The (bloodless) battle of Donaustauf!
A group of us started a map based 1809 Napoleon on the Danube campaign using the old VG Games game of the same name.

Dave Brown is Berthier/Napoleon and Tony Gill is Charles. OOB’s for both sides are based on John H Gill’s excellent Thunder on the Danube trilogy. I have been collating orders from both and we are now 10 days into the campaign.

The weather has generally been awful causing delays to reinforcements and troop movements, which often means both commanders have completely incorrect ideas on where their troops actually are. Random die rolls can also mean orders get lost or are misinterpreted!

Berthier and Davout based themselves at Regensberg and began to receive reports from cavalry patrols that as well as the huge amount of Austrians crossing the Inn there was a large body of Austrians approaching from the northeast from Bohemia.

Davout assembled the parts of his corps that were available and advanced north to meet the Austrians at Donastauf.

Neither commander knew what opposition they would be facing nor its size. The Austrians turned out to be Kollowrat’s II Korps. Davout had Morand’s, Friant’s and Gudin’s infantry divisions to hand with very little cavalry.

Kollowrat decided that facing three veteran French divisions was not a good idea and deployed with the thought of an immediate withdrawal.

The Austrians had the greater amount of artillery and deployed them in a grand battery this held back the French centre and right from an immediate attack.

Davout ordered Morand (me) forwards as fast as possible which went well for several turns, unfortunately the French left found they were advancing through less than favourable ground (I failed two command rolls even with Brigade Attachments and Forwards orders) which gave the Austrians sufficient time to withdraw.

Campaign rules stipulate that a commander has to offer battle for 6 turns and have sufficient cavalry to screen any withdrawal and that no enemy formed troops are within charge range. Fortunately for the Austrians this was the case.

For the first time in the campaign the respective commanders now have a good idea of what troops face them in the northern theatre.

In the south the Bavarians have to decide whether they are going to contest the crossing of the Isar at Landshut.

tbc