Having been ordered by Napoleon to keep pushing Blucher's Army of Silesia, Marshall Macdonald slowly advanced towards Blucher, under the impression that the Army of Silesia would by holding their positions and recouping after the battles of the Bober. Macdonald was surprised to find himself blundering into most of Blucher's army as he crossed the rain swollen Neisse river. ALLIED ORDER OF BATTLE (4) Army of Silesia (S): Blucher: 20"E(10)+3 [22M] (3) Right Wing: Sacken: 9"A(6)+l (2) 11th Corp (11): Vassilshikov 7"A(55)+0 [317] (1) 10th Division (10) Lieven III 3 "A(4)+0: 1B/10/11 24RsLN 11 [12D], 2B/10/11 16RsJG [8D] (1) 27th Division (27): Neverovsky: 5"G(8)+2: 1B/27/11: 28RsLN [14D] Corp Artillery; 11: Rs12#, 11: Rs12#, 11: Rs6#, 11: Rs6# (1) 3rd Dragoon Division (3D): Tschaplitz; 3"G(6)+ 1 [1F] 1B/3D/S; 20RsLC [IOD], 2B/SD/S; 16RsLC [81)], SD; Rs6# (1) Cossack Corp (CC): Karpov II: 4"G(8)+1 [217] 1B/CC/S: 20RsCLC [14D], 2B/CC/S; 16RsCLC [11D], 3B/CC/S; 16RsCLC [11D] (2) Prussian I Corps (I) Yorck; 10"E(7)+1 [9F] (1) 1st Brigade (1); Steinmetz; 3"A(5)+0 1B/1,1; 24PrGN [10D], 2B/1/1; 20PrSLW [12D], 3B/1/1; 20PrSLW [12D], 4B/1/1; l2PrLC [6D] (1) 2nd Brigade (2); Mecklenburg; 3"A(5)+0 1B/2/1: 24PrLN [12D], 2B/2/L 28PrSLW [17D], 2B/2/1; 12PrLC [6D] (1) 7th Brigade (7): Horn: 3"A(6)+0 1B/7/1; 16PrGN [6D], 2B/7/1; 20PrLW [14D], 3B/7/I; 24PrSLW [14D], 4B/7/I: 12PrLC [6D] (1) 8th Brigade (8): Hunerbein: 3"A(5)+0 1B/8/I; 24PrRES [12D], 2B/8/I: 28PrLW [20D], 3B/8/1; 12PrLC [6.D] (1) Cavalry Reserve (CR); Jurgass: 4"G(7)+1 1B/CR/I; 2QPrLC [10D], 2B/CR/ 1: 16PrLWC [11D], 3B/CR/I; 16PrLWC [11DI], CR/I; Pr6# I Corp Artillery; L Pr12#, I; PrHFA, I: Pr6#,I; Pr6# I; Pr6# (3) Left Wing; Langeron; 10"G(7)+2 (2) 6th Corp (6); Scherbatov; 7"A(4)+0 [2F] (1) 7th Division (7) Tallisin 4"A(5)+0 1B/7/6 24RsLN [12D], 2B/7/6 16PsJG [8D] (1) 18th Division (18): Bernodossov: 3"A(4)+0 1B/18/6: 28RsLN [14D] 6th Corp Artillery: 6: Rs12#, 6: Rs6#, 6: Rs6# (2) 9th Corp (9): Alsusiev: 7"G(5)+0 [2F] (1) 9th Division (9d): Udom IL 3"A(6)+0 1B/9dl/9: 24RsLN [12D] (1) 15th Division (15); Rudsevich: 3"A(6)+0 1B/15/9 16RsLN [81)], 2B/15/9:16RsJG [8D] 9th Corp Artillery: 9: Rs12#, 9: Rs6#, 9: Rs6# (2) 10th Corp (10) Kapzevich 7"A(4)+0 [2F] (1) 8th Division (8) Urussov:3"G(5)+0 1B/8/10:16RsLN [8D], 2B/8/10:16RsLN [8D] (1) 22nd Division (22): Turtshaninov: 3"A(6)+0 1B/22/10 16RsLN [8D], 2B/22/10:16RsJG [8D] 10th Corp Artillery: 10: Rs12#, 10: Rsl2#, 10 Rs6#, 10: Rs6# (2) 1st Cavalry Corp (1C); Korff, 7"A(6)+0 [2F] (1) 1 st Chasseur A' Cheval Division (Ice): Pantschulid 1: 4"A(5)+l 1B/ Icc/IC; 16RsLC [8D], 2B/1cc/1C; 16RsLC [8D] (1) Light Division (L); Grekov III: 3"(6)+l 1B/L/IC:; 16RsCLC [11D] IC Artillery; IC; Rs6# FRENCH ORDER OF BATTLE (4) French Army (17): MacDonald: 13"G(10)+l [13M till 1600 then 14M, then 20M at 1630] (2) III Corp (III): Souham: 8"G(6)+0 [7F] (1) 8th Division (8): Brayer: 3"A(5)+0 1B/8/III: 20FrPLT [12D], 2B/8/III: 24FrPLN [14D], 3B/8/III: 20FrPLN [12D] (1) 9th Division (9): Delmas: 3"A(6)+l 1B/9/III: 16FrLT [10D], 2B/9/III: 20FrLN [12D], 3B/9/III: 20FrLN [12D] (1) 10th Division (10): Albert: 3 "G(S)+ 1 1B/10/III: 28FrLN [17D], 2B/10/III: 24FrLN [14D] (1) 39th Division (39): Marchand: 4"E(7)+l 1B/39/III:16BdLN [10D], 2B/39/III:28HsLN [14D] (1) 23rd Lt Cavalry Brigade (23): Beurnann: 3"A(5)+0 1B/23/111: 16FrLC [10D] III Corp Artillery (III): Fr12#, III: Fr12#, III: Fr6#, III: Fr6# (2) V Corp (V): Lauriston: 8"G(5)+l [3F] (1) 16th Division (16): Maison: 4"G(8)+l 1B/16N: 28FrLN [17D], 2B/16N: 24FrLN [14D] (1) 19th Division (19): Rochambeau: 4"A(6)+l 1B/19N: 24FrLN [14D], 2B/19N; 24FrLN [14D], 3B/19N; 28FrLN [17D] (1) 6th Lt Cavalry Brigade (6): Dermoncourt: 3"A(6)+0 1B/6N; 16FrLC: [10D] V Corp Artillery: V; Frl2#, V; Frl2#, V: Fr6# (2) XI Corp (XI); Gerard; 9"G(5)+l [3F] (1) 35th Division (35); D'Henin; 3"A(5)+l B/35/XI: 28FrVLN [14D], 2B/35/XI; 241tLN [14D] (1) 36th Division (36): Charpentier: 3"A(5)+0 1B/36/Xl: 28FrVLT [14D], 2B/36/Xl: 24FrLN [14D] (1) 28th Lt Cavalry brigade (28): Montbrun: 3"A(6)+0 1B/28/Xl: 16ItLC [8D] XI Corp Artillery: XI: Frl2#, XI: Fr12#, XI: Fr6#, XI: Np4# (2) II Cavalry Corp (IIC): Sebastiani: 9"G(6)+l [317] (1) 2nd Lt Cavalry Division (2): D'Hurbal: 3"A(5)+0 1B/2/IIC: 20FrLC [12D], 2B/2/IIC: 20FrLC [12D] (1) 4th Lt Cavalry Division (4): Exelmans: 3"A(6)+l 1B/4/IIC: 20FrLC [12D], 2B/4/IIC 20FrLC [12D] (1) 2nd Heavy Cavalry Division (2h) St. Germain: 3"G(6)+l 1B/2h/IIC: 12FrHC [7131, 2B/2b/IIC: 12FrHC [7D] IIC Corp Artillery; IIC; Fr6#, IIC; Fr6#, IIC; Fr6# MAP NOTES: All buildings have a +2 combat modifier. Due to heavy rains, the Katzbach and Neisse rivers are impassable except at bridges. Artillery may only cross over bridges and fording at bridge sites by cavalry and infantry must be done in either column or march column formations. The entire battle was fought during a thunderstorm, therefore there is a -7 fire modifier to infantry units firing unless they are deployed in a building. Blunder combats may occur on a role of a "1" (17.3.2. 1) All open terrain low areas (not on a hill area) are considered mud terrain. (13.2) No fires may be started. (15.4) The Allies set up first, followed by the French. One Fr12# from French XI Corp artillery starts deployed with 36/XI. Each division of IIC starts with one Fr6# initially assigned to it from the IIC Corp artillery. Fording costs are as 1" of rough terrain. SPECIAL RULES: Game Length: 1400-2030 (14 turns). The French are the first side. General Sacken is a positional wing commander for the Russian 11th Corp,, 3rd Dragoon division and Cossack Corp. General Langeron is a positional wing commander for the 6th, 9th, 10th, and 1st Cavalry Corps. Blucher was rather inactive during this battle so the Blucher rule (20.1.1) is not used. VICTORY POINTS: The buildings of Hennersdorf, Christianhohe, Buschhauser, and Eichholz are worth 10/25, the buildings of Hermansdorf, Schlaupe, Braunberg and Brechtelshof are worth 20/45, the buildings of Seichau, kl. Tinz, Janowitz and Weinberg are worth 25/10, the buildings of Neider Cravn, Kroitsch and Wiltsch are worth 50115 Allied/French points. All other buildings are word 5 points. All buildings behind that side's lines are considered to be initially controlled by that side. HISTORICAL KATZBACH The rain did much to obscure the opposing forces and MacDonald sent Lauriston and Gerard onto the attack while he attempted to continue his buildup of forces across the Neisse river. Blucher realized the vulnerability of the French forces across the Neisse river and sent his forces in repeated attacks to take the vital bridge at Neider Crayn. Lauriston and Gerard's attacks did well and pushed the Russians all the way back to Hermansdorf but it was the fighting on the other side of the Neisse river that decided the battle. The Prussian and Russian cavalry made repeated charges against the French and with infantry support and were eventually able to break through and rout the French. French losses where heavy as the one bridge made for an easy killing ground. Many Frenchmen drowned in the Neisse trying to escape. This victory won Blucher his title of Prince. Back to MWAN #113 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2001 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com