #1 (39ème & 40ème de Ligne)                                     24 FrLN [14D]
Pouart’s Brigade (52ème & 104ème de Ligne)                                       20 FrLN [12D]

16ème Division – Général de Division Baron Joseph Jean-Baptiste Albert  4”G(7)+1
Beurmann’s Brigade (10ème Légère)                                                       20 FrLT [12D]
Sabatier’s Brigade (32ème de Ligne)                                                        12 FrLN [7D]
Cressonier’s Brigade (18ème & 57ème de Ligne)                                   24 FrLN [14D]

17ème Division – Général de Division Baron Charles-Louis-Dieudonné Grandjean      3”A(7)+0
Nempe’s Brigade (36ème & 103ème de Ligne)                                        24 FrLN [14D]
Laurain’s Brigade (17ème & 58ème de Ligne)                                          24 FrLN [14D]

7ème Division du Cavallerie-Légère – Général de Division Comte Christophe Antoine Merlin      3”A(5)+0
Grouval’s Brigade (2ème & 7ème Chasseurs à Cheval)                          8 FrLC [5D]
Rambourg’s Brigade (2ème Hussards, 11ème Dragons & 13ème Ch à Ch) 16 FrLC [10D]
1/2ème Artillerie à Cheval                                                                             Fr8#

Artillery Reserve – Colonel Aime-Prosper Saint-Cyr                          3”A(6)+0
5/4ème Artillerie à Pied                                                                                  Fr12#
?/4ème Artillerie à Pied                                                                                  Fr12#
?/2ème Artillerie à Cheval                                                                              Fr8#

Reserve Division – Général de Division Sigismond Frédéric de Berckheim  4”A(5)+0
1er Brigade (Garde Nationale)                                                                       16 FrNGI [10D]
2ème Brigade (Garde Nationale)                                                                   16 FrNGI [10D]

French Order of Battle Notes

1.  The Napoleon’s Battles site seems to have finally died, so I can no longer access the generalship ratings database, which is a shame.  However, I’ve already got most of the generals listed in other scenarios and I’m using the generalship ratings from the 1st Edition Red Module for Rottembourg.  Prosper St-Cyr isn’t listed, so I’ve given him very average stats.

2.  There is enormous uncertainty and disagreement regarding the identity of the French brigade commanders, but I’ve gone with the list suggested during a detailed discussion in the now-defunct Napoleon Series forum.  Rapp’s memoir also mentions some others, which I will discuss below.

3.  Colonel Prosper St-Cyr, the commander of the artillery reserve (ordinarily Commanding Officer of the 5th Artillery Regiment, which supplied the 8-pounder foot batteries to the infantry divisions), may also take command of Merlin’s horse battery if it falls within his command-span.  The batteries of St-Cyr’s Artillery Reserve may alternatively be commanded by any divisional commander and they may be deployed with divisions at the start of the game, though not with the 10ème Légère detachment at Lampertheim.

4.  General Boulart’s history (found on The Napoleon Series) lists the two batteries of horse artillery as being equipped with Gribeauval 8-pounders.  This was also true of the four batteries of light foot artillery present (one with each infantry division), though these aren’t represented in Napoleon’s Battles.  Although the French Army had standardised years before on the An XI 6-pounder as its standard light artillery piece, Gribeauval 4-pounders and 8-pounders had re-emerged from the arsenals to replace losses suffered 1812-1814.  There had also been an ideological drive by ultra-Royalist artillery commanders during the Restoration to return to the Gribeauval system and purge the Republican An XI system from the order of battle.  Napoleon’s Army of the North was still using An XI 6-pounders, but here on the Rhine they had 8-pounders.

5.  Players may prefer to even up Merlin’s two cavalry brigades to 12 figures apiece instead of 8 and 16.

6.  If desired at the start of the game, the 10ème Légère (Beurmann’s brigade of Albert’s 16ème Division) may occupy the village of Mundolsheim, which has been prepared for defence.  In addition, a battalion-sized detachment consisting of 8 figures may also garrison the village of Lampertheim, which has similarly been fortified.  Separate labels for the two parts of the 10ème Légère are included in the label-sheet (below) if this option is taken.

7.  Général de Brigade Beurmann is recorded by Rapp as being in command of the 10ème Légère.  This must have been Jean Ernest Beurmann, whose biography does mention him commanding a brigade of Albert’s 16th Division (the only other General Beurmann committed suicide in April 1815).  However, Nafziger’s order of battle shows Général de Brigade Sabatier as commanding both the 10ème Légère and 32ème de Ligne.  I’ve therefore inserted Beurmann into the order of battle as commanding the 10ème Légère, though it’s possible that he might simply have taken over the whole brigade from Sabatier.

8.  Another general mentioned in Rapp’s account but not appearing in Nafziger’s order of battle, is Général de Brigade Gudin.  I’ve worked out that this was Pierre César Gudin des Bardières, brother of the more famous Général de Division Charles Étienne César Gudin de la Sablonnière, who was killed in Russia.  According to one biography, Gudin commanded a brigade in Rottembourg’s 15th Division at La Souffel, though I don’t know which regiments he commanded or who he replaced.

9.  Yet another officer mentioned by Rapp but not by Nafziger is Général de Brigade Fririon.  I’ve managed to establish that this was Joseph François Fririon, whose biography does mention that he was serving ‘in Strasbourg’ during the Hundred Days.  He should not be confused with the slightly more famous and more senior Général de Division François-Nicolas Fririon, who was then holding a command in Paris (even though several websites use the same portrait for both men!).  Both men enlisted in the Artois Regiment, albeit nine years apart (in 1782 and 1791), so may have been related.

10.  A board-game of the battle has a completely different set of French brigade commanders.  I’ve no idea what the source is, but it does include the above-mentioned Beurmann, Gudin and Fririon, so has the ring of truth about it, though it also shows ‘Prince Eugène of Württemberg’ as the Allied commander, so should be treated with some suspicion.  The list shows Rottembourg’s 15th Division as having Gudin and Montagnier, Albert’s 16th Division with Beurmann and Voyrol and Grandjean’s 17th Division with Fririon and Dandlau.  Although I’ve included Beurmann in my order of battle, I’ll leave the rest as per Nafziger’s version until I can find some better information (Voyrol was certainly Colonel of the 18ème de Ligne and not a General, though may have been temporarily in command of a brigade).

Terrain Notes

River La Souffel – This is impassable to artillery and cavalry (it was described as such in a dispatch by Lieutenant Colonel George Jenkinson of the Royal Horse Artillery, the British liaison officer to the Crown Prince of Württemberg).  Infantry may pass over the river, treating it as 2 inches of rough terrain.  The defender also benefits from a +1 defensive modifier.

River Ill – This large river cuts across the eastern corner of the table and is impassable to all troop-types, except at the marked (fortified) bridge.

Streams – These are passable to infantry, cavalry and limbered artillery and are treated as one inch of rough terrain.  They do not cause disorder to crossing units, but do give the defender a +1 defensive modifier.

Bridges and Fords – These allow all troop types to pass over a watercourse without penalty, provided the unit is in March Column, Column or Limbered formation.  The defender still gains the +1 defensive modifier.

Hills – The terrain is very gently rolling, though there are significant low hills and ridges, which serve to block line of sight and simultaneously provide artillery with improved lines of fire from the crests.  I would only apply the usual +1 defensive combat modifier where the defender is holding the second contour of a two-level hill.  If you’re short of terrain, the map can be simplified by treating the map as mostly flat, ignoring the lower level of contours and only including hills were there is a second contour level.

Woods – The woods are classed as rough terrain for all troop types, though are relatively open and are not disordering.

Villages – Most villages provide the defender with a -2 cover modifier and a +1 combat modifier.  The smaller villages may only accommodate a detachment of up to 8 figures, while the larger villages (Mundolsheim, Hönheim and Reichstett) may be garrisoned by a single brigade of any size.

Lampertheim & Mundolsheim Villages – These villages have been prepared for defence and have a -2 cover modifier and a +2 combat modifier, in addition to any +1 modifier for crossing a river/stream.

Bischheim and Hönheim Villages – These villages have a line of entrenchments and redoubts along their western side (as shown by the black chevrons on the map).  These were built in previous years as part of the outer defences for the city of Strasbourg.  Any units defending the village have a +3 combat modifier against any assault from that side, but a +1 modifier against attacks from any other direction (i.e. treat them as part of the village defences, rather than additional redoubts).  Any attached batteries on the western side of these villages will also gain the -2 cover modifier and +3 combat modifier (i.e. although the batteries are deployed just outside the village, they still benefit from the cover provided by surrounding entrenchments).

Redoubts and Entrenchments – The gap between the villages of Bischheim and Hönheim is also heavily entrenched, as are both ends of the bridge over the River Ill at Englisch-Hof.  These entrenchments provide the defender with a -2 cover modifier and a +2 combat modifier in their front arc only.

Deployment

All French units may be deployed in any formation, within the formation-boxes shown on the map.  As mentioned above, the 10ème Légère (Beurmann’s Brigade) of Albert’s 16th Division have the option of garrisoning Mundolsheim and/or deploying an 8-figure detachment to garrison the village of Lampertheim.

All Allied units will march on to the table as per their reinforcement schedule.  Their army morale rating will increase as reinforcements arrive.

If the umpire is feeling generous, General Rapp may be allowed to deploy his forces anywhere south of the La Souffel.  However, given the various divisions’ previous manoeuvres, I would insist that the general position of the two forward divisions should remain the same; i.e. Rottembourg’s 15th Division on the right and Albert’s 16th Division on the left.  Grandjean’s 17th Division, Merlin’s Light Cavalry Division, Berckheim’s Reserve Division and St-Cyr’s Artillery Reserve may be deployed as Rapp sees fit.

Game & Reinforcement Schedule

See the map below for Allied reinforcement arrival points.

1400hrs (Turn 1):  The Crown Prince of Württemberg, FML Palombini, Palombini’s Austrian Division (commanded by GM Kinsky) and Prince Emil’s Hesse-Darmstädt Division arrive deployed in any formation, anywhere between Point A & Point B.  The Allied Army Morale rating is now 3M.

1430hrs (Turn 2):  GL Franquemont, Koch’s 1st Württemberg Division, Döring’s 2nd Württemberg Division and the Württemberg 12pdr Foot Battery arrive in March Column formation on either of the two roads at Point B and Point C (they may arrive as a single column or in two separate divisional columns).  Prince Adam’s Württemberg Cavalry Division may arrive deployed in any formation, anywhere between Point A & Point C.  The Allied army morale rating is now 8M.

1700hrs (Turn 7):  Wallmoden’s German Division arrives in March Column formation on either of the two roads at Point D.  The Allied army morale rating is now 9M.

2100hrs (Turn 14):  The game ends at the end of the French turn.

I do not recommend using the Variable Arrival Time optional rule for this scenario.

Unit Labels

“I am resolved today or at the latest tomorrow to annihilate the army of Archduke Charles” – Napoleon to Marshal Davout, 22nd April 1809

Following our recent refights of Raab, Neumarkt and Teugn-Hausen, we’re continuing with the 1809 Napoleonic theme this month, as we build up to our planned and long-awaited re-fight later this year, of the Battle of Aspern-Essling.  This week therefore, we decided to have a crack at the Battle of Eggmühl (known to the French as Eckmühl).

(Had this been a planned exercise, I’d have played the 1809 battles in historical order and perhaps included a linked campaign element, but maybe that’s an option for the future…)

Eggmühl is a battle I’ve played before ‘in the Grand Manner’ at 1:20 ratio, using General de Brigade rules.  That was when I ran it for Mike Hickling as the first ‘AB Figures Wargames Weekend’ mega-game, waaaaay back in 1999.  My surviving reader might remember that it appeared in Wargames Illustrated shortly afterwards, together with some lovely photos by the much-missed Duncan MacFarlane.  This is NOT one of Duncan’s photos…

I’ve never played Eggmühl using my own collection, though my Württembergers were painted for that game and were featured in the Wargames Illustrated article (in fact, Tony Barton sculpted the entire AB Figures Württemberg range specifically for that game).  I’ve also never played Eggmühl using Napoleon’s Battles rules, chiefly as I didn’t have enough Bavarian troops.  However, I’ve just painted a new Bavarian Corps, so it’s time to play the battle!

It does have to be said however, that the battle is a very tough challenge for the Austrians to win.  I’ll present it here as a ‘straight’ historical version, though I will then add some suggested ‘balancing options’ to make it a bit more fun for the poor Austrians… Or not… 😉

The Aftermath of the Battle of Teugn-Hausen

Having evaded Archduke Charles’ trap and defeated Hohenzollern’s III. Korps at the battle of Teugn-Hausen on 19th April, the wily Marshal Davout managed to link up with Marshal Lefebvre’s VII (Bavarian) Corps, thus saving his III Corps for the Emperor.

The initiative now passed to the French.  Napoleon himself had now arrived and had taken command of the Army of Germany from a relieved Marshal Berthier.  The Emperor launched his counter-offensive on 20th April, seizing bridgeheads over the River Abens at Abensberg and Biburg, before engaging in a running battle against Archduke Louis’ scattered V. Korps and flank-guard elements of III. Korps.  Louis’ shattered brigades rapidly fell back toward the River Isar at Landshut, though Hiller’s VI. Korps was able to check the French pursuit for a time at Pfeffenhausen.

With hindsight, the situation now looked grave for the Austrian army.  Hiller’s left wing (V. Korps, VI. Korps and II. Reserve-Korps) was retiring with all haste across the Isar at Landshut with the French in hot pursuit and Napoleon had therefore driven a huge wedge into the heart of the Austrian Hauptarmee, dividing it in two.  Archduke Charles’ central wing (III. Korps, IV. Korps and I. Reserve-Korps) was now cut off from its line of communication through Landshut and was trapped with its back to the Danube at Regensburg (known as Ratisbon to the French).  The Austrian right wing (I. Korps & II. Korps) north of the Danube could do nothing to help unless Regensburg fell.

However, both commanders-in-chief were blissfully unaware of their opponent’s actual dispositions.  Napoleon thought that he was pursuing Archduke Charles’ main army to Landshut, while Charles was convinced that Napoleon’s main army was directly in front of him, forming up in the vicinity of Abensberg, behind the screen of Davout’s III Corps!  Somewhat astonishingly and despite the battle of the previous day at Teugn-Hausen, Davout was also of the opinion that he only faced a small portion of the Austrian army (this was reinforced by a report from Napoleon telling him as much).

Napoleon was so confident that it was he, not Davout who was facing Archduke Charles’ main army, that he actually reduced the strength of III Corps by 50%; taking Morand’s and Gudin’s divisions from Davout and forming them into a new Provisional Corps under the command of Marshal Lannes.  Napoleon also took Wrede’s 2nd Bavarian Division from Lefebvre, thereby reducing the strength of VII Corps by a third (though compensating Lefebvre with the addition of Demont’s tiny, inexperienced Reserve Division).

This situation continued to be unrecognised by either side and on the evening of the 20th, the opportunity for Napoleon to trap Archduke Charles against the Danube slipped away as the 65ème de Ligne, garrisoning Regensburg surrendered.  The capture of Regensburg now provided Charles with a back door across the Danube, through which to retreat or to bring up reinforcements as necessary.  At this moment, Archduke Charles believed that it presented him with new offensive options, allowing him to bring I. Korps and/or II. Korps across the river to attack Davout’s left flank.  However, this event had actually just saved his army from destruction.

Davout was now once again in a precarious position.  Archduke Charles was now manoeuvring five full army corps against Davout’s two weakened corps, in the belief that he was facing Napoleon’s main force.  Planning to launch a new attack on the 22nd, Archduke Charles needed to concentrate his main attack-force roughly half-way between Eggmühl and Regensburg.  To that end, he ordered Hohenzollern-Hechingen to withdraw his III. Korps from the left flank at Hausen and to march back via Schierling and Eggmühl to take position to the north of that town, near the village of Alteglofsheim.  Rosenberg’s IV. Korps would be the new flank-guard and would maintain its positions near Dünzling.  Kolowrat’s II. Korps meanwhile, would cross over the Danube at Regensburg, ready to fall upon the presumed French assembly area north of Teugn, while Bellegarde’s I. Korps would remain north of the Danube, aiming to seize the Danube bridge at Kelheim, thereby cutting the French line of retreat.  Prince Johann von Liechtenstein’s I. Reserve-Korps would form the ‘hinge’ of the flanking movement.

The Battle of Eggmühl, Day 1 – 21st April 1809

Davout and Lefebvre meanwhile, oblivious of the size of the force now assembling in front of them, had orders to clear away the ‘defeated wing’ from south of Regensburg and to pursue them over on to the north bank of the Danube.  Consequently, on 21st April Davout and Lefebvre launched an attack against Hohenzollern-Hechingen’s III. Korps, which was observed to be retiring along the valley of the Grosse-Laaber.

Although III. Korps managed to largely get away, Rosenberg’s IV. Korps was right in the path of Davout’s attack and concerned about his vulnerable left flank (now that III. Korps had withdrawn), Rosenberg ordered his corps to withdraw to a stronger defensive position just north of Eggmühl, centred on the villages of Obersanding, Oberlaiching and Unterlaiching.

With Charles’ plans for the concentration of the army already coming apart due to Davout’s unexpected attack and Rosenberg’s withdrawal, Charles ordered Hohenzollern-Hechingen to leave a strong force around Eggmühl to guard Rosenberg’s left flank.  However, order followed by counter-order is rarely a good recipe for success and Hohenzollern-Hechingen’s III. Korps was soon in utter confusion, with part of the corps already marching to form up on the right of IV. Korps, another part attempting to support IV. Korps, another attempting to establish defensive positions around Eggmühl and the corps’ rearguard already in action against the Bavarians at Schierling!

Rosenberg’s IV. Korps soon came under attack from Davout’s III Corps.  An uncoordinated attack by Saint-Hilaire’s Division against Unterlaiching was beaten off, but a more determined attack by Friant’s Division succeeded in reaching Obersanding, obliging Charles to personally lead his headquarters guard, the 3rd ‘Archduke Charles’ Infantry Regiment and Liechtenstein’s reserve grenadiers forward to blunt the French attack.

Archduke Charles also sent fresh letters to Kolowrat, ordering him to bring forward the timetable of the planned attack and to get his II. Korps across the Danube with immediate effect, as the decisive battle of the campaign was surely about to be fought to the south of Regensburg!

At Davout’s headquarters, reports began arriving from Friant of Austrian reserve grenadiers being committed to the battle.  Also Montbrun, commander of the supporting cavalry division on the left flank, was sending ominous reports of forces gathering on the left flank near Regensburg.  Davout suddenly came to the realisation that it was he who faced Archduke Charles, not the Emperor!  To make matters worse, rumours were also circulating that Regensburg had fallen to the Austrians (a rumour seemingly confirmed by Montbrun’s reports).  With the battle finally petering out, at 1900hrs Davout sent General Piré to seek out the Emperor in person and to plead with him to bring the army to Eggmühl!

Napoleon meanwhile, had been fully committed in a brutal struggle for the bridges at Landshut.  The Württembergers of Vandamme’s VIII Corps led the assault, closely supported by Wrede’s Bavarians and Lannes’ Provisional Corps, while Masséna’s IV Corps swung to the south, aiming to capture the bridges at Moosburg and Freising.  This was an exact reversal of the situation during the First Battle of Landshut a week earlier.  After a bloody frontal assault across the fiercely-defended bridges, the town fell at around 1300hrs and Hiller’s wing was soon retreating once again toward Neumarkt-St Veigt.

At 0200hrs on 22nd April, Napoleon received General Piré at his headquarters and, like Davout, was stunned by the realisation that he had been out-foxed (albeit accidentally, on Archduke Charles’ part).  However, he immediately realised that if he moved rapidly, he could not only save Davout, but could also destroy Archduke Charles, trapping his army against the Danube.  Writing to Davout at 0400hrs, he informed the Marshal that he would immediately bring his full weight to bear against Archduke Charles’ left flank at Eggmühl by mid-day and that his attack would commence at 1500hrs.  He further declared that he was, “…resolved today or at the very latest tomorrow to annihilate the army of Archduke Charles”.

In the very early hours of the morning Napoleon ordered General Vandamme, commanding VIII (Württemberg) Corps, to personally lead an advanced guard formed from Hügel’s Württemberg light infantry and Wöllwarth’s Württemberg cavalry and to clear the road to Eggmühl at once.  The Emperor also ordered Marshal Lannes’ Provisional Corps to follow Vandamme as closely as possible, while Napoleon himself would accompany the three reserve Cuirassier Divisions in Lannes’ wake.  Marshal Masséna’s IV Corps would halt its flank-march and would instead march north via Landshut to Eggmühl as the army reserve.  General Oudinot’s II Corps, at that moment at Pfaffenhofen in support of Masséna on the right flank, was ordered to change direction and march at once to Abensberg and from there to Eggmühl.

However, Hiller’s Austrians still needed to be pursued, so Marshal Bessières was ordered to take command of Wrede’s 2nd Bavarian Division, Molitor’s Division from Masséna’s IV Corps and elements of Marulaz’s Light Cavalry Division and Jacquinot’s Light Cavalry Brigade, with orders to maintain the pursuit of Hiller’s retreating column.

The Battle of Eggmühl, Day 2 – 22nd April 1809

As daylight broke on the second day of the battle, the valley of the Grosse-Laaber was blanketed in a thick fog, obscuring the view for both sides.  The Austrians immediately assumed defensive positions, expecting an escalation of the previous day’s battle.  However, as the fog cleared, there was no sign of the French!  Rosenberg was concerned and his nervousness grew as patrols reported contacts with French cavalry patrols coming up from the south.  He sent a report to Archduke Charles, including a request that four regiments of cuirassiers be deployed to the left flank as insurance against any nasty surprises, though as yet he had received neither reply or cuirassiers.

The remaining elements of III. Korps pulled back across the Grosse-Laaber as planned and Bieber’s infantry brigade took up its allotted defensive position on the Einsiedelberg, overlooking the bridges at Eggmühl and Rogging.  However, running fights were now occurring between Vukassovich’s III. Korps rearguard elements and Vandamme’s advance guard at Buchhausen, a short distance to the south of Eggmühl Bridge.

Davout meanwhile, had still not heard any word from the Emperor since the receipt of his 0400hrs letter, and had the Bavarian cavalry out scouting on his far right flank for any sign of a relief column.  On his left flank however, there was plenty of movement as Montbrun’s cavalry were trying to penetrate the heavy Austrian cavalry screens in this area, being repulsed each time.  It would seem to Davout that the only thing he could do with certainty, was to sit and wait until the Emperor’s column was sighted.

Archduke Charles for his part, was still fully expecting Napoleon’s main attack to develop from the west and was standing ready to strike its left flank from the north with II. Korps and elements of I. Korps, III. Korps and I. Reserve-Korps.  However, the lack of enemy activity to his front was deeply troubling.

However, the lack of French activity was not to last!  At around 1300hrs the skirmish at Buchhausen quickly escalated into an intense battle, as the green-coated Württemberg light infantry appeared in strength and attempted to envelop the heavily-outnumbered detachment of the 9th ‘Peterwardeiner’ Grenze Infantry Regiment.  Seeing the danger, Vukassovich immediately ordered the Grenzer to withdraw over the Grosse-Laaber and to take up defensive positions in Eggmühl itself.  The withdrawal was covered by the 3rd ‘Archduke Ferdinand’ Hussars and a cavalry battery.  The extraction of the Grenze proved successful and the hussars took up position on the high ground of the Bettelberg, alongside Stutterheim’s IV. Korps cavalry.  The cavalry battery unlimbered at the foot of the hill, in a position from which it could sweep the bridge with fire.

The sound of the clash at Buchhausen carried across the valley to Davout’s position, alerting him to the close proximity of the Emperor’s column! At around 1400hrs he ordered his divisions forward; Saint-Hilaire would initially assault Unterlaiching.  Friant would remain in position for the time being.  Deroy’s 3rd Bavarian Division meanwhile, would advance on Saint-Hilaire’s left, aiming for the high ground of the Vorberg.  Demont would cover the right flank against the Grosse-Laaber.

At Eggmühl meanwhile, the Württemberger General von Hügel led his light infantry forward to mount an immediate assault across the bridge.  On his right, General Gudin was about to do likewise on the small bridge over the weir at Stanglmühl.  Behind them, the rest of Napoleon’s army depended entirely upon these river crossings being open by the time they arrived…

Historical Eggmühl

As soon as the Württembergers appeared on the horizon, Davout launched his forces into the attack.  Avoiding the artillery-swept ‘killing ground’ in front of Oberlaiching, Davout ordered Saint-Hilaire’s division and Lefebvre’s VII Corps to attack Unterlaiching and the woods beyond, while Friant’s division was to attack through the northern woods and try to cut the Austrian line of communication at Ober-Sanding.  Seydewitz’s Bavarian cavalry were ordered to silence the grand battery on the Vorberg.

Vandamme meanwhile, finding the Grosse-Laaber to be deep and unfordable, ordered his Württembergers to storm the bridge at Eggmühl with all haste.  On Vandamme’s right, the advance guard of Lannes’ Provisional Corps was ordered to find crossing-points in the direction of Rogging, which Gudin’s division managed to do at Stanglmühl.

Friant’s attack on Obersanding soon stagnated, due mainly to the efforts of the experienced Grenze and the appearance of Austrian grenadiers in the distance on Friant’s left.  Likewise, Gudin, having crossed the river at Stanglmühl, found progress difficult against Bieber’s solid defence of the Einsiedelberg.  However, with the support of Morand’s newly-arrived division, Bieber was pushed steadily back off the escarpment and into the woods beyond.

Saint-Hilaire’s troops threw themselves at the enemy in Unterlaiching and the woods above, though the ‘White-Coats’ fought fiercely for every inch of ground.  However, with the commitment of Bavarian troops into the fight, the brave defenders of Unterlaiching churchyard were soon overwhelmed and were pushed back into the woods.  Nevertheless, the Franco-Bavarian infantry found their attack stalled at the top edge of the woods, where they ran into concentrated artillery fire and counter-attacks by Austrian infantry and cavalry.

The Württembergers meanwhile, were engaged in a bloody and desperate struggle for possession of the bridge at Eggmühl.  The first two assaults ran headlong into a firestorm of shot from the 9th ‘Peterwardeiner’ Grenze and the cavalry battery positioned at the foot of the Bettelberg.  Vandamme then dealt his trump card; the 1st ‘König’ Jäger Battalion, part of the King of Württemberg’s household brigade.  The Jäger charged across the bloody bridge and overran the Grenze, pursuing them through the village and up to the gates of the schloss, where they then proceeded to batter in the gates and to storm the strongpoint, forcing the garrison to surrender.  With the bridge taken, von Wöllwarth’s Württemberg cavalry surged across, followed by the cuirassiers and carabiniers of Saint-Sulpice’s and Nansouty’s divisions.

Seydewitz’s Bavarian cavalry, who had so bravely charged the Vorberg battery at the start of the battle, were by now starting to falter at the weight of the Austrian counter-attacks, led by the fearless General Stutterheim.  However, with the fall of the bridge, Napoleon’s entire cavalry reserve soon swarmed on to the plain to the West of Eggmühl.  No three cavalry regiments, no matter how brave, could possibly hold back this tide for long.

Even before the battle had started in earnest, Archduke Charles realised that he had been seriously wrong-footed and realised that there was a severe danger of being trapped with his back to the Danube.  He gave the order that the army should retreat at once across the Danube at Regensburg, and that Rosenberg’s IV. Korps was now to be the rearguard of the army.  The four kürassier regiments that Rosenberg had earlier requested would now be released to him.

Thanks to the bravery of Stutterheim and his superb cavalrymen, the retreat of IV.  Korps went relatively smoothly.  Eventually though, as night fell near the village of Alteglofsheim, the exhausted horsemen could hold back the enemy no longer.  However, the bold intervention of two brigades of kürassiere gave IV.  Korps more time to get away, and although the French pursuit continued on into the darkness, Archduke Charles had managed to rescue his army from the very jaws of death.

Scenario Outline

This scenario lasts for 13 turns, starting with the French 1300hrs turn and ending with the Austrian 1900hrs turn.

Each square on the map is 1′ square, so the table is 6′ x 5′, representing 6km x 5km (when we did this with Général de Brigade, it was 14′ x 12′, split over three tables!).

The scenario is very straightforward: The French must break the Austrian army’s morale to claim victory.

Each side may either deploy using the historical deployment shown on the map above, or may use a slightly more flexible deployment, within the ‘deployment boxes’ shown on the map below.  Units may be deployed in any formation:

Orders of Battle

Austrian IV. Armeekorps (+) – Feldmarschalleutnant Franz Seraph Fürst von Orsini-Rosenberg

12”G(10)+0 [5F] [12M]
(4 Free Rolls)

Division of Feldmarschalleutnant Dedovich                                         3”A(5)+0
Grenze-Infanterie-Regiment #12 ‘Deutsch-Banát’                                           16 AsGRZ [10D]
Grenze-Batterie (3pdr)                                                                                           As3#
Infanterie-Regiment #3 ‘Erzherzog Karl’ (attached from Army HQ)           24 AsLN [12D]

Division of Feldmarschalleutnant Hohenlohe-Bartenstein          3”G(6)+0
Infanterie-Regiment #8 ‘Erzherzog Ludwig’                                                     24 AsLN [12D]
Infanterie-Regiment #22 ‘Koburg’                                                                      24 AsLN [12D]
Infanterie-Regiment #46 ‘Chasteler’                                                                  20 AsLN [10D]

Division of Feldmarschalleutnant Sommariva                                    3”A(5)+1
Infanterie-Regiment #9 ‘Czartoryski’                                                                 20 AsLN [10D]
Infanterie-Regiment #44 ‘Bellegarde’                                                                20 AsLN [10D]
Infanterie-Regiment #55 ‘Reuss-Greitz’                                                            20 AsLN [10D]

Cavalry Brigade of Generalmajor Stutterheim                                    3”E(7)+1
Chevauxleger-Regiment #4 ‘Vincent’                                                                  16 AsLC [8D]
Husaren-Regiment #10 ‘Stipsicz’                                                                         12 AsLC [6D]
Kavallerie-Batterie (6pdr)                                                                                      As6#

IV Korps Artillery Reserve
Position-Batterie (12pdr)                                                                                       As12#
Position-Batterie (12pdr)                                                                                       As12#
Kavallerie-Batterie (6pdr)                                                                                      As6#

Elements, III. Armeekorps

Division of Feldmarschalleutnant Vukassovich                                  3”G(7)+0 [2F]
Grenze-Infanterie-Regiment #9 ‘Peterwardeiner’                                            16 AsGRZ [10D]
Husaren-Regiment #3 ‘Erzherzog Ferdinand’                                                   12 AsLC [6D]
Kavallerie-Batterie (6pdr)                                                                                      As6#

Brigade of Generalmajor Bieber                                                                  3”A(5)+0 [1F]
Infanterie-Regiment #20 ‘Kaunitz’                                                                       20 AsLN [10D]
Infanterie-Regiment #38 ‘Württemberg’                                                             20 AsLN [10D]
Position-Batterie (6pdr)                                                                                           As6#

Brigade of Generalmajor Kayser                                                                  3”A(4)+0 [1F]
Infanterie-Regiment #7 ‘Schröder’                                                                        20 AsLN [10D]
Infanterie-Regiment #56 ‘Wenzel Colloredo’                                                      20 AsLN [10D]

Elements, I. Reserve-Korps

Grenadier Reserve of Generalmajor Rohan                                           4”A(6)+1 [2F]
Steyrer’s Grenadier Brigade                                                                                    28 AsGN [11D]
Melgum’s Grenadier Brigade                                                                                  28 AsGN [11D]

Optional Forces:

Kürassier Reserve of Feldmarschalleutnant Hessen-Homburg    4”G(7)+1 [2F]
Schneller’s Kürassier Brigade                                                                                  16 AsHC [6D]
Lederer’s Kürassier Brigade                                                                                     16 AsHC [6D]
Kavallerie-Batterie (6pdr)                                                                                        As6#
Kavallerie-Batterie (6pdr)                                                                                        As6#

Austrian Order of Battle Notes

1.  Infanterie-Regiment #3 ‘Erzherzog Karl’ was an independent regiment attached to Archduke Charles’ headquarters and took part in the fighting against Friant between Ober Sanding and Ober Laiching on the 21st.  It was shifted to the north by Archduke Charles on the morning of the 22nd to cover his move around Davout’s left, but I have included it in the scenario to cover Rosenberg’s exposed right flank.  It may be commanded by Dedovich, but may not be re-deployed if using flexible deployment.

2.  Rosenberg’s IV. Korps reserve batteries may be deployed as the Austrian commander sees fit, though they may only be commanded by IV. Korps formation commanders.

3.  I have boosted Stutterheim’s stats slightly, to reflect his dynamic and aggressive actions during this battle and immediately afterwards.  I’ve also added a combat bonus to Sommariva to reflect the energetic presence of Generalmajor Neustädter.

4.  I’ve no idea who, if anyone was in overall command of the two reserve cuirassier brigades.  It’s possible that Rohan was in command of both the grenadiers and cuirassiers, but for game purposes and to give the Austrians a fighting chance and some flexibility, I’ve included the reserve division commander, Hessen-Homburg.  Group them all under Rohan if you prefer to give the Austrians a greater command & control headache.

5.  Kayser’s Brigade from III. Korps became engaged in the northern sector as the battle developed, so I include them here as an independent reinforcement formation.  As with all formations in this scenario, it may be commanded by Rosenberg.

6.  The independent formations from III. Korps and I. Reserve-Korps may be commanded by Rosenberg, but they do not count toward IV. Korps’ fatigue total.  They each have their own individual fatigue rating. They do however, count toward the overall army morale total.

7.  Ordinarily in Napoleon’s Battles, light foot batteries are not represented on the table. However, this can lead to unhistorical situations, where one side has horse and heavy foot artillery, when the other side does not.  I’ve therefore added a 6pdr foot battery to Bieber’s command on the Einsiedelberg, as otherwise it will be a simple matter for the French to simply shoot Bieber out of his position without conducting an assault.  Use the same stats as 6pdr cavalry batteries, but do not allow it to perform evade actions.

8.  The Kürassier Reserve is included as a ‘balancing option’ for the Austrians and may be left out if preferred.  They were positioned very close to the battlefield, but Archduke Charles didn’t authorise their release until very late in the day and they only fought to cover the retreat at Alteglofsheim, a short distance to the north of our map.  I must admit that I included them in our early version of this scenario, though refused to allow them to be used until the situation was desperate.

French Army Of Germany
L’Empereur Napoléon

28”E(10)+3D (5 Free Rolls)

Left Wing – Maréchal Louis-Nicolas Davout, Duc d’Auerstädt

14”E(10)+1, reverting to 12”E(8)+1 when Napoleon arrives

III Corps d’Armée (Davout)

[4F] then [5F]

2nd Division – Général de Division Friant                                                 5”E(8)+2
Gilly’s Brigade (15ème Légère)                                                                         12 FrLT [6D/5D]
Grandeau’s Brigade (33ème & 48ème de Ligne)                                          28 FrVLN [11D/8D]
Gautier’s Brigade (108ème & 111ème de Ligne)                                           24 FrVLN [10D/7D]
2/5ème Artillerie à Cheval (4pdr)                                                                   Fr4#

4th Division – Général de Division Saint-Hilaire                                     4”E(8)+2
Lorencez’s Brigade #1 (10ème Légère)                                                           12 FrVLT [5D/4D]
Lorencez’s Brigade #2 (3ème & 57ème de Ligne)                                        28 FrVLN [11D/8D]
Destabenrath’s Brigade (72ème & 105ème de Ligne)                                  28 FrLN [14D/11D]
5/8ème Artillerie à Cheval (4pdr)                                                                   Fr4#

III Corps Cavalry Reserve – Général de Brigade Piré                          3”A(5)+0
Piré’s Brigade (8ème Hussards & 16ème Chasseurs à Cheval)                  12 FrLC [6D/5D]

VII Corps d’Armée – Maréchal François-Joseph Lefebvre, Duc de Danzig

9”E(5)+1D [5F] then [6F]

1st Bavarian Division – Generalleutnant Kronprinz Ludwig              3”G(5)+1D
Rechberg’s Brigade                                                                                             28 BvLN [17D/14D]
Stengel’s Brigade                                                                                                 28 BvLN [17D/14D]
Reserve Battery ‘Leiningen’ (12pdr)                                                               Bv12#

3rd Bavarian Division – Generalleutnant von Deroi                            4”A(6)+0
Vincenti’s Brigade                                                                                               28 BvLN [17D/14D]
Sieben’s Brigade                                                                                                  28 BvLN [17D/14D]
Massed Light Battalions                                                                                    12 BvLT [6D/5D]
Seydewitz’s Cavalry Brigade                                                                              12 BvLC [6D/5D]
Light Mounted Battery ‘Gotthardt’ (6pdr)                                                      Bv6#
Light Mounted Battery ‘Van Douwe’ (6pdr)                                                   Bv6#
Reserve Battery ‘Dietrich’ (12pdr)                                                                     Bv12#

Reserve Division – Général de Division Demont                                    4”A(6)+0
1st Reserve Brigade                                                                                             16 FrPLN [10D/8D]
3rd Reserve Brigade                                                                                           16 FrPLN [10D/8D]

Right Wing (Napoléon)

Imperial HQ Escort (elements, Marulaz’s Brigade)
14ème Chasseurs à Cheval & Baden Light Dragoons                                   12 BdLC [5D]

Elements, VIII Corps d’Armée – Général de Division Dominique Vandamme

5”E(5)+2 [2F] then [3F]

Württemberg Advance Guard – Generalmajor von Hügel                3”A(6)+1
Hügel’s Brigade                                                                                                   24 WtLT [12D/10D]
2nd Horse Battery (6pdr)                                                                                  Wt6#

Württemberg Cavalry Division – Generalleutnant von Wöllwarth 4”G(7)+1
Röder’s Chevauxleger Brigade                                                                          8 WtLC [4D/3D]
Stettner’s Jäger zu Pferde Brigade                                                                   12 WtLC [6D/5D]
1st Horse Battery (6pdr)                                                                                     Wt6#

Corps Provisoire – Maréchal Jean Lannes, Duc de Montebello

7”E(7)+2 [4F] then [5F]

1st Division (of III Corps d’Armée) – Général de Division Morand 5”E(8)+2
Lacour’s Brigade #1 (13ème Légère)                                                                 16 FrVLT [6D/5D]
Lacour’s Brigade #2 (17ème de Ligne)                                                             16 FrVLN [6D/5D]
Lacour’s Brigade #3 (30ème de Ligne)                                                            16 FrVLN [6D/5D]
L’Huillier’s Brigade (61ème de Ligne)                                                              16 FrVLN [6D/4D]
5/5ème Artillerie à Cheval (4pdr)                                                                     Fr4#

3rd Division (of III Corps d’Armée) – Général de Division Gudin 5”G(6)+1
Petit’s Brigade #1 (12ème de Ligne & 7ème Légère)                                    24 FrVLN [10D/7D]
Petit’s Brigade #2 (21ème de Ligne)                                                                20 FrVLN [8D/6D]
Duppelin’s Brigade (25ème & 85ème de Ligne)                                           28 FrVLN [11D/8D]
2/6ème Artillerie à Cheval (4pdr)                                                                   Fr4#

Cavalry Reserve (under the Emperor’s personal command) [4F]

1st Cuirassier Division – Général de Division Nansouty                     3”G(7)+1
Defrance’s Carabinier Brigade                                                                         20 FrHC [8D/6D]
Doumerc’s Cuirassier Brigade                                                                         20 FrHC [8D/6D]
St Germain’s Cuirassier Brigade                                                                      20 FrHC [8D/6D]
4/6ème Artillerie à Cheval (8pdr)                                                                   Fr8#
5/6ème Artillerie à Cheval (8pdr)                                                                   Fr8#

2nd Cuirassier Division – Général de Division Saint-Sulpice            3”A(6)+1
Clément’s Cuirassier Brigade                                                                           20 FrHC [8D/6D]
Guiton’s Cuirassier Brigade                                                                              20 FrHC [8D/6D]
3/5ème Artillerie à Cheval (8pdr)                                                                   Fr8#

French Order of Battle Notes

1.  I have only included those units that were on the battlefield at the start and those who arrived early enough to do some fighting.  Units that were following behind the units listed above include Montbrun’s Light Cavalry Division, d’Espagne’s 3rd Cuirassier Division, Masséna’s IV Corps and Claparède’s Division from II Corps.  There isn’t any point in representing these on table, but their proximity to the battlefield should be considered when assessing the overall situation during the post-game argument…

2.  Davout is the French C-in-C until Napoleon arrives on the table, whereupon he reverts to being a Wing Commander.  Davout’s ratings will therefore be 14”E(10)+1 until Napoleon arrives and 12”E(8)+1 thereafter.  Davout may not command any early-arriving elements of Napoleon’s Right Wing, though he may continue to function as a wing-commander, with Lefebvre’s VII Corps continuing to be subordinate.

3.  Although Vandamme is the commander of VIII Corps, he is here personally leading the advanced guard.  He has not therefore been given the 5” command-span bonus normally given to a French corps commander and has instead been given the 2” command-span bonus normally given to the commander of a temporary corps.  Lannes is also commanding a temporary corps and likewise has a reduced command-span.

4.  Units use their higher Dispersal numbers until Napoleon arrives on the battlefield, at which point they use the lower Dispersal numbers listed.

5.  Formations use their lower Fatigue numbers until Napoleon arrives on the battlefield, at which point they use their higher Fatigue numbers.

6.  The detachment from Marulaz’s Cavalry Brigade will immediately attach itself to Napoleon’s Headquarters at the earliest opportunity and will act as escort.  Napoleon will retain his command radius even when the escort unit is directly attached.  If the escort unit becomes unattached (e.g. due to Napoleon moving too fast or due to an uncontrolled pursuit), the unit will automatically count as being activated, but must at all times make best speed to re-attach to Napoleon and may not voluntarily make charge, evade or pursuit moves or place a React marker.

7.  Most sources show Vieregg’s Bavarian Cavalry Brigade as being present with Crown Prince Ludwig’s 1st Bavarian Division.  However, John H Gill in ‘Thunder on the Danube’ is quite emphatic about its absence and also comments that the divisional light mounted battery was probably attached to that brigade and also therefore absent.  I’ve therefore deleted these units.  Gill does however, mention additional Bavarian batteries with Deroi’s Division not mentioned elsewhere, so I’ve included these.

8.  The overwhelming majority of the French infantry regiments in both Davout’s III Corps and Lannes’ Provisional Corps are hardened veterans from Davout’s III Corps of previous campaigns.  They therefore use the 1805-1807 stats (‘FrVLN’ & ‘FrVLT’), while the more recently-added regiments use the slightly less-capable 1809-1812 stats (‘FrLN’ & ‘FrLT’).  See the Unit Information Card below.

9.  Demont’s Reserve Division had three very weak brigades; the 1st & 3rd Brigades each had four battalions, while the 2nd Brigade only had two.  The strength of the 2nd Brigade has therefore been absorbed into the other two.  These brigades consisted entirely of massed 4th Battalions comprising raw recruits, sent directly from regimental depots in France.  These are classed as ‘Provisional Line’ (‘FrPLN’) and are distinctly less capable than Davout’s veterans.

10.  Wöllwarth only had ten of his sixteen squadrons with him at Eggmühl (one complete regiment missing from Röder’s Brigade and half a regiment missing from Stettner’s).  At full strength they would both be 16 figure brigades, but are reduced here to 8 and 12 figures respectively.

11.  Note that the Cavalry Reserve has a fatigue rating.  Treat it as a corps for fatigue purposes, even though the two cuirassier divisions are operating as independent divisions under the Emperor’s direct control.

12.  Hügel seems rather underrated in the official ratings, so I’ve given his stats a little boost.

Reinforcement Schedule

All reinforcements arrive in March Column formation at the point specified, except for Kayser’s Brigade, which may arrive deployed in any formation, within 6 inches of point D.  I wouldn’t use the Variable Arrival Times rule for this scenario.

On table at start:

Rosenberg, with all formations listed except Kayser’s Brigade and the Reserves.
Davout with the French III Corps.
Lefebvre with the VII (Bavarian) Corps (minus 1st Division).
Gudin, with Petit’s Brigade #1 & his horse battery.
Vandamme, with Hügel and his light infantry brigade.

Turn 1 – 1300

Petit’s Brigade #2 of Gudin’s Division arrive at point A.
Hügel’s 2nd Horse Battery arrive at point B.

Turn 2 – 1330

The remainder of Gudin’s Division arrives at point A.

Turn 3 – 1400

Wöllwarth’s Württemberg Cavalry Division arrives at Point B.

Turn 4 – 1430

Lannes arrives at point A.
Morand’s Division arrives at point A.
Prinz Ludwig’s 1st Bavarian Division arrives at point C.

Turn 5 – 1500

Napoleon arrives at point B.
Saint-Sulpice’s 2nd Cuirassier Division arrives at point B.
Kayser’s Brigade arrives at point D.

Turn 6 – 1530

Rohan’s Grenadier-Reserve arrives at Point E.
Hessen-Homburg’s Kürassier-Reserve arrives at Point F (optional).
Wöllwarth’s scouts discover the ford at Schnitzlmühl.

Turn 7 – 1600

Nansouty’s 1st Cuirassier Division arrives at point B.

Turn 8 – 1630

The detachment from Marulaz’s Light Cavalry Brigade arrives at point B (and is immediately commandeered by Marshal Berthier to act as headquarters guard).

Turn 13 – 1900 (Nightfall)

Scenario ends at the end of this turn.

Terrain Effects

1.  The Grosse Laaber river is unfordable, except via the bridge at Eggmühl and the Stanglmühl.  Only infantry may cross at the Stanglmühl (via a footbridge), though only one unit may cross per turn.  Eggmühl bridge may be crossed by all troop-types at the normal Column or March Column rate.  Eggmühl village must be captured in order to control the bridge (i.e. unless they are assaulting Eggmühl, units may not cross the bridge while the town is still held by the Austrians).

2.  The small streams are passable to all troop types as 1 inch of Rough Terrain.  A unit defending the bank will gain a +1 defensive modifier.

3.  All villages have a defensive modifier of +2 (they weren’t particularly defensible), except for Eggmühl, which has a modifier of +3.

4.  All slopes provide a +1 defensive modifier to the defender, except for the southern slopes of the Einsiedelberg, which are particularly steep, counting as 2 inches of Rough Terrain and providing a +2 defensive modifier.

5.  Woods provide a -1 cover modifier, but no positive combat modifier, just the usual negative combat modifiers, depending on troop type.  Woods are classed as Rough Terrain for movement, though are not particularly dense and do not therefore disorder troops passing through them. Firing through woods is limited to 2 inches range.

6.  All Austrian units starting the scenario deployed in woods will have their frontage covered by abatis.  This will provide a +1 combat modifier, in addition to any modifier for defending a slope.  This modifier is lost if the unit moves from its original position and facing (the abatis is then removed from play).

7.  The water meadows bordering the Grosse Laaber are classed as Rough Terrain and are impassable to artillery.

8.  Umpire’s Eyes Only!  While waiting for the Eggmühl Bridge to be secured, Württemberger cavalry scouts located a deep ford at the Schnitzlmühl Mill, only a few hundred yards to the west of Eggmühl (one account mentions that the ford was created by opening the mill weir, thereby reducing the water-level), which was then used by some of the French cavalry brigades to cross the river.  Both Rosenberg and Vandamme had already reported the Grosse-Laaber to be impassable, so this came as a surprise to both sides!  In game terms, this ford will be discovered on Turn 6.  I suggest treating this ford as Rough Ground (like the surrounding soggy water-meadows) and passable only by cavalry units.  See the map below.

[I forgot to include the Napoleon’s Battles Unit Data Card and labels the first time around, so here they are:]

Anyway, that’s it for now!  Tune in next time for the thrilling game-report!  Please try to control your excitement.

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.