On Inauguration Day, several of us gathered at "Wargamers" to refight the initial battle of the Napoleonic 1809 campaign in Italy; the "Battle of Sacile", which pitted Eugene de Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy. against Archduke John, of Austria. The game was played with 15mm figures using the "Napoleons Battles" game system.

HISTORY

Historically, Eugene had chosen the area of Sacile as the place to halt John's invasion of Italy because Eugene felt he could concentrate eight of his divisions at this point, reaching numerical parity with John's forces (being "French", he would thus have no difficulties in breaking the Austrian army).

But on the chosen day of battle, 16 April, Eugene had only six divisions available. Yet, he believed the remaining two divisions (one each of cavalry and infantry) would materialize during the course of battle.

The opening round of the battle had actually been fought on the 15th at Pordenonne where Eugene had established his forward pickets. Sahuc, commanding a cavalry regiment and three infantry battalions, was posted well forward of the main body at Pordenonne to warn of the Austrians approach. But poor roconnaissance by Sahuc resulted in his being surprised by a well executed Austrian attack, and by days end, losing all of his infantry and half of his cavalry.

Eugene's main thrust on the 16th drove across broken ground between Brugnera and Porcia, through the Austrian held hamlet of Palse. Eugene felt that by advancing across broken ground he would negate an Austrian advantage in cavalry and by advancing on Porcia would position his force for a strong blow against any Austrian advances in the direction of his supporting forces arrayed between Ranxan and Fontanna-Freda.

Unfortunately for Eugene, John's Austrians made good use of the defensive nature of the terrain and held up his attack long enough for John to realize he had numerical superiority and launch an aggressive counter-attack. The attack was launched along an east-west axis as Eugene expected, but his initial assault units were too spent to carry the center and interdict John's counter-attack.

Yet, Eugene was able to fight a spirited withdrawal and thanks to typical Austrian inertia, make a well-conducted retreat across the Livenza River at Sacile.

John had obtained the first Austrian victory of the war. However, he was unable to launch an aggressive pursuit allowing Eugene to recoup his personal and his army's morale, as well as, gather in sufficient reinforcements to gain French numerical superiority for the next battle.

At Sacile, the French lost 6,500 men and 15 guns, while the Austrians lost 4,000 men. By my reckoning this would equate to about 14 stands of French infantry and four stands of French light cavalry, plus two batteries in "Napp's Battles" equivalents. The Austrians, would have lost about seven stands of infantry and three of cavalry. Additionally, General de Division Severoli and four generals of brigade were wounded during the course of the historical battle.

THE GAME

As this was to be a historical simulation, the players were restricted to beginning the game with forces and commanders positioned as they were at 08:00 on the morning of the 16th. This meant that they were not capable of initially influencing the force mix, initial objectives or initial command radius. The French were informed that another two divisions were expected but they never materialized.

Orders of Battle

Initial dispositions and strengths of the opposing forces:

FRENCH

Abbreviations:
Fr - French
It-Italian
Au--Austrian
BGD-- Brigade
LN-line infantry
LT-light infantry
LC=Iight cavalry
GN=converged grenadiers
JG=Jager
LW=landwehr

THE BATTLE

Eugene begins the game at Serras' side, thus the northern elements of the French army are out of command and control. However, our northern French players (Tony with Grenier's and Sahuc's divisions, and Ray with Broussier's and Barbou's commands) decided to advance on Porcia under their own initiative. Eugene (Dave, who also ran Serras' and Severoli's divisions) quickly realized the terrain which he was to traverse was too daunting and detached himself from Serras to go and take command of the northern thrust.

The Austrians began the game by loopholing their outposts at Rovoredo and Porcia, increasing their defensive value. Arrayed in lines between Poidenonne and Maruzzi, John (alternately Dave L. or Joe) and his corp commanders (Dave L. with VIII Corp and Volianann's Division and Joe with DC Corp and Gywkowich's Division) opted to split-up, risking command and control problems, but taking advantage of their superiority in numbers (see map 2).

Barbou's (Fr) light infantry brigade occupied Talponedo about 09:00 and began pouring a withering fire into the Austrian line infantry under Gyurkowich holed-up inside Porcia. Austrian return fire was desultory and the 3# battery supporting the infantry was completely ineffective. Within an hour the Austrian infantry had been eliminated from play by the telling fire of Barbou's (Fr) fight infantry and supporting fire froni one of Grenier's (Fr) 6# batteries. But Gyurkowich tried to hold on with his now unsupported 3# battery until help could arrive. Gyurkowich (Au) managed to fend off an attack by Broussier's (Fr) 3d BGD with desperate aplomb and a goodly helping of cannister.

Recognizing the threat to Gyurkowich, Colloredo-Mansfeld (Au) ordered his jagers and another 3# battery to reinforce Porcia. However, as the jagers reached the outskirts of the town they were beset by a swarm of Grenier's (Fr) dragoons and were forced into square just short of their Objective. Flying to the aid of the besieged jagers, Genexal Palota (Au) surged forward with his entire cavalry division, slamming into the dragoons and routing thm to the relative safety of the French batteries. However, by delaying the entry of the jagers into Porcia the light infantry (Fr) in Talponedo were able to kill most of the 3# battery's crew and a cannon ball from one of Grenier's (Fr) 6#s exploded the chest of General Gyurkowich (Au).

Meanwhile, General Serras realizes he cannot obtain his objectives in the face of a rapidly advancing Austrian column (IX Corp) and detaches Severoli's division to the north. Serras decides to use his division to defend the stream banks and act as a blocking force against the Austrian IX Corp.

At approximately 11:00 the battle in the north settles into a two hour lull during which time General GyuW (Au), under John's auspices, rearranges his commands and the French settle into an artillery bombardment of the Austrian lines. In the south, Serras (Fr) batteries will engage in an artillery duel with some of the guns of "The Ban", and surprisingly, the Austrian gunners will completely outshoot their French counterparts. Both of Serras 6# batteries will be disabled by Austrian counter-battery fire. Serras was noted charging his Chef de Artillerie and striking down the poor fellow with the flat of his sword, raving about using his head should they run short of cannonballs.

By 13:00, Severoli (It) had reached Fontana-Freda and shifted eastward to support the attack on Porcia. But Severoli detached a 12# battery and his 3d BGD to garrison the town. He had astutely observed that Sahuc's (Fr) hussars had been pulled out of reserve from St. Giovanni del Tempo and thrown into the main line. Should Serras (Fr) position fail to hold, the Austrians might cut the French lines of communication and would jeopardize any hope of an orderly French withdrawal should it be necessary. The only action in the north is the repulse of Grenier's (Fr) dragoons by an Austrian square.

In the south, Serras (Fr) 2d BGD crumbled and fled under increasingly accurate Austrian artillery fire. However, Serras was able to gather the colors around him and shamed his men to rallying by threatening to personally deliver their eagles to the Austrians unless they stood firm. The fleeing French bolstered the confidence of the Austrians, who, after much dallying, surged across the stream confident their columns would overrun a now unsupported and damaged French 6# battery. But the horse very coolly limbered their guns while the Austrians clambered down and then up the banks of the stream, and then the horse artillery simply rode off to a new position.

At 14:00, things began getting hot on all fronts.

Severolli arrives with his lead (It) BGD at Talponedo,

The Austrian square, which gallantly fended off Grenier's (Fr) dragoons, is now caught by a column of Broussier's French 1st BGD. Unable to redeploy into line, the Austrian's are hammered by the French and route to the rear,

Gyulai (Au), personally leads Colleredo-Mansfelds converged grenadier brigade in a counter-attack against Broussier's victorious 1st BGD sending the French reeling back to Ronche.

Serras (Fr) 1st BGD is slammed by a wall of musketry from 3 Austrian BGDs, but tenaciously the French hold their ground.

By 14:30:

At Porcia, the (Au) jagers are finally routed and dislodged from their fortress by a combined assault of the BGDs of Severoli and Grenier,

The French cavalry brigades of Sahuc and Grenier hurl themselves futilely against the Austrian defensive line. Grenier's (Fr) dragoons are bounced and Sahuc's (Fr) hussars are completely routed by the resolute Austrians. Adding insult to Sahuc's already damaged career, his horse falls to an Austrian volley and the general is taken prisoner as his hussars abandon him.

Austrian VIII Corp artillery rim concentrates on Barbou's 1st BGD and the hapless infantrymen are virtually pummeled out of existence by the intense fire,

In the south, Serras (Fr) 1st BGD charges the 3d (Au) BGD of Reichenbergs division catching it in column and disordered. The Austrians are broken and flee back across the stream. Unfortunately for Serras, his 2d BGD is disordered by musketry from Reichenberg's (Au) 1st and 2d BGDs whose follow-up charge routes the French towards Fontanna-Freda.

At 15:00:

Two BGDs of the Austrian Line are routed from their positions between Porcia and Roveredo by an intense bombardment of the French artillery. However, the French are in disarray and have no units available to exploit the breach.

Gyulai (Au) and his VIII Corp Grenadiers continue their onslaught. They catch Grenier's (Fr) Dragoons reorganizing and eliminate them and then throw off an attack by Broussiers' light infantry, thoroughly routing the French.

Back along the southern streams, Serras (Fr) 1st BGD charges an isolated Austrian battery but is counter-charged by IX Corp's (Au) hussars. Although in column, rather than line, the hussars am able to break the French, who fail to form square, and send the last of Serras infantry scurrying to the rear. But the relentless hussars opted to follow up their attack and drove into the routing Frenchman slashing at the fleeing masses and overtaking Serras as he once again attempted to rally a brigade in flight. But, the unfortunate Serras had an artery severed by an Austrian sabre and died of his wound as the last of his command went down around him.

At 16:00:

Severoli's brigade forms a hasty square and stands firm in the face of a charge by Vollanann's (Au) Uhlans with supporting fire from an Austrian 12#. Italian musketry and French 6# fire was murderously effective and the Uhlans were literally shot out of the saddle and eliminated in a galling crossfire.

The seemingly invincible Austrian Grenadiers are finally stopped in their tracks and disordered by converging fire from 12# (It) and 6# (Fr) artillery fire. Confused by the intense shelling, the Grenadiers fail to form square against an attack by the French hussars. The cavalrymen, seeking revenge and redemption for failing Serras, put the Grenadiers to flight but fail to capture Gyulai, who escapes with a nick to the shoulder.

At 16:30:

Palota (Au) is killed and his dragoons dispersed when an Italian 12# explodes overhead.

An Austrian 12# is lost to Severoli's 1st BGD but Severoli's Chaussers are repulsed by the only remaining Austrian cavalry in VIII Corp. Palota's hussars. The Austrian infantry, long in disarray, begins to rally and reestablish their lines.

The Austrian IX Corp had been moving up for some time to participate in a final assault on the French positions concentrated in a triangle formed by Ronche-Talponedo-Porcia but the Corp was strung out in march columns with many detached brigades littering the southern portion of the battlefield. The rough terrain and Serras defense had prevented their playing an effective role in the main battle.

The wargame, having lasted several hours beyond the historical battle, was ended at this point. By mutual agreement it was determined that the French still had an open line of communication to their rear and sufficient staying power to hold against any Austrian attempts by IX Corp alone to interfere with an orderly withdrawal. Having lost heavily in cavalry, a vigorous Austrian pursuit by VIII Corp was out of the question.

Post Mortem

In attempting to assess a clear victor after the battle, I came to the conclusion that this was as close to a draw as one could find. The two sides tied for Objective points and were within 1 or 2 points for units eliminated, battery's captured, generals as casualties, etc

Victory points awarded to the Austrians:
French figures eliminated - 10.4
French batteries captured - 6
French officers killed/captured - 9
Total = 119

Victory points awarded to the French:
Austrian figures eliminated - 102
Austrian batteries captured - 12
Austrian officers killed - 4
Total = 118

Both sides played well and the game showed that an Austrian army can hold it's own, especially if Napoleon isn't around and the French are suffering equally from command and control problems. The terrain was a complicating factor for both sides and each used it to their advantage or were inhibited by it at some point in time. There was a definite lack of coordination between infantry and cavalry assaults in many instances but the narrow fronts. terrain and usual "other plans" going awry often factored into this problem.

As in any game, "the luck of the die" played it's role for both sides equally in runs of bad luck and good luck but not always for the same person. Our newest "Nappy's" player, Dave had particularly bad runs with the dice while running Serras command but more than made up for it by diverting Severoli's division to the pivotal battle in the north and having the foresight to reduce Severoli's command burden and simultaneously protect the French lines of communication by dispatching an Italian BGD and 12# to Fontanna-Freda. The French also managed to get local numerical superiority during much of the battle in the north, but terrain restrictions and early command and control problems, abetted by the sound handling of VIII Corp, prevented the French from capitalizing on their advantages.

I had considered using this game as basis for a campaign, but as the Austrians suffered more heavily in this instance than they did historically, especially in cavalry, which took the brunt of French artillery fire throughout the game; I determined that a French army, reinforced by Eugene's remaining divisions would be too overwhelming for the Austrians to handle. Perhaps a future historically based battle will be in the offing.