31st March 1814 – Battle of Blamont

Blamont Campaign area

French have orders to halt on hold

Austrians have orders to advance on engage

Austrians        43,200 infantry           3900 cavalry               120 guns

French             47,200 infantry           3800 cavalry               120 guns

Austrian HQ    move to D04

1 corps            move to E05 on engage

2 corps            move to D05 on engage

3 corps            move to D04 on engage

4 corps            move to D03 and support

French HQ       halt

3 corps             halt on hold

9 corps             halt on hold

15 corps           halt on hold

21 corps           halt on hold

Table at start of wargame

Austrian Brigades       11 infantry      4 cavalry         4 artillery

French Brigades          12 infantry      4 cavalry         4 artillery

Note – both armies start the battle with heavy casualties

Note – both armies start the battle on blinds to add fog of war

 

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

All 6 corps on the table have been spotted

Blinds have been replaced with figures

Austrian CinC orders 11 brigade to leave town and join 3 corps

French CinC has joined 3 corps off table to issue movement orders

1 Austrian corps has arrived on right, it has two blinds to add fog of war

One blind is moving to join 3 corps, the other to join 2 corps

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

3 Austrian dragoons charge French lancers, who fail to counter charge

Lancers are routed with 10% casualties

1 Austrian corps ordered to deploy between 2 and 3 corps

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

3 French corps arrives on table on blinds

2 Austrian corps ordered to hold farm

4 Austrian corps moves to outflank village

21 French corps ordered to withdraw to village

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

15 French corps ordered to retreat to T Junction

2 Austrian corps ordered to engage

Austrian CinC orders a general advance

French artillery open fire but no casualties

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

French CinC orders army to retire to line farm to T junction

This is to allow 3 corps to arrive and deploy

3 Austrian corps ordered to engage

Austrian army continue to advance

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

French retreat to new position farm to T junction

3 French corps moves into position on a blind

Austrians continue to advance on engage orders

Artillery counter battery fire but no casualties

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

3 French replace blind with figures and are recognised as Young Guard

16 French artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale test

2 Austrian artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale test

3 Austrian artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties, fail morale and are shaken

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

Austrian cavalry move to front of attack

3 French artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties, pass morale test

4 Austrian artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties, fail morale and are shaken

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

9 French artillery hit gunners, 10% casualties, pass morale test

4 Austrian artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties, fail morale and are shaken

4 Austrian cavalry opportunity charge shaken infantry square

Infantry lose 50% casualties and rout

Nearby gunners are shaken and rout when charged by disordered cavalry

French right flank in serious trouble

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

9 French artillery hit infantry, 10% casualties, who pass morale test

2 Austrian cavalry charge dragoons who retire shaken with 10% casualties

3 Guard cavalry charge and rout Austrian hussars with 10% casualties

4 Austrian dragoons charge and rout shaken lancers with 50% casualties

Marshal Mortier orders a retreat

His right flank is broken

His centre is badly damaged

His left flank is still strong enough to cover the retreat

Game Casualties

French lose 3600 infantry, 600 cavalry and 200 gunners

Austrians lose 2000 infantry, 400 cavalry and 100 gunners

Game Summary

Mortier wisely withdrew to the T Junction to allow 3 Guard corps to arrive

This allowed Schwarzenberg to form his four corps out of artillery range

He pushed his artillery ahead of the infantry columns as the advance began

The cavalry then advanced to force the French gunners to seek shelter in infantry squares

The main Austrian attack was in the centre

But it was 4^th corps on the left who turned the tide by defeating 21^st French corps

Total casualties, including from earlier battles,  at the end of the battle

French 11,800 casualties and two brigades in rout

Austrian 7.700 casualties one brigade in rout