14th March 1814 - Battle of Mongladbach (2)

Mongladbach Campaign Area

3 French          move to E05 on attack orders       arrive start of move 1                       

9 French          move to D05 on attack orders       arrive start of move 5

21 French        move to F05 on attack orders        arrive start of move 1

1 Prussian       halt in E05 on hold orders             on table

2 Prussian       halt in D05 on hold orders             on table

French                                     Prussian                     

Infantry - 40000                      infantry - 24000           

cavalry - 3000                        cavalry - 2000 

guns - 90                                 guns - 60

Note.   Two French, and both Prussian, corps are one infantry brigade short on garrison duty

Table at start of wargame

1^st and 2^nd Prussian corps are on hold orders in and near the town of Mongladbach

All three French corps will enter the table on engage orders at the start of move 1

The river Maas can only be crossed by using one of the three bridges

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

1 Prussian – wait for French to advance

3 French – deploy north of the river

9 French – Advance towards southern bridge

French cinc – move to join 3^rd corps

Prussian cinc – change 2^nd corps orders to “engage both western bridges”

                       - change 1^st corps orders to “engage northern approach to town”

2 Prussian – cavalry, artillery and infantry deploy to defend southern bridges

21 French – advance east of river Maas

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Prussian cinc – no orders

2 Prussian – deploy to cover southern bridges

1 Prussian – deploy to hold northern bridge

9 French – deploy to attack both southern bridges

3 French – change orders to Halt

French cinc – change 3^rd corps orders to Hold

21 French – advance east of river Maas

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

French cinc – change 3^rd corps orders to Engage

21^st French – all advance, guns manhandle into long range

1 Prussian – move artillery to right flank and cavalry to centre

2 Prussian – artillery hit gunners, who are shaken

Prussian cinc – no orders

3 French – infantry cross river and form square

9 French – gunners rally and unlimber, change orders to Halt

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

French cinc – move to 9^th corps change orders to Hold

2 Prussian – artillery unlimber, cavalry move closer to bridge

21 French – infantry form column of attack and advance

1 Prussian – artillery miss gunners, cavalry form line on left flank

9 French – artillery hit infantry, infantry move towards southern bridge

3 French – continue to cross the bridge

Prussian cinc – change 1^st and 2^nd corps orders to Hold

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

3 French – artillery miss gunners then limber, cavalry cross river to support infantry

21 French – artillery hit infantry 10% casualties, infantry advance

Prussian cinc – no orders

9 French – artillery miss infantry, change orders to Halt

1 Prussian – artillery hit infantry 10% casualties, infantry and cavalry advance

2 Prussian – artillery limber and redeploy

French cinc – no orders

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

9 French – artillery miss infantry, no other action taken

3 French – artillery cross bridge, cavalry advance to engage hussars

French cinc – no orders

21 French – artillery hit square 20% casualties, cavalry advance, shaken infantry rally

2 Prussian – unlimber artillery to cover southern bridge

1 Prussian – artillery hit infantry 20% casualties, shaken infantry rout into town

French cinc – change 9^th corps orders to Hold

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

9 French – artillery miss infantry

French cinc – no orders

21 French – artillery rout square, cavalry charge and rout gunners, plus nearby infantry

Prussian cinc – orders 1^st and 2^nd corps to retreat

2 Prussian – cavalry and artillery cover infantry retreat

1 Prussian – 2 infantry brigade and artillery rout, remaining infantry retreat into town

3 French – Dragoons charge Prussian hussars, who retire shaken

Prussian Rout

2st corps infantry and gunners rout into town (red markers indicate rout)

Cavalry withdraw shaken (yellow marker indicated shaken)

Rest of infantry retreat to town

2^nd corps cavalry and artillery (top right) cover retreat

Game Casualties

French lose 800 infantry and 100 gunners

Prussian lose 2,000 infantry and 200 gunners plus two infantry brigade and gunners in rout

Game Summary

This battle was a good example of why three to two odds do not work in wargames

Not even when the weaker side has a strong defensive position.

The two Prussian corps could have held the three bridges against any odds

However one French corps had crossed the river off table

When they arrived the Prussians were unable to match the greater French numbers

In particular they were unable to match the stronger artillery and cavalry

Total casualties at the end of this battle

French 900 casualties

Prussian 2,200 casualties plus two infantry brigade and gunners in rout