Terrain
The table is 9' X 5', the squares one foot on a side. One inch represents 100 yards. The top of the map is west; right side is north.
- Woods: The dark tree symbols are open woods, passable to infantry, but difficult for artillery and cavalry. They should block any line of sight and offer some defensive fire and melee bonuses for infantry.
- Vineyards and Orchards: The lighter woods symbols represent vineyards and orchards. They disorder all arms and block line of sight. No defensive bonuses should be given because of the movement difficulties in the vineyards and the openness of the orchards.
- Towns: The towns are mostly wood construction with stone buildings in the center.
- Hills: The hills have moderate slopes and are about 30 to 50 meters high. Slopes should slow movement and provide line of sight and defensive benefits to units on the crests.
- Rivers and Streams: This is April. The Rakos River proved to be difficult to cross, while the other streams on the map were obstacles to movement. To cross the Rakos should disorder troops except at the bridges at the edge of the towns, and all streams should slow movement across them. Most rules have units stop when they meet streams, and then cross them the next turn.
Time
The battle begins at 1 p.m. and goes until 8 p.m. This will be either 12 half hour turns or 6 hour turns depending on the rules. The Hungarians move first, entering the table.
Special Circumstances
Both armies had regular units armed with the 1842M Augustin-type cartridge-fuse smoothbore musket. It had an early version of the percussion-cap. This should increase the firepower of these units. The question is "how much?" No calculations of the smoothbore's effect compared to the flintlock have been found. I give them a 15% increase in their fire effects, depending on the game rules. For instance, it has been determined that as many as one in four shots of a musket misfired, so decreasing that misfire to I in 6 or 7 seems reasonable, but just a guess.
By this time, skirmishing had become a regular occurrence on the battlefield. The Austrian Grenz battalions may deploy two companies each as skirmishers, or 1 in 6. Jagers my completely deploy as skirmishers. The Hungarians may deploy half a Honved battalion as skirmishers, and all of the Rifles and Ranger companies/Battalions including the N6grader Battalion.
If the rules used have any mechanics for army morale, the Austrians should have a lower morale overall compared to the Hungarians. Klapka's I Corps should have the lowest overall morale in the Hungarian Army and Damjenich's III Corps the best.
Force Setup
Austrians
- Schlik's III Corps sets up within 18" of 'A', (which is 2" below the 'Y' intersection in the center of the square.) but no further North. Lobkowitz's Division sets up closest to 'A' and Leichtenstein's Division sets up behind (south) of Lobkowitz's units.
- Jellacic's I Corps sets up within 18" of 'B'. Historically, Jellacic set up one brigade in the King's Forest, the Kiralyerdo, one brigade and the artillery behind the Rakos west of Isaszeg, one brigade in Isaszeg and the cavalry north of Isaszeg. One brigade was held in reserve behind Isaszeg.
- The Austrian CinC Windisch-Gratz enters the table at Godollo at 3p.m.
Hungarians
- Klapka's 1st Corps enters the East side of the table between Tapiosap and 'I' inclusive.
- Damjanich's 3rd Corps may enter the next turn from '1' to anywhere 18" EAST (right) of the 'I' position.
- Aulich's 2nd Corps arrives on the 3 p.m. turn anywhere between '1' and Valko, but not in Valk6. Gorgei enters the table with Aulich's troops
- Gaspar's 7th Corps sets up within 12" Hevizyork and 12" of the north edge of the table. If there is no room, up to two divisions can be held off the table. When they enter, it must be within 18" of Hevizyork on the north side of the table.
7th Corps Release
Gaspar was a very cautious officer, and under orders not to attack the Austrians. Gorgei failed to send an order to correct this during the battle. As a result, Gaspar did not threaten Schlik at all until he began to withdraw his III Corps troops to support Jellacic. When the Austrian player moves any of the III Corps troops SOUTH of the original setup locations of Leichtenstein's Division, the Hungarian player rolls for the release of the 7th Corps. Roll a D6 each turn. On a roll of 5-6, one division is released that turn, the roll being done once each turn until all three divisions are free to move and attack. IF the Austrians attack any of the 7th Corps or if ANY units of BOTH divisions in the Austrian III Corps moves SOUTH of the original setup locations of Leichtenstein's Division, then the entire 7th Corps is released on a roll of 4-6. This means as long as one division stays north of Leichtenstein's original setup location, the Hungarians will continue to release their divisions on a roll of 5-6.
Victory Conditions
The Hungarians win a tactical victory if they inflict casualties 1.5 as great as their own and capture Isaszeg. They win a decisive victory if they accomplish the tactical victory conditions and either capture Godollo and cut the Austrian's LOC (The road out of Godollo north off the table) OR inflict twice the casualties on the Austrian as they suffer. "Cutting" the LOC means a Hungarian unit must be placed on the road in Godollo with no Austrian units within 9 inches of it at the end of the game.
A strategic victory would be to capture Godollo, cutting off enough Austrians from their LOC by the end of the game (that is the Austrians that have not left the table) that when they are counted as casualties, the Hungarians have inflicted more than twice the casualties suffered.)
The Austrians win a tactical victory by avoiding all Hungarian victory conditions, tactical, decisive or strategic. The Austrians win a Decisive victory it they achieve their tactical conditions while inflicting half again as many casualties on the Hungarians as they received.
In the actual battle, the Hungarians won a decisive victory.
Variant
Wrbna's II Corps OOB has been included for this Variant. It could have been recalled, or not have been as far west as it was historically. At the start of the game, it is assumed that WindischGratz has sent a message to Wrbna to march back. Each turn, starting with the 2 pm turn, the Austrian player rolls a D6. On a roll of 1-2, One of Wrbna's Divisions enters the table at Godollo. This is done until all of Wrbna's divisions enter. After the first division of Wrbna's comes on the table, the Hungarian 7th Corps will be released on a roll of 4-6.
Map
The Battle of Isaszag: April 6th, 1849 "Run, you yellow-and-black dogs!"
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© Copyright 2003 Hal Thinglum
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