Scenario for 1809 French vs. Austrians

"The Bridge at Reisensburg"
Northeast of Gunzburg
October 9th, 1805

Scenario would appear to start at 730 p.m. 2 hours of game time before night stops the fighting. This seems to make little sense as October nights typically are "dark enough" to stop the fighting at about 7:30. Needless to say the actual game duration is 2 hours

French Order of Battle
GdB Mathieu deLabassee
Col. Lacuee

59th Ligne 1st Battalion (647 men)
2nd Battalion (647 men) see below
The typical composition of these battalions was altered after the divisional general removed the Grenadiers company, which were then made apart of an ad hoc command that had been sent Southwest of Gunzburg. Consider playing the 59th Ligne Regiment without grenadiers represented on the table.
The troops were Veteran and the officers are above average.

Guns available: 2 guns of 4lbs
4 guns of 8lbs
1 gun of 12 lb
1 gun of 6inch howitzer
Four guns are helping the Ganzburg assault elsewhere. Leaving 4 guns to support the crossing at Gunzburg. As my sources do not help identify the composition of each battery, I would play with 2 x 4lbs and 2 x 8lbs as the battery supporting this assault.
I would make the guns either average or veteran

Austrian Order of Battle
FML Gyulai
IR 20 Kaunitz-Reitberg 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions (ave strength 800)
Chevaulegers-Regiment Rosenberg #6 was represented with 2 squadrons (150)
Ulanen-Regiment Schwarzenberg #2 was represented with 2 squadrons (150)
The infantry's elan and motivation has been questioned. I suppose below average/militia grade might be appropriate. The leader was also below average rating.
Austrian cavalry attacks were vigorous but ineffective; I would make them average to above average troop rating. They would certainly be considered light cavalry.


The battlefield is immediately adjacent to the Danube river. The best representation of the battlefield would be to have the French ("top") edge a "cannons width" of dry land. (Allowing the supporting French guns to be deployed.) The Danube river would then be represented by a river roughly 150 yards wide with a bridge through the center of the river. A main road leaves the bridge and heads straight overland to the opposite edge with a slight diagonal. I believe the whole of the table will be 1000 yards in each direction. On the Austrian right is a smooth contoured hill. No significant woods exist. The Danube is not fordable but is crossable at the bridge. Off the Austrian edge ("bottom") is the town of Gunzburg.
Point A is the road leading toward Gunzburg and is the ultimate objective of the French.
Point B is where the Austrian Cavalry will arrive 1 hour into the battle.



Historically, the Austrians had literally just repaired the bridge so that Mack could extricate himself from Ulm, when the 59th Ligne arrived on the north bank. Seeing their tactical advantage, the French infantry charged across the bridge promptly. This charge was carried across the bridge and into the Austrian battalions which were placed in battalion lines, one stacked after the other. As the first line broke, the rest were interpenetrated by the fleeing front lines, and soon the whole group fled. The Austrian cavalry then tried to charge the French units, but were held off by the French squares. The French were quick to send reinforcements and were able to hold the bridgehead.