7th March 1814 - Battle of Oppenheim

Oppenheim Campaign Area

10^th French corps has orders to attack Oppenheim

1^st Russian corps has orders to hold Oppenheim

Russian HQ has orders to move to Oppenheim

4^th Russian corps has orders to move to F05

French                                     Russian          

16000 infantry                         31600 infantry                       

1000 cavalry                           2000 cavalry              

30 guns                                   60 guns

Special Rules

The French are not aware that 4^th Russian will arrive on move 5

They must continue to attack until 4^th corps enters the table

They may then order a retreat if they wish.

The two Russian corps taking part were 3^rd and 4^th. 

Due to a typing error I used 1^st and 4^th in the battle report

The order of battle for 1^st and 3^rd corps are identical

Table at start of wargame

Elsdorf is the town bottom left

10^th French corps will arrive top left at the start of move 1

4^th Russian corps will arrive bottom right at the start of move 5

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Sacken has joined 1^st corps and ordered them to allow the French to advance

French start to arrive between the village and the river Rhine

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

French continue to deploy

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Both armies out of artillery range

French continue to advance and deploy

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

Sacken orders 1^st corps to advance to pin the French

French have deployed and are ready to advance

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

Sacken joins 4^th corps and orders them to make for the furthest bridge

His intention is to cut the French line of retreat and force them to fight

1^st Corps continues to advance to engage the French

Brayer orders 10^th corps to retreat

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

10^th French send two infantry brigades to hold the third (top) bridge

Remainder of corps start to edge back

1^st corps advance to pin the French

4^th corps march towards third bridge to cut off French retreat

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

10^th have suffered infantry and gunner casualties

They continue to retreat to area between village and top bridge

1^st corps suffers heave casualties as they try to pin French

4^th corps press advance towards the top bridge

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

French infantry have reached the bridge before the Russian cavalry

They have also rallied their gunners

1^st corps have two brigades in rout and are pinned by French cavalry

4^th corps continue to advance, but will reach the bridge too late

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

French infantry form square to secure the top bridge

Remainder of the corps withdraw behind an infantry and cavalry rear guard

1^st corps limber artillery to chase French

4^th corps near bridge, but probably too late.

 

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

French brigade breaks, nearby gunners fail morale and join them

Cavalry charge 1 corps gunners, who seek safety in the nearest square

1^st Russian advance delayed by enemy cavalry charge

4^th Russian artillery unlimber, infantry move towards bridge

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

Another French brigade breaks, nearby brigade shaken

Cavalry received 20% casualties and rout from field

Just two formed brigades left to cover the retreat

One hold the vital bridge

1^st Russian now too far to catch retreating French

4^th Russian routs nearest infantry and infantry approach bridge

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

Nightfall has arrived just in time for the French

Just one brigade in square retreats from bridge

1^st Russian limber and advance

4^th Russian also limber and infantry in position to storm bridge

Nightfall from French position

Game Casualties

French suffer 800 infantry and 200 cavalry casualties

They also have two infantry and one cavalry brigade in rout

Russians suffer 400 infantry and 100 cavalry casualties

They also have one infantry brigade in rout

Game Summary

A clear Russian victory, but only light casualties on each side

Total casualties at the end of this battle

French 1000 casualties and three brigades in rout

Russian 500 casualties and one brigade in rout

The French were lucky to escape with such light casualties

The failure of 1^st Russian corps to pin them saved the French from destruction.