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Monday, September 8, 2014

4th April 1814 – Battle of Arracourt


Arracourt Campaign area
French have orders to hold Arracourt and observe the enemy
Austrians have orders to attack Arracourt

Austrian           44,000 infantry            3,000 cavalry                 90 guns
French              44,000 infantry           3,000 cavalry                 90 guns

Austrian HQ    move to F05 with 3 corps
2 corps              move to G04
3 corps              move to F05
4 corps              move to G05

French HQ       halt
3 corps              halt on hold
9 corps              move to E06
21 corps            halt on hold
Table at start of wargame

Austrian  Brigades     11 infantry      3 cavalry           3 artillery
French Brigades          11 infantry      3 cavalry           3 artillery

Austrian HQ                   start on table
2 corps                             arrive G04 move 5
3 corps                             start on table
4 corps                             arrive G05 move 1

French HQ                      start on table
3 corps                             arrive E05 move 2
9 corps                             arrive E06 move 5
21 corps                           start on table

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900
3 Austrian ordered to move towards farm
4 Austrian ordered to deploy right of road
3 French ordered to deploy right of town
21 French retires into town
Move 2 – 0900 to 1000
3 French arrive on table
3 Austrian move towards farm
4 Austrian ordered to engage town
Move 3 – 1000 to 1100
Austrian CinC moves to join 2 corps (off table bottom)
3 Austrian deploy behind farm
Move 4 – 1100 to 1200
3 Austrian gunners receive 10% casualties, pass morale test
2 Austrian (off table) ordered to deploy left of 4 corps
Move 5 – 1200 to 1300
3 French advance and spotted
2 Austrian arrive on table
3 Austrian ordered to hold farm
9 French arrive on table
Move 6 – 1300 to 1400
Austrians advance
French deploy
Artillery fire, but no casualties
Move 7 – 1400 to 1500
3 French ordered to hold
9 French spotted and replace card with figures
2 Austrian spotted and ordered to engage
Artillery fire, but again no casualties
Move 8 – 1500 to 1600
3 French corps ordered to engage
4 Austrian artillery charged by lancers, lose 30% casualties and rout
4  Austrian infantry receive 10% casualties from town and are shaken
Move 9 – 1600 to 1700
9 French ordered to engage farm
3 French cavalry receive 10% casualties, pass morale test
Garrison receive 10% casualties, pass morale test
2 Austrian cavalry receive 10% casualties, pass morale test
2 Austrian and 3 French infantry enter woods
Move 10 – 1700 to 1800
Northern garrison receive 20% artillery and skirmish casualties, pass morale test
21 French infantry receive 10% skirmish casualties, pass morale, pass morale test.
21 French cavalry charge dragoons, lose melee and retire shaken
3 French infantry receive 10% artillery casualties, pass morale
Move 11 – 1800 to 1900
21 French shaken lancers charged by dragoons and routed
4 Austrian shaken infantry fail morale and rout
4 Austrian cavalry receive 10% artillery casualties, fail morale and are shaken
3 French infantry in woods receive 10% skirmish casualties, pass morale.

The attack by 4 Austrian corps has failed
The French now advance to counter attack
Schwartzenberg orders the Austrians to retreat.


Game Casualties
French lose 2400 cavalry and 100 cavalry
Austrians lose 400 infantry, 200 cavalry and 300 gunners

Game Summary
The Austrians attack a strong French defensive position
The two sides are equal in strength and ability
Both start with one corps, both have two further corps marching to the sound of the guns
The attackers fail to weaken the defenders with artillery fire before the infantry attack
The main attack is led by 4th Austrian corps, who suffer heavy casualties
With the failure of the Austrian attack the French move forward to counter attack
Although the French suffered more casualties, it was a clear Austrian defeat

Total casualties, including from earlier battles,  at the end of the battle
French 2,500 casualties, 2 brigades in rout
Austrian 900 casualties,  4 brigades in rout and 2 shaken

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