The Battle of Teugn-Hausen - Battle Report

 

Firstly, John needs to be complimented on a beautifully prepared table and figures. Those who know John would expect nothing less but there is no harm in voicing my appreciation. We started our game on the 25^th of March 2025 and completed it on the 29^th of April, after 16 moves. The main objective was to soak up and field test more of the GDA2 rules. For those with more delicate sensibilities, note that there is one unavoidable crotch shot in the following report.

The battle of Teugn-Hausen (19 April 1809) was the first large scale battle during the Franco-Austrian War of 1809 (Fifth Coalition) and saw the main Austrian army under Archduke Charles fail to take a chance to trap Marshal Davout's isolated 3rd Corps. That isolation had come about while Marshal Berthier had command of the French and Allied armies in Germany. He has misunderstood Napoleon's instructions, and sent Davout east to Regensburg, well in advance of the rest of the army. By the time Napoleon turned up on 17 April Davout was approaching Regensburg, while much of the rest of the French army was around forty miles further west. When Napoleon did reach Berthier's headquarters, one of his first actions was to send a series of messengers to Davout ordering him to cross to the south bank of the Danube and then march west to join the rest of the French army.

On the Austrian side the main army, under Archduke Charles, had crossed the Isar at Landshut on 16 April, and advanced slowly towards the Danube. By the night of 18-19 April Charles was at Rohr, ten miles to the east of Neustadt and fifteen to the south of Regensburg. At first Charles intended to move a short distance north from Rohr, to Grossmuss and Oberschambach, a move of about five to six miles that would have put him across Davout's line of march. This first plan may well have led to a major Austrian victory, placing the entire army between Davout's isolated corps and Lefebvre's scattered divisions, but it was quickly abandoned.

However, a French messenger was captured, carrying a message from Lefebvre to Davout. Charles changed his plans through a misinterpretation of the orders they intercepted. The Austrian left wing was to pass through the villages of Hausen and Teugn on its way towards the Danube, setting the scene for the game John and Steve were about to re-enact. This battle is worth further research as it sets up Austria’s ultimate failure of the campaign.

The central clash of the day involved Hohenzollern, St. Hilaire and Friant. We begin the battle with Hohenzollern holding the Hausnerberg. St. Hilaire and Friant are arriving near Teugn.

On the French side, Steve set Lorencez’s brigade near Tuegn. Three battalions of the ‘Terrible’ 57^th, forward left. The 3^rd in the centre, and the 10^th Leger following. These were historically the same brigade, but for this game the 10^th was treated as a separate brigade.

John had Vukassovich’s Advance Guard deployed on the left, wooded end of the Buchberg (ridge). Kayser’s brigade further back on the Hausenerberg (ridge), holding the centre and wooded right flank.

Unexpectedly, the Austrians won initiative for the first move. However, being far from contact and not wishing to advance, John ceded to the French. Wasting no time, the 10^th doubled forward to engage the silly Peterwardien Grenz, skulking at the wood’s edges. Shots were traded, and in a sign of things to come the 10^th lost a base of skirmishers without loss.

On the Austrian right, Colloredo’s skirmish line swarmed forward to inflict losses, without loss, on the 57ths screen.

While the 10^th hesitated, the 3^rd attempted to shoulder the burden of assault but were too distant for a charge, they chose to close in on the woods. The defensive fire from the woods was heavy and accurate, causing discontinuity in the ranks of the 1^st battalion.

Hohenzollern ordered forward the reserves under Liechtenstien, marching past the remaining contingent of Vukassovich’s brigade, charged with guarding the road. 

As the 3^rd straightened their ranks, the 10^th pushed forward once more.

John’s battlefield is a picture, looking down the ranks. The 57^th, closest to camera (bottom right)

New turn! Roll for ADC’s. 3+ needed, Steven. No problems.

Wait! What!? Steve had some appalling dice at various stages of this game, but it needs to be said that this ultimately these had no substantive effect on the outcome.

Who needs ADC’s? The 10^th get the job done against the Archduke’s Legion. They’re only conscripts, sir. Who said that! Flay that man!

The 10^th move up, and John pulls his cavalry back to avoid being flanked.

The 57^th advance despite heavy and accurate fire from the Austrian artillery and battalion screen.

John says, “That’s close enough!”, and gets in a ripping shot with his artillery. Ouch!

They don’t call us ‘Les Terribles’ for nothing. With an ADC crying, “Forwards you sons of France. Show them your steel”. 

Oops! I used John’s dice. They do work well though. I hope he doesn’t mind.

“Stand and fight, you curs!”

Not to be outdone, on the other flank, the 10^th charge in.

Holes everywhere. John’s ringing his hands. It’s worth noting that John had a bad run of dice, while Steve’s were exceptional. Not the usual turn of events. Here's how it stood at the end of turn 5.

When you’re on a roll… The 57^th follow up their success and disperse Colloredo’s 1^st Battalion. Actually, in the excitement we both missed this illegal move. The French crossed too closely to the formed Austrian column, but who doesn't enjoy a good rout.

The 10^th spotted a soft target. “We gave these lollies a licking before”. The unformed Archdukes men were in the thick of things once more but had learnt their lessons well and saw off the French foray.

Meanwhile, another unintentional error. Cavalry may not charge through their own skirmish line, but John had a Glory tasking to use. All good. The French unit formed square and saw off the attack.

On the French right the 10^th moved one of their battalions into open order, to match it with the Grenz. In the middle Colloredo moved his 1^st Battalion into range to fire on the 3rds square, and his 3^rd adjusted their facing. Eyes darting, seemingly surrounded by Les Terribles. On the French left the 2^nd Battalion of the 57^th formed line to square off with Schroder’s men in the woods, but they had taken some hits and were worn. Schroder's skirmishers were savaging them. Both of us had worry lines on our foreheads.

The 10^th have a Skirmish tasking, which Steve’s applies to his open order battalion. Seven dice, two dice at 4+ is a hit. How can you miss? Bugger! 

Alright, no worries. The 57^th will show ‘em how. Wait! What? I should have used John’s dice again but he’s keeping them well away from me now. That’s 4 hits from John and zero from Steve. Unsurprisingly, Steve also failed their Discipline test, leaving them bleeding and unformed. They are also counted as worn now and only 4 more hits from Dispersing.

Continuing the run of luck (all of it bad), Steve manages to lose fire discipline with the 10^ths 2^nd Battalion, while taking another 2 hits. These troops are also now worn.

Reinforcements arrive for both sides. Bieber's brigade of Austrians and Destabrenrath’s brigade of the 72^nd and 105^th Line for the French. 

Despite the disparity of dice rolls, John has got his hands full. Kayser’s brigade is Faltering with the dispersal of Colloredo’s battalion. In addition, Liechtenstein’s Brigade hesitated. However, the Archduke’s men, tired of being bullied by the men in blue. lowered their bayonet's and charged the battalion of the 3rd. Full of determination they closed to hand-to-hand combat. Alas, it turned out that the 10th couldn't shoot straight but they were pretty handy with steel in their hands.

Destabrenrath’s brigade, with a Forwards order, double-times to the relief of the 57^th, who are now very tired from their relentless advance.

John figures that the square is a sitting duck, but not with a roll like that, mate.

Let’s admire the table for a minute. Both sides have significant stress levels appearing and this battle is in the balance.We actually ran out of some of the wooden status counters, such as Unformed, and had to resort to the cardboard ones.

The faltering brigade was steadied but taking a moment to gather themselves. Unformed and retreating units are the norm, but out of the dross John finds one unit that is ready to do what is needed. Drive these Frenchies back.

The men of the 105^th are rushed into battle, weathering the defensive fire of the Austrians.

Steve had almost given up on wasted Skirmisher taskings. These had been dismal attempts for the French in all the previous efforts. In particular, the vaunted 10th were decidedly poor in the shooting department for much of this game, till this moment.  

The battle became a little static for a time. After a bit of movement, which mostly consisted of reforming ragged lines for the Austrian, and taking a breath for the French, we resolved the melees. Lichtenstein’s men were seen off on the French right. Meanwhile, on the left the French drove home their attack sending Schroder’s men reeling back. 

The next move saw the French rushing their reinforcements into the gaps and dressing their lines. The Austrians also started pulling back into a new defensive line to hold the road to Teugn. We didn’t realise straight away, but the French had won through to and taken the heights of Hausenberg.

Having marched rapidly toward the action, the 72^nd 1^st battalion launched a charge at the opposing Colloredo’s 3^rd battalion. Despite the 3^rd being unable to fire on their attackers, the French attack lost its cohesion and halted. 

In retaliation, Vukossovich launched his Hussars at the 3^rd battalion of the 72^nd, hoping to regain the ridge and crashing through to the French artillery. They closed to combat, weathering an ineffective volley. However, in close the French fought like tigers and sent the Hussars barrelling back with some heavy wounds to lick.

Meanwhile in the woods, on the French right, there are signs of wear and tear on both sides. It’s been a slog and the tired troops are regularly losing fire discipline.

On the Austrian right, Schroder’s men nervously await the steady advance of the 105^th. 

Bieber’s troops move into the frame, bringing the promise of a heavy counterattack. Where will it fall?

The officers of the 105^th urge their charges to move up. “We need to break through before fresh reserves arrive for the Austrians”. The Austrian screen is pushed back.

“Charge on mes amis!” The 2^nd battalion closes to melee with Elan. What could possibly go wrong? Steve has 6 dice to John’s 4. “No worries”, says John. 

Bieber makes his decision.

In the end Bieber was too late to break through. The lines stabilised. The French had stopped attacking for a couple of moves before the end, too tired to keep pushing. The skies, heavy with rain, opened in a downpour giving the French a victory of the narrowest of margins. 

This was a well-balanced scenario, given that we were both feeling the pressure for much of the game. More importantly, we thoroughly tested the rules with a variety of situations beyond the norm. Each time we were able to find a passage in the rule set to cover the situation. On a few occasions this may not have been exactly where we expected but that was the exception rather than the rule. Another tick of approval from both players.