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Thursday, November 28, 2013

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
1st and 2nd 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 3rd corps
Prussian cinc – change 2nd corps orders to “engage both western bridges”
                       - change 1st 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 3rd corps orders to Hold
21 French – advance east of river Maas
Move 3 – 1000 to 1100
French cinc – change 3rd corps orders to Engage
21st 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 9th 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 1st and 2nd 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 9th 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 1st and 2nd 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
2nd 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