Bagration vs. Lannes

Terrain and Deployments

by Chris J. Hahn

Both the general map and flank specific map in the Osprey Campaign Book indicate a very simple plain on which the Russian Advance Guard and French Corps are met. The main feature of the battlefield seems to be the east-west running Brunn-Olmutz Road. There are a number of hamlets which dot the field, but these built-up-areas, according to all accounts, occupied the periphery of the action. The exceptions to this "rule" being the villages of Blasowitz and Bosenitz. Krug and the Post House served more as rallying or assembly points than anything else. In terms of other terrain features, The Santon (a gentle hill) was at the left-center rear of the French battle line.

The wonderful color map on pages 64-65 of the Osprey text shows a plain completely lacking in any type of copse, forest or other concentrated vegetation. Then again, this was winter in Austria. It is hard to decipher what is stream and what is secondary road on this particular map, however. (I might add that it is difficult to decipher the majority of the action, as the center of the map is "lost" in the binding of the book.)

Better, and I readily admit my bias, was the map provided in the Bowden text. (384) Although done in black and white, one can see the forces arrayed for battle. One can also see the road network more clearly; see where streams and ponds or lakes (apparently) are in relation to the French and Russian positions. Finally, one gets the impression that the action on this northern flank of Austerlitz raged back and forth across an area of heights, much like that decisive action would took place in the center, just past the village of Pratzen. (See topography of Bowden's map, 384.) And yet, even with its black and white clarity, the Bowden map, like the Osprey map before it, did not provide me with any scale. The narratives were not really any help here, as they gave various reports of just how far the lines were from one another: four miles; two miles; a little over a mile.

As I had decided to work this solo project "out" in 25mm scale, I took the maximum range for heavy field guns as provided by Mr. Conliffe in his excellent SHAKO Rules as a yardstick, as it were. I decided to deploy the armies just outside of maximum cannon range. Working from this very rough scale of one inch equals three feet (when measuring on the map in the Bowden text), I decided upon a wargame "table" dimension of nine feet (north to south) by seven feet (east to west). For terrain placement, I kept it as simple as it was historically. Perhaps even more so. (Please see Map L)

As mentioned above, the central feature of the board was the Brunn-Olmutz Road. This road divided the field into rough halves. The Post House was placed at the Russian edge of the table, just north of the Brunn-Olmutz Road. The hamlet of Krug provided a bookend to the left of the Russian battle line, but it was not occupied by troops. Across the field and at the extreme right of the French line, stood the village of Blasowitz. Like Krug, it too was unoccupied. On the far left of the French line, stood two small villages. The first, and within their lines so it was occupied by a Battalion of the 17th Legere under Claparede, was Bosenitz. The second village, Siwitz, was at the very northern edge of the board and like other villages and hamlets on the board, was unoccupied.

The map from Bowden's text shows a series of secondary roads, one of which forms an inverted Y on the between the Russian and French forces on the southern portion of the field. There is also a secondary road that winds its way through Blasowitz. In addition to these minor roads, there also appears to be a number of streams which rather neatly frame the French position. As I admitted a certain bias before, I will admit to taking a certain license here with respect to representation of certain terrain features. From reading and rereading the numerous accounts of this particular action, it is apparent that neither the secondary roads nor the streams had any effect or impact on the fighting or movement of troops. Therefore, I saved myself a little time and effort in choosing not to depict these roads and water "obstacles" on the gaming surface.

As this was an attempt to re-fight an historical engagement, it only made sense to deploy each side as they were arranged on that winter morning. The map and schematic in the Bowden text (pages 384 and 386 respectively) were my primary points of reference. And as this was an attempt to re-fight an historical engagement, I could not fully adhere to the guidelines provided in SHAKO with respect to deployment and command and control radius. (I will touch upon this issue more in the following section.)

It was noted above that the combatants were placed just over cannon range apart. Both sides were in linear formations, essentially, with the French having a bit more depth to their position. This offensive and defensive advantage was somewhat countered by the "flanking" force available to the Russians. Here, I am referring to the two battalions from the Imperial Guard and the Russian Horse from V. Column.

Commencing with the Russians first, in the first line from right to left (north to south), we see the following: three battalions of the 5th Jaeger Regiment, two Hussar Regiments, the combined artillery of the Pskov Musketeer Regiment and then the three battalions of that Regiment, all in line formation. Across the BrunnOlmutz Road, the Musketeers of the Old Ingermanland Regiment took up a similar formation. To their immediate left-front was stationed the combined field guns of this Regiment. Completing the Russian first line were three under-strength regiments of Cossack cavalry under the command of Major General Chaplitz. Just behind these irregular horsemen, the weak battalions of the 6th Jaeger were formed. The infantry reserve of the Russian line consisted of another Musketeer Regiment and its supporting guns. This was the Arkhangelgorod Regiment, and it stood in line, its formation bisected by the Brunn-Olmutz Road. To the right of this reserve stood a reserve of battle cavalry under Voropaitzki. Prince Bagration took up an initial position to the left-rear of this reserve; to the Prince's left, a battery of horse artillery 12 guns strong. This number divided equally between 6pd pieces and the heavier Licomes.

Just off the south edge of the table were the infantry from the Imperial Guard, their supporting artillery and then, the four regiments of Russian Cavalry from V. Column with their supporting horse artillery.

The French had arrayed against this Russian battle line, a total of two Infantry and four Cavalry Divisions. On the right, Nansouty's Heavy Cavalry faced in the direction of Blasowitz. Moving left (or north) up the line, Caffarelli's Infantry Division stood in two lines, with their artillery in between the 17th and 30th Regiments. Kellerman's Light Cavalry Division was in support of this infantry line. To the left-rear of these light horse units and almost directly behind the two Marshals, stood the 2nd Dragoon Division under Walther.

Crossing to the north side of the Brunn-Olmutz Road, one finds The Santon "garrisoned" by a battalion of the 17th Legere. The Santon was also defended by a number of captured Austrian light pieces. (Initially, I was under the impression that The Santon was a rather gentle hill. A check of the Internet, specifically, Austerlitz: Virtual Battlefield Tour, revealed that the hill was not all that "gentle." The north face of the terrain is reported as "almost cliff-like." The northeast crest looked a little more accessible, but defended by veteran troops supported by a number of cannon, it was a very strong position.) Suchet's Infantry Division stood ready in front of this rise, almost mirroring that position of its neighbor division. However, instead of having a Light Cavalry Division in close support, Suchet's men were supported by a division of Heavy Cavalry under d'Hautpoul. The left of the infantry line was anchored by another battalion of the 17th Legere, which occupied Bosentiz. Finishing out the French arrangement, a number of Light Horse Regiments were deployed to the left-front of Suchet's infantry. (Again, please see Map I).

Map I

Bagration vs. Lannes Shako Treatment of Right of Austerlitz

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