Battlereport Napoleon vs Austria and Russia

[ErikG]

With our new deeper table completed we decided to pitch the armies of Napoleon and his enemies against each other once again, given the large variety in troops and the splendour of the uniforms for us, this remains one of our most favourite periods.


France
Army General: Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French (Justin)

1st corps
Marshal Michel Ney, Duke of Elchingen, Prince of Moskowa, "Bravest of the brave" (Sander)
Brigade commander General Souchet 3 infantry regiments
Brigade commander General Grouchy 3 infantry regiments
Artillery
Unit Hussars

2nd corps
Corps commander Marshall Louis Nicolas Davout, 1st Duke of Auerstedt, 1e prince of Eckmuhl (Latok)
Brigade commander General Chouard 3 infantry regiments
Brigade commander Besiers 3 infantry regiments
Artillery
Unit Dragoons

3e corps (Old Gard)
Corps commander Marshall Nicolas Jean-deDieu Soult, Duke of Dalmatia (Justin)
4 infantry regiments Old Gard
Dutch "Red lancers" of the Gard
Artillery

Cavalry Reserve
Marshall Joachim Murat, King of Naples (Justin)
2 unit's cuirassiers, 1 unit carabineers
Unit of horse artillery



Allies:
Russia
Army General: Field Marshall Prince Michael Illarionovitsj-Koetoezov (Abe)
Brigade commander Prince Pjotr Ivanovitsj Bagration 3 infantry regiments
Brigade commander Marshall Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly 3 infantry regiments
Brigade commander Count Fedor Petrovich Uvarov (Joost) 2 units Platov Grenadiers of the Gard
Count Matvei Ivanovich Platov (Abe) 3 cavalry units
Artillery 2 divisions



Austria
Army General: Archduke Charles Louis Johan Jozef Laurens, prince of Toscana, Duke of Teschen (Erik)
Brigade commander Marshall Dagobert Sigismund von Wurmser 3 infantry regiments
Brigade commander General Karl Mack, Freiherr van Leiberich 3 infantry regiments
Brigade commander Count Andras Hadik de Futak (Joost) 3 infantry regiments
Cavalry commander Johann I Joseph, prince of Liechtenstein 3 cavalry units
Artillery 2 divisions



The French army had more mobility than that of the Russians and Austrians, France decided to use that advantage, and it was up to Ney and Davout to keep the opponents busy while Soult would move around the flank. Austria and Russia were expecting a massive attack through the Centre, against this they prepared a defensive strategy.





The first turn was for Austria and Russia, the cannons thundered and the first French were felled. In the Centre the Pavlov Grenadiers took their positions as the allies waited, wondering what the French would do.



The setup

Davout (Latok) had orders to wait, he sent a unit of voltigeurs into the forests to attack Austria in the flank, the other divisions also moved slowly forward, Ney (Sander) moved forward slowly, Soult (Justin) moved the guard on the left flank behind the forest forward. Cannon fire killed a number of Austrians and Russians but the casualties were light.




To put a halt to the guard's movement, Platov (Abe) moved towards the guard, these adapted square formation to defend themselves against the cavalry. Austria (Erik) was moving slowly forward, the infantry and artillery moved along with the units in line formation.




The French artillery opened fire with two artillery divisions on the most left Austrian formation, this unit was hit hard, and the cannonballs mowed through the unit that was left "shaken". Davout could now restrain himself no longer, drooling of enthusiasm he rode on his horse back and forth, screaming that he wanted to attack, however, the orders were that he was not allowed to attack and to his great regret he was not allowed to convert his enthusiasm into aggression. The rear guard units now moved forward and formed a square in front of the square formations that had stood before them, the rear units adapted an attack column formation, next turn they would move forward again and "play leapfrog " forming from square and back to column without allowing Platov' s  (Abe) cavalry to attack.

The Cavalry under Murat (Justin) charged towards the Russian troops in the centre.

Davout can't wait to attack




Mack (Erik) moved his artillery onto a hill, now his guns were able to employ their deadliest ammunition, hundreds of small metal balls were fired forming a deadly cloud, the front rows of a unit of French grenadiers were wiped out, panic broke out amongst the French and the first French unit left the field. The Russians opened fire with artillery onto the onrushing French Cavalry, amazingly, they caused virtually no casualties. Meanwhile, Russian troops also opened fire on the slow-moving French old guard.




Davout could now no longer constrain his enthusiasm, bouncing up and down on his horse he shouted the command to his troops to attack, his divisions moved towards the Austrian lines, a unit of French Dragoons stormed towards the Austrian artillery on the hill that had just destroyed a French unit of grenadiers, the artillery crew fired a deadly volley towards the Dragoons who were killed by the dozens, fired by hate and fanaticism they refused to give up, the French Cavalrymen slaughtered the Austrian artillery crew in just a few seconds.

[ErikG]

The Austrian Prince Liechtenstein responded astutely to the French attack, a unit of Lancers and Cuirassiers from Liechtenstein (Erik) charged the French Dragoons, they lowered their lances and impaled the front row of French dragoons during the bitter struggle that followed Frenchman after Frenchman fell bloodied and battered to the ground, despite the horrific amount of casualties the French held their ground. Mack (Erik) also saw an opportunity, his Division charged the French Fusiliers of Davout (Latok), the French received the Austrian attack and both sides had to endure casualties, a unit of Austrian grenadiers managed to get the upper hand, much to the shock of Davout who watched from a safe distance, a unit of French Fusiliers broke, as they had already lost a unit of grenadiers the brigade of General Chouard (Part of the corps of Davout) was broken and left the battlefield.

In the Centre the Russian artillery once again opened a deadly fire towards the French Cavalrymen from Murat (Justin), this time they inflicted a large amount of casualties. The troops of the Russian General Barclay de Tolly (Abe) formed square formation so they would be able to repel the Cavalry of Murat. Prince Bagration (Abe) moved his troops towards the old guard and opened fire, the Cavalry of Platov kept forcing the old guard to keep forming square formation, slowing them down as long as possible.









The French voltigeurs that Davout (Latok) had earlier sent into the Woods opened fire on a unit of Austrian infantry, they panicked because of this unexpected attack and ran off the field. The French artillery opened fire on the Austrians that had broken through the French lines after their victorious attack on Chouard, here the artillery also managed to break an Austrian unit and the unfortunate Mack pulled his brigade back and left the battlefield, both armies had lost a brigade, the fight remained balanced. On the right flank the real fight began, the guard of Soult (Justin) came into combat with the troops of Bagration (Abe), brave and fearless the Russians stood their ground while they slowly were driven backwards by the strongly disciplined old guard.








Wurmser (Erik) moved his troops in the centre forward, while many Austrians fell by the devastating artillery fire the troops continued to move forward. Meanwhile, the fight between the French Dragoons (Latok) and the Cavalry of Liechtenstein (erik) continued but despite the massive French losses, the French refused to retreat causing great frustration to Liechtenstein (three break tests of which the lowest was 11 on 2d6!).





In the village in the Centre of the battlefield not a lot had happened, Marshal Ney (Sander) had stood opposite the Russian Pavlov Grenadiers of Uvorov (Joost) and the Hungarian troops of Futak (Joost) and they had not done much else then move up and down in a complicated game of chess but neither side had been able to discover a weakness that could be exploited. Ney (Sander) finally ordered his divisions to the left and right flank so as to be able to stop the advance of Wurmsers Austrian Divisions (Erik) and to support the cavalry of Murat (Justin). The Guard (Justin) fought hard against the Russians of Bagration (Abe) but despite their heroic resistance the Guard gradually gained the upper hand.





Wurmser (Erik) continued to send his troops forward while unit after unit was weakened by the French artillery they now also faced the additional troops from Ney (Sander). In the Centre the Hungarian troops of Futak (Joost) moved towards the French units of Ney (Sander) and these units to got into combat. Barclay de Tolly (Abe) managed to push back the cavalry of Murat (Justin) and by hard fighting and good manoeuvring the Russians gained ground in the centre. The Dutch Grenadiers of the Guard (Justin), fighting hard, at last defeated a unit of Russians of Bagration (Abe), while the defeated Russians fell to the ground they were killed where they fell. Despite the losses that the Russians had to endure, Bagration held, now with only two units against four units of guard.







Ney's troops fought in the Centre (Sander) with the Cavalry of Murat (Justin) against the troops of Barclay de Tolly (Abe) and Futak (Joost), the guard (Justin) drove the troops of Bargration and the Cavalry of Platov (Abe) further back, the field coloured red but the fighting went on, both armies put in all that they had in as no one wanted to give up.
While Wurmser (Erik) moved his units forward under a constant artillery fire several units became "shaken" while Wurmser constantly rallied his troops, a unit of French Hussars (Sander) saw the first unit of Wurmser marching and managed to catch them in the flank, two Austrian units were broken by this ferocious attack and Wurmser withdrew his men from the field, the French slowly got the upper hand. Finally, after a long and bloody fight, Liechtenstein (Erik) defeated the French Dragoons (Latok), they had bravely weathered the attack and until the last moment they had refused to surrender, they went down to the last man.






Austria refused to surrender, Liechtenstein (Erik), that had just defeated the French dragoons, turned around and charged a unit French Fusiliers from Grouchy (Sander), part of the corps of Ney (Sander), they were completely surprised by this unexpected attack and they did not have enough time to form square formation, the Austrian lancers brought their lances down and they went through the French unit like a hot knife through butter, the French unit was destroyed, this was still not sufficient for Liechtenstein, a supporting French unit of Fusiliers had to suffer the same fate, this unit also went down ingloriously, Grouchy's brigade was broken and he retired from the field, once again the armies became balanced and the fight went on undecided.

In the Centre a unit of Cuirassiers from Murat (Justin) was repulsed by the troops of Barclay de Tolly (Abe) Ney's troops (Sander) managed to absorb the breakthrough of Barclay de Tolly and these "fresh troops" opened the fight with the tired and tried Russians. While victims continued to mount the fight went on, both armies were about to break, the only question was which one would brake first.






On the left flank both armies had lost two brigades, that what remained on both sides was insufficient to mount another attack, in the Centre Ney (Sander) gave the order to press on, he saw the fatigue in the eyes of the Russian troops and this was well assessed. After a hard fight finally the troops of Barclay de Tolly (Abe) broke, only the Hungarians of Futak (Joost) still held against the advancing French troops. The Guard (Justin) also managed to decide the engagement, two units of Bagration were exterminated, and the Flank and the Centre finally fell into French hands.





The allies realized they had lost, they had maintained the struggle for a long time and both armies were heavily bloodied, the Allies pulled back while both armies licked their wounds, it was a French victory but it had not been an easy one.