6th March 1814 - Battle of Atkirch

Atkirch Campaign Area

This battle will involve all four corps of Fourth French and the Bavarian Armies.

12^th French corps will arrive at the start of move 1

3^rd Bavarian corps will arrive at the start of move 5

2^nd Bavarian corps will arrive at the start of move 9

French                                     Bavarian

64000 infantry                         64000 infantry                       

4000 cavalry                           4000 cavalry              

120 guns                                 120 guns

Both armies are at full strength

Table at start of wargame

Atkirch is town centre right

Unnamed village centre bottom

Unnamed farm centre top

Top left – 24^th French corps

Centre left – 6^th French corps

Bottom left – 16^th French corps

Centre right – 1^st Bavarian corps

Bottom right – 4^th Baden corps

12^th French corps will enter bottom left at the start of move 1

3^rd Bavarian corps will enter bottom right at the start of move 5

2^nd Bavarian corps will enter bottom right at the start of move 9

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

24^th corps ordered to engage farm centre top

6^th corps ordered to engage Atkirch north of main road

16^th corps ordered to engage Atkirch south of main road

12^th corps ordered to engage hill bottom right

1^st Bavarian corps extends to occupy farm top centre and cover northern flank from road

12^th Baden corps extends to cover southern flank from road

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

French start to deploy in centre squares

Bavarian and Baden infantry form square against superior numbers of French cavalry

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

French continue to deploy in centre squares

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

1st corps moves north of main road

4th corps moves towards road and garrisons town

Bavarian gunners shaken by French artillery fire

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

24^th corps combined infantry and artillery attack on farm rout garrison

12^th corps deployed and ready to advance

3^rd Bavarian corps (bottom right) start to arrive

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

All four French corps now in position

Artillery fire in preparation for general attack

24^th corps (top) enter farm

12^th corps (bottom) lancers charge Bavarian horse, result a draw

3^rd corps (bottom right) move towards hill

Extend table to the east

The French have all advanced east and cleared the three left hand squares.

The table has been extended to the east by adding three squares on the right

The French objective, the town of Atkirch, is now in the middle of the table

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

28^th corps (top) have secured the farm and are advancing

6^th corps (above road) advance in support

16^th corps (below road) now ready to advance

12^th corps (bottom) advance disrupted by cavalry melee, still a draw

1^st corps (above road) are badly shaken and have one brigade in rout

3^rd and 4^th corps (below road) prepare to counter attack

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

French infantry advance and block their own artillery

Bavarian artillery take toll on advancing infantry

Bavarian cavalry have won melee and routed French lancers

Nearest infantry square join rout, second square is shaken

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

Top – French cavalry charge, and rout Bavarian gunners.

Centre – French infantry skirmish with town garrison who lose 20% casualties but hold

Bottom Left– Bavarian cavalry and infantry attack, half of 12^th corps in rout

Bottom Right - 2^nd corps arrive and march towards town

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

Very complicated move with three Bavarian and four French corps all involved in combat.

The French are winning north of the cross roads

The Bavarians are winning south of the cross roads

The French have taken Atkirch, but the Bavarians are counter attacking

2^nd Bavarian corps (bottom right) are moving towards the cross roads

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

6^th and 24^th corps (top) have broken 1^st corps and routed town garrison

3^rd and 4^th corps (bottom) have routed 12^th corps and are turning north against 16th corps

2^nd corps are still advancing towards the cross roads

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

The battle is still undecided.

The Bavarian’s have the advantage, but will not reach the cross roads in time

The French have taken the area north of the main road, and are still fighting in the town

All will depend on who wins the fighting for Atkirch.

Move 13 – 2000 to 2100

French infantry win the battle for the town

24^th corps have routed 1^st corps and are moving to support the town

6^th corps have taken heavy casualties and request permission to retreat

16^th and 12^th corps are broken and in rout

1^st corps are broken and in rout

2^nd corps are ready to attack the town at first light

4^th corps have reached the main Montebelliard road

3^rd corps are moving to support 4^th corps

Game Casualties

French suffer 12400 infantry, 300 cavalry and 200 gunner casualties

They also have two cavalry and ten infantry brigades in rout

Bavarians suffer 8800 infantry, 500 cavalry and 300 gunner casualties

They also have one cavalry and six infantry brigades in rout

Game Summary

The French had almost won the battle when 3^rd Bavarian corps arrived.

The Bavarians launched a counter attack and won south of the main road

The French won north of the main road and took the town

2^nd Bavarian corps arrived too late to take part in the battle

At nightfall the French held the town and north of the road

However the Bavarians now had three corps to two French

And they were well placed to attack at first light and drive the French north

This would drive them away from their lines of supply and communications

Marshal Marmont ordered Fourth French Army to retreat west under cover of darkness.