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)
1st Light Division Liechtenstein 
- 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

Scenarios for Lasalle