Austria Stands Alone Errata

The following errata relates to the Volley & Bayonet 1809 Scenario book "Austria Stands Alone. Some errata has been supplied by Frank Chadwick, but not all, so this is not "official".

Q. Most accounts of the battle fault Eugene for attacking at a numberical disadvantage, roughly 35,000 vs 40,000 and 2,000 cavalry vs 5,000 cavalry. The OOB however, gives the French a numerical advantage in infantry and almost even as far as cavalry. I believe its 64 SP French vs 58 SP Austrian infantry and 5 SP French vs 7 SP Austrian cavalry.

A. I think Epstein, the main source on the campaign, is wrong with his numbers. Unfortunately I repeated them in my overview of the battle. Epstein repeatedly overestimates the Austrian stength by totalling the number of brigades present and then multiplying that by an idealized brigade strength. This makes his number for the Piave really out of whack, as I mentioned in the scenario book. I didn't catch the discrepancy at Sacile until now. The detailed OOB is based on Bowden & Tarbox's returns which I think are pretty accurate. Also there are a couple units which are detached guarding other crossing points, so John's army is not completely concentrated at Sacile.

Q. The Dyke: The scenario states the Dyke is a work. Is that hasty works or a field work?

Q. Crossing the Piave: Units from the Army of Italy are able to cross the Piave one stand per turn (plus a skirmish stand per turn). With the towns of Nervesa, Priula and San Nichiol against the river this means the stands arrive disordered at the opposite side. Can they recover disorder and or change face on the other side ? Especially considering the width of the river.

A. Since crossing consumes only half of the stand's movement, it may recover from disorder and/or face (depending on whether or not PT) on the other side.

Q. With reference to the Aspern-Essling OOB - Austrian Roster sheet for II Armeekorps, page 36. Division Brady is detailed but seems to have units from Division Weber as well.

A. I suspect the Division Weber should be defined and have the last 3 IR (21,18,28) and an additional division battery, with an exhaustion of 8. I'm basing this on the full OOB on page 33..

Q. On page 35 is Coehorn's brigade really supposed to be Morale 6, shock. I understand that the Tirailleurs du Po and Corses were good but were they really so good as to bring up 4 battalions of conscripts to this level. After all this is equal to the 57th Ligne?

A. Well, probably not. I must have been feeling generous or irresponsible. I think the Tirailleirs du Po and Corses were that good if rated by themselves, and I suspect you find them in the midst of this division of amateurs for that very reason. It seemed a shame to just average them out since the division commander clearly had one force he could count on as elite troops when he needed it, so I just went ahead and gave him a really good brigade. Probably the thing to do is two SPs out of the brigade and add one SP to each of the other two brigades in the division. That way you still have a really great force in the division but a very fragile one.

Q. With reference to Page 40, division Pacthod has an exhaustion rating of 10. Is this correct?

Q. Sahuc is listed in the roster as having a horse battery. It is not with him on the map?

Q. If one supposes that Seras has his troops around that knoll in the front centre and Severoli on the left you are left with Durutte having only one infantry brigade is this correct?

Q. There are two extra Austrian artillery units on the map, is this correct?

Q. Colloredo/Collorado seems to be missing an infantry brigade on the map.

Q. What are those wiggly line features in the bottom left corner of the map? The key does not mention them.

A. The outer fieldwork’s of Raab. They face west. They are referred to briefly in the text.

Q. Should the Saxon Zastrow Cuirassiers be at Wagram, or where they still in Saxony with Jerome Buonaparte chasing away Am Hende Austrians? They appear in the detailed OOB, and the Feilitzsch cavalry brigade is made up of two stands, one 2SP Heavy and one 1SP Light.

A. Bowden and Tarbox show them at Wagram. However Gill in his book "With Eagles to Glory" does not. See also a revised OOB for the Saxons by Keith McNelly.

Q. Page 13 of 1809 Source book says the range of battalion guns is 5 for long range, but the reference chart says 4. Which is correct?

Q. Infantry regiment stands are missing off the Quick reference chart in a couple of places. This effects the Saxons.

A. There should be a -2 if charged in flank and 12" movement. Also brigades with battalion guns should be 12" movement.