8th April 1814 – Battle of Arracourt

Arracourt Campaign area

Surprise Austrian attack on Arracourt

1,2,3,4  Austrian corps all have orders to engage

3,9,15,21  French corps all have orders to hold and resupply

Austrian           55,200 infantry            3,900 cavalry                 120 guns

French               53,200 infantry            4,000 cavalry                 120 gune

Table at start of wargame

Austrian Brigades      14 infantry      4 cavalry           4 artillery

French Brigades          14 infantry      4 cavalry           4 artillery

1 Austrian corps          arrive E03 move 1

2 Austrian corps          arrive F04 move 1

3 Austrian corps          arrive F05 move 5

4 Austrian corps          arrive F04 move 1

3 French corps             start on table

15 French corps           start on table

9 French corps             arrive E03 move 2

21 French corps           start on table

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Austrian CinC move to join 1 corps

1 Austrian arrive on table and spot 3 French

2 Austrian arrive on table, move on blind

4 Austrian arrive on table and spot 21 French

French CinC orders 3 French to engage 1 Austrian

3 French turn to face 1 Austrian

15 French on hold, waiting for new orders

21 French deploy to meet 4 Austrian

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Austrian CinC orders 1 corps to hold

1 Austrian cavalry hit by artillery and rout with 10% casualties

2 Austrian advance, spotted and replace blind with figures

4 Austrian advance towards town

French CinC orders 15 corps to deploy between 3 and 21 corps

3 French artillery 10% casualties to Austrian cavalry who fail morale and rout

9 French arrive on table on blinds

15 French move to fill gap between 3 and 21 corps

21 French fire on infantry, no casualties

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Austrian CinC move to join 3 corps (off table top right)

1 Austrian artillery 20% casualties on infantry who fail morale and are shaken

2 Austrian advance

4 Austrian advance

French CinC orders 9 corps to advance between 3 and 21 corps

3 French advance

9 French advance

15 French form column of attack

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

Austrian CinC orders 3 corps to deploy between 2 and 4 corps

1 Austrian  routed cavalry fail morale and continue to rout

2 Austrian  advance

4 Austrian advance 

French CinC  joins 3 corps

3 French  withdraw shaken brigade

9 French  continue to advance

15 French  continue to advance

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

Austrian CinC orders 3 corps to engage

1 Austrian  artillery fire on infantry, no casualties

2 Austrian  chasseurs win melee, polish lancers rout with 10% casualties

3 Austrian arrive top right

4 Austrian skirmish garrison, 10% casualties pass morale

French CinC  orders 15 corps to advance towards woods

3 French  shaken infantry fail morale and rout

9 French  advance

15 French  lancers charge chasseurs, draw both disordered

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

Austrian CinC orders 4 corps to attack town

1 Austrian  artillery fire and miss

2 Austrian  cavalry fail morale and continue to rout

3 Austrian advance

4 Austrian artillery hit garrison who fail morale and are shaken with 10% casualties

French CinC  orders 9 corps to advance between 3 and 15 corps

3 French  artillery hit square who pass morale with 10% casualties

9 French  advance

15 French  routed lancers rally to shaken

21 French artillery hit cavalry who pass morale with 10% casualties

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

Austrian CinC observing attack on Arracourt

1 Austrian  artillery hit infantry, who pass morale with 10% casualties

2 Austrian  artillery hit infantry, who are shaken with 10% casualties

3 Austrian cavalry charge and rout gunners with 20% casualties

4 Austrian  infantry assault town, garrison rout with 50% casualties

French CinC  orders garrison to retreat

3 French  artillery hit square, who are shaken with 20% casualties

9 French  continue to advance

15 French unlimber artillery

21 French all rout except for cavalry

Marshal Mortier orders a general retreat

21 French corps rout

4^th Austrian corps have taken both town sections

The French garrison have routed

French supports and artillery have joined the rout

Game Casualties

French lose 6800 infantry, 200 cavalry and 3 guns

Austrian lose 2800 infantry and 400 cavalry

Game Summary

The battle opened well for the French

3^rd Young Guard moved south to meet 1^st Austrian corps

Their artillery routed the Austrian cavalry, forcing the rest  to halt

4^th Austrian corps attack on Arracourt would last the whole battle

15^th French corps moved into position between the town and the guard

But there was no room for 9^th corps who were held in reserve

2^nd Austrian corps engaged the French centre

3^rd Austrian corps arrived  and moved to support 2^nd corps

Austrian artillery caused heavy casualties to the garrison

Schwartzenberg ordered an all out attack on the town

The shaken garrison were overwhelmed, broke and routed

They took the supporting infantry and artillery with them

To the south the young guard were losing their battle with 1^st Austrian corps

The Austrian pressure increased on the French centre

Mortier ordered a general retreat before the Austrians could pin his centre

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

French 7,900 casualties 5 brigades in rout and 2 shaken

Austrian 3,700 casualties 3 brigades in rout and 1 shaken