Wargaming: "In the Grand Manner" Battle of Eckmuhl

Rosenberg's orders are to hold his position.  The Hapsburg's are strongly posted in battle array along a series of wooded ridge tops.  The Austrian right flank is situated behind the Gross Laber River and anchored on the Rogging Heights.  This flank is defended by a brigade of infantry and a foot battery commanded by Gen. Bieber.  The town of Eckmuhl and its all important bridge and the Bettel Berg, a dominant terrain feature on which Rosenberg has sited two 12-lb batteries of 20 guns, are located in the center.  The left flank is firmly secured on the village strongpoint of Laichling and a wooded hill immediately behind the village.

The situation at 1:00 pm.  This photo depicts the battlefield from the French perspective looking toward the Austrian positions.  napoleon arrives from Landshut at 1:00 in the afternoon and immediately deploys to seize the Eckmuhl bridge  and to cross the Gross Laber River and assault the Rogging Heights.  Davout on the French right had been directed by Napoleon to launch an assault as soon as he observes the Emperor's arrival.  This pinning attack would prevent Rosenberg from shifting troops to block the French assault over the Laber River

6mm Napoleonic Battles and Wargaming

These pictures represent a rough approximation of the battle of Eckmuhl 1809 fought by Napoleon against Rosenberg's Austrian corps.  The play area is 6' x 8' and is made up of six 2' x 4' terrain panels with modular towns, hills, and woods.  Although the depiction of the terrain features are reversed, they are for the most part accurate as they are based on maps of the battle taken from Arnold's "Crisis on the Danube".

The deployment of the opposing sides are also generally historically correct although some liberties have been taken to accommodate the positioning of the terrain, the deficiency in the required numbers of units, and the size of the playing platform.  The Order of Battle is also from "Crisis on the Danube".

I found that Crisis on the Danube has the best and most detailed account of the battle.  This battle narrative can be further enhanced with details with details of Lefebvre's Bavarian Corps and its significant contribution to the French effort from John Gill's "With Eagles to Glory".  The Wurttemberg contingent also contributed materially to the French victory and their participation can also be found in "With Eagles to Glory".

This battle lacks play balance as the French and their Allies are appreciably superior in number of infantry, artillery, and particularly cavalry.  I was planning on addressing this issue by allowing for the arrival and entry of reinforcements dispatched by Archduke Charles along the Eckmuhl-Ratisbonne road.