Nap Campaign: 3rd Battle of Ainsworth. 18th April 1808. Turns 1 - 5

 Turn 1

The action begins at the bridge with an artillery duel. Both sides score hits but the Guard artillery have the ability to more easily recover from disorder giving them an advantage.

The Prussian flanking 2nd Corps arrives - in their entirety! A series of successful command rolls enables them to bring on their entire force. The French pour artillery and musketry into the advancing columns inflicting casualties but failing in the most part to disorder any of the Prussians.

Continued -

The French rush forward their 3rd Corps and Middle Guard to engage with the Prussian 2nd Corps.

Turn 2

The Prussian 6th and 8th Brigades are tasked with forcing their way across the high ground to the north and attacking the south side of the bridge in order to assist the main Prussian army in crossing the river.

Their 21st and 23rd infantry regiments lead the charge against the French 5th Division. 

The Prussian enjoy initial success, surviving closing shots relatively intact and punching through the French line. 2 batteries of artillery and the 1/93rd Line battalion of Gauthier's Brigade were destroyed. Crucially the farm was captured quickly expelling the defenders.

During the French turn Campy's supporting brigade counter-attacked stabilising the line resulting in the situation as in the photo. The most notable French success came on the far left of the photo with the destruction of the Prussian Fusiliers of the 23rd Infantry due to a charge by the French 1/100th Line battalion.

The remainder of the Prussian 2nd Corps had their advance disrupted by a couple of disordered infantry battalions caused by French artillery fire.

The French 3rd Corps make good progress assembling ready to launch an assault on the Prussian 2nd Corps.

Over at the bridge, the 12th Infantry launch their attack on the French Old Guard. The 2/12th Infantry leading the crossing screened by skirmishers are shredded by the 2 deployed artillery batteries as they form an attack column.

The 2/12th are thrown back across the bridge shaken and disordered. The 2 other battalions of the regiment hope for better luck!

Turn 3

More Prussian forces are rapidly brought forward as the initial success begins to falter. To the right of the photo one of Reckow's 21st Infantry battalions is destroyed in melee. 

More success for the French during their turn when the Fusiliers of the 21st Infantry were destroyed to the south of the farm leading to the breaking of Reckow's 21st Infantry Regiment. Aside from the farm the French of succeeded in almost fully restoring their line.

A wide sweep of Prussian Landwehr cavalry threatened the flank and rear of the French 5th Division.

The French Chasseurs have luck of their own during the command dice roll allowing them to reposition and charge the Prussian cavalry. In a tightly fought contest, one Landwehr regiment is forced back with the other continuing for a 2nd round of melee.

The Prussian 7th Brigade launch their assault on Jerome Napoleon's 6th Division with the French emerging the more victorious but without delivering any knock-out blows on the Prussian columns. 

At the bridge, Othegraven's remaining battalions of the 12th Infantry form attack columns screened by Silesian Rifles and a Jager company. The Prussian skirmishers score spectacular successes against the 2 Old Guard artillery batteries destroying both with accurate rifle fire. 

To their rear, Laurens' 24th Infantry rush across the bridge.

The Old Guard wasted no time in avenging their artillery and forming attack columns they plunged into the 2 battalions of the 12th Infantry. Both Prussian battalions were comprehensively defeated and being penned in with nowhere to retreat to both were destroyed. This lead to the breaking of Othegraven's 12th Infantry.

Turn 4

Schulenburg's Kurmark Landwehr cavalry put up a good fight but eventually succumbed to the superior training of the French Chasseurs. The entire brigade is broken but not without inflicting significant casualties on the French.

The 2nd Elbe Landwehr Cavalry regiment bringing up the rear, successfully charged and defeated a Chasseur regiment but was now facing French lancers!

The fighting around the farm continues to rage. The French 1/92nd battalion in line formation is destroyed and the 1/72nd in the foreground is forced to retreat with heavy loss.

The French 1/4th Light battalion (middle left) charges the victorious Prussians with the melee resulting in a draw. The French are holding on but rapidly running out of manpower!

The Prussian columns surge against the advancing French 6th Division initially enjoying some success.

The French respond in kind with the 10th and 11th Divisions supporting the 6th throwing back and destroying several Prussian columns. Most notable being the breaking of Mirbach's 14th Infantry regiment having lost 2 of its 3 battalions and had been in the vanguard of the Prussian push. 

Domon's 3rd Chasseur Cavalry Division moves to support the under pressure 5th Division defending the area around the farm.

Laurens' 24th Infantry quickly replaces the defeated 12th and charges the Old Guard.

The result is catastrophic for the Prussians. Both battalion columns are destroyed by the venerable Old Guard with the surviving 3rd battalion retreating from the field. One of the Old Guard battalions falls back to regroup.

Turn 5

The 1/3rd Line never fully recovered from being expelled from the farm. They struggled to form an attack column taking continual casualties from the new Prussian inhabitants. They finally had enough and broke leading to the collapse in morale of Gauthier's Brigade, the last battalion of which will depart the field.

To the east of the farm, the outnumbered French 1/100th Line defeated the Prussian 2/23rd Infantry leading the breaking of Wienskowski's Brigade. Fortunately for the Prussians the surviving battalion is occupying the farm and will remain in place.

Campy's Brigade is the sole French infantry formation defending against the Prussians in the vicinity of the farm. The have had some success to the west of the farm with one of their columns defeating a Prussian battalion. Although still heavily outnumbered by the Prussians, the latter have suffered heavy casualties.

The French though are not lacking in cavalry. At the bottom of the photo, their 2nd Cavalry Division have finished off the last of the Prussian Landwehr cavalry and begin reforming to support Campy's Brigade. They are further supported by the 3rd Cavalry Division who has begun to arrive on the high ground in the middle of the photo.

The Prussians struggle to hold the line not helped by their cavalry failing their command roll.

During the French turn the combine might of the 2nd and 3rd Corps supported by the 3rd Cavalry Corps surge towards the faltering Prussians.

Some French reorganisation takes place with shaken battalions rallying and some rejoining their brigades where they had been split up. Fresh brigades have also been brought forward ready for the next push.

In the foreground the 1/1 Chasseurs of the Old Guard are late retiring and suffer heavy casualties from the Prussian batteries as a consequence. During the French turn they pull back as Hulsen's Westphalia Landwehr are next to attempt the crossing. They are not off to a great start becoming shaken by French musketry.