Summary of Southern Germany Campaign – 18 August 1813

 

Regional areas of Southern Germany

There are three regions in Southern Germany

Strasbourg Region is the rear area for Third French army
Their main depot is in Strasbourg

Vienna Region is the rear area for the Austrian Army
Their main depot is in Vienna

Munich Region is the disputed area between them

Diary of Southern German Campaign

The French Grand Army was destroyed during the 1812 Russian campaign
Napoleon had to create a new army to fight the 1813 campaign

01 February 1813 Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France
01 February 1813 Formation of Third French army in Munich region
25 February 1813 Third French army declared operational
28 February 1813 Austrians moved into the Munich region
30 March 1813 Start of Branau campaign phase
11 April 1813 Austrians win Branau phase
20 May 1813 Start of Kufstein phase
30 May 1813 French win Kufstein phase
03 July 1813 Start of Landshut phase
10 July 1813 Austrians win Landshut phase
12 August 1813 Start of Ingolstadt phase
18 August 1813 French win Ingolstadt phase

Reference

The campaign diary contains comprehensive details of the whole campaign. The labels on the right are an index to various parts of the campaign.

01 - Introduction to the1813 campaign
02 - Five campaign areas
30 - Introduction to the campaign in Southern Germany
31 - 3rd French Army order of battle
32 - Austrian Army order of battle
33 - Daily diary for the campaign in Southern Germany
34 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Southern Germany
35 - Summary of campaign in Southern Germany

18 August1813 – Southern Germany – End of Ingolstadt Campaign

 

Battles fought during campaign phase

 

On 12 August Marshal Massena crossed into Ingolstadt District with orders to defeat the Austrian army and capture their main depot in the city of Ingolstadt

The Austrians won the first two battles, at Weichering and Buxheim, but were still forced to retreat when the French won the next two at Bergheim and Manching.   The Austrians recovered with their victory at the second battle of Buxheim, however Massena forged ahead and took the city of Ingolstadt on 17 August

With this victory Massena won the campaign.

The campaign started on 18 February and ended on 11 April 2025

For many years we had used a six day campaign, with one battle each day.  For or our last campaign we experimented with a nine day campaign with one battle each day.   However I found that I started to lose interest in the campaign when it went beyond the well tried six days.   We have therefore abandoned the longer campaign in favour of our normal six days.

Munich Region

This map shows the location of the 25 battles fought in the Munich Region since the start of the Sixth campaign in June 2020.   The French won 11 and the Austrians 14.

18 August 1813 – Southern Germany – Day 7

French occupy Ingolstadt and win the campaign

7th French army – advance to Buxheim
8th French army – occupy Ingolstadt
9th French army – hold Manching

Austrian abandon Ingolstadt and lose the campaign
1st Austrian army – retreat to Kosching
2nd Austrian army – retreat to Vohburg
3rd Austrian army – hold Emsgaden

17 August 1813 - Battle of Ingolstadt

Tactical map of battle area

8th French army, commanded by Marshal Mortier, attack Ingolstadt
2nd Austrian army, commanded by General Klenau, defend Ingolstadt

French have 9 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigades, 3 corps artillery
Austrians have 10 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigades, 3 corps artillery

Both armies are full strength, less brigades detached on garrison duty.

Ingolstadt is the main administrative centre for the Austrian army
It is also the campaign objective for this campaign phase

2nd Austrian army is deplolyed on the table at the start of the game
8th French army will arrive on the table at the start of move 1

Table at start of battle

Ingolstadt is the large city centre bottom

There are three game objectives
First ford over the river Danube on the right
Second hill in the centre
Third hill on the left

2nd Austrian army is deployed on the three game objectives
Klenau has taken command of most of 4th corps between the river and the hill

Mortier will arrive on the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

Bavarian army start to cross the river Danube
CinC has taken command of half of 22 corps on the right
22 Corps corps artillery and grenadier brigade advance on the right bank of the river
23 Corps cavalry cross the bridge to screen the rest of the corps as they cross
24 Corps cavalry cross the river, the remainder of the corps are pinned on the far side.

Austrian cavalry advance towards the bridges
CinC sends cavalry to pin enemy at right hand bridge
4 Corps hold ford on right bank
5 Corps cavalry advance to pin enemy at centre bridge
6 Corps corps advance to engage enemy as they cross left bridge

End of move 4

Bavarian cross river and advance
CinC cross river and prepare to advance
22 Corps advance down right bank
23 Corps cross river and prepare to advance
24 Corps artillery rout Austrian cavalry

Austrian artillery open fire
CinC redeploy artillery to fire on right bank
4 Corps retreat out of artillery range
5 Corps artillery fire on gunners, no casualties
6 Corps cavalry rout due to artillery fire, but rally

End of move 6

Bavarian army cross river Danube
CinC cavalry rout Austrian dragoons
22 Corps secure right of ford
23 Corps artillery rout infantry square
24 Corps cross river and advance towards hill

Austrian retreat from river to new defensive position
CinC rally routed infantry but not cavalry
4 Corps retreat out of artillery range
5 Corps retreat to rear of hill in the centre
6 Corps retreat to rear of hill on the left

End of move 8

Bavarian capture ford on the right
CinC rout Austrian gunners and support infantry
22 Corps capture ford on the right
23 Corps attack hill in the centre
24 Corps artillery rout cavalry, gunners join them

Austrian retreat on the right
CinC cavalry, gunners and one infantry brigade in rout
4 Corps withdraw on right bank
5 Corps hold the cenre
6 Corps cavalry and gunners rout

End of move 10

Bavarian capture all three objectives
CinC secure left exit of ford on the right
22 Corps secure right exit of ford on the right
23 Corps capture hill in the centre
24 Corps capture hill on the left

Austrian lose game and retreat
CinC retreat along left bank of river
4 Corps retreat along right bank of river
5 Corps lose melee for hill in the centre
6 Corps lose melee for hill on the left

Summary

Bavarians take all three objectives and win game

The Bavarians have lost 1 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 gunner casualties (600 men)
The Austrians have lost 6 infantry and 4 cavalry casualties (2800 men)

17 August 1813 – Southern Germany – Day 6

French attack Ingolstadt and retreat to Lauf
7th French army – retreat to Lauf
8th French army – attack Ingolstadt
9th French army – rally and resupply at Manching

Austrian defend Ingolstadt
1st Austrian army – regroup at Buxheim
2nd Austrian army – defend Ingolstadt
3rd Austrian army – rally and resupply at Emsgaden

16 August 1813 – Second Battle of Buxheim

Tactical map of battle area

Seventh Bavarian army is commanded by Marshal Massena
First Austrian army is commanded by General Schwartzenberg

On 13 August Massena was defeated at the first battle of Buxheim
He retreated to Lauf and the Austrians occupied Buxheim
The remainder of the Austrian army has retreated east
As a result Schwartzenberg is isolated at Buxheim
Whatever the outcome of this battle he will have to retire east

The Bavarians have 10 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigades and 3 corps artillery
The Austrians have 9 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigades and 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

Austrian army are on the table at the start of the game
They occupy the three game objectives
1 corps farm on the right
2 corps road junction in the centre
3 corps hill on the left
CinC has created a cavalry reserve in the centre from 2 and 3 corps brigades

Bavarian army will arrive at the top of the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

Bavarian arrive at the top of the table
CinC created cavalry reserve from 20 and 21 brigades
19 Corps advance through woods on the right
20 Corps advance through pass in the centre
21 Corps advance either side of inn on the left

Austrian cavalry advance to delay enemy
CinC advance cavalry reserve centre left
1 Corps wait for enemy to deploy
2 Corps wait for enemy to deploy
3 Corps cavalry advance far right

End of move 4 

Bavarian advance to attack objectives
CinC halt cavalry reserve
19 Corps advance towards farm on the right
20 Corps advance disrupted by gunners rout
21 Corps advance towards hill on the left

Austrian reserve cavalry charge artillery
CinC charge and rout artillery emerging from pass in the centre
1 Corps artillery open fire but no hits
2 Corps wait for enemy to approach within long range artillery fire
3 Corps third infantry brigade move onto hill on the left

End of move 6

Bavarian win cavalry melee
CinC charge and rout Austrian reserve cavalry
19 Corps win skirmish with garrison of farm on the right
20 Corps rally gunners who return to guns
21 Corps approach hill on the left

Austrian reserve cavalry rout
CinC rout gunners but lose cavalry melee
1 Corps retreat to rear of farm on the right, garrison withdraw
2 Corps retreat level with 1 corps
3 Corps gunners and one brigade rout due to cavalry rout

End of move 8

Bavarian prepare to attack centre and right
CinC reserve cavalry pin Austrian centre
19 Corps push enemy back and prepare to occupy farm on the right
20 Corps prepare to attack road junction in the centre
21 Corps rally routed infantry and gunners

Austrian withdraw and regroup
CinC rally routed reserve cavalry
1 Corps regroup behind farm on the right
2 Corps regroup in centre
3 Corps rally routed infantry and gunners

End of move 10

Bavarian cavalry routed, attack stalls
CinC charge artillery, cavalry routed
19 Corps jager brigade enter farm on the right
20 Corps gunners shelter in square, advance halted
21 Corps infantry and gunners forced to form square

Austrian reserve cavalry rout enemy cavalry
CinC reserve cavalry occupy centre area
1 Corps jager brigade rout, remainder of corps withdraw
2 Corps artillery rout Bavarian cavalry
3 Corps rallied infantry and gunners return to corps

End of move 12

Bavarian attack hill on the left
CinC rally one cavalry brigade, second still in rout
19 Corps lose melee and rout from farm
20 Corps gunners routed by artillery fire
21 Corps lose skirmish battle on hill on the left

Austrian recapture farm
CinC hold hill and recapture farm
1 Corps infantry take farm and rout Bavarian garrison
2 Corps artillery rout enemy gunners
3 Corps infantry win skirmish battle on hill

Summary

At nightfall the Austrians hold all three game objectives
They have suffered slightly more casualties than the Bavarains
But they have defeated all three attacks on the game objectives
Consequently they have won the game

The Bavarians have lost 4 infantry. 2 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (2000 men)
The Austrians have lost 6 infantry and 4 cavalry casualties (2800 men)

16 August 1813 – Southern Germany – Day 5

French attack Buxheim and occupy Manching
7th French army – attack Buxheim
8th French army – regroup and resupply
9th French army – occupy Manching

Austrian defend Buxheim and retreat to Emsgaden
1st Austrian army – defend Buxheim
2nd Austrian army – regroup and resupply
3rd Austrian army – retreat to Emsgaden