I. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS: As we prepare PART 1 of report on the (imaginary) battle of Ebelsbach, comments by Mike Gilbert (and other members) start to come in and will be presented in other sections of this issue such as MIKE'S CORNER. The purpose of covering the present game is simply to prevent: (1) Our game concept - and HOW we set up a battle. (2) To present the problems - and OUR solutions - which are not necessary THE ONLY absolute, but may be of interest to the readership. (One of EEL's objectives is to present ideas.) The imaginary battle of Ebelsbach - taking place during the Campaign of 1809 - is the first baitle fought by our club using the scale of 1 inch = 50 yards (equivalent approximately to 25mm = 50 meters). The first impression is the overwhelming size of our wargame table! We have now 6700 yards on one side and 6450 yards on the other side (see Map below). Apparently we'll have to chanqe some of our bad habits. We won't be able now, to "plug" every inch of the battlefield with Troops and the old "head on" style is out of question. The victory will go the side with reserves and best at maneuvers...But, here, as we write PART I, we are anticipating and our findings may be different. PART I will cover: II. GAME SCENARIO. III. AUSTRIAN INITIAL ORDERS. IV. FRENCH INITIAL ORDERS. V. AUSTRIAN ORDER OF ENTRY AND INITIAL VI. FRENCH ORDER OF ENTRY AND INITIAL DISPOSITIONS. VII. NEW DISPOSITIONS TAKEN BY K.U.K. HEADQUARTERS SINCE THE DISPATCHING OF INITIAL ORDERS (AFTERNOON PRECEEDING DAY). II. GAME-SCENARIO: (Inspired by the EBELSBERG scenario, hence: EBELS­BACH) After the initial move toward Ratisbon etc. the Austrian Army is retreating toward Vienna. The Austrian 1st Corps is in a precarious situation and risks being cut off from the rest of the Army if unable to cross the (imaginary) River Emns on one of the two bridges at Ebelsbach and Schoenburg presently held by a small rearguard, part of the VIIIth Corps (Brigade Gajoli). The main menace is coming from part of Davout III.Corps which is trying to outflank the Austrians 1st Corps on the left bank of the Emns. Claparede (Division of Oudinot's II Corps) is compounding that menace by a second outflanking movement since it already crossed over the Emns and is now menacing Schoenburg and Ebelsbach from the right bank. Time is pressing for the Austrians and Archduke Charles is aware of the gravity of the situation and - AS A FIRST STEP - has dispatched the following orders to the 1st Armeekorps: III. ORDERS TO THE AUSTRIAN SIDE: It's important to realize that the following orders have been dispat­ched in the afternoon of the day preceeding the battle. They reached the rearguard (part of the 8th.Corps) at Schoenburg on the eve they were issued BUT Bellegarde ONLY at 6.OOAM the next day . IMPORTANT: Consequently, these orders do not reflect nor include the steps that may have been taken by K.u.K. Headquarters since that time. III.1 ORDERS TO 1st ARMEEKORPS UNDER GdK BELLEGARDE: K.u.K. Headquarters. To General GDK Bellegarde Commander of the 1st Armeekorps General The 8th Armeekorps has received the order to leave a rearguard to hold the two bridges on the River Emns at Ebelsbach and Schoenburg. We have been informed that the 8th Corps rearguard (Brigade Gajoli) is effec­tively in position between these two towns and is awaiting your orders. Furthermore, Ebelsbach is occupied by a battalion of the Salzburg Landwehr holding that important bridge against a French surprise. Davout's III.Corps has been reported moving towards Ebelsbach and Schoenburg on the left bank of the Emns. His strength is unknown. A captured French dispatch informed us that his mission is to prevent the crossing of our army pontoon trains and of your Corps. Our vedettes have reported that part of Oudinot's II.Corps has already crossed the Emns and is progressing, on the right bank, toward Ebels­bach and Schoenburg. Oudinot's strength is unknown. The 8th Corps rearguard has been informed of your mission and of Davout and Oudinot's intentions. The bridge at Schoenburg is a stone bridge and the 8th Corps brigade does not have either the powder or the pioneers to mine that bridge. (You may dispatch your pioneers and the powder at 7AM with your Light Division.) Your mission is clear. You have to do what is necessary to protect the passing of the pontoon train, then the safe passage and retreat of your Corps and the part of the 8th Corps now under your command. The priority is in passing the pontoon train. The Austrian Army can not afford to lose neither so, do not take unnecessary chances and keep your losses at a minimum. After crossing destroy both bridges. (See Austrian order of entry Part V.) III.2 ORDERS TO REARGUARD OF 8TH ARMEEKORPS: K.u.K. Headquarters. To General GM GAJOLI Commanding a brigade of the 8th Armeekorps General The 8th Armeekorps has received the order to leave a rearguard to hold the two bridges on the River Emns at Ebelsbach and Schoenbury. Your brigade because of its location close to Schoenburg has been selected for that mission. Because of the urgency of the situation, to gain time, K.u.K. Head­quarters is informing you directly of your mission which is to hold the bridge at Schoenburg. You will be under heavy attack from both sides of the Emns. If your position becomes untenable, retreat slowly toward Ebelsbach fighting a delaying action to to allow reinforcements to arrive. 8th Corps has been informed of Davout and Oudinot's intentions and of your mission. You are now - temporarily, until otherwise instructed - under the orders of General Bellegarde and you must inform him immediately o: your dispositions. Await his orders. Ebelsbach is occupied by a battalion of the Salzburg Landwehr holding that important bridge against a French surprise. Davout's III.Corps has been reported movins towards Ebelsbach and Schoenburg on the left bank of the Emns. His strength is unknown. A captured French dispatch informed us that his mission is to prevent the crossing of our army pontoon trains and of I.Corps. Our vedettes have reported that part of Oudinot's II.Corps has already crossed the Emns and is progressing, on the right bank, toward Ebels­bach and Schoenburg. Oudinot's strength is unknown. IV. ORDERS TO FRENCH SIDE: The French side forces includes two Divisions of Davout's III.Corps (with Z brigades of light cavalry) and Claparede's Division of Oudinot's II.Corps. Following are the orders issued to the French side. IV.I ORDERS TO MARSHAL DAVOUT COMMANDER OF-III.CORPS: Imperial Army Headquarters. To Marechal Davout Commander of the III.Corps Marshal, We have been informed that an Austrian rearguard is in position around Schoenburg. Furthermore, Ebelsbach is also occupied by Austrian forces of unknown strength. The Austrian Ist Corps (and an important pontoon train) is retreating toward Ebelsbach. The Emperor points out the importance of Ebelsbach and Schoenburg, - which are the only two bridges still in Austrian hands on the River Emns - on which the Austrians can retreat. Their capture would prevent the Austrian crossing and force the 1st.Corps to surrender. Part of Oudinot's II.Corps (Claperede's Division) has already crossed the Emns and is progressing, on the right bank, toward Ebelsbach and Schoenburg. You must contact him and inform him that he is temporarily under your command. Your mission is clear. You have to do what is necessary to capture the bridges at Ebelsbach and at Schoenburg and to prevent the crossing of the Emns of the pontoon train and of the 1st Corps. Coordinate your attack with Claparede. IV.2 ORDERS TO GENERAL, CLAPAREDE: Imperial Army Headquarters, To General Claparede, Commander of the IInd.COrps, 2nd Division. General, We have been informed that an Austrian rearguard is in position around Schoenburg and Ebelsbach is also occupied by Austrian forces of unknown strength. The Austrian Ist Corps (and an important pontoon train) is retreating toward Ebelsbach. The Emperor points out the importance of Ebelsbach and Schoenburg, - which are the only two bridges still in Austrian hands on the River Emns - on which the Austrians can retreat. Their capture would prevent the Austrian crossing. The 1st.Corps would have no alternative but to surrender. Part of Marechal Davaut III.Corps is progressing toward Ebelsbach and Schoenburg. You must contact him and you are informed by the present dispatch that you are temporarily under his command for the mission outlined below. Your mission is clear. You have to do what is necessary to capture the bridges at Ebelsbach and at Schoenburg and to prevent the crossing of the Emns of the pontoon train and of the 1st Corps. Coordinate your attack and follow the order given by Davout. V. AUSTRIAN ORDER OF ENTRY: V.1 8TH ARMEEKORPS REARGUARD LOCATION: The small rearguard is composed of the weak Gajoli's brigade located as shown on the map and includes the following units: IR 53 (3 battalions) 2160 men IR 16 (1 battalion) 900 men Grenzregiment 10 (1 battalion) 720 men 1 3pd Brigade battery 8 guns Husarenregiment 7 480 men (4 squadrons) (*) (*) Only part of Husarenregiment 7, detached from 6th Armeekorps. One squadron to be detached in picket duty. V.2 1st-ARMEEKORPS-ORDER-OF-ENTRY: (see order of battle in note 1) 7.OOAM: General Bellegarde enters the table at "A" with the Light Division (and the pioneers and powder to mine the bridges) IMPORTANT: Bellegarde immediately confers with the vedettes from the 8th Corps and is informed at that time only of the dispositions taken by the 8th.Corps and the last known French positions (i.e. on the eve of the previous day). 7.30AM: Bellegarde has now analyzed the situation and issued his orders to the Light Division and the 8th.Corps detachment. 8.OOAM: The 1st Division enters the board at "A". Bellegarde immediately confers with its commander and informs him of his mission. 8.20AM: The 1st Division has now received its orders and proceeds to execute them. 9.00 AM: The 2nd Division enters the board at "A". Bellegarde immediately confers with its commander and informs him of his mission. 9.20AM: The 2nd Division has now received its orders and proceeds to execute them. 10.OOAM: Pontoon trains and Reserve Artillery enter the board at "A" and receive their orders from couriers which are on location. VI. FRENCH ORDER OF ENTRY VI.1 DAVOUT'S ORDER OF ENTRY: 7.OOAM: Davout's enters the table at "B" with the III. Corps light advance guard. IMPORTANT: Davout immediately dispatches vedettes and try to make contact with Claparede. He may send general orders to Ciaparede, however, he must await the vedettes reports to issue orders to the incoming troops which are held in the holding area. 7.30AM: Davout has now analyzed the situation and issues orders to the advance guard that entered the board at "B" and is awaiting orders in the holding area. 8.OOAM: The 1st Division enters the board at "B". Davout immediately confers with its commander and informs him of his mission,(providing he has received information from his vedettes). Otherwise he waits until data becomes available. 9.00 AM: The 2nd Division enters the board at "A". Davout immediately confers with its commander and informs him of his mission. VI.2 CLAPAREDE'S ORDER OF ENTRY: 7.OOAM: Claparede enters the table at "C" with a light advance guard (light cavalry) and sends vedettes toward Schoenburg and Ebelsbach to sight the Austrian. IMPORTANT: Claparede, according to his orders, immediately try to make contact with Davout. Claparede must analyze the situation and issue his orders only after receiving reports from his vedettes after spotting the Austrians. 8.OOAM: The Division enters the board at "C". Claparede immediately confers with his commanders and informs them of his missions providing he has received the necessary information from his vedettes. Otherwise he waits until the necessary data becomes available. VII. NEW DISPOSITIONS TAKEN BY K.U.K. HEADQUARTERS SINCE DISPATCHING INITIAL ORDERS (IN THE AFTERNOON OF PRECEEDING DAY). Archduke Charles realized the seriousness of the situation as soon as he was informed of the crossing of the Emns by part of the II.Corps (i.e. Claparede's Division). The weak Gajoli's brigade was in no shape to hold Schoenburg and its bridge, let alone to prevent the crossing of the Emns by Davout, which then could simply cut off the read from Ebelsbach on the right bank of the Emns before the 1st Corps could cross over. Something nad to be done quickly. Near K.u.K. Headquarters was Jellacic's Division of VI.Armeekarps (2 brigades of 6 battalions each, with 3 6-pdr batteries) with 4 squadrons of Hussars from the light Division of the same corps. Charles decided to take command in person and to try to secure the right bank of the Emns to allow its crossing by the 1st Armeekorps. A courier was sent to General Gajoli to inform him of Archduke Charles movement toward Ebelsbach. The dispatch was received at turn 12 and transmitted to 3ellegarde who should not receive it before turn 19. Archduke Charles enters the table at "D" on turn 13 with his 4 squadrons of Hussars and immediately assess the situation. His Divi­sion enters the table at "D" at turn 14. VII. CONCLUSION OF PART I. The initial scenario and battle set up is given above. In PART IT (to be found in EEL 85), the battle will be related. Some of the problems we have faced in the initial phase of the battle will be found in the WARGAME PROBLEM section elsewhere in this issue. Note 1. The order of battle for 1st Austrian Corps is: 1st Div. 1st Brigade: IR 35 & IR 42 (6 bttns) 6-pdr Brigade batt. (8 guns) 2nd Brigade: IR 17 & IR 36 (6 bttns) 6-pdr Position batt. (6 guns) and 6-pdr Brigade batt. (8 guns) 2nd Div. 1st Brigade: IR 10 IR 11 & IR 47 (9 bttn.) 6-pdr Brigade batt. (8 guns) Light Div. 1st Brig.: 3 batt. Jeagers, Cavalry (8 squad.) and 3pdr Brig. batt. (8 guns) 2nd Brig.: 3 batt. Jeagers, cavalry (8 squad.) 6-pdr Cav. batt. (6 guns) Reserve Artillery: two 12-pdr Position batt. (12 guns), 1 6-pdr Pos. batt.(6 guns) Back to Empire, Eagles, & Lions Table of Contents Vol. 1 No. 84 Back to EEL List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1985 by Emperor's Headquarters This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com