4 June 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 4

 

Prussians attack Liebenburg

In the north Prussians attack Liebenburg

In the centre both armies resupply and reorganise

In the south Prussians enter Lauterberg, French retreat to Osterode

 

The battle of Liebenburg

A very hard fought battle, where it looked like the Prussians would win

As a result of bad luck they lost the critical infantry melee in front of the town

The French lost their right flank, but their left was in position to support the centre

They held the centre and no Prussians approached the town.

 

 

3 June 1813 – Battle of Lauterberg

Tactical map of battle area

Murat - 3^rd French Army – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Blucher - 1^st Prussian Army – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

 

3^rd French army have been warned of the Prussian attack redeploy close to the border

1^st Prussian army have orders to take and hold Lauterberg

Table at start of battle

Murat has created a reserve of two artillery, one cavalry and one infantry brigades

7^th corps, on the right, have lost their artillery to the reserve

8^th corps, less their cavalry and artillery, are behind Lauterberg

9th corps, on the left, have lost one infantry brigade to the reserve.

 

Blucher has created a reserve of two artillery, two infantry and one cavalry brigades

1^st corps, on the right, have lost their artillery to the reserve

2^nd corps, in the centre, have lost two infantry plus their cavalry and artillery

3^rd corps, on the left, are complete

End of move 2

Prussians advance

1^st corps enter the woods on the right

Reserve artillery unlimber, remainder remain out of artillery range

2^nd corps remain out  of artillery range.

3^rd corps enter the woods on the left

 

French artillery advance and unlimber

7^th corps deploy in column of attack

Reserve artillery open fire on Prussian gunners

8^th corps remain behind the town

9^th corps deploy in column of attack

End of move 4

Prussians advance, artillery open fire

1^st corps occupy woods, cavalry advance on right

Reserve artillery open fire, no casualties

2^nd corps advance in support of reserve

3^rd corps occupy woods, cavalry advance on left

 

French artillery open fire, no casualties

7^th corps retire out  of artillery range

Reserve artillery open fire, no casualties

8^th corps remain behind town

9^th corps artillery has no targets due to woods

End of move 6

Prussians attack

1^st corps lose cavalry melee, infantry retreat into woods

Reserve advance to attack

2^nd corps advance to attack

3^rd corps win cavalry melee, infantry and artillery advance

 

French attack on right, retreat on left

7^th corps win cavalry melee, infantry advance to attack woods

Reserve artillery redeploy to fire on woods

8^th corps remain behind town

9^th corps cavalry rout, infantry and artillery retire towards hill

End of move 8

Prussians attack town

1^st corps occupy woods on right , win first melee in woods

Reserve cavalry force artillery to withdraw

2^nd corps attack left half of town, first melee is a draw

3^rd corps pursue retreating 9^th corps

 

French fight for town

7^th corps lose first melee in woods, but continue to attack

Reserve artillery withdraw when outflanked by Prussian cavalry

8^th corps occupy town, under attack in left half of town

9^th corps cavalry in rout, remainder of corps retreat

End of move 10

Prussians continue to attack

1^st corps lose top woods and brigade routs

Reserve infantry attack right half of town, melee is draw both lose 10% casualties

2^nd corps attack left half of town, rout garrison but lose 30% casualties

3^rd corps rout 9^th Polish corps and move to support attack on town

 

French take part of woods, but lose part of town

7^th corps take top right section of woods, but lose one brigade with 30% casualties

Reserve withdraw but still support town

8^th corps garrison rout from left half of town with 50% casualties

3^rd corps rout onto hill

End of move 12

Prussians continue to attack

1^st corps hold southern half of woods

Reserve cease attack on right half of town

2^nd corps occupy left half of town

3^rd corps break and rout infantry square

 

French hold half of town and half of woods on the right

7^th corps occupy northern half of woods on the right

Reserve artillery hit Prussian gunners

8^th corps hold right half of town

9^th corps break and run

Summary

French hold half of town at end of battle and claim victory

 

The French have lost 13 infantry. 1 cavalry and 3 artillery casualties (5600 men)

The Prussians have lost 9 infantry, 3 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (4900 men)

 

3 June 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 3

 

Prussians attack Lauterberg

In the north both armies regroup and resupply

In the centre French retreat to Goslar, Prussians occupy Hartzburg

In the south Prussians attack Lauterberg

 

The battle of Lauterberg

All three Prussian corps attack

On the right the French counter attack and drive them back into the woods

In the centre 2^nd corps take the left half of the town

The reserve of 2 infantry, 2 artillery and 1 cavalry brigade, fail to take the right half

On the left 3^rd corps break and rout 9^th Polish corps.

At nightfall the French hold half of the town and claim a victory

However they have lost more casualties and will have to retreat during the night

2 June 1813 – Battle of Harzburg

Tactical map of battle area

General Bulow is ordered to attack Harzburg with 2^nd Prussian army

He is not aware that his opponent is Napoleon himself with 1^st French army

 

1^st French Army – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

2^nd Prussian Army – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

The French start the game already deployed on the table

On the right is 1^st Old Guard corps

Napoleon is in the centre with 2^nd French corps

On the left is 3^rd French corps

 

2^nd Prussian army will arrive on the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French advance either side of town

Napoleon has taken command of 1^st grenadier and a lancer brigade in the centre

1^st corps advance to the right of the town

2^nd corps advance artillery and infantry to the left of the town

3^rd corps advance between the town and the woods

 

Prussian army arrive and advance towards town

Bulow has taken command of half of 5^th corps and 6^th corps artillery

4^th corps occupy village and unlimber artillery, infantry remain in reserve

5^th corps halt to left of village

6^th corps send one brigade to occupy fortified farm

End of move 4

French artillery open fire

Napoleon reserve cavalry come under artillery fire and withdraw

1^st corps artillery fire on Prussian gunners, no casualties

2^nd corps artillery unlimber and open fire, no casualties

3^rd corps cavalry fight two rounds of melee, 20% casualties to each brigade

 

Prussian artillery fire on town, no casualties

4^th corps artillery fire on Guard cavalry, 20% casualties but pass morale

5^th advance in support of reserve

6^th corps infantry occupy village

End of move 6

French retreat out of artillery range

Napoleon redeploys his reserve out of artillery range

1^st corps infantry and cavalry withdraw out of artillery range

2^nd corps artillery manhandle forward

3^rd corps cavalry lose melee and rout with 40% casualties

 

Prussian advance towards town

Bulow moves artillery to short range of town

4^th corps exchange fire with guard artillery

5^th corps advance towards town

6^th corps vacate farm, cavalry win melee but have 30% casualties

End of move 8

French prepare for attack

reserve cavalry charge hussars, result draw both 10% casualties

1^st corps redeploy on Harzburg road

2^nd corps artillery and garrison receive casualties, but pass morale test

3^rd corps advance towards farm

 

Prussians attack town

reserve artillery hit enemy gunners and town garrison, infantry advance

4^th corps redeploy to attack

5^th corps hussars counter charge French lancers, result draw

6^th corps cavalry routed when charging gunners, infantry advance

End of move 10

French lose half of town

1^st corps infantry retreat out of artillery range, artillery continue to fire on gunners

reserve cavalry win melee, but withdraw with 20% casualties

2^nd corps lose left half of town, artillery forced to retreat shaken

3^rd corps artillery fire on infantry

 

Prussians press home attack on town

4^th corps infantry retreat out of artillery range

5^th corps advance to attack half of town, cavalry lose melee and rout

reserve artillery rout left half of town, and force 3 corps artillery to retire shaken

6^th corps infantry retreat out of artillery range.

End of move 12

French lose Harzburg

1^st corps firmly hold right flank

reserve cover rout of 2^nd corps

2^nd corps rout and abandon Harzburg

3^rd corps firmly hold left flank

 

Prussians take Harzburg

4^th corps retire out of artillery range

5^th corps take right section of Harzburg

Reserve take left section of Harzburg

6^th corps redeploy behind farm

 

Summary

The battle was fought and won in the centre against the town of Harzburg

The French fought a defensive battle, but lost the town in the last two game moves

The Prussians made no attempt to attack either flank

Close range artillery finally too effect and the garrison was shaken

5^th corps and reserve infantry routed the garrison and took the town

 

The French have lost 7 infantry. 5 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (3400 men)

The Prussians have lost 1 infantry and 4 cavalry casualties (1000 men)

 

2 June 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 2

Prussians attack Harzburg

In the north French retreat and Prussians occupy Vienenburg

In the centre Prussians attack Harzburg

In the south French advance towards border

 

The battle of Harzburg

Prussians ignore the flanks and attack the town

French fight a defensive battle to take advantage of their strong position

This allows the Prussian artillery to deploy at close range and batter the town defenders

Just before nightfall the infantry attack and rout the garrison and the whole of 3^rd corps

1 June 1813 – Battle of Vienenburg

Tactical map of battle area

The campaign opens with a surprise attack on the border town of Vienenburg

3^rd Prussian army are deployed east of the border and are concentrated for attack

2^nd French army are deployed in and west of Vienenburg

They are dispersed in order to receive supplies from Liebenburg

But will react as soon as the Prussians cross the border

 

2^nd French Army – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

3^rd Prussian Army – 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery

Table at start of battle

2^nd French army is deployed in and behind the town of Vienenburg

4^th corps are on the right in front of the woods

5^th corps are in and behind the right half of the town

CinC has taken command of 4^th and 6^th corps artillery and left half of town

6^th corps are on the left in front of the village

 

3^rd Prussian army will arrive at the bottom of the table at the start of move 1

End of move 2

French advance, artillery open fire

CinC artillery open fire, no hits

4^th corps advance, cavalry on hill

5^th corps no targets in sight

6^th corps advance, cavalry on hill

 

Prussians advance, artillery unlimber

CinC artillery unlimber within range of town, infantry halt out of artillery range

7^th corps advance on right

8^th corps artillery unlimber within range of town, infantry halt out of artillery range

9^th corps advance through woods on left

End of move 4

French lose two cavalry melee

CinC artillery hit 8^th corps cavalry, who are shaken with 10% casualties

4^th corps cavalry advance but are shaken when nearby brigade rout

5^th corps cavalry charge rout gunners and supporting square

6^th corps cavalry charge, lose melee and retreat shaken with 10% casualties

 

Prussians win cavalry melee, but gunners and infantry rout

CinC artillery fire and hit cavalry, who pass morale with 10% casualties,

7^th corps gunners, and supporting square, rout when charged by cavalry

8^th corps wait out of artillery range

9^th corps cavalry win melee

End of move 6

French cavalry in rout

CinC garrison of left hand town section retreat from edge with gunners

4^th corps cavalry lose melee and rout

5^th corps cavalry lose melee and rout

6^th corps cavalry lose melee and rout

 

Prussians attack

CinC advance artillery and infantry towards town

7^th corps rout enemy cavalry, infantry melee on far right

8^th corps advance towards town

9^th corps rout enemy cavalry, infantry melee on far left

End of move 8

French start to retreat

4^th corps lose infantry melee and retreat from right hand hill

5^th corps abandon town and retreat as enemy artillery move into close range

6^th corps lose infantry melee and retreat from left hand hill

 

Prussians take both hills and enter town

7^th corps after a hard fight finally take right hand hill

8^th corps enter town as garrison retreat

9^th corps cavalry charge and rout last two infantry brigades on left hand hill

End of move 10

French retreat, blue stars indicate brigade in rout

4^th corps cavalry and two infantry brigades in rout

5^th corps cavalry brigade in rout

6^th corps cavalry and two infantry brigades in rout

 

Prussians secure both hill and Vienenburg

7^th corps occupy hill but artillery and two infantry brigades in rout

8^th corps occupy town as French retire, cavalry brigade in rout

9^th corps occupy hill but one infantry brigade in rout

 

Summary

The battle opened with an extended cavalry melee

After several hours all three French brigades were routed

This allowed the Prussian cavalry to force the French gunners to withdraw

The Prussians guns now moved into close range of the town

Meanwhile there was heavy fighting on the hills either side of the town

Initially the French had the upper hand, and several Prussians brigades routed

But once again the Prussian cavalry won the day

They forced the French infantry into square, who were broken by Prussian columns

 

The French have lost 7 infantry and 4 cavalry casualties (3200 men)

The Prussians have lost 7 infantry, 3 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (3200 men)

 

1 June 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 1

 

The campaign opens with a surprise attack on Vienenburg

In the north 3^rd Prussian army attack 2^nd French army at Vienenburg

In the centre both armies resupply

In the south both armies resupply

 

The battle of Vienenburg

Prussians won the extensive cavalry fighting

This forced French gunners to withdraw into town

The battle was decided by extended infantry melee on the hills either side of the town

The Prussian cavalry forced the French infantry to form square

They were then easily crushed by the massed Prussian infantry columns