16 October 1813 – Battle of Bad Tolz

Tactical map of battle area

The Austrian victory at Holzkirchen has left Bad Tolz isolated

All of the Bavarian supplies are concentrated there

Oudinot must hold the town for 24 hours to remove them

Bavarian – 26000 infantry, 1900 cavalry, 54 guns

Austrian – 26800 infantry, 1900 cavalry,  54 guns

Table at start of battle

Bad Tolz is the walled town in the centre of the table

It is occupied by 11^th Bavarian corps

They are supported by 12^th Baden corps centre left

1^st and 4^th Austrian corps will enter the table at the start of move 1

Move 1 : 0800-0900

Both Austrian corps enter the table in column of march to move faster

11^th Bavarian corps send their cavalry and artillery forward

Move 2 : 0900-1000

Both Austrian corps continue to advance

12^th Baden corps send their artillery forward, supported by an infantry brigade

Move 3 : 1000-1100

11^th Bavarian send their cavalry forward to threaten enemy artillery

12^th Baden send their cavalry forward to counter enemy cavalry

1^st Austrian advance and unlimber artillery

Grenadier brigade form square to protect gunners

4^th Austrian cavalry and artillery advance

Infantry remain out of artillery range

Move 4 : 1100-1200

1^st Austrian artillery hit enemy cavalry

Cavalry advance to charge cavalry

Jager brigade lose morale test for 10% artillery casualties and are shaken

4^th Austrian dragoons charge enemy hussars

Dragoons win melee but lose 10% casualties (total 20%)

Infantry on left advance to support cavalry

Artillery unlimber

11^th Bavarian hussar brigade pass morale for 20% casualties to artillery fire

Artillery fire on advancing enemy cavalry, but no casualties

12^th Baden cavalry lose 10% casualties in melee and are shaken

Artillery fire on enemy jager brigade and inflict 10% casualties

Move 5 : 1200-1300

1^st Austrian infantry advance

Artillery fire on cavalry, no casualties

Hussar brigade charge and rout enemy cavalry

11^th Bavarian cavalry have 20% casualties

They fail their morale to counter charge and receive enemy halted

They lose a further 10% casualties in melee and rout

Nearby artillery fail their morale for rout and are shaken

Bavarian CinC takes personal command of shaken 12^th hussars

He rallies them in time to take part in continued melee

They already have 10% casualties, but now receive 10% more

They lose morale and are shaken again

4^th Austrian infantry advance

artillery fire on enemy gunners, no casualties

Hussars continue melee, which is a draw

They already have 20% casualties, but receive 10% more

Move 6 : 1300-1400

11^th Bavarian artillery rally from shaken to disordered

1^st Austrian corps move towards 12^th corps

Leading infantry brigade receive 10% casualties but pass morale test

Artillery limber and move in support

12^th Baden artillery fire on leading infantry brigade and inflict 10% casualties

Infantry brigade in woods take up defensive position

Bavarian CinC once more rallied shaken hussar brigade

They continue melee with Austrian dragoons

Result is a draw, but both sides have 10% casualties

Hussars now have 30% casualties and are once more shaken

Dragoons now have 40% casualties, which is an automatic rout

4^th Austrian hussars rout into grenadier brigade

Grenadiers test morale and are shaken

Remainder of the infantry advance

In doing so they now screen their artillery

Move 7 : 1400-1500

Bavarian CinC orders hussars (with 30% casualties) to charge shaken grenadiers

The shaken grenadiers cannot fight, they rout with 20% casualties

The nearby infantry brigade must test morale, they fail and join rout

Half of 4^th Austrian corps are now in rout

12^th Baden infantry in woods fire on nearby brigade and cause 10% casualties

11^th Bavarian artillery rally and move forward into range of 1^st Austrian corps

4^th Austrian corps have lost two infantry and one cavalry brigade

A third infantry brigade have failed their morale and are shaken

The fourth brigade halts to protect the Austrian left flank

Their artillery are moving forward to engage the town

1^st Austrian corps are now

committed to attacking 12^th Baden corps

They advance to attack, but the centre is crowded with weak infantry

Move 8 : 1500-1600

Bavarian CinC moves infantry forward to threaten Austrian left flank

11^th Bavarian artillery fire on Austrian gunners, but no casualties

1^st Austrian cavalry move forward to charge infantry outside town

Artillery unlimber at close range to town

Infantry advance into crowded centre

4^th Austrian artillery unlimber at close range to occupied woods

Shaken brigade fail morale and are still shaken

Formed brigade deploy to hold Austrian left flank

 

Move 9 : 1600-1700

On left Bavarian cavalry and infantry retreat

Bavarian infantry in woods fire on shaken infantry

Austrian infantry lose 10% casualties and rout

Austrian artillery fire on woods

Bavarian infantry receive 10% casualties and are shaken

Austrian cavalry charge Bavarian infantry in line

Infantry win melee and cavalry halt shaken

Austrian front line, who have suffered heavy casualties, are withdrawn

They are replaced by two brigades from 1^st corps

Move 10 : 1700-1800

On left Baden infantry advance to support woods

However infantry in woods break and rout

In the centre Austrian cavalry withdraw into reserve

Austrian reserve infantry advance to renew the attack

Town garrison receive 10% casualties but pass morale test and hold

Move 11 : 1800-1900

On left Baden infantry fire on infantry supporting gunners

Austrian melee fail morale and rout, gunners pass morale

                                               

In the centre Austrian grenadier brigade skirmish with Bavarian line

Bavarian lose 10% casualties and are shaken

Move 12 : 1900-2000

On left Austrian artillery hit infantry and cause 10% casualties]

Baden infantry fail morale and rout

In centre Austrian grenadiers charge and rout shaken Bavarian line

Conclusion

Oudinot still holds Bad Tolz at nightfall

He therefore wins the battle

The Bavarians have lost 3100 casualties

The Austrians have lost 3500 casualties