Month: June 2011

The Battle of Bautzen, winning would mean a chance for Napoleon to bring the crown heads of Russia and Prussia to the peace table.

All this needed to be done before Austria entered the war.

French Line infantry advance to the attack.

Well this weekend promised a real belter, the battle has a lot of redoubts for the Allies, while the French will outnumber them by two to one ultimately. The Corps of Ney, Lauriston and Reynier turn up on the northern side of the map. The French are deployed on the western side of the battlefield while the Allies are deployed along the Kreckwitz heights to the wooded heights of the Dorhmberg.

Part of the Prussian defences on the Krekowitz heights.

To begin with the French are allowed to delay the entry of these flanking formations by up to five turns, the fifth turn seeing them appear right at the back of the board as far east as they can gain entry by. As it turned out, Lauriston, came on row three (in the middle of the northern table edge) on turn three and Ney was due on turn five. Reynier was en-route and due around turn eighteen on row four.

The Saxon Zastrow Cuirassier move to assault the Prussians and Russians on the Krekowitz heights.

The charge to break the squares on the heights, little success here for the Elite troops of Latour-Maubourg’s heavies.

The deployment of the allies was such that Blucher and his Prussians were deployed to along the Kreckwitz heights and ran from the most northerly area of this due east. The Russian Corps of Barclay, Gortchakov and Miloradovich were drawn up to the south of this, with Constantine to the east of this front line in reserve.

Early Saturday morning, after the first turn, some of the forces still on their tiles.

The opening salvo’s from the French were somewhat limited, the eight pound batteries began bombarding the Allied defences without much effect. After turn two the general advance began, Soult and Bertrand began advancing into the large wooded hill area of the Dorhmberg, formations of the Allies were moving around in the trees but the nature of them was not known as no clear line of sight could be drawn yet. Toward the centre of the French line the Corps of Oudinot began its advance toward the allied redoubts that dotted the Russians positions here in the southern area of the battlefield. Directly behind Oudinot was Marmont and behind that at the furthest point west was the Imperial Guard., north of the river Spree was the Corps of Macdonald, who’s job it would be to link up with Ney and Lauriston as they arrived.

Oudinot’s Corps goes around the marshy ground.

Turn three saw the cavalry of Blucher move out to engage the French Cavalry reserve, the Prussians were backed up by the cavalry of Gortchakov’s Corps, Hussars and Kuirassier. Four regiments of Allied cavalry became embroiled in a fight with up to six regiments of French Lancers and Cuirassier, along with Saxon Cuirassier. The fighting stretched over three turns with regiments of allied cavalry being wiped out and French regiments rallying and charging on!

Latour-Maubourg’s cuirassier move out to support the cavalry attacking Blucher.

Ney’s leading divisions arrive on the Northern flank.

The punishment for the French troops was great indeed, the twelve pound batteries were split into three gun sections and deployed in redoubts. Each time they fired they were knocking three to five figures off battalions. The battle for the Dorhmberg picked up a pace the French infantry advancing and being swarmed by Sotnia’s of Cossacks emerging from the tree line. Russian dragoons charged the advancing columns but were repulsed, slowly the Corps of Soult and Bertrand gained ground.

The Prussians from Kleist’s Division look to stop the advance of Lauriston’s troops.

Macdonald advanced across the Spree, the Prussians had a twelve pound foot battery deployed in a redoubt on the most northern section of the Kreckwitz heights and this began to pour destruction on to the troops using the bridges to cross the river.

5th Hussars support the advance of the French infantry.

Lauriston arrived on turn three and advanced at speed toward the apex of the line running north and east for the Prussians. It wasn’t long before his lead battalions had engaged in melee with Prussian veterans holding the area just to the North of this apex. The fighting here was fairly intense with the Prussians giving ground initially as the French pushed forward but Prussian reserves turned up in order to push the unformed French back, this then spiralled into some savage fire fights.

French infantry advance toward the Russians on the Southern flank, these were held up by a regiment of Dragoons for a while before pressing the attack.

To the East the Allied line deployed two of the Prussian batteries on a low long ridge and began to punish the lead elements of Ney’s Corps. The French Dragoon regiment and their Hussars brushed aside the Prussian Brandenburg Hussars, but in doing so became blown and had to retire to regroup.

French infantry line out to fire at the defenders in the Dohrmberg.

It was decided at this point to advance with the leading two divisions of Ney’s corps and attack this low hill. A turn after this the lead elements of Constantine’s Guard reserve began to arrive, the Russian Guard Hussars advanced to clear the French skirmisher screen, behind them the Russian Chevalier Guard began to deploy into line, preparing for the assault on the French columns.

Ney’s troops beat the pas de charge.

Over in the centre, the French columns of Oudinot’s Corps had begun to retreat, the damage wrought by the massed guns from nine twelve pound guns a battery of six pound guns and the Russo German legion’s horse battery was just too much. To make matters worse Miloradovich released his Dragoons on to the fleeing Frenchmen, although if truth were told, they did little other than harass the retiring columns.

The scene early Sunday morning, before the storm.

Soult was driving the Russians before him on the Dorhmberg heights and the Russians looked to be in trouble, Marmont was forming up for the main assault across the marshy ground into the Russian centre, it was seen that the Russian Guard had now been committed far to the North, so this was a chance to smash their way through.

The 46th Line of Ney’s Corps advance into the teeth of the gun line east of Krekowitz heights.

The French Guard began to mobilise around the village of Bautzen.

On the Northern part of the battlefield the Russian Grenadiers moved into position behind the low long hill, behind the Prussian batteries, the Prussian foot battery limbered up and was replaced by the Russian Guard twelve pound battery and all the while the French columns came closer.

The Russian Guard Kuirassier about to break through the lead division from Ney’s Corps.

The Russian Guard cavalry had stripped away all the French skirmishers from both Lauriston and Ney’s corps at some cost though, the Dragoons had lost some twenty five percent of their operational strength, while the Hussars were retiring to regroup. The Guard Kurassier were the real killers though, emerging from behind a screen of Guard Hussars the first squadron charged a square of French infantry.

The Russian Guard Kuirassier move toward their targets.

The second and third squadrons charged into the flank of the Division assaulting the low ridge, this also coincided with the Russian Guard Grenadiers emerging from around the back of the low hill and charging the front of the division. In the ensuing melee, eight battalions of French were either cut-down or broke and fled. Still the guns on the hill fired!

Blucher’s Prussians hold in square on the Krekowitz heights.

Marmont began his advance over the broken ground, casualties falling from the long range shots from the Russian twelve pound guns. The troops from Oudinot’s Corps were streaming back, pinning the troops from the Imperial Guard, Napoleon managed to rally most of these and they then joined the ranks of the Guard to advance again. On came the divisions of Marmont, through shot and shell. Still they came, the French Guard cavalry flanked the Old Guard providing protection from the Russian cavalry that was manoeuvring for a charge opportunity while on the northern flank the light cavalry of Marmont’s division protected this side. The Russian guns piled on the Pressure, opening up with Canister on the troops from Marmont’s force.

The leading battalions from Marmont’s Corps step into the marshy ground in front of the Russian gun line, the carnage begins.

The Old Guard following one of the Young Guard divisions stepped up the pace, the Young Guard began to die! On the Guard came. There were eight battalions of Russian infantry trying to stop twelve battalions of Elite and Guard infantry! The First Young Guard division swung over to angle a charge away from the Grenadiers and Chasseurs of the Old Guard following them. This would allow the Old Guard space to make their own charge with limited casualties.

The Russian Guard looking to prevent Ney and Lauriston cutting off the Allied line of retreat if it proved necessary.

Marmont’s Corps hit the Russian lines first, pouring on over the redoubts, putting the gunners to the bayonet, the division of Gortchakov fought back, repulsing the first division.
The Yound Guard followed this by hitting the troops rallying after the melee, their volleys at effective range cutting down great swathes of Russian infantry, the Russians broke!

The old Guard charged the redoubts, butchered the gunners then reformed. The Russians behind the redoubts poured a short range volley into them, but the results were poor. The French Chasseurs a Pied de la Garde spoke, the resulting volley cutting down the first two ranks of the Russian infantry! The Russians held, then charged! The resulting melee was bloody, all eight battalions of Russians were committed! The Guard broke!

The allies held their position and the French would not get another chance! Victory to Wittgenstein and Blucher!

Wagram here at the Wargames Holiday Centre promised to be a real ding-dong of a game. Second only to Leipzig in size throughout the Napoleonic war this was a real clincher of a battle for Napoleon. Archduke Charles had given the French a bloody nose at Aspern-Essling, could he do it again and force them to come to the peace table.

Infantry from VI Armeekorps advance, urged on by their General Rosenberg.

As usual with our weekend games the players all turned up on the Friday afternoon, the sides were chosen, the tiles written and the tactics discussed.

The fight for Aderklaa intensifies, this village changed hands several times during the course of the weekend.

The Austrian deployment was restricted in that two Armeekorps had to deploy to the North and East of the Russbach stream, these were the I and II Armeekorps under Bellegarde and Hohemzollern respectively, supported by a battery of twekve pound guns from the Reserve. The remaining three being the Avant Garde, IV Korps and the Reserve under Nordmann, Rosenberg and Liechtenstein respectively, deployed to the west of the stream, again with support from a twelve pound gun battery. One battalion of Austrians from one of these latter Korps could deploy in the village of Aderklaa if they so wished, it was a little out on a limb from the rest of the Austrian deployment line but it would give the French something to think about.

Austrians of I Armeekorps, move to stop the first crossing.

Austrians of I Armeekorps, close up.

The remaining two Armeekorps (III Kollowrath and VI Klenau) were going to come in from the Austrian right wing, driving a wedge between the French and their supply routes from the pontoons across the Danube from the Isle of Lobau from turn one.

The view of the table before the Generals turn up on Sunday morning.

French Deployment was less restricted, they formed a broad front between the villages of Leopoldau and Leopoldsdorf. There were two Corp coming in as a reserve, Wredes VII and Marmont’s XI, but these would all be on by turn six. The Reserve cavalry was on a slow release of one regiment a turn, while the Guard were to be released on the accumulative roll of three average dice and the turn number totalling more then sixteen. The French deployed Oudinot’s II Corps on their far right, Davout immediately to his left, then Massena, Eugene’s Armee d’Italie and finally the corps of Bernadotte on their extreme left.

The view of the table before the Generals turn up on Sunday morning.

The battle was joined and as always the first turn was performed on tiles, after this anything visible in line of sight was transformed into the respective units on the table.

German infantry advancing in column.

Once all the figures that could be seen were deployed the firing for the first turn was done. Here the Austrians had deployed a battalion of Grenzers in Aderklaa, the French were given a free double in front of Aderklaa (to reflect the insistence of Napoleon to capture the village back after Bernadotte had given it up the night before without a fight). So the Italians of Eugene’s Armee d’Italie advanced full tilt toward the sleepy village, six battalions including the Italian Royal Guard Grenadiers. The Grenzer opened up at effective range and shot down eleven figures with their veteran like fire. The Italians took this in their stride and came on!

Troops from II Armeekorps prepare to stop Davout.

Over on the western flank of the battlefield the Austrian III and VI Armeekorps arrived, storming forward toward Bernadotte’s Saxons. In front of the Russbach, the forces squared up to each other and exchanged artillery fire. Oudinot made a bold move to cross the stream, while Davout demonstrated and began the long process of whittling down the troops on the far bank.

The Cavalry from the Austrian Reserve Armeekorps.

Over the next few turns the Saxons turned some of their second line, along with some of their cavalry support to meet the Austrian flank attack. Meanwhile the French sent their Carabinier and Cuirassier down to the west to hold them off. Oudinot got some of his troops across the Russbach, only to retreat back across, rally and go again. The Austrian Avant Garde pushed forward to attempt to link up with the Austrian III and Vi Armeekorps running into stiff resistance from the Saxons.

The troops of the Armee d’Italie.

In the village of Aderklaa the buildings changed hands several times. The Italian Royal Guard exchanging volleys at close range with the Austrians occupying the buildings. Eventually the Grenzer retreated, the Italians awaited the next luckless Austrians to move in and reformed their lines. Massena’s Corps pushed past the east side of Aderklaa and tried to drive a wedge between the Russbach and the village. The six pounder battery from the Austrian IV Armeekorps cutting swathes in the columns.

Hessians crossing the Russbach stream.

Still, on they came now taking fire from the village of Wagram as well.

The Cuirassier advance to the western flank.

The entire Cavalry reserve heads to the western flank.

As the casualties mounted the Corps of Oudinot and Davout began to test the defenders of the Russbach. Bellegarde and Hohenzollern were both taking a large number of casualties in trying to hold the line.

French troops press Wagram bridge and the defenders of the village.

Turn six and the last of the French reserves had arrived. Vandamme begam to move his Corps from the centre on to Aderklaa while the Old and Young Guard, now released, move west to shore up the Saxons. The Austrian flank attack piled on the pressure, advancing then forming square in the face of the French Heavy cavalry regiments. The French artillery then began to wreak havoc among the dense Austrian formations, with VI Armeekorps taking the brunt of the punishment.

Saxon heavy cavalry melee Austrian Hussars.

Still the Avant Garde pushed on, supported now by regiments of Uhlans, Dragoons and Cuirassier. The Saxons began to give ground.

Austrian Uhlans, dash forward from the Reserve Korps, to close the distance to the fighting around Aderklaa.

Over the next few turns the Corps of Oudinot got a foot hold on the northern bank of the Russbach and Davout managed to get some of his Corps and the supporting cavalry across.

The Hesse Darmstadt Lieb Regiment give fire to the defenders of Wagram.

The Austrian reserve moved up to plug the gap between Aderklaa and the bend in the Russbach. Opening fire on the French troops of Massena’s Corps, then charging into the mass. The resulting melee was huge, over three hundred Austrians in the last round and just a few less in the French columns. The Austrians won through though! The troops of Massena’s Corps falling back on the Guard cavalry that was moving up to support them. The infantry rallied, letting the Grenadiers a Cheval through, while the Austrians quickly deployed int two battalion frontage in line and four ranks deep, these were Elite troops, they would stop the “Big Heels” in their tracks. The resulting charge from the French Guard Heavies was blasted, however, the Grenadiers fired too early, what remained of the Heavies squadrons hit home, smashing through the Austrian lines, breaking the front two battalions.

French troops moving in column of march.

The troops in Aderklaa, blasted the remaining Italians from in front of them and then swapped facing in the village, firing out of the east face into the French Guard cavalry. Stll this was not enough, the second wave of Guard Heavies thundered onto the remaining, unformed Austrian Grenadiers, they broke, pinning the remaining battalions, on came the Grenadiers a Cheval, supported by the Chasseurs a Cheval, cutting their way through the panicked mob!
On the western flank the Saxons finally succumbed, but the French Cuirassier were holding the advancing Austrians back.

Another view of the battlefield before the Generals get here.

Overall the French had crossed the Russbach, protected their lines of communication and pushed the support for Adderklaa back. However the western half of the battlefield was still firmly in the hands of the Austrians, Bellegarde and Hohenzollern were able to withdraw from the Russbach, while the rest of the Austrians would surely live to fight another day.

Dragoons supporting Davout’s corps.

Troops lining out from Davout’s corps.

Davout’s corps advancing early in the battle.

Great game, the whole battle panned out quite historically after all, just with different formations in their place.