Battle of Caldiero, 12 Nov 1796 - AAR

This French Revolutionary Wars game, based on the battle from Napoleon's Italian Campaign of 1796-97, saw a number of Rejects gather in Stuart's shed to play it out.  By the way, get a cup of tea, this is a long post.

The game was played out with my 28mm French Revolutionary Wars collection made up mostly of Elite Miniatures, Wargames Foundry and a spattering of Eureka (thank you Jonathan), Perry and Connoiseur figures.

The rules are my own.

Inspiration for the scenario comes from a number of sources.  However, most of the detail is thanks to the article on this battle by Rob Harper in Wargames Soldiers and Strategy magazine issue number 128.

Background

By November 1796, Napoleon and the French Republic’s Army of Italy had defeated the Piedmontese and chased the Austrians across Northern Italy.  They had trapped an Austrian army in the fortress city of Mantua and defeated one attempt by a relief army to lift the siege.

However, the Austrians were not going to give up just yet.  At the beginning of November, Napoleon faced a difficult situation.  Whilst trying to continue his blockade of Mantua, he found himself faced with two large columns approaching from the north.  The Austrian plan was to unite in the vicinity of Verona (held by the French) and then march onto Mantua.

Napoleon saw Alvinczy’s approach from the east of Verona as the greater and more imminent threat.  Napoleon sent Vaubois to hold the Austrian army marching from the north while he concentrated troops around Verona.

Alvinczy’s advance guard had halted east of Verona; deploying in a position between Caldiero and Colognola.  The rest of the Austrian army was further to the west at Villanuova.

Napoleon’s aim in attacking at Caldiero was to defeat the Austrian advance guard before they could be reinforced.  His preferred plan was for Augereau to pin the enemy at Caldiero whilst Massena found the Austrian right flank and rolled them up from Colognola.

Scenario Specifics
Before Battle

The French may nominate one unit as elite.

The Austrians may nominate one unit as elite.

 
During the Game
The French are the attackers and theirs is the initiative to lose.
At the start of each Action Phase, the French must activate a brigade.  Thereafter, the initiative rolls decide control.
This applies until Austrian reinforcements start arriving - dice rolls conducted from Turn 5 onwards.  Thereafter, control of initiative is decided by opposed d6 rolls with the French receiving a plus 1 modifier.
 
Victory Conditions
The French must force at least half of the advance guard to retreat, rout or be destroyed.  Alternatively, inflict more casualties on the Austrians than they take.
The Austrians must hold both Caldiero and Colognola by the time the game ends.

Weather
The weather played a big part in this battle.  It was cold with snow, sleet and mud all playing their part.  Each turn there will be a dice roll to see if there is a sudden snow squall.  On a roll of 5-6 on 1d6 a squall appears.  This will:
·       halt artillery movement;
·       reduce the movement of infantry on high ground, and cavalry wherever to half;
·       stop cavalry from charging;
·       prevents infantry fire unless from buildings and woods – targets are counted as obscured;
·       infantry may still charge.
·       No roll the turn after a squall.

Terrain
Caldiero and Colognola are considered as prepared and loopholed. Treat as towns for melee and shooting.  Can hold one unit each.
 - Stra and Lorgan are hamlets which offer minimal cover for one unit each. 
 - For shooting at Stra and Lorgan: no modifiers to the number of dice, but roll on woods, obstacles and buildings column.
 - For melee: target is unit is counted as in woods, behind obstacle – so, -1 not -2.
 - The vineyards prevent cavalry from charging and cause the loss of an action.
 - Scattered woods prevent artillery and cavalry from moving through them and reduce formed infantry to half movement.

The Armies
Whilst I have tried to represent the relative strengths of the combattants, the regiments listed correspond to my collection and not to those actually at the battle.

Austrian Army of Italy (Ray and Steve)
Commander in Chief – Prince Hohenzollern – C Grade

1st Brigade around Stra and Caldiero

IR4 Deutschmeister (v) at Stra

IR13 Reisky (v) at Caldiero

IR24 Preiss (v) just east of Stra

Light Artillery 1 by Stra

2nd Brigade deployed on La Rocca and Lorgan

IR51 Splenyi (v) at La Rocca

IR25 Brechainville (v) at Lorgan

Light Artillery 2 on La Rocca

3rd Brigade at Colognola and heights to south of it

Illyrischer Grenzers (v) in Colognola

Szluiner Grenzers (v) on heights

Medium Artillery 3

Medium Artillery 4

1st Cavalry Brigade east of La Rocca

2nd Hussars (v)

11th Hussars (v)

2nd Cavalry Brigade at Lorgan

Wurmser Dragoons (v)

Stabsdragoner (v)

Uhlans (v)

Austrian Reinforcements

Brabecks Brigade

IR26 Schroeder

IR14 Klebek(c)

IR8 Huff (c)

Provera’s Brigade

IR16 Terzi

IR49 Pellegrini (c)

Stabsdragoner 2

Schuberz Brigade

IR27 Strassoldo (c)

IR43 Thurn (c)

Carlstadter S/Shooters

French Army of Italy  (Lee and Stuart)

Commander in Chief – General Bonaparte - A Grade

Massena’s Division

1st Brigade

4th Demi Brigade (v)

5th Demi Brigade (v)

12th Demi Brigade (v)

Medium Artillery 1 – can attach to any brigade and respawn once.

2nd Brigade

51st Demi Brigade (v)

69th Demi Brigade (v)

3rd Brigade

14th Demi Brigade (v)

19th Demi Brigade (v)

Cavalry Brigade

10th Chasseurs (v)

22nd Chasseurs (v)

Augereau’s Division

1st Brigade

Legion d’Allobroges (v)

85th Demi Brigade (v)

57th Demi Brigade(v)

Medium Artillery 2

2nd Brigade

Grenadiers (v)

6th Demi Brigade (v)

75th Demi Brigade (v)

Dumas’ Cavalry Division

1st Brigade

5th Dragoons (v)

8th Dragoons (v)

2nd Brigade

20th Dragoons (v)

18th Dragoons (v)

v = classed as veteran

c = classed as conscript

others are line class

Deployment
The following sketch map was sent to the players in the week leading up to the game

And this is how the table looked with troops deployed.

The Austrian deployment saw them scattered from Caldiero and La Rocca in the south down the ridge to Colognola, and with cavalry supporting in the rear around Lorgan and west of La Rocca.

The Battle
Apologies in advance for the number of sub-standard photos.  I think that my camera skills were melting in the 30 plus degrees heat.

Massena's division start emerging from the vineyards.

The Austrian artillery open their account.

The French advance all along the line.  Augereau's division concentrating on Stra and Caldiero, while Augereau moves toward the ridge and Colognola.  Dumas' cavalry division begins to swing south onto the French right flank.
Meanwhile, the Austrian cavalry under Prince Hohenzollern start redeploying toward the flanks.  Keeping one regiment in reserve.

While Lannes' brigade advanced towards Caldiero in the background, Guyeux formed his brigade into column and assaulted Stra.  The defenders made sure that they took down some of the attackers with their musketry.

However, weight of numbers ejected the defenders.  Their supporting gun would quickly withdraw to safety.

Austrian units on the ridge were now able to rain lead from muskets and canister fire down on the grenadiers around Stra.

Meanwhile, Massena's division continued to advance towards the ridge, and Dumas' cavalry swept round to the French flank to face the redeploying Austrian hussars.

Having taken significant casualties in their efforts to take Stra, Guyeux's brigade faltered and retired from the Austrian defensive fire to regroup.

As Guyeux reorganised troops reoccupied Stra, Dumas first brigade of dragoons respond aggressively to the Austrian hussars charging on the French right.  Further down the line, Massena launched two columns up the ridge, and another two against Colognola.

With Rampon's brigade having taken limited casualties from the defenders' musketry, they crashed into the outskirts and barricades of Colognola.

The assault is met by determined grenzers unwilling to give up the town lightly.  Surprised by the feriocity of the defence, the French are repulsed in what was a bloody and bruising melee.

On the ridge, Gardanne's two regiments ignore the effects of casualties accumulated during their approach and crash into the defending grenzers.

The Austrians find themselves unable to resist the assault and retreat off the ridge.

However, the French take advantage of the opportunity to pursue.  With one unit showing slightly more enthusiasm, they descend on the stricken grenzers once more and... 

... hurl the Austrian troops back in disarray; routing around the cavalry held in reserve.  The Austrian centre seems to be collapsing!

On the French right flank, two Austrian hussar regiments and two French dragoons collide in a frenzy of sabre and horse flesh.

However, the Austrian desire to win and determination in the charge unnerve the French.

In a long, swirling melee where no quarter was given it was the French that routed.

As the dust settled on the recent dramatic events, the generals surveyed the field and readied their forces for the next stage.

With casualties running high on parts of the battlefield, the troops reflected on their willingness to continue.
For the Austrian brigade defending Colognola and the ridge, their morale temporarily failed them.  The artillery limbered up and retired from the ridge, and the defenders of Colognola withdrew to make way for fresh defenders.
The French soldiers also contemplated their losses and position.  So, without recourse to their commanders Rampon's brigade that had just taken the ridge (having taken considerable casualties to gain their victory) retired in search of safety and to regroup.
Meanwhile, Massena's Chasseurs a Cheval positioned themselves on the French left to threaten and counter the approaching Austrian uhlans.

With cavalry effectively neutralising the flanks, the battle concentrated around Caldiero and the ridge.  The Austrians launched a counterattack throwing cavalry up the ridge against the damaged French regiment, and an infantry charge against French skirmishers standing in front of Stra.
Meanwhile, Lannes' brigade, now in column of attack, is launched against the defences of Caldiero.

With few and tired soldiers, the French on the ridge are wiped out.

Carried on by their victory, the Austrian cavalry fall on Rampon's remaining regiment and...

... show no pity in their revenge.

Rather quietly, Massena sends a regiment to occupy the now empty Colognola before the Austrians can react.

But around Stra, the Austrian infantry come off the ridge and, with bayonets levelled, fall on the French skirmishers.

The melee is uneven and the French run!
However, the Austrians feel unable to assault Stra.

At Caldiero, two regiments in attack column beat against the defences.

Despite admirable resistance, the Austrians are forced out of Caldiero.  Lannes moves in to occupy the town.

With Caldiero and Colognola in French hands, and Austrian reinforcements due to start arriving, the game has run its course.

Whilst the French have captured the two towns, they have suffered significant casualties.  Meanwhile, the Austrians have managed to keep their losses to more manageable proportions.  With the prospect of reinforcements arriving the result is a minor Austrian victory.

Afterthoughts

A tight and enjoyable game.  The result was largely one that reflected history.  The French were unable to inflict the sort of losses that would convince the Austrian army to withdraw from their intention to relieve Mantua.  In the next few days, the decision would have to be made around Arcole.

The Austrian victory has to take into account that they have reinforcements arriving.  The French losses amounted to c.32% of their effectives.  The Austrian lost c.26%.  Augereau's division, whilst holding both Stra and Caldiero, had lost 51% of the men.  This French "victory" would have been untenable and they would be required to withdraw from the field when the Austrian reinforcements arrived.  Which is essentially what happened historically.

I gave all the units on the table veteran status.  I was worried that this would make it too hard for the French.  My decision to do this was in the hope that troops would hang around longer and counter the nearly 2 to 1 advantage that the French had.  Pleasingly, it did make for a very tight and, in my view, an exciting game.  Austrian reinforcements consisted of a large number of conscripts.

The weather was kind to the French.  Only one turn was affected by a squall.  It gave the opportunity for the French to sustain their attacks.

What would I change if I played this again?  I considered that the Austrian units in Caldiero and Colognola need not be veterans, but on reflection the French could've approached in a way to reduce their losses.  So, the game could be played with a different outcome.  In short, victory is available to both sides.

Well done to the players.  They put in a great performance.