Historical Note
The opening engagement of the 1805 Campaign saw an isolated Austrian force under Field Marshal Auffenberg surprised by the advance guard of the French Grande Armee. Under Marshals Joachim Murat and Jean Lannes, the 12,000-strong French force - including some 4000 cavalry - caught the Austrians unprepared and were among them before many could form defensive squares.
Several battalions disintegrated immediately and by the end of the action fewer than half of the original 5500 men in Auffenberg's III Corps escaped. Almost 3000 were captured, while only 400 were killed or wounded. The French lost fewer than 200 men.
Briefings and Orders of Battle
Feldmarschall-Leutnant Baron Franz Xavier Auffenberg :
You are ordered to push forward northeast as far as you
can in order to scout for the enemy. Since your mission is urgent you forced
marched your force late last night. As you sit down to brunch on the next day
at about 11:30 you are informed that a mass of French cavalry is rapidly approaching
from the northeast. For a detailed Order of Battle click
HERE.
Maréchal Jean Lannes (Commander V Corps) : You are ordered to push forward
southwest as far as you can in order to cut the enemy main line of retreat.
Early in the morning your scouts report that the area ahead (a good full days march)
is occupied by approximately 12,000 Austrian troops. You immediately order your
advance Division under Fauconnet to pin down or attack any Austrians in your path.
For a detailed Order of Battle click
HERE.
Maréchal Joachim Murat -
(Commander Reserve Cav) : You are ordered to push
southwest as far as you can in order to cut the enemy main line of retreat.
Early in the morning your scouts report that the area ahead (a days march)
is occupied by approximately 12,000 Austrians. You order your aide
Exelmans to take command of your advance Division under Beaumont and pin down
or attack any Austrians in your path. For a detailed Order of Battle click
HERE.
Wertingen Map :
After Action Report
On Oct. 7th., 1805 FML Auffenberg with a force of 6 Grenadier Battalions, 3 Line Battalions, 18 guns, 1 Regt. of Cuirassier and 1 Regt. of Chevaleger departed Ulm. His mission was to stay south of the Danube River and push north east of Ulm in search of French troops. The nearest ones were reported to be a number of days away north of the Danube River. He forced march his troops into Wertingen in the early hours of Oct. 8th. A small force was pushed out to a village a mile or two away to act as advance scouts.
Unknown to the Austrians the French had been able to identify this force but over estimated it to be approximately 12,000 vs actual 5,000. Prince Murat and Marshal Lannes who were at different locations south of the Danube River were both ordered to attack this force. They were also ordered to push as far forward from their positions east of Ulm to cut the enemies main line of retreat from Ulm.
Lannes immediately ordered his advance Cavalry Division under GB Fauconnet with 4 Regts. of cavalry and 1/2 battery of horse guns to pin down or attack any Austrians in the Wertingen area. Prince Murat issued similar orders to GD Beaumont with his 6 Dragoon Regts. and 1 horse battery of 8lbs. but gave overall command to his aid Exelman.
At approximately 11:00am Auffenberg was advised by a trooper that French cavalry were approaching. He dismissed him as he knew no French were near. At 11:30am the troopers commander assured him that not only were the French approaching but if he stepped outside he could probably see them. Auffenberg now reacted quickly and sent two full battalions to aid the battalion holding the village. The balance of his force spread out from Wertingen and held a line behind a stream.
At about 12:30am Exelmans and Beaumont were finally able to deploy 2 Regts. against the village and 2 more were sent to observe the Austrians outside of Wertingen. Unknown to them the Austrian relief force was also moving on the village. Both forces were on opposite sides of a wood and could not see each other. Once visible the Austrians formed square.
Exelmans released his cavalry against the village and the squares at about 1:30pm. Although the Austrians put up agood defense the successive charges forced them to retreat. At 2:00pm GD Fauconnet arrived and informed Exelman that his force would move to outflank the Austrian right outside of Wertingen.
By 3:00pm Exelmans knew the village was his and ordered 2 Regts. to pursue the retreating Austrians. Lannes arrived at 4:00pm with Oudinot's Reserve Grenadier Division of 10 Battalions on the Austrian left flank. Also at this time Murat arrived with GD Klein and 2 Dragoon Regts. Murat was furious that Exelmans had not yet attacked Wertingen and ordered him to return to his H.Q. hoping that Exelmans would have been more aggressive. Exelmans tried to explain himself and told Murat that so far he had only found about 1/3 of the 12,000 Austrians. Murat was in no mood to hear excuses he wanted results. He immediately ordered Beaumont to recall his troops and send his entire Division to attack Wertingen. The same orders were given to GD Klein.
Auffenberg could now see what was going on and withdrew his troops closer to Wertingen. He also ordered his Grenadiers to counterattack Oudinot.
Nansouty arrived at 4:30pm and Lannes order him to use his 4 Cuirassier and 2 Carabinier Regts. to support Oudinot.
The Austrian Grenadiers pushed back the first two French Grenadier Battalions but the third one stopped them cold. At this same time Klein's Dragoons evicted a Grenadier Battalion from the outskirts of Wertingen.
At 6:00pm Auffenberg ordered a full retreat as half his force was now in retreat and the rest were about to be surrounded.
Conclusion
All the players enjoyed themselves and played their parts extremely well. The outcome was not too different from the historical one which gave the game a surreal feeling.
Wertingen Grand Piquet Scenario : Refought on 28 June 2005
Provided by the courtesy of Chris Abbey of Wargames World Online.
La Victoire est à nous
