Raptor1
01-21-10, 07:49 PM
Right, so here's another AAR since I'm bored (And too lazy to continue the Kaiserreich AAR, I'll do that when we get to the real war). The game is Crown of Glory: Emperor's Edition, playing the full 1805 campaign as Le French.
French surrender jokes will hopefully not have to be included.
No pictures of the first 2 battles, unfortunately.
----------------------------------------------
Guerre de la Troisième Coalition
South German Campaign, Sep-Oct, 1805
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/2432/southgermancampaign01q.jpg
Since the outbreak of the war between Britain and France in 1803, the Grande Armée has been training in Bolougne for the planned invasion of England. When Austria and Russia declared war, the Grande Armée emerged out of Bolougne as the best trained and organized army in Europe, comprising 7 Army Corps and approximately 210,000 men.
The situation at the beginning of September, 1815 has the Grande Armée on the banks of the English Channel, with another Corps reinforcing the Batavian Army in the Netherlands. Deroi's Bavarian Corps is in the Upper Palatinate, comprising 27,000 men. The main Austro-Russian army is arrayed across the Austrian border, ready to march through the Black Forest and on the Rhine. Additionaly, the Armée d'Italia and a Corps of the Kingdom of Italy are in Modena with a total of 54,000 men.
The campaign opens in September, 1805 with an Austrian force of 23,000 marching into the Oberpfalz, meeting Deroi's Corps in the Battle of Nuremberg. Despite the arrival of Austrian reinforcements during the battle, the Bavarian Corps inflicts an overwhelming defeat on the Austrian Army. French casualties are as low as 1,992 men, while Austrian casualties include 9,250 dead or wounded and approximately 11,000 taken prisoner.
Meanwhile, the Grande Armée marches south from Bolougne, split into 2 sections, the first, comprising 90,000 men, is commanded by Napoleon while the second, with 120,000 men, is commanded by Louis Alexandre Berthier.
October, 1805 is marked by 2 simulatenous campaigns. The Stuttgart Campaign begins with the Austrian army in Linz marching through Bavaria and into Württemberg. The French army moves in response to trap and destroy the Austrian army. Deroi's Bavarian Corps marches from the Oberpfalz to Baden in order to stop the Austrian advance while the first section of the Grande Armée moves south into Augsburg before wheeling west to cut off the Austrian army's retreat. The campaign concludes with the enormeous Battle of Stuttgart, in which a single Württembergian division held off the Austrian army long enough for the Grande Armée to arrive, turn the tide and defeat the Austrians. The battle, in which over 230,000 men participated, was marked by brutal close range fighting and by distinct bad luck which prevented the superior French artillery from deploying and having a noticable effect on the outcome. French casualties are relatively high with 12,948 men, with Austrian casualties at 28,947. However, due to the strategic movements during the campaign, the Austrian army is forced to surrender in it's entirety, yielding approximately 41,000 prisoners.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Ulm_capitulation.jpg
The Capitulation of Stuttgart
Simulatenously, a separate campaign is fought to the north. The Russian Army marches through the Oberpfalz, recently vacated by the Bavarian Corps as it proceeded to partake in the Stuttgart Campaign, into Würzburg, occupied by 120,000 men of the second section of the Grande Armée. In contrast with the strategic envelopment to the south, the campaign between the Russian Army and the Grande Armée is concluded by a single decisive battle.
Battle of Würzburg
The battle starts at approximately 15:00, when the approaching Russian army is sighted by the French army. The French army deploys in a valley to the north of Würzburg, with it's cavalry sent to the flanks around the hills to the north and south.
First contact is made when the 2nd Brigade of the Russian Cavalry of the Guard, perhaps acting as a scouting force, blunders into the French artillery and is quickly massacred by close-range fire. Additional cavalry brigades are sighted on the hills and to the north of them.
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4051/cogee00.jpg
Most of the French cavalry is assembled in the North in order to flank the Russian army. Additional Cavalry is sent south of the hills on the right flank to stop any Russian attempt to advance from there.
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3515/cogee01r.jpg
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/7964/cogee02.jpg
Contact with the main body of the Russian army is made at around 16:00, advancing in an attack column on the hills near the right flank of the French army. This presents a perfect opportunity to smash the Russian army as the hills are easily defended and the majority of the French army is deployed in a position to flank and then envelop the Russians.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4651/cogee03.jpg
The Cavalry to the north, originally intended to flank the Russian army, is launched at and across the river to envelop the enemy. The main infantry and artillery force subsequently moves southeast to attack the right flank of the Russian army.
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5174/cogee05.jpg
In a minor cavalry charge against a brigade of Cossacks, Marshal Ney, commander of VI Corps, is unluckily killed in action.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1391/cogee06.jpg
At approximately 16:44, the French cavalry crosses the river, it then proceeds to array along the back of the Russian formations, deploying cavalry screens to catch any unit attempting to retreat.
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7761/cogee07.jpg
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/7002/cogee09.jpg
Soon enough, the Russians suffer leadership losses of their own. Dmitry Dokhturov is killed by a cannonball as his infantry unit is attacked by French artillery.
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6231/cogee10.jpg
The French cavalry screens moves into position as the night draws nearer.
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/8697/cogee11.jpg
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1935/cogee17.jpg
Throughout the night, fighting continues. The Russian army begins to fragment as superior French troops and artillery are brought to bear, the routed units reach the cavalry units to the northeast, and, seeing nowhere to retreat, begin to surrender.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6191/cogee18.jpg
As dawn approaches, Prince Pyotr Bagration is also killed in action. Daylight reveals the Russian right and center has completely collapsed, while the left flank remains fighting.
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/9051/cogee22.jpg
In less than an hour, the pocket is crushed and the remaining Russians rout, losing a further 5,192 men.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/7581/cogee24.jpg
The Battle of Würzburg ends with the Russian army utterly annihilated, having lost 32,533 dead or wounded and over 19,000 captured, including the Russian Imperial Guard, for a mere 5,228 French casualties.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9472/cogee25.jpg
Aftermath
Following the campaign (And a couple of insignificant naval actions), the Coalition armies are utterly destroyed, having lost over 70,000 dead or wounded and a further 71,000 taken prisoner. With nothing to stop French armies from advancing, Austria will likely be knocked out of the war before winter.
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/2020/cogee26.jpg
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/2896/cogee27.jpg
The prisoners taken during the campaign, including four Austrian generals (With a couple of their best) and one Russian general (Who is also the commander of the Russian army).
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/1317/cogee29.jpg
To be continued...hopefully...
French surrender jokes will hopefully not have to be included.
No pictures of the first 2 battles, unfortunately.
----------------------------------------------
Guerre de la Troisième Coalition
South German Campaign, Sep-Oct, 1805
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/2432/southgermancampaign01q.jpg
Since the outbreak of the war between Britain and France in 1803, the Grande Armée has been training in Bolougne for the planned invasion of England. When Austria and Russia declared war, the Grande Armée emerged out of Bolougne as the best trained and organized army in Europe, comprising 7 Army Corps and approximately 210,000 men.
The situation at the beginning of September, 1815 has the Grande Armée on the banks of the English Channel, with another Corps reinforcing the Batavian Army in the Netherlands. Deroi's Bavarian Corps is in the Upper Palatinate, comprising 27,000 men. The main Austro-Russian army is arrayed across the Austrian border, ready to march through the Black Forest and on the Rhine. Additionaly, the Armée d'Italia and a Corps of the Kingdom of Italy are in Modena with a total of 54,000 men.
The campaign opens in September, 1805 with an Austrian force of 23,000 marching into the Oberpfalz, meeting Deroi's Corps in the Battle of Nuremberg. Despite the arrival of Austrian reinforcements during the battle, the Bavarian Corps inflicts an overwhelming defeat on the Austrian Army. French casualties are as low as 1,992 men, while Austrian casualties include 9,250 dead or wounded and approximately 11,000 taken prisoner.
Meanwhile, the Grande Armée marches south from Bolougne, split into 2 sections, the first, comprising 90,000 men, is commanded by Napoleon while the second, with 120,000 men, is commanded by Louis Alexandre Berthier.
October, 1805 is marked by 2 simulatenous campaigns. The Stuttgart Campaign begins with the Austrian army in Linz marching through Bavaria and into Württemberg. The French army moves in response to trap and destroy the Austrian army. Deroi's Bavarian Corps marches from the Oberpfalz to Baden in order to stop the Austrian advance while the first section of the Grande Armée moves south into Augsburg before wheeling west to cut off the Austrian army's retreat. The campaign concludes with the enormeous Battle of Stuttgart, in which a single Württembergian division held off the Austrian army long enough for the Grande Armée to arrive, turn the tide and defeat the Austrians. The battle, in which over 230,000 men participated, was marked by brutal close range fighting and by distinct bad luck which prevented the superior French artillery from deploying and having a noticable effect on the outcome. French casualties are relatively high with 12,948 men, with Austrian casualties at 28,947. However, due to the strategic movements during the campaign, the Austrian army is forced to surrender in it's entirety, yielding approximately 41,000 prisoners.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Ulm_capitulation.jpg
The Capitulation of Stuttgart
Simulatenously, a separate campaign is fought to the north. The Russian Army marches through the Oberpfalz, recently vacated by the Bavarian Corps as it proceeded to partake in the Stuttgart Campaign, into Würzburg, occupied by 120,000 men of the second section of the Grande Armée. In contrast with the strategic envelopment to the south, the campaign between the Russian Army and the Grande Armée is concluded by a single decisive battle.
Battle of Würzburg
The battle starts at approximately 15:00, when the approaching Russian army is sighted by the French army. The French army deploys in a valley to the north of Würzburg, with it's cavalry sent to the flanks around the hills to the north and south.
First contact is made when the 2nd Brigade of the Russian Cavalry of the Guard, perhaps acting as a scouting force, blunders into the French artillery and is quickly massacred by close-range fire. Additional cavalry brigades are sighted on the hills and to the north of them.
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4051/cogee00.jpg
Most of the French cavalry is assembled in the North in order to flank the Russian army. Additional Cavalry is sent south of the hills on the right flank to stop any Russian attempt to advance from there.
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3515/cogee01r.jpg
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/7964/cogee02.jpg
Contact with the main body of the Russian army is made at around 16:00, advancing in an attack column on the hills near the right flank of the French army. This presents a perfect opportunity to smash the Russian army as the hills are easily defended and the majority of the French army is deployed in a position to flank and then envelop the Russians.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4651/cogee03.jpg
The Cavalry to the north, originally intended to flank the Russian army, is launched at and across the river to envelop the enemy. The main infantry and artillery force subsequently moves southeast to attack the right flank of the Russian army.
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5174/cogee05.jpg
In a minor cavalry charge against a brigade of Cossacks, Marshal Ney, commander of VI Corps, is unluckily killed in action.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1391/cogee06.jpg
At approximately 16:44, the French cavalry crosses the river, it then proceeds to array along the back of the Russian formations, deploying cavalry screens to catch any unit attempting to retreat.
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7761/cogee07.jpg
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/7002/cogee09.jpg
Soon enough, the Russians suffer leadership losses of their own. Dmitry Dokhturov is killed by a cannonball as his infantry unit is attacked by French artillery.
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6231/cogee10.jpg
The French cavalry screens moves into position as the night draws nearer.
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/8697/cogee11.jpg
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1935/cogee17.jpg
Throughout the night, fighting continues. The Russian army begins to fragment as superior French troops and artillery are brought to bear, the routed units reach the cavalry units to the northeast, and, seeing nowhere to retreat, begin to surrender.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6191/cogee18.jpg
As dawn approaches, Prince Pyotr Bagration is also killed in action. Daylight reveals the Russian right and center has completely collapsed, while the left flank remains fighting.
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/9051/cogee22.jpg
In less than an hour, the pocket is crushed and the remaining Russians rout, losing a further 5,192 men.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/7581/cogee24.jpg
The Battle of Würzburg ends with the Russian army utterly annihilated, having lost 32,533 dead or wounded and over 19,000 captured, including the Russian Imperial Guard, for a mere 5,228 French casualties.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9472/cogee25.jpg
Aftermath
Following the campaign (And a couple of insignificant naval actions), the Coalition armies are utterly destroyed, having lost over 70,000 dead or wounded and a further 71,000 taken prisoner. With nothing to stop French armies from advancing, Austria will likely be knocked out of the war before winter.
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/2020/cogee26.jpg
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/2896/cogee27.jpg
The prisoners taken during the campaign, including four Austrian generals (With a couple of their best) and one Russian general (Who is also the commander of the Russian army).
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/1317/cogee29.jpg
To be continued...hopefully...