Battle of Sank Michael 1809 Austrians Vs French

(Lasalle in 15mm)

This was a good opportunity to bring out the newly painted Austrian Grenz and Landwehr. This was the prime reason for selecting such a tough scenario.

From wikipedia and the scenario written by Peter Anderson in his excellent book "Blunders on the Danube" (http://blundersonthedanube.blogspot.com/), supplemented by a Command and Colors scenario and googlemaps, I tweaked the battle with a specific aim in mind.

So, how to make a scenario work ? If you intend to play this game as a commander, then don't read any further, for the point is to have both commanders operating under a fog of war, uncertain of what is actually going to happen and to make decisions based on perception, rather than stated objectives. If you want to run this scenario as an umpire then cool, please read on, but I think it is a one play exercise. Once played, it has done its job. More about this at the end.

Alan took on the difficult job of playing the Austrians while Pete( Darling) and Dave (Von Neudog) played the French, having had wind of what they should be doing having had a trial run of the scenario the fortnight before.

Historically, on 25 May 1809 Jellacic, the Austrian commander was leading a division down the Leising valley towards Sankt Michael intending to cross the River Mur and proceed to join Archduke John, in Graz, some 50km distant down stream. Prince Eugene, with a French Army at his disposal, was camped some 30km away at Judenburg to the east and got wind of this. He detached Greiner's Corps (2 divisions under Seras and Durutte) to cut them off. A corp vs a (weak) division.

The Austrians arrived at Sankt Michael first, early in the morning and confronted the lead elements of Seras' division on the plateau to the west of the town. Jellacic, thinking he was facing only light opposition, fought for the plateau in order that his baggage train could get across the River Mur. There were actually two key bridges, one over the fast flowing Leising River and the main bridge over the Mur. Both rivers are unfordable.

FRENCH

General de Corps - Paul Grenier

General de Division

Jean Mathieu Seras Commander 10BW

9^th Chasseur a Cheval Reliable Experienced Small Pursuit

4 pndr Horse battery Light 4 Bases

Colonel Jean-Baptiste Bruny Sub Commander 4BW

1/62^nd Line Bn Reserve (Count Desaix Brigade) Reliable Experienced Small

2/62^nd Line Bn Reserve (Count Desaix Brigade) Reliable Experienced Small

General De Brigade Roussel Sub Commander 6BW

1/1 Legere Bn Valiant Experienced Small SK1

1/53^rd Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

2/53^rd Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

3/53^rd Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

4/53^rd Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

General De Brigade Louis Gareau Sub Commander 6BW

1/35^th Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

1/42^nd Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

1/106^th Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

2/106 Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

3/106^th Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

4/106^th Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

In Support (Models not needed)

General de Division

Joseph Durutte

(about 4 hours behind you)

6 pndr foot battery

9^th Chasseur a Cheval Reliable Experienced Small Pursuit

6 pndr foot battery

Brigade Francois Valentin

Brigade Francois Valentin

1/22^nd Legere Bn

2/22^nd Legere Bn

1/23^rd Legere Bn

2/23^rd Legere Bn

3/23^rd Legere Bn

4/23^rd Legere Bn

Brigade Joseph Marie, Count Dessaix

3/62^nd Line Bn

4/62^nd Line Bn

1/102^nd Line Bn

2/102^nd Line Bn

3/102^nd Line Bn

(1/62^nd and 2/62^nd detached South of Mur)

AUSTRIAN

General de Division

Field Marschall-Leutnant Franz Jellacic Commander 10BW

Salzburg Chevaulegers Reliable Experienced Small Lancers Pursuit

3 pndr foot battery Light 2 Bases

Salzburg Landwehr Shaky Amateur Small

Brigade General Major Konstantin Ettingshausen Sub Commander 6BW

1/32^nd Esterhazy Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

2/32^nd Esterhazy Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

3/32^nd Esterhazy Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

1/45^th De Vaux Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

2/45^th De Vaux Line Bn Reliable Experienced Small

Brigade General Major Ignaz Legisfeld Sub Commander 6BW

1/5^th Grenz Bn Reliable Experienced Small SK3 maybe Irreg

2/5^th Grenz Bn Reliable Experienced Small SK3 maybe Irreg

1/55^th Line Bn Reuss Greiz + 1/3^rd Archduke Charles (½) Reliable Experienced Large

 As you can see, the most optimistic of Austrian Commanders would soon realise they are doomed. So it is important not to disclose the full OOB to either side, nor even the most rudimentary objectives. The mission briefings are included at the end of this post.

The Austrians start with a Legisfeld's brigade on the Leising Road, while the French have a single light (legere) battalion sprinting from the western board edge. French reserves (Rousell's Brigade) enter in turn 3, while the second Austrian Brigade (Ettingshausen) enter from turn 2.



At the start of play, the Austrian Brigade under Legisfeld is moving south, the town is on the right of the pic, seen above. The Leising river is on the right, the big wooded hill (Fresenberg) at the rear, with a small farm (Sankt Walpurga) on the left. The Grenz battalions are moving onto the plateau having spotted a single Legere battalion moving in march column towards the Leising Bridge, which is just visible at the lower right. The second Austrian Brigade (Ettingshausen) appears in the next turn coming down the same road.



A few turns later and Legisfeld's brigade has turned to meet the French coming from the left, but with only two Grenz battalions, a landwehr battalion and a large infantry battalion (1/55th), they have their work cut out. The Austrian 1/55th has moved to guard the Leising Bridge, firing a nice volley and the French Legere Bn (still in march column) is being threatened by the Salzburg Chevaulegers on their left flank. Their days are numbered. The River Mur is obvious across the bottom of the pic while the Mur Bridge is just out of shot to the lower right.

This is the decision point for both commanders. What to do? Jelacic thinks he is only facing light troops and the plateau is going to be critical to him getting over the Mur with his baggage train. The French have huge numbers on their side and are desperate to get into the fight and seal off the Austrian escape. The plateau is only being defended by the Landwehr and two Grenz battalions (one of which has moved into the Walpurga farm). Jelacic's second brigade has entered the game at the top right. A single french light artillery battery (4 bases) is being rushed up, while the Austrian 2 base battery could support the thin brown and grey line on the plateau.

     The doomed 1/1st legere

A few turns later and the French have moved into attack columns and gone all fancy pants "en chequer", The French Chasseurs a Cheval sprint for the Leising bridge bottom left, the Landwehr and Grenz deliver a volley to try and stop the horde. The second French Brigade has entered play on the far left. The Austrians are unaware a whole new division waits behind that lot.

Alan (Austrian) has decided that the evacuation of the troops across the bridges should take priority. he sacrifices the Landwehr and the Grenz to move quickly down the road with his core troops, deciding the plateau is a lost cause. Smart play.



A few turns later, the Landwehr have crumbled under succesive assaults, the 1/55th Austrian Bn and Chevaulegers have turned to face the French to hold the approaches to the bridge, and being charged by the French Chassuers a Cheval, they form square. Walpurga farm is being overun as the French get onto Fresenberg Hill (essentially, the second French Brigade was committed to this). Ettingshausen's Austrian brigade has got two battalions over the Leising Bridge and another two might also escape. In the foreground, unknown to either side, Dessaix has detached two battalions from a supporting brigade to threaten the Mur bridge from the south.



The Austrian 1/55th (two disruptions and no longer in square) still holds firm against a successive charge from the French cavalry, but is facing the prospect of canister from the french artillery lower left. The Austrian Chevaulegers have bolted to the west, behind the french guns out of picture. Why ? not sure ! The French are enveloping the Austrian right and an Austrian battalion has had to divert from crossing the bridge to shore up the line. 



The French fully engaging the Austrian rearguard, 1/55th in the foreground, Grenz being pursued in the distance, Chasseurs a Cheval still charging, French breaking through middle right of pic.





But, two Austrian battalions are almost across the Mur Bridge and a third has got over the Leising Bridge, thus holding valuable ground and securing an escape route. The rest of the Austrians will not be so lucky.

On the actual day, Jelacic thought to preserve his baggage train and arraigned his whole division across the plateau, holding off Seras until mid afternoon. Then Durutte's Division arrived and the French made a massive combined 2 division assault, essentially wiping the single weaker Austrian Division out. Since Jelacic's instructions were to join Archduke John at Graz, he utterly failed, as one Austrian historian stated, Jelacic was "a remarkably unlucky and inept general". On this day, Alan played to his instincts and almost got a whole brigade out of the trap.

I set victory conditions that rewarded the Austrians for getting over the Leising Bridge and rewarded the French for wiping out the Austrians/engaging them to the west of the bridges/getting over Fresenberg Hill to prevent a norther escape/ and generally being aggressive. I don't think Alan could have done much more, Peter and Dave had a clue about what the French should be doing, so engaged quickly, while Alan was roleplaying an Austrian General caught in a trap.

If the Austrians play this again, they should obviously bolt for the bridge, do not hesitate, do not engage with anything except the bare minimum, send the Chevaulegers across the bridge to guard the southern bank just in case, put the Grenz in the woods on Fresenberg Hill and deploy them as irregulars (an option given) and keep the northern escape route open. Sacrifice the poor landwehr. It would take huge resolve to do this while nursing the thought you are only fighting some light french troops.

Thanks to the players, Alan for taking on the huge challenge, Peter and Dave for driving the French so hard forward. Even the sacrifice of the 1/1e French Legere held up the Austrians for that critical few turns. This was a totally unbalanced scenario, but to achieve total victory the French must go for it unhesitatingly. For the Austrians to win, they should do their best to refuse battle. Hence it can only really be played once !

Out of interest, I have included the respective briefings. My apologies, but I only have a hand drawn scenario map but you can get the gist looking at the pictures of the table. I enjoyed using google earth 3D and getting an idea of just what this terrain is like. The Leising Bridge is difficult to find, but is mentioned by a few sources.

Austrian Briefing:

Archduke John has instructed that you take your division and join him at Graz after concerns the Austrian Army was too dispersed. On 19 May 1809 you evacuated Salzburg to commence the march to Graz, where Archduke John has retreated, being pursued by Prince Eugene following the Battle of Piave River. Your division will add reinforcements to Archduke John's army. You have detached most of your cavalry, most of your artillery and much of the landwehr battalions prior to leaving Salzburg, believing them to be less important in the alpine regions.

You arrived at Mautern and plan to follow the Leising Valley to Sankt Michael, where you will turn east to follow the Mur River down to Graz, some 50km away. At 0900 on 25^th May your forces are marching southward, along the Leising River, and have just reached Sankt Michael. You are aware that Eugene, with a considerable sized force is somewhere to the south west and is headed for Bruck an der Mur, some 40km from Graz, on the river valley you will march along.

At 0930, Legisfeld's Light Brigade (Grenz) are reporting the presence of a Legere (light) French battalion moving towards the plateau overlooking Sank Michael where the bridges over the rivers Leising and the Mur must be crossed for you to continue your march. Your baggage train is strung out along the Leising valley road. There is a slight risk you will be cornered in Sankt Michael, but there are two avenues of escape should the French force attack in strength, across the Mur to continue your journey, or a retreat back up the Leising valley. At the present time it seems possible to hold off the French from the plateau and allow the baggage train to continue through Sankt Michael.

The proficient Grenz battalions can be irregular troops and are ideally suited to operations in the wooded Fresenberg Hill. They may move without penalty, may fire through woods and may recover DISR even if they move (but must be >4BW from enemy) if they are irregular, but may not revert to being regular if this option is taken. They may not form square if irregular and suffer a -1 penalty when shooting in the open.

French Briefing:

You, General of Division, Jean Seras, are part of Prince Eugene's army, hot on the heels of Archduke John's force who were harried at the Battle of the River Piave after retreating from Villach, they are heading towards Graz. Your pursuit has taken you to Judenberg, in the valley of the river Mur, some 25km southwest of Sankt Michael and still 80km from your destination.

Eugene has received word that a division of Austrians, under Jellacic, is attempting to rejoin Archduke John's force. This force is to the northwest, coming down from Salzburg and retreating under Napoleon's northern offensive in Bavaria. Prince Eugene detaches General Paul Greiner's corps, two divisions under yourself and your colleague Durutte, in order to isolate this Austrian division.

You force march your troops which start to arrive at Sankt Michael on the morning of 25^th May. At 0900 the 1/1^st Legere battalion is approaching the plateau that overlooks the village and commands the approaches to two critical bridges. Jellacic's division is seen moving down the Leising valley and must cross these two bridges in order to move to Graz. You must quickly force the issue and prevent the Austrians from escaping.

Stu

BAROSSA 1811 - LASALLE RULES using 6mm Figures

Barossa, the attempt by a combined Anglo-Spanish force to lift the siege of Cadiz in 1811. A quite well documented battle, fascinating for several reasons and very playable in the course of an evening. The Anglo-Spanish force sailed from Cadiz and landed in Southern Spain with the idea of marching north to engage the French forces from the rear. This was to coincide with a sortie across the river on a pontoon bridge from Cadiz. Quite a sound plan really, except the Spaniards and British found it difficult to coordinate and the French got wind of the plan, setting an ambush for the relieving force.

I will confess I was drawn to Barossa through Cornwell and Sharpe, but the historical connection through a certain Colonel Light, planner of Adelaide, who named the Barossa Valley after the battle, was appealing.

Using Lasalle rules in 6mm, Pete provided the figures and I was able to get some of the flavour of the engagement by refereeing the battle. First Dave, then Alan, commanded the French forces while Pete, who knew something of the historical outcome, commanded the Brits. The involvement of the Spanish was confined to the cavalry who, with the KGL hussars, were present around Barossa Hill. The Battle between the Spanish under La Pena and the French Division under Villatte, which took place a mile or so north, provided the sound of distant gunfire and an impetus.

The battle begins with the British, commanded by Lieutenant Thomas Graham (two Brigades under Dilkes and Wheatley) in the middle of the forest of Chiclana, following a track north to rejoin La Pena.  Graham has wisely seen the tactical importance of Barossa Hill and has left, after negotiation with La Pena, 6 battalions of Spanish troops and a flank battalion under Browne to safeguard the hill. He is now stuck in the forest, strung out along the track, oblivious to everything except the sound of gunfire from the southern end of the Isle de Leon, where La Pena is engaging Villatte's division.

The French have two more divisions, under Ruffin and Leval, who are advancing from the east from a concealed position with the intention of overwhelming the Anglo-British force and attacking them in the flank while they are strung out along the coast road. Marshal Victor is in overall command of the French.

Both players have been provided with maps with only their positions indicated. Both players have a written briefing and a précis of the strategic aims. The English are exhausted and befuddled, frustrated with La Pena in command. The French are enthusiastic but a little uncertain how they will find the opposing army.

BRITISH OOB Barossa

Lt General Thomas Graham

First Brigade (DILKES)
2nd/1st  Foot Guards (Grenadier Guards)		BN Valiant/Exp Guard
2nd Coldstream Guards		BN Valiant/Exp Guard
2nd/3rd  Guards (Scots Guards)		Large BN Valiant/Exp Guard
2nd/95th Rifles	Captain Norcott	BN Valiant/Exp Maybe Irregular

Artillery
6x 9pndr, 4 x 9pndr	Major Duncan	2 batteries.

Cavalry	Colonel Whittingham
KGL Hussars 1st Squadron		BN, Valiant/Exp Pursuit
KGL Hussars 2nd Squadron		BN, Valiant/Exp Pursuit

2nd Bigade COLONEL WHEATLEY
1st/28th Foot Gloucesters	Colonel Belson	BN, Reliable/Exp
2nd/67th Foot Hamptonshire		BN, Reliable/Exp
2nd/87th Foot Prince of Wales Irish	Major Hugh Cough	BN, Valiant/Exp

Flank battalions (Indep)
Gibraltar (1st/9th foot, 1st/28th foot, 2nd/82nd  Foot, 2 companies of each)	Browne	Large BN, Valiant/Exp SK3
Cadiz (2nd/47th foot 2 Co, 3rd/95th rifles 4 Co)	Barnard	Large BN, Valiant/Exp SK3
Port (1st/20th foot, 2nd/20th Line)

French OOB Barossa - Marshal Victor

1st DIVISION -	RUFFIN
2nd/9th Legere		BN vet/exp irregular ?
1st/24th  Line		BN vet/exp
2nd/24th Line		BN vet/exp
1st/96th Line		BN amateur (2nd line)
Provisional Grenadier Bn		BN Vet/exp
Provisional Grenadier Bn		BN Vet/Exp
Artillery 3x6pndrs		Vet?Exp

2nd DIVISION	LEVAL
1st/8th Line		BN Vet/Exp
2nd/8th Line		BN Vet/Exp
1st/45th Line		BN Vet/Exp
1st/54th Line		BN Vet/Exp
2nd/54th Line		BN Vet/Exp
Provisional Grenadier Bn		BN Vet/Exp
Artillery 3 x 6pndrs		Vet/Exp

CAVALRY
1st/1st Dragoons		BN Vet/Exp
2nd/1st Dragoons		BN Vet/Exp
3rd/1st Dragoons		BN Vet/Exp

Two main maps were used to create the table for the battle. Slight differences between them, but a general idea of a ridge extending to the east from Barossa Hill, the big forest of Chiclana and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Both maps have north to the left(ish).

Our rendition of the battlefield. Looking roughly northwest from the southern side of the ridge. The Forest of Chiclana has its boundary marked by the ring of tree bases. A small (fordable) creek runs through the forest. Barossa hill to the left in topped by the ruins of an old convent and the ridge extends to the east (right). The coast road is obvious along the top of the table while smaller tracks lead along the ridge, through the forest and to the south. The ridge was modelled as a series of small hills, but played as if it was a continuous ridge. I retrospect, I think there was too much ground between the ridge and the forest.

View of the table from the north, looking south to the ridge. Dilkes and Wheatley are above the creek in the forest, roughly where the track kinks up. The Y-shaped broken ground is the ravine, played as an erosion gully that provides cover to units within it and impassable to cavalry. Ignore the rogue base of trees that have advanced into the open, who put them there ?

The Opening Phase

The battle opens with the French divisions entering from the table edge near the small lake. Ruffin on the right, Leval on the left from the British point of view. They enter with their dragoons and light infantry (Legere battalion) and soon see the white Spanish uniforms on top of Barossa Hill. They see no redcoats for Browne's battalion is in green. Flushed with enthusiasm, Ruffin advances quickly on the hill with Leval spreading out along the ridge and pushing over it into the narrow flat ground in front of the forest.

The French enter, Ruffin is on the left (south)  in this image, in the distance the Spaniards line the top of the hill. The saddle in the ridgeline, where the road crosses, is a bit of artistic licence. No sign of Brit cavalry or infantry yet. The British however have been tipped off by some Spanish irregulars about the imminent threat to their south and Graham hastily decides to turn his two brigades to face them.

The French advance quickly on the hill and over the ridge line, still in column and, it has to be said, in some disorder. Dave watches as the Spanish evacuate the hill and true to the actual battle, KGL hussars provide a rearguard to save them and Browne from the French dragoons. Pete chooses to have Browne leave the hill, again true to the battle, in the face of the overwhelming French force.

MIDDLE GAME

To the left, in the image above, the French have advanced onto the open ground with limited battalions (some still in column) and are now concerned about a squadron of cavalry that have appeared and some British artillery they can spy in the tree line. A large British battalion (Barnard) has also come into view as I release Pete's forces in a trickle from the centre of the forest. In the actual battle, Graham needed time to get his forces facing the French and used Barnard to buy that time.

The retreating Spaniards leave the hill, Browne retreating less hastily. The isolated French battalions in the open ground, above the ravine, obligingly form square in the face of the cavalry threat.

This is where the advantage of a referee enabled the game to work. Pete (Brits) was as bemused by the cavalry as the French (Dave and later, Alan) were alarmed. Historically the French formed square in the belief that British cavalry was threatening them. They had no idea as to the composition of the army they were facing and the 10 british cannon proceeded to cause massive damage to the clustered French. The cavalry were non-existent, but an excellent artifice to confuse both players.

At the bottom of the image above, the Spaniards continue their retreat threatened by French Dragoons who played chicken with the KGL Hussars for most of the battle.

 Leval looks out over the open ground from atop the ridge, a battalion in square on the left, British apparently emerging in force from the forest. To his left, Ruffin takes the hill easily

  

Meanwhile, Browne has retreated from the hill. In game one Pete opted to put Browne in the ravine, in game two he stayed in a more advanced position. In neither game did Browne attempt to take back the ridge in the face of French superiority. Historically, Browne was directed to take back the hill and took enormous casualties, but didn't break. Eventually he was supported by the guards who repulsed several French sorties from the hill and beat them back.

The British, having had time to form up, then advance on the French. In game one, Dave didn't quite organise the French into line of battle and the British advanced up to the ridge quite easily, as seen here. Pete was able to take the entire ridge with the French concentrated around the ruins on the hill. In game two, Alan deployed the French more successfully but was still overwhelmed as the British sortied out to meet him.

Game one, why are all those Frenchmen hiding around the hill, looking at a single battalion (Browne) on the right of the picture, while two British Brigades are about to roll up their right flank ? Why didn't the French deploy into line ? Ah, the benefits of hindsight and the God view of the battle.

Game 2 (pics to come Pete ?) saw better French resistance and some intense close combat along the line, but eventually they broke and the ridgeline fell. With the ridge gone, the hill comes under pressure from the flank and the British can count the victory.

FIN

Two nil to the British. 

The French outnumbered the Brits by about 3:2, in cavalry, infantry and artillery,  but the sheer uncertainty of the British deployment and shock at seeing them emerge with Cavalry (lol), artillery and infantry from the woods put the French on the back foot. Historically, the Brits swamped the French on the flat and took back the hill by advancing up the ridge just to the east of the top of the hill. They famously captured an eagle. In 1811, Graham's force was so exhausted they were not able to pursue the routing French who escaped back to Chiclana and regrouped. La Pena refused to pursue either Villatte's division whom he outnumbered and beat back or lend support to Graham to ensure a complete strategic victory for the Anglo-Spanish force. After the battle Graham took his troops across the pontoon bridge into Cadiz and refused to acknowledge La Pena. The French reoccupied their positions and the siege continued as it had before. British tactical victory but a French strategic victory. 

Pete had played Lasalle before while Dave had played it once. Alan had never played Napoleonics but came to grips with the tactics very quickly. Lasalle in 6mm didn't provide the detailed shots and imagery that 15mm gives, but gave space for two French divisions to face two British brigades. The Lasalle ruleset for combat resolution and play sequence is beautiful and just works. I took some liberties with the advanced rules and let the flank (almost rifle) battalions switch between irregular and regular formation to represent their better (longer range) shooting. Pics from game 2 (Alan) should be available soon and show excellent combat along a line of troops.

Big ups to Pete for providing the venue and 6mm minis, for Dave for playing the French commander superbly and for Alan for showing that a complete novice at Napoleonics can pick up the ruleset and give a good showing. Had the French been aware of their superiority and deployed accordingly, I am not so sure the British would have had a chance. I thoroughly enjoyed getting the battle running and took delight in putting into play historical events like the Spanish vacating the hill without a shot being fired, the british using their artillery to such good effect and the fog of war that affected the French thinking.