WETHAU (OCTOBER 10, 1813)
A delaying action
INTRODUCTION
The
Augereau's IX Corps is advancing along the Saale towards
Leipzig, closely watched by the
Liechtenstein's Austrian 1st Light Division
and the Streifcorps of Thielmann and
Mendorff. The main road crossed the Wethau stream, a
small tributary of the Saale, by a bridge located in the
Wethau village, now in Austrian hands
after the French light cavalry of the advance-guard was expelled by
a surprise attack carried out by the Austrian Jager Battalion #7
(See the
SDS Scenario
'The Wethau
bridge'). Moritz
Liechtenstein, the Austrian commander hopes to delay
Augereau, if not totally block his march on Leipzig, in the Wethau
defile.
However, Augereau used his 51th
Division to attack frontally the bridge while simultaneously used an
unguarded ford located 2 km upstream, to take in reverse the
Austrian defenders that retired on their supports. A
cavalry battle ensued between the s
Allieand the Milhaud's V(bis)
Cavalry Corps, containing some 'Heavy' Divisions formed
by veteran Dragoons arrived from Spain, and after a bitter fight the
Allies were forced to retire and Augereau continued his
march towards Leipzig.
This Lasalle Scenario is based on that combat, but includes
some historical licenses to make a more
interesting tabletop battle: the full IX Corps and the 5(bis)Cavalry
Corps is facing the Austrian 1st Light Division, the Streifcorps and
some units of the Lederer's First Division of the Austrian II Corps.
The OOBs are based on Nafziger.
Bibliography
-
Tableau de la Campagne d'automne de 1813 en Allemagne. Dimitrij
Petrovič Buturlin.pp 102-103 (1817)
-
Campagne de 1813. La cavalerie des armées allies. M.H. Weil, pp
205-210 (1886)
- Napoleon at Leipzig. The Battle of Nations 1813. George Nafziger, pp
81-85, Emperor's Press (1996)
TABLE-TOP ADAPTATION
GO TO
THE BATTLE IN PICTURES
Wethau in Google Earth
Moritz Liechtenstein
Game map
The actual
battlefield
Allied deployment
French Deployment
Scenario pdf file for 'Wethau'
GO TO
THE BATTLE IN PICTURES
Summary of the oob
Allied Army
(Army Moral 51; Break point 17)
- Infantry: 4 Austrian (3 Jagers & 1 Grenzer) battalions
- Cavalry: 1
Austrian regiment
- Artillery: 1 Brigade & 1 Horse batteries
StreifCorps Mensdorff
- Cavalry: 1 (Austrian) regiment; 2 Cossack Pulks
StreifCorps Thielmann
- Cavalry:
2 (Austrian) & 2
(Prussian) Regiments;
2 Cossack Pulks
Reinforcements
1st Division Lederer
- Infantry: 5 Austrian (1 Grenzer & 4 Infantry) battalion
- Cavalry: 2 (Austrian)
regiments
- Artillery: 2 Foot batteries
French Army (Army Moral 47;
Break point 16)
C-i-C Augereau
51e Division Turreau
- Infantry: 5 battalions
- Artillery: 2 Foot batteries
9e Light Cavalry Division Subervie
- Cavalry: 4 regiments
Reinforcements
52e Division Semele
- Infantry: 5 battalions
- Artillery: 1 Foot battery
5e Heavy Cavalry Division Quenet
- Cavalry: 2 regiments
6e Heavy Cavalry Division Montéléger
- Cavalry: 4 regiments
- Artillery: 1 Horse battery
2 Train companies
Notes The basic duration of the game is 24 Turns (3 hours). Bonus
Turns are allowed rolling 2D6 ( p. 66 of the e-Lasalle book). The French
are attacking and are the first side..
OPTIONAL RULES
Reinforcements
Some units are in the table map (see map). The rest may enter as
reinforcements. Use 2D6 for the Arrival Turn (p. 91 of e-Lasalle). The
units arrive in march or attack column as desired. Each commander
arrives with his first unit.
Allied
Each brigade arrives separately. Arrival Turn: 2D6.
Arrival point. C1-D1-D2-D3 (20%/30%/30%/20%)
French
Each division arrives separately. Arrival Turn: 2D6.
Arrival point. Infantry A2-A3-A4-A5 (10%/20%/30%/40%); Cavalry A1-A2-A3
(40%/40%/20%); Baggage A1-A5 (20%/80%)
Optional rule for baggage units (As for my suggestion in Lasalle
e-book p. 143)
(1) The wagon moves as if it were a foot artillery unit, always
limbered.
(2) The wagon neither fires nor can charge the enemy. It has only one
formation: limber. It does not block line of sight or fire. It may not
be fired upon.
(3) Friendly units may move through it, as they move through a limbered
artillery unit.
(4) Any enemy unit - regular or irregular - may charge the wagon, as
long as that unit is eligible to charge (it is in a formation that
permits it to charge, it is facing the right way, etc.)
(5) In its reaction phase, the wagon may attempt a Fall Back, as if it
were a foot artillery limber. It succeeds on a roll of 4+, but if
attacked by enemy cavalry, it must re-roll a success, even if within 1BW
of friendly infantry.
(6) If it fails to fall back, then the wagon is automatically captured
in the ensuing combat. Combat must be “resolved” against it, as if
against any other unit, but the resolution consists simply of removing
the wagon, advancing the enemy unit(s) that captured it 2BW, and
awarding the captured Objective to the enemy.
(7) Any enemy unit that contacted the wagon suffers 1DISR, unless that
would break it. (The men are dispersed, plundering the loot). The unit
must then take a discipline test. If it fails, it is marked in some way,
showing that it is disordered and still plundering.
(8) A unit that is still plundering is considered “Out of Command” for
the entirety of its side’s next turn.
Optional rule for Cossacks (and other irregular cavalry)
(1) Irregular cavalry units may charge enemy units standing in 'march
column' formation.
(2) Irregular cavalry units must to pass a 'Discipline' test to initiate
the charge.
(3) If routed in 'decisive combat' the irregular cavalry unit is
immediately broken.
Assault of defiles
Lasalle does not allow march columns to fight, so the assaults on
defiles, such as bridges, fortified gates, field fortifications, etc..
can not be played on the table in a convincent way. There was some
friendly discussions in the Lasalle Forum regarding this topics . At
last I have used the Scruf proposal:
1) A march column can assault a defile like a bridge, a fortified
gate, a fort, etc. It represents not only true march columns, but also
all those formations with a very reduced front.
2) It fights at 1/2 dice and with no previous shooting, adding a -2
for "bad terrain" as they will be fighting in cramped quarters.
3) The enemy can use the "cover" or "higher elevation" modifiers when
applicable.
3) However the small front, the enemy never halves their dice
Victory conditions
As per Lasalle rule-book.
See a story version at the
Project Leipzig (1813)
blog
THE BATTLE IN PICTURES