Ingolstadt Campaign – Day Three

Campaign Map

14 August 1813 – Southern Germany – Day 3

French attack Bergheim and retreat to Lauf
7th French army – retreat to Lauf
8th French army – attack Bergheim
9th French army – regroup and resupply

Austrian defend Bergheim
1st Austrian army – advance to border
2nd Austrian army – defend Bergheim
3rd Austrian army – regroup and resupply

Battle of Bergheim – End of Move 2

The Austrian army was deployed on the three game objectives at the start of the game.

All three are in the centre of the able, the bridge on the left, the road junction in the centre and the farm on the right.

The first two battles of the campaign had not gone well for the French army, and it was essential that they won this one. In previous battles the defender had placed troops at both ends of a bridge, the attacker then put an equal number of troops to attack the bridge. The winner of this isolated combat did not have any effect on the main battle. So this time both commanders ignored the left bank of the river.

The battle opened with a cavalry melee on the left, which the Austrians won. The Bavarian army deployed out of artillery range, and moved their guns forward. For a short time there was an ineffective counter battery battle, which allowed the routed Bavarian cavalry brigade to rally.

The attacking player ordered all three corps to attack, with the cavalry leading. The cavalry melee was won by the Bavarians, and the Austrian infantry had to form square. The supporting attacking infantry smashed the squares, and the Austrians retreated.

Both sides lost a lot of cavalry and gunners, but the Austrians also lost morale and five brigades routed.

Overnight the Austrian army retreated, and abandoned the walled town of Bergheim

Comments

This campaign has gotten off to a bad start, with the attacking French losing the first two battles. This is very unusual, because the attackers have a distinct advantage in the early battles of each campaign phase. The defenders are dispersed and must concentrate to fight. In addition the attackers have fewer brigades detached on garrison duty. So they normally manage to take the first three objectives, which are the border towns. The advantage then shifts to the defenders as they can dictate where the next three battles will take place, and collect their detached garrisons as they retreat from the border towns.

If the attacking army fails to take the border towns, or worse still are forced to retreat back across the border, then effectively the campaign phase has ended and the defending army wins. In addition there are only three battles fought, rather than the anticipated six or more.

In this campaign the Austrians won a technical victory at Weichering, where they held one of the three objectives and disputed a second, however they suffered more casualties and had to retreat the next day.

They won a decisive victory at Buxheim, and the French/Bavarian army had to retreat back over the border.

So this battle was critical for both sides. If the Austrians won again, then they would win the campaign. In fact they lost, they will have to retreat and the campaign continues.