Second Battle of Bad Kosen

Campaign Map at start of battle

1^st Russian corps is attacking Bad Kosen

2^nd division have orders to attack across the northern ford

1^st division have orders to attack across the centre bridge

3^rd division have orders to attack across the southern brigade

6^th division belongs to 2^nd Russian corps and has orders to support 1^st corps

3^rd French corps have orders to hold Bad Kosen

6^th division has orders to hold the northern ford

5^th division has orders to hold Bad Kosen and both bridges

15^th division is under command of French CinC

Table at start of battle

Bad Kosen is the town centre left

Road south to Domburg

Road east to Naumburg and west to Weimar

Top left – 6^th French division has 300 casualties

Centre left – 5^th French division has 300 casualties

Top right – 2^nd Russian division has 300 casualties

Centre right – 1^st Russian division has 400 casualties

Bottom right – 3^rd Russian division has 600 casualties

 3^rd French corps

Corps commander is Marshal Ney (Average)

Commander 5^th French division (left) is General Delmas (Average)

Commander 6^th French division (right) is General Ricard (Poor)

2^nd Russian corps

Corps commander is General Langeron (Average)

Commander 2^nd Russian division (left) is General Lukow (Poor)

Commander 1^st Russian division (centre) is General Mesenzow (Average)

Commander 3^rd Russian division (right) is General Wustow (Poor) 

Move 1 – 0800 to 0900

Both French divisions are on hold orders

All Russian divisions are on move orders

Mesenzow and Lukow deploy their artillery 16” from the French

Both change their orders to “Halt”

Wustow moves forward with his artillery and cavalry towards southern bridge

Note:  regiments can make multiple moves providing they are more than 16” from the enemy

Move 2 – 0900 to 1000

Artillery in the north and centre engage in counter battery fire but no casualties

Note: artillery require 11 or more with 2D6 to hit enemy gunners

Wustow deploys his artillery, with cavalry support, opposite French lancer brigade

Delmas withdraws his lancers out of artillery range

Langeron joins 2^nd division and changes their orders to “Hold”

Move 3 – 1000 to 1100

Artillery duel continues but still no casualties

Wustow returns to lead his infantry towards the southern bridge

Langeron joins 1^st division and changes their orders to “Hold”

Move 4 – 1100 to 1200

Artillery duel continues, still no casualties

Wustow continues his march towards the southern bridge

Move 5 – 1200 to 1300

Artillery duel continues, still no casualties

Wustow prepares to cross the southern bridge

Langeron joins 3^rd division to supervise deployment

Move 6 – 1300 to 1400

Dramatic development in the artillery duel as Russians suffer casualties on both batteries

Russian gunners have caused one French infantry brigade to rout into Bad Kosen

Wunstow is in position and waiting for orders to attack over the southern bridge

Move 7 – 1400 to 1500

Russian cavalry cross southern bridge and are charged by French lancers, result draw

Mesenzow also has orders to engage and his cavalry move onto central bridge

Langeron has joined Lukow and is about to order him to cross and engage

French artillery fire is ineffective

Move 8 – 1500 to 1600

Wunstow’s cavalry win melee at southern bridge and rout both lancer regiments

Mesenszow’s cavalry have crossed the bridge and deploy to cover infantry

Lukow now has orders to engage and his cavalry have entered northern ford

At this critical point the French gunners again prove ineffective

6^th French division (top) have moved forward to hold the northern ford

Move 9 – 1600 to 1700

Wunstow is firmly in control of the north bank and he has ordered his artillery to join him

In the centre the Russian cavalry have forced the French gunners to abandon their guns

Lukow has sent his cuirassiers to cover the ford, but they are charged by the French cavalry

Move 10 – 1700 to 1800

In the south the French have lost their cavalry and Bad Kosen is about to be attacked

They have moved forward in the north, but have lost the cavalry melee

The Russians have crossed the river and only night will save the French

Move 11 – 1800 to 1900

All three Russians have now crossed the river and are pressing home their attack

The Russian cavalry have forced the French gunners to abandon their artillery

In the north Ney has ordered 6^th corps to retreat

In the south 5^th corps have broken and started to rout

Move 12 – 1900 to 2000

6^th French corps (top) is retreating in good order

5^th French corps (bottom) has broken and is in rout

The Russians have crossed the river but night has deprived them of a total victory

Table at end of battle

Summary

Ney did not have sufficient troops to hold the whole length of the river Saale.   He could hold the northern ford and the central bridge, but could hold the southern bridge

It took a long time for 3^rd Russian division to reach the southern bridge, but once their artillery was in place the French cavalry had to retreat and this allowed the Russian cavalry and infantry to cross the river.

It was this delay which saved Ney’s 3^rd corps. 

By late afternoon the whole of 1^st Russian corps had crossed the river and were ready to advance and take Bad Kosen.   Ney could only retreat if he wanted to save his depleted corps. 

At nightfall the French left were retreating in good order, but the right flank had broken and was in rout.   Three infantry regiments and three cavalry regiments routed off the table.   Ney had also lost all of his artillery. 

French casualties: 500 cavalry, 1100 infantry and all the artillery abandoned

Russian casualties: 100 cavalry, 500 infantry and 100 gunners

We used our own wargame rules to fight the battle

They can be found here

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/