A report on the semi historical scenario played out using the Napoleonic rule set "In The Name of Glory". By Jon Azurmendi.

LENGTH, TERRAIN AND VICTORY CONDITIONS:

1).- The battle lasts 10 completed turns.

2).- From the 3rd turn the Austrians will throw a 6 sided dice:if a 5 or 6 is scored the reinforcements will enter on the turn, if not the dice will be thrown at the beginning of each subsequent turn. The reinforcements will enter in march column on the road from the village of Obersanding

3).- The town of Unterlaiching is worth 30 points. And the walls which protect it 18 points strength value, giving formal cover. The village of Oberlaiching is worth 20 pts and Obersanding 10 pts These villages do not afford any cover.

4).- The terrain in the zone left of the table up to the town of Unterlaiching is difficult, as are all the tree filled areas.

5).- Austrian Objective: To maintain possession of the towns and villages for as long as possible but if this fails to try and save as many brigades as you can retreating off the table by the route indicated on the map.

6).- French Objective: Take Oberlaiching and Unterlaiching as first priority. And of course destroy as many Austrian brigades as you can.

click on the image to see the Orders of battle.

Note: Troop Class: A = Excellent; B = Good; C = Regular; D = Poor. PM = Moral Points with which the units start the battle; according to "In the Name of Glory" but can serve equally for other rules. UNID=number of 25mm figures used in a unit. 12 = 1 UNID of infantry of 12 figs on 4 bases, 8 = 1 UNID of cavalry of 8 figs on 4 bases. In fact the number of figures used for a unit depends on the type of basing one uses. Here only 1 figure has been used to represent the important commanders like Davout instead of the normal 3 recommended. Once a unit has lost all its moral points due to combat and being reduced to 0 it is broken and cannot be regrouped or rallied or participate any more.

FRENCH PLANS: The Following Orders Were Given:

LANNES Corps will launch the main attack on Unterlaiching.
Moran d's Division will advance along the road to attack Unterlaiching on the right flank, through the difficult terrain. Meanwhile, Gudin's Division will assault Unterlaiching frontally with artillery support and with the Cuirassiers in reserve.

DAVOUT's Corps using Saint Hilaire's Division will attack Oberlaiching always using the cover of the forest to advance as near as possible to the village before attacking.
Friant's Division will stay in reserve. The Hussars and Chevaux-legers with the artillery will move towards Obersanding.
The idea of this plan is to "fix" the Austrians around Unterlaiching in the centre in order to envelop them with Saint Hilaire's & Friant's Divisions, while the cavalry threaten the area around Obersanding ready to block the path of any Austrian reinforcements.

FRENCH:

ORDERS FOR EACH BRIGADE AT THE START OF THE BATTLE:

Brigade l´Huiller & Lacour : Move to Unterlaiching along the road to the right of the town.
Brigade Petite, Boyer, Duppelin : Move directly on Unterlaiching.
Brigade of Cuirassiers : Hold.
Brigade Lorenzo : Move (Charge if there is enemy within reach) to Oberlaiching.
Brigade Destabenrath : Move through the forest until the end.
Brigade Gilly , Grandeau & Barbanègre : Hold
Brigade of Hussars y Chevaux-legers : Move to the village of Obersanding staying about 10cm distant from it.

AUSTRAIN PLANS:

The Austrians plan a stout defense of Oberlaiching & Unterlaiching.

1ª Division: Deploy the Brigades of Dedovich in front of the town of Unterlaiching waiting for the expected main French attack.
2ª Division: Deploy the Brigades of Risie & the artillery facing the left flank in case of a French attack from the difficult terrain. The Brigade of Bieber will stay as a rearguard reserve in column formation.
3ª Division will deploy near Oberlaiching.
The Brigade of Stutterheim is deployed North of the village supported by a battery in case of a French attack from the forest. These troops are also ready to support those in Unterlaiching.
The Brigade of Hussars will stay in reserve to come to their aid if necessary.
The Brigade of Dragoons will hold the right flank near Oberlaiching .
The artillery 12lbrs will Deploy between the two towns covering a possible attack from the forest, while the 6lb battery will be placed on the left flank of the Division of Dedovich to help in the defence of Unterlaiching.

AUSTRIAN

ORDERS FOR EACH BRIGADE AT THE STAR OF THE BATTLE

Brigades of Neustädter & Grill: Hold.
Brigade Riese: Hold.
Brigade Bieber: Hold
Brigade Stutterheim: Hold.
Brigade Husares: Hold.
Brigade de Dragoons : Hold

THE BATTLE: (TURNS 1º to 5º)

From the very beginning it was obvious that the Austrian plan was disastrous as they expected the main attack on their left flank coming from the difficult terrain towards Unterlaiching. The whole army was deployed to this end ignoring the right flank in the direction of Obersanding and leaving no protection here to cover the possible arrival of reinforcements from there.

Photo: The Austrian deployment around Unterlaiching ( right of the Photo) and the French Brigades ready for the attack ( Left)

The French plan is excellent as from the beginning they go for a frontal attack on Unterlaiching while the rest of the army envelops the right flank of the Austrians cutting off their retreat and also blocking the possible arrival of Austrian reinforcements.

From the first moment the French attack Untelaiching frontally, protected by an efficient artillery barrage that destroys the walls affording the Austrian defenders cover causing numerous casualties in the Brigades of Neustädter and Grill.

Photo: French columns ready for the assault.

The Austrians realize their mistake in their initial deployment and try to remedy it by changing orders. Only a few brigades receive the new orders quickly and so precious time is lost in redistributing the troops to the key zones.
The French Divisions of Gudin and Moran however advance with with decision and purpose in attack columns on Unterlaiching breaking utterly the Austrian defenders. The Austrian artillery receiving this attack by the impetuous French manages to cause great loss in their ranks (breaking the Brigades of Lacourt ), but it's not enough to stop the rest of the French units.

Photo: Attack of the French columns against the weak Austrian line.

The Brigade of Boyer in an act of madness charges the Austrian battery situated to the right of the town of Unterlainching and is obliterated.

While this is happening at Unterlaiching, the right Austrian flank is attacked by the Hussars and chevau-legers who manage to occupy Obersanding, in which they then proceed to place a battery to receive any Austrian re-inforcements. The Hussars don't waste time in attacking the area around Oberlaiching catching the Austrian Brigade of Dragoons totally by surprise and breaking them as well as an Austrian battery.

Photo: Charge of the French Hussars on the Austrian battery.

The situation for the Austrians is critical, as they have practically been ousted from Unterlaiching and are under pressure from the French cavalry on their right cutting off their retreat. The Austrians order the reserve Brigade of Bieber to contain the French columns, at the gates of Unterlaiching and their own Hussars to contain the French Hussars near Oberlaiching.

Photo: The Austrian infantry rush to support the defense of Unterlaiching and contain the French advance.

Unfortunately the Austrian Hussars come off worst in the ensuing melee and flee, while the Brigade of Stutterheim in Oberlaiching forms square to fend off the French Hussars.
At this moment the Cuirassiers of Saint Sulpice charge against the Austrian 3lb battery near Unterlaiching destroying it and sabring without mercy all the gunners.

Photo: The French in the forest near Unterlaiching

Photo: Unterlaiching is about to fall into French hands (seen from the French viewpoint).

The situation of the Austrian army is critical but it gets even worse as from the forest near Oberlaiching the Division of Saint Hilaire appears now ready to attack the village.

Photo: The Division St. Hilaire emerges from the forest.

THE BATTLE TURNS 6-8:

The French are encircling and isolating the battered Austrian remnants. But lady luck suddenly favours the Austrians as their reserve in the form of Liechtenstein appears on the road of Obersanding!!
The French receive them with artillery fire and try to manouvre to halt them sending Friant's Division along with the chasseurs of Montbrun who are near Obersanding.

Only 2 turns left and the French victory is close but still needing to capture Unterlaiching for complete victory ( The Austrians have lost 97 points and will have 40% losses if they lose 6 points more ).
But in the penultimate turn two French batteries open up on an Austrian brigade breaking them and so reaching the 40% total for casualties.

Now all that remains for a complete French victory is to take the town of Unterlaiching which is still being defended tooth and nail by a brave Austrian brigade. In the last turn the French attack them and force them to retreat out of the town. Unterlaiching has fallen! The French victory although in the last turn is total.