k.k. Armee battle report

		11 Feb 03
	Battle Report - Katzbach	4 players, 6 turns, 8 hours
	The entire battle was fought in the rain, with ground conditions turning to mud after two turns. Both army commanders had great difficulty commanding forces on the flanks. Each also made the mistake of trying to fight the breadth of the battlefield all at once. Blucher positioned himself on the vantage point south of 8th Corps. He kept the northern forces well in command, but also tried to stretch his efforts south to encourage Langeron and the cavalry under Korff. MacDonald placed himself between Crayn and Weinberg. Although the French forces were closer together and therefore easier to command, MacDonalds poor performance as a leader meant the French were just as hampered as the Allies. The first three turns had a combined total of 5 pulses. Because of the rain, mud, and limited command spans, both sides moved very slowly. It took three turns for the slow moving Russian infantry of 8th Corps to attack the French III Corps. A few conscript Prussian brigades would move into the gap on the left flank of 8th Corps, next to Weinberg








	Turn Four lasted five phases. The Russian and Prussian infantry assaulted the French on the hill. Their 12# guns fired in support, but the combination of elevation and mud made long range fire practically useless. The Russian infantry managed to force its way on to the hill, and then proceeded to roll up the flank of the rest of III Corps. French infantry and artillery positioned in Weinberg and Janowitz anchored both flanks. Russian cavalry in the north attacked in around and behind Janowitz, destroying several batteries. III Corps reserves counter-attacked just north of Weinberg, routing many Prussian landwehr brigades. South of the Neisse, the forces of Langeron and French V Corps clashed head-on at Hennersdorf. Russian cavalry moved wide to the south to attack Seichau. XI Corps deployed half its forces in Seichau, and the rest just south of Weinberg. The infantry did not engage, but its many batteries caused heavy casualties. The French II Cavalry corps moved north across Crayn and behind III Corps, in an attempt to blunt the charge of the Allied cavalry








	Turn Five lasted only one pulse, but the end of turns four and five allowed the French to rally nearly six infantry brigades from the depleted III Corps. Few of the Prussian landwehr recovered. Turn Six lasted five pulses. French II Cavalry corps clashed with Russian cavalry and fresh infantry reserves, and were completely repulsed. Local counter-attacks by III Corps failed to make ground. Batteries from both sides pounded away at the forces east of Weinberg, clearing the area of Allied infantry. In the south, the artillery near Seichau inflicted heavy losses on the Russian cavalry, and rendered their flank attack pointless. V Corps held onto the ridgeline east of Seichau, despite repeated infantry and cavalry assaults After six turns, the game ended, with both sides having lost enough forces to reach the army break point. The armies were exhausted and miserable, and withdrew.