Campaign Map on 13 October 1813
Having concentrated two corps at
Wassenburg, Schwartzenberg immediately ordered them to attack Holzkirchen. Both corps had battle casualties, but he was
determined to take full advantage of the Bavarian retreat from the river Isar.
9th and 10th
Bavarian corps have just arrived in front of Holzkirchen. They also have battle casualties, and are
also running short of supplies. The
attack takes them by surprise.
In the south Oudinot is confident
that he can hold the line of the river and the towns of Bad Tolz and
Tegensee. He is happy to leave the
initiative to the enemy.
Schwartzenberg is also content to
allow a lull in the south. An attack
over a defended river line is not attractive.
He does however order a concentration of supplies at Rosenheim in
preparation for any future advance.
Battle of Holzkirchen
Both armies are evenly balanced,
and both have battle casualties
The Bavarians have the advantage of
being in defence, and holding a strong defensive position. They also have a garrison in the fortified
town of Holzkirchen which would cover
any retreat.
Schwartzenberg declines to attack
down the centre, which is dominated by the Bavarian artillery. The result is a wide gap between his two
corps, which can not therefore support each other.
The battle opens with effective
artillery fire, which is quickly followed by two cavalry melee. The Austrians win both melee, and two
Bavarian brigades retreat in rout with heavy casualties.
Without cavalry support the
Bavarians fall back on the Holzkirchen.
Campaign Notes
Holzkirchen is a good example of a
careful but determined attack.
Schwartzenberg sends forward his
artillery to soften up the enemy. He
keep both his cavalry and infantry in reserve out of artillery range.
The Bavarian cavalry charge and
rout 3rd corps artillery, which is attempting to deploy in front of
the infantry and cavalry. They rout the
gunners, but are then counter charge by the Austrian cavalry and themselves
routed. The Austrian cavalry advance
and pin the enemy infantry, and their own advance in support.
2nd Austrian corps
artillery force 10th Bavarian cavalry to retreat, and the remainder
of the corps advance. Their cavalry
charge, and rout, the shaken Bavarian cavalry.
The remainder of the Bavarian army
retreat before they are pinned by the enemy cavalry.
Neither side have lost many
casualties, other than Austrian gunners and Bavarian cavalry. The Austrian victory is far from decisive,
but it has also been achieved with very few casualties
The Bavarians now have a serious
problem. They cannot retreat far
without moving off the map and out of the campaign. However without any cavalry they will be at
a serious disadvantage if they have to fight again.
Having come close to defeat earlier
in the campaign, the Austrians are now in a very strong position and look to be
favourites to win the campaign.
This campaign has had some unexpected turns! Very cool. Is there a point at which you'd call it quits if the armies keep going back and forth like this?
ReplyDeleteHi Yuri
ReplyDeleteEach campaign phase tends to come to a logical conclusion. But I never end one until it becomes clear that one side can no longer hope to achieve the campaign objective.
This is usually when the aggressor has sufferent sufficient battle casualties that he is no longer of launching a further attack.
Or alternatively when the aggressor has defeated the defending army and caused them to retreat off the map.
The course of the campaign is never planned in advance, it is always as a result of the natural consequences of each battle fought.
Intereting that although all of the previous 72 phases have started with a similar scenario, no two of them have followed exactly the same route. Or perhaps that is just my memory of them all!