"My Convictions!"
With Napoleon rapidly encircling the Austrian army at Ulm, the Austrian General Mack at last perceived the danger and ordered a breakout, which was blocked at Haslach-Jungingen. The attempt prompted Napoleon, fearing that another attempt might be made allowing the Austrians to escape, to send Ney's corps across the Danube near Elchingen . There was indeed Austrian force at Elchingen but what it was doing was unclear, particularly to the Austrians themselves. To be fair to the Austrian commander Riesch, his orders may have been unclear, but he didn't help his own situation by issuing orders entitled "My Convictions!" which were anything but convincing, and read more like the results of a free-association session with a therapist, and left his subordinates none the wiser about what was required of them.
(This game was played using the John Tiller game "Campaign Austerlitz")
The scenario was created for NBIV by Mark Haughey, and can be downloaded from the Napoleon's Battles Groups.io group. I think Mark's version was influenced by the superb write-up of the historical battle in the Obscure Battles blog (well worth a look).
In the historical action, the Austrians deployed passively on the heights and only a token force was deployed to prevent the French crossing. For this game, the Austrians kept to the same deployment scheme but attempted to use a more active defence.
Turn 1: 0900 - 0930
The French prepare to cross the river. The heavy battery and a horse battery inflicts severe casualties on the AsGN brigade and the Austrian light cavalry moves up to support the grenadiers.
Turn 2: 0930 - 1000
The Austrian Grenadiers are pushed back and then dispersed as the French infantry surges across. The Austrian cavalry prepares to withdraw..
Turn 3: 1000 - 1030
The French get another infantry brigade and a cavalry brigade across. The Austrian cavalry withdraws to the high ground in order to avoid fire from the French artillery.
Turns 4 & 5: 1030 - 1130
Realising that it will take Ney some time to sort out his forces as they come across, Riesch decides that it's time for some activity. First, the AsLC charges the French cavalry brigade that has just crossed over, but the result is indecisive, and both sides fall back in disorder. The the Austrian infantry and cavalry of the main force descend from the heights to engage the French. In the meantime, the first FrLN brigade across pushes forward through the woods on the French right.
Turn 6: 1130 - 1200
The FrLC sorts itself out and advances to guard the French left, and is attacked by its Austrian counterpart. Again the ensuing fight leaves both sides reeling back disordered. The second Austrian Grenadier brigade attacks the French infantry in the woods and is routed. The foremost Austrian line brigade also takes casualties, and is disordered. Meanwhile, the other Austrian units continue to advance on the French bridgehead, and more French infantry arrives.
Turn 7 & 8: 1200 - 1300
The Austrian Grenadiers and the infantry brigade that had been attacking the French right are finally dispersed by fire, only to be replaced by fresh Austrian brigades. The Austrian heavy cavalry repositions to below Ober Elchingen, from where the advancing French infantry is within reach. On the French left, the cavalry clash indecisively again, and both sides withdraw and reform. The slow French advance has nevertheless left some space so the artillery units, lacking targets from their original deployment positions, limber up and prepare to cross.
Turns 9 & 10: 1300 - 1400
The Austrian cavalry manages to co-ordinate a charge of both brigades, aimed at the centre of the French line, in the hope of splitting the French bridgehead and cutting it off from reinforcement. One French brigade is routed, but the other stands firm and the Austrian attack is not pressed home. An arriving infantry brigade takes the place of the routed FrLT unit.
The French dragoons and Mahler's division start to cross as the Austrian infantry continues to be whittled away by French fire. Fighting an enemy in trees is really hurting the Austrians, being saddled with a total fire modifier of -4 (-1 AsLN Fire Mod, -1 Unit size, -2 target in woods). Another Austrian infantry unit is eliminated. The finishing blow comes from the French cavalry. Led by Ney, the FrLC on the left charges straight at the AsLC and AsHC on the heights ahead, and the charge disperses both Austrian brigades and the French brigade too, its winner loss being the final straw, but it had a good day overall.
This final action leaves the French dominating the field and the Austrians with an irrecoverable Army Morale level of 7. The few Austrian units remaining quit the field and the battle's outcome matches the historical result, even the the flow of the battle didn't.
