The Battle of Eckmühl (also known as “Eggmühl”) fought on 21 April – 22 April 1809, was the turning point of the 1809 Campaign, also known as the War of the Fifth Coalition. Napoleon Ihad been unprepared for the start of hostilities on 10 April 1809, by the Austrians under the Archduke Charles of Austria and for the first time since assuming the French Imperial Crown had been forced to cede the strategic initiative to an opponent. Thanks to the dogged defense waged by the III Corps, commanded by Marshal Davout, and the Bavarian VII Corps, commanded by Marshal Lefebvre, Napoleon was able to defeat the principal Austrian army and wrest the strategic initiative for the remainder of the war.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Eckm%C3%BChl
The Game
We played the Battle of Eckmuhl using Bloody Big Battles. The historical battle in 1809 saw two Austrian corps, with grenadiers and cuirassiers in reserve, overwhelmed by two French corps, a Bavarian corps, a Wurtemburg detachment, and a cuirassier reserve. To balance the scenario and accommodate six players, we added a third Austrian corps that historically had its movement order cancelled before it could join the battle.
The 8’X5′ table featured hilly and wooded terrain with many small villages. The Post Road ran across the Laber River to the village of Eckmuhl in the south and exited the table in the northeast corner next to the village of Alteglofsheim. The Schloss at Eckmuhl provided a +2 close combat benefit (+3 if assaulted from across the river). The other villages, woods, and hilltops provided +1 to defenders in close combat and the usual cover from shooting. The secondary roads on the table provided no movement bonus but negated difficult terrain. The river was fordable and the water meadows next to the river were difficult going.
The initial set up and the initial (and subsequent) grand tactical orders were dictated by scenario rules and implemented by the umpire, who played the roles of both senior commanders — the Archduke Charles and Napoleon. The players were in charge of the corps and attached formations on both sides.
The Austrians were placed in their historical starting positions, with Rosenberg’s isolated IV Corps defending from the river to the middle of the table near the twin villages of Ober- and Unter- Sanding. Grenzers held the Schloss at Eckmulhl. Holhenzollern’s III Corps was concentrated between the Sandings and Thalmassing, where Archduke Charles had his headquarters. The grenadier reserve and cuirassier reserve were held in the rear. Kollowrat’s II Corps was off table to the NW, and would enter later in the game.
The French and Allies began with Davout’s III Corps deployed on the hills to the west, with the leading divisions of Lefebvre’s Bavarian Corps to their south. These two corps advanced to engage both Austrian corps. The Wurtemburg light infantry brigade entered the southern edge of the table on the post road and launched an immediate assault on Eckmuhl. These would be the first of many troops to come from the south.
On the first turn, the defending Austrians made the most of their advantage in artillery. Davout’s artillery was damaged and silenced before it could unlimber, and Hohenzollern’s massed batteries made a direct approach to his position very costly. Rosenberg further disrupted the Franco-Bavarian attack by launching his two small light cavalry brigades at the French and Bavarian artillery batteries, driving them to the rear with the loss of a French battery.
On Turn 2, the rest of the French and Allied army arrived. Lanne’s corps of two infantry divisions along with a Wurtemburg light cavalry division entered and began to ford the river east of Eckmuhl. The cavalry reserve of two French cuirassier divisions forded the river west of Eckmuhl and moved into the water meadows. The second Bavarian division entered in the southwest. These additional forces were more than enough to crush Rosenberg’s corps, but it would take many turns and many casualties before that was achieved.
When Archduke Charles became aware of the strength of the enemy forces to the south, he sent couriers riding to his commands with new orders. Rosenberg was ordered to make a fighting withdraw, falling back along the post road. However, by the time this order arrived, Rosenberg’s corps was so hotly engaged on three sides that it was difficult to break off, although he was able to send most of his artillery to the rear. The intended attack of Hohenzollern’s and Kollowrat’s combined force was cancelled (although Kollowrat never received this order, per the scenario amendment). Hohenzollern was ordered to hold his position and support the withdrawal of Rosenberg — his corps was engaged by some of Davout’s troops near Sanding. The grenadier and cuirassier reserves were ordered to fall back to Alteglofsheim and would play no part in the battle.
In the general engagement in the south, Rosenberg’s troops held the hill above the twin villages of Ober- and Unter- Laiching for several turns, repulsing many French and Bavarian assaults with loss. His light cavalry held off the flanking Wurtemburg light cavalry. The grenzers were eventually pushed out of Eckmuhl and joined the press in the center, attacked by Lanne’s infantry and some of the cuirassiers. As the Austrian position was slowly compressed, it was difficult for the French and Allies to bring all of their force to bear. Some of their excess formations would have been better employed in the north, where the Austrian threat was looming.
The late arrival of Kollowrat’s corps in the northeast came as a surprise to both commanders. The Archduke Charles was stunned to learn that his order cancelling the movement had not been received. After taking some time to assess the new situation, Charles assented to Rosenberg and Kollowrat combining to make a joint attack on Davout’s overextended forces in the north. All Davout could do in the face of this superior force was fall back into the forest, and report to Napoleon that events had taken a turn for the worse on his flank. Receiving this report two hours later, Napoleon sent his aides galloping to redirect all unengaged brigades and batteries to the threatened northern sector. However, this came too late, as Hohenzollern’s infantry plugged the defile through the central woods, blocking the movement of the French and Bavarian reinforcements.
The last turns saw Rosenberg’s worn formations finally starting to succumb. They had skillfully used every means at their disposal (as well as some sustained good fortune) to hold out for the course of the day, but the strength of the enemy was too much, and the accumulated effect of losses started to break down command and control. When two of his brigades broke, Rosenberg himself was left exposed and was captured. An ignominious end to an otherwise brilliant day.
With that, we called the game two turns short of its intended 14 turn limit. Davout had managed to break off in the north, the center was stalemated, and Rosenberg’s remaining troops were either retreating or about to surrender, with the French in no position to pursue, hence the game had played out. Rosenberg’s corps was mauled, but had dealt the same mauling to its assailants. Hohenzollern’s corps had been lightly engaged with attrition about even. Kollowrath’s corps was at full strength. Davout’s corps had taken heavy casualties, as had the leading Bavarian division. The other French and Allied formations had only light losses, but were barred by the restrictive terrain from doing more.
Thus the game was assessed as a draw, which was a better result for the Austrians than they managed in the actual battle.
- Tony