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Friday, 2 December 2016

The Battle of Austerlitz

The Battle of Austerlitz (which was also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors) took place 211 years ago today on 2nd December 1805.

Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz.
Napoleon's Grande Armée (with approximately 67,000 men) defeated a larger Russian and Austrian army (with approximately 86,000 men) led by Tsar Alexander I and Holy Roman Emperor (and Emperor of Austria) Francis II respectively, and brought the Third Coalition to an end.

Napoleon receiving Emperor Francis II after the Battle of Austerlitz.
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7 comments:

  1. Jonathan FreitagFriday, December 02, 2016 11:06:00 am

    Last fought this one on the gaming table in 2005 on the 200th anniversary of the battle. Massive game and very tiring. Still, an epic undertaking.

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    1. Robert (Bob) CorderyTuesday, December 20, 2016 5:12:00 pm

      Jonathan Freitag,

      That must have been a spectacular wargame to see and to take part in. I am very envious.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  2. Archduke PiccoloFriday, December 02, 2016 9:41:00 pm

    I have Christopher Duffy's account of Austerlitz - excellent read.

    The only time I have played Austerlitz as a Napoleonic game was a display game using a friend's armies, in the Auckland University StudAss building, back in 1974 or 5. I took the role of Marshal Lannes, and (not knowing all that much about the battle at the time), when Prince Bagratsyan opposite came at me like a ton of bricks on a roll. So I spent the day hanging on by my teeth. I never did discover how the rest of the battle went!

    I did fight an Austerlitz like game as part of an ACW campaign. This was an enounter battle, pretty much, and my Union army was slightly outnumbered. I set up a weak right flank for the enemy to attack, and swung in on the flank of that attack in approved fashion.

    Worked brilliantly, the enemy was thrown back with heavy loss, but were able to rally along a ridge line - well to the rear - but still on the table. My attack on that line was repulsed in rather brusque fashion, though (the 50% rule can lead to some surprising effects), and the action ended more or less in a tactical draw. Bummer.

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    Replies
    1. Robert (Bob) CorderyTuesday, December 20, 2016 5:15:00 pm

      Archduke Piccolo,

      I wish I could count the number of times I have been in the situation of hanging on by my teeth, oblivious to how things were progressing elsewhere on the battlefield!

      Your ACW battle sounds very interesting. Was it set out to be a hidden scenario re-fight of Austerlitz or did it just happen that way?

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  3. GonsalvoSaturday, December 03, 2016 3:47:00 am

    I will be running an Austerlitz game with a dozen middle school students in about 12 hours. Wish me luck!

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