On the flanks at Abensberg
Advance on Siegenburg 19/20 April 1809
Background:
Archduke Louis of Austria, and most of
his troops, had sat largely idle during 19/20 April 1809 as the Battle of
Abensberg raged on the plains below his position atop Perka Heights. His units
moved a distance of less than 5 miles in the course of 9 hours, from
Ludmannsdorf to an area between Siegenburg and Rohr. Louis had little military
experience and lacked a firm idea of what he and his command were supposed to
do. The young Archduke was under the guidance of Hiller and it was Hiller who eventually
coordinated the Austrian withdrawal when the Austrian line began to falter
under heavy pressure.
French
general Vandamme’s units moved across the Abens River behind Wrede’s Bavarians at
Bilburg, then turned southeast, and fell upon Bianchi’s Austrians who had been
left exposed by the withdrawal of supporting units. Vandamme’s Wurttembergers supported Wrede’s
Bavarians as they drove Bianchi back into the main body of the Austrian V Armee
Korps. Word from Archduke Charles eventually reached Archduke louis and the
Austrians fell back toward Rottenburg.
Our scenario is based heavily on the Frenchman Petre’s account
of the battle and supposes a more vigorous participation by Vandamme’s
provisional corps of Wurttemberg troops. Archduke Louis’ V Armee Korps has been
slow to react to orders and has become strung out and isolated as they had
moved with poor coordination into their positions on the 19th &
20th. As units withdrew on each side of them, the Austrian V Armee Korps was
left exposed and was hit by Wrede’s Bavarians, Lannes’ Frenchmen, and
Vandamme’s Wurttemburgers.
Our Scenario:
The Austrians hold a ragged line
from Siegenburg northeast towards Kirchdorf. The Wurttembergers are trying to
pry the Austrians away from Siegenburg and disrupt their positions so that
units approaching from the north can snare the Austrians in a trap. Hiller has
determined that the Austrians must hold Siegenburg and the road to Rottenburg
until the road clears sufficiently to allow the Austrians to withdraw.
The
objectives are the village of Siegenburg and the road to Rottenburg.
See the
scenario notes at the end for specifics…
Scenario designer disclaimer:
The size of the scenario (number of
units) has been kept to a, comparatively, low number in order to allow room to maneuver
and to force commanders to choose where to position units during the battle without
their troops standing shoulder to shoulder. This also represents the lack of
cohesion in the Austrian side as V Armee Korps was spread wide and in turmoil
without clear leadership. By the same token, we are also representing an increase
in the Wurttembergers’ role in the battle to take advantage of Jeff’s nice
collection.
If both sides feel that
more is needed then each side can add another cavalry brigade. The brigades
will be identical. They enter anywhere along the owning side’s baseline after
turn 1.
French General de Brigade Croquette
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Chasseur a Cheval
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12
|
Line
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Chasseur a Cheval
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12
|
Line
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General-Major Francis, Baron of Krokett
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||
Chevauxleger
|
12
|
Line
|
Chevauxleger
|
12
|
Line
|
Portion
of V Armee Korps and Light Division
FML Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen
ADC Major Gunthermann
Duka Infantry Regiment #39
1st Battalion
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24
|
Line
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Duka Infantry Regiment #39
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
|
Gyulai Infantry Regiment #60
1st Battalion
|
32
|
Veteran
|
|
Gyulai Infantry Regiment #60
2nd Battalion
|
32
|
Line
|
|
General-Major Franz Johann Schulz von Rothacker
|
|||
Beaulieu Infantry Regiment #58
1st Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
|
Beaulieu Infantry Regiment #58
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
|
Vienna Freiwilligers
1st Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
Up to ½ battalion can be deployed as 2nd Rate SK
|
Vienna Freiwilligers
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
2nd Line
|
|
Broder Grenz Regiment #7
1st Battalion
|
24
|
Veteran
|
1st Rate Skirmish
|
Broder Grenz Regiment #7
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
2nd Rate Skirmish
|
Colonel Ritterbach
|
|||
Kienmayer Hussar Regiment #8
|
16
|
Veteran
|
|
Archduke Charles Hussar Regiment #3
|
12
|
Veteran
|
|
2
Artillery Batteries of 3 Sections 6lb Foot/Line to be attached to any 2 of the
3 infantry brigades
Württemberg (later VIII) Corps
GdD Dominique Vandamme
ADC Major Hummels
General-Major
Franquemont
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|||
Prince Royal
Regiment
1st
Battalion
|
24
|
Veteran
|
|
Prince Royal
Regiment
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
|
Duc Wilhelm Regiment
1st Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
|
Duc Wilhelm Regiment
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
|
Neubronn Fusilier
Regiment
1st
Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
Up to ½ battalion can be deployed as 2nd Rate SK
|
General-Major Scharfenstein
|
|||
Phull Regiment
1st
Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
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Phull Regiment
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
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Camrer Regiment
1st Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
|
Camrer Regiment
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
|
Neubronn Fusilier
Regiment
2nd Battalion
|
24
|
Veteran
|
|
General-Major Hügel
|
|||
|
24
|
Veteran
|
1st Rate Skirmish
|
Wolff Light Battalion
|
24
|
Veteran
|
1st Rate Skirmish
|
Bruselle Light Battalion
|
24
|
Line
|
2nd Rate Skirmish
|
General-Major Stettner
|
|||
König Chasseurs à Cheval Regiment
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12
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Veteran
|
Superior Mounts
|
Duc Louis Chevau-Léger Regiment
|
12
|
Veteran
|
|
2
Artillery Batteries of 3 Sections 6lb Foot /Line to be attached to any 2 of the
3 infantry brigades
General map of battlefield
Scenario
Rules:
Commanders -
The quality of ALL generals must be determined by dice roll. Vandamme cannot be POOR. Any roll of a 1 for
Vandamme is a re-roll until he proves to be average or excellent.
Set up - The
table will be divided into 4 zones from left to right. Each brigade must roll
to determine which zone it is in at the beginning of the scenario. Two brigades
may NOT occupy the same zone. The exception to this placement is the
Austrian Baron von Mesko’s Grenzers – this brigade may be placed in any zone
prior to the Austrians rolling for other brigades. Roll a d10 to find set up
zone:
1-2
Zone 1
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3-4
Zone 2
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5-6
Zone 3
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7-8
Zone 4
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9-10
You pick
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Deployment -
Each side may deploy up to 24” in from table edge.
Woods: - Difficult
terrain per the book. These are sparse woods so sighting distance into/out of
them is 6”. Woods offer a COVER -2 modifier.
Village - The
village can hold up to 1 battalion of 24 figures. The village gives a COVER -2
modifier against musket fire. Due to large stacks of firewood situated within
the village there is a Special Cover -3 modifier to incoming artillery fire
Roads - The
roads offer movement bonus rates to units in road column for the entire turn.
Winning
the Scenario:
Holding
Siegenburg and the road to Rottenburg are the goals for both sides.
Withdrawal -
The Austrians are holding until Hiller (guiding/advising/commanding Archduke
Louis) gives the word that Austrian units in the rear have cleared sufficient
room to withdraw, if necessary. After completing 8 turns the Austrians
roll 2d6 (each turn) with a 9+ indicating withdrawal begins in 1d6 turns. Add 2
turns to the withdrawal time if Prince Heinrich has been killed or captured.
To “own”
Siegenburg, you must have had a formed unit (in good morale status and able to
follow an order) as the last to have occupied/moved through the village. Unformed,
faltered, retreating, or rout do not count! If a unit entered the town in good
morale but eventually dispersed without an opposing unit then moving into town
then the dispersed unit was the last to occupy town…
To control
the road… the Austrians cannot allow any formed French unit to be within
36” of the roads exit point at games end. For Vandamme’s troops to control the
road the Austrians must have a less than 4 formed infantry battalions within
24” of the exit point at game’s end.
Units in bad morale status (falter, push back, retreat, rout), unformed,
in skirmish, or on brigade retreat orders do not count as formed for either
side.