The Battle of Schongrabern - A Polemos General de Division AAR

The Battle of Schongrabern was fought on 16th November 1805, between a Russian rearguard commanded by General Bagration and a French force under Marshal Murat.  It was a particularly fierce fought action, fought at night but in more or less full light, illuminated by burning buildings in Schongrabern.  The Russian force, outnumbered, suffered a huge proprtionate loss but managed to give the Russian main force sufficient time to achieve its concentration.  The scenario I used was again originally designed for the Shako 2 rules and was written and published by Michael Hopper in his Rise of Eagles 1805 scenario book.

The Forces:

Imperial French:

C-in-C: Marshal Murat (Decisive)

Artillery: 2 bases of 8lb Foot Artillery

1st Division, V Corps: (Caffarelli(?) - Capable)
Laplanche's Bde: 4 bases of Trained Elite SK1 Infantry
Dupas' & Ruffin's Bdes: 4 bases of Trained Elite SK1 Infantry (alternatively, 2 brigades each of 2 bases)

3rd Division, V Corps: (Suchet(?) - Decisive)
Claparede's Bde: 2 bases of Trained SK2 Infantry
Beker's Bde: 4 bases of Trained SK1 Infantry
Valhubert's Bde: 4 bases of Trained SK1 Infantry

Fery's Bde: 2 bases of Trained SK1 Infantry

Imperial Russians:

C-in-C: General Bagration (Capable)



Ulanius' Division: Gen Ulanus (Capable)
1 base of Trained SK2 Infantry, 2 bases of Trained Irregular Cavalry, 3 bases of Trained Light Cavalry

Berg's Brigade: 3 bases of Trained/Elite SK1 Infantry, 1 base of 6lb Horse Artillery

Selekhov's Brigade: 3 bases of Trained SK1 Infantry,  1 base of 12lb Foot Artillery

Scenario Notes:
The vineyards count as obstacle level 1 woods, but do not block visibility.
The scenario does not identify the French divisional commanders, so I have assumed it was Caffarelli and Suchet at this point.  I assume that Marshal Lannes was also present, and Oudinot too.  They could be treated as additional "free-running" commanders.  If so, I would treat Berd and Selekhov as Plodding Divisional Commanders on the Russian side.
There may appear to be a relatively few units in this scenario, particularly on the Russian side.  Polemos has the number of bases based on the strength of each army overall, rather than the number of battalions, and the Russians had many small battalions present. 


The Set-Up:

The battlefield: The French (bottom) are pushing through the town of Schongrabern into the vineyards beyond.    Most of the Russian force is defending the high ground beyond the stream in front of the village of Grund, but some Russian Jaegers are skirmishing amongst the trees.

Another view of the same, focusing on the French Left

...and on the French Right

Russian infantry and guns overlook the stream

Russian cavalry, Cossacks and Jaeger oppose the advance of the French Left

 The Battle:

Units of the 3rd Division of V Corps attack along the road through the woods, encountering Russian Jaegers...

The French skirmishers win the combat and push the Russian light infantrymen back towards the bridge

French Grenadiers attempt to force the bridge on the right in the face of the defending Russian Musketeers

Another view

The French Grenadiers push over the bridge with great elan, and the Russian musketeers are forced back with heavy loss

French infantry push up to the stream through the woods

Over on the right, the French Grenadiers press their advantage...

...and the Russian musketeers run back through the stream...

With their left flank turned, the Russians refuse the flank...

A wider view of the position of the Russian Left

Claparede's brigade of light infantry attacks the Russians across the stream

The Russian Grenadiers, supported by an artillery battery rout a French light infantry battalion (centre) with a combination of musketry, canister and bayonets...

After the remainder of Claperede's brigade is routed, Murat comes up himself to supervise Valhubert's attack

Becker's brigade has crossed the stream and is attempting to dislodge the Russian detachment (of Jaegers and Cossacks) defending this bridge...

Murat manages to get some of his infantry back over the central bridge in the face of severe opposition

Fierce fighting at the other contested bridge: Beker has manged to get most of his force across now...

Bagration and Murat are within pistol shot of each other, contesting the central bridge

Murat shows why he is a Marshal of France: although shaken, the leading battalion (1/40th Line) holds on for the moment!

 

But eventually the pressure tells and the French unit is forced back over the bridge and stream

The other bridge remains the scene of very fierce fighting.  The Russian General (Ulanius) is defending his post to the utmost!

And drives the French back with severe loss (right) !

A French counter-attack pushes the Russians back up the road...

Meanwhile, the French Grenadiers are developing their attack on the Russian Left flank; one battalion of Russian musketeers is routed (left) but the other has driven back the French grenadiers with heavy loss (centre-right)

A wider context shot

The Russian musketeers execute a successful bayonet charge down the hill (centre-right), breaking one of the battalions of grenadiers and driving the other back onto the stream

Ulanius has managed to hold his position on the slopes of the hill, although he has not yet been able to drive the French back over the stream

Despite their successes, the cumulative pressure on the Russians has led to the collapse of Selekhov's infantry...the Russian left flank is broken entirely!

Meanwhile, Ulanius counter-attacks...

And Beker's troops are driven back over the stream with heavy loss!

The French grenadiers, advancing further up the slope, attack the Russian Grenadier battalion Bagration has placed in their way

Ulanius' detachment is again attacked in the flank by the French infantry

And yet again, his light infantrymen successfully turn, face and drive off the attack with severe losses!

The French grenadiers push back their Russian counterparts on the Russian left-flank...

Ulanius presses his advantage over the French infantry...

And routs them back over the stream!!  He has successfully re-secured his sector of the stream.

Bagration has red-deployed a second battalion to face the advancing French grenadiers (centre); but Murat orders a general attack along his centre and right

Another view (to see the slopes involved)

The combat between French and Russian grenadiers is particularly fierce...

And this time the French are worsted and driven back down the hill, suffering further severe losses!

The general situation on the Russian Centre and Left.  Note that the Russian grenadiers and artillery have been forced back with heavy losses by Murat and the French fusiliers (bottom-left)

Murat orders a further attack up the hill and this time breaks the Russian grenadiers!  The heart of the Russian position is pierced...

The Russian Grenadiers are pushed back by convering French attacks (centre)

One Russian Grenadier battalion (centre-left) holds on despite the odds and hopeless position, continuing to mow down their opponents!

But sich resistance cannot last and the remaining Russians on this flank are routing or have surrendered...

A closer view...

But the French Grenadier Divsion has suffered such heavy losses in their advance that they are themselves retreating back down the hill...

A wider shot

 Game Notes: I was a bit suspicious that this scenario would be a bit too easy for the French but I was completely wrong!  The combination of terrain, Russian Grenadiers and more cavalry meant that the Russians became quite a tough nut to crack here.  The refight mirrored the real battle in the ferocity of the struggle and casualties incurred.  Although the Russians did not hold on quite as long as in the real battle, the French casualties were heavier and the exchange ration favoured the Russians.  The Russians had six battalions put out of action and a battery captured, whereas the the French had 11 infantry battalions out of the fight by the end of the battle.
There were no great issues with the rules in this one.  I am still not entirely convinced by the relative ease of attacking across bridges but it is hardly a big problem and easy to modify.  Another good scenario for beginners I think, given the variety but small overall size of the forces.

Rules were Polemos General de Division, figures by Baccus 6mm, buildings mainly from Leven.