The 27th of June 1866 was to bring the first serious fighting of the war. The Prussians were on that day crossing the mountains into the Austrian Empire. Meanwhile elements of the Austrian army where moving to block the routes across the mountains, clashes were inevitable. On the same day the combatants fought at Nachod and they were also to clash at Trautenau. The Prussians had orders to clear the mountains and advance into Bohemia via Trautenau to Pilnikau. Unfortunately upon reaching Trautenau the Prussian I Corps, under von Bonin, pause for 2 hours to rest. Giving ther Austrians time to occupy the dominating hills and Trautenau.

The scenario is for use with the Mit Blut und Eisen rules for the mid Nineteenth century European wars - Mit Blut und Eisen.

Note: The version for the old rules is here - Fire and Furia Francese scenario

Scale and notes:

The game starts with the 10:00 Prussian phase and ends after the 19:00 Austrian phase. The Austrians move first in each turn.

Orders of Battle

Prussians:

All infantry are armed with the Drefse Needle gun, NG. All artillery are armed as noted. Units marked with an 'L' are in skirmish formation. Roll a D6 for each unit that does not have a leader. On a roll of 5 or 6 the unit has a leader. Roll again and on a 1-5 it is a +1 leader, on a 6 a +2 leader.

I Corps: von Bonin (0): Formation Morale 20 - 2 D6

1st Division: von Grossman (2) (arrives 10:30 at B)

• 1st Grenadier Regt (1st & 2nd Btns): 3 / 2 / - (arrives 10:00 at B)

• Corps Cavalry (1st Drag & 8th Uhlan): 4 / - / 3 (arrives 10:00 at B)

• Combined Fusiliers (from 1st & 41st Regts): 3 / - / 2 (arrives 10:30 at B)

• 1st Jager Btn: 3 / - / 2 L (arrives 10:30 at B)

• 3rd Grenadier Regt: 4 / 3 / 2 (arrives 11:30 at B)

• 43rd Infanry Regt (1st & 2nd Btns): 6 / 5 / 3 (arrives 11:30 at B)

• Artillery: 2 guns (1 BLA, 1 SA) (BLA arrives 10:30, SA arrives 11:30 both at B)

2nd Division: von Clausewitz (2)

• 4th Grenadier Regt: 5 / 3 / 2

• 5th Grenadier Regt: 5 / 3 / 2

• 44th Infantry Regt: 5 / 4 / 3

• 45th Infantry Regt: 5 / 4 / 3

• Artillery: 2 guns (1 BLA, 1 SA)

Austrians:

All infantry are armed with the Lorenz rifle, a MLR, the artillery are RA.Units marked with an 'L' are using skirmish tactics. Roll a D6 for each unit to see if it has a leader. On a roll of a 5 or 6 jager units have a leader, on a roll of a 6 all others have a leader. Roll again and on a 1-5 it is a +1 leader, on a 6 a +2 leader.

X Corps: Baron Gablenz (2): Formation Morale - Formation Morale 22 plus 1 for each addditional light unit used - 4 D6

Corps Artillery: 2 guns (1 Foot, 1 Horse)

1st 'Division': Mondl (3)

• 10th Infantry Regt: 5 / 4 / 3 (+1 leader)

• 24th Infantry Regt: 5 / 4 / 3 (+1 leader)

• 12th Jager Btn: 3 / 2 / - Light

• Artillery: 1 gun

2nd 'Division': Grivicic (1)

• 2nd Infantry Regt: 5 / 4 / 3

• 23rd Infantry Regt: 5 / 4 / 3

• 16th Jager Btn: 3 / 2 / - Light or make 1 unit above 6 / 5 / 3 or both 'Heavy' skirmishers.

• Artillery: 1 gun

3rd Brigade: von Knebel (2).

• 1st Infantry Regt: 5 / 3 / 2

• 3rd Infantry Regt: 5 / 4 / 3

• 28th Jager Btn: 3 / 2 / - Light or make 1 unit above 6 / 4 / 2 or 6 / 5 / 3 or both 'Heavy' skirmishers.

• Artillery: 1 gun

4th Brigade: Wimpffen (1).

• 13th Infantry Regt: 5 / 4 / 3

• 58th Infantry Regt (including depot btn): 7 / 5 / 4

• Artillery: 1 gun

Deployment and Reinforcements

Prussians

2nd Division: These units are on the table, at the start of the game, in March Column or limbered as appropiate. They are deployed in or to the east of Parschnitz and north of the river. No unit may be more than 3BW away from the road and all artillery must be touching the eastern table edge.

1st Division: The first Division appears as reinforcements from point B, it may appear in any desired formation. The schedule is as follows:

10:00 1st Grenadier Regt and Corps Cavalry.

10:30 von Grossman, Combined Fusiliers, 1st Jager and 1 BLA gun.

11:30 von Bonin, 3rd Grenadier Regt, 43rd Infantry Regt and 1 SA gun.

Austrians:

At the start of the game only the 1st Brigade and the Corps commander are on table. Baron Gablenz is place anywhere within 6BW of point A. While the 1st Brigade are placed on the left or central parts of the three linked hills. They are deployed in any desired formation.

All other Austrian formations arrive as reinforcements at point A. They may be in any desired formation and arrive according to the following schedule:

14:00 2nd Brigade.

14:30 4th Brigade and the Corps Artillery.

16:30 3rd Brigade.

Terrain

Special Rules

Prussian 2nd Division Activation: At the start of the game the Prussian 2nd Division is inactvite and may perform no actions or movement until activated. It may be activated in three ways. First of all by the approach of any Austrian unit within 12BW of any unit of the 2nd Division. Secondly by the arrival of von Bonin on table, the 11:30 Prussian phase. Finally if any unit of the 2nd Division is fired upon by an Austrian unit. Any of these events leads to the activation of the whole Division.

Prussian Withdrawal: In the end this battle was decided by the loss of nerve of the Prussian commander von Bonin. Therefore the following rules apply to this scenario. Each Prussian phase after an Austrian Brigade or the Corps Artillery comes on to the board roll for 'Prussian Withdrawal' and once for each such formation arriving. Roll a D10 on a modified score of 11 the Prussians start withdrawing from the table.

Dice Roll Modifiers:

• +1 per Austrian Brigade or the Corps Artillery present on the battlefield.

• +1 per 2 Prussian units 'Worn'.

• +1 per Prussian unit 'Spent' or 'Damaged'.

• +1 per 2 Prussian units which are south of the 3 central hills.

• +2 per Prussian unit which has been 'Dispersed' or 'Destroyed'.

• +2 if an unspent Austrian unit is within 12BW of the 3 central hills.

• +4 if an unspent Austrian unit is on one of the 3 central hills.

• -1 per 2 Prussian units in March Column, Limbered or Skirmish formation that are on or to the north of the Parschnitz - Trautenau road.

If a Prussian Withdrawal occurs all units use one less dice on the movement chart from that point on.

Austrian withdrawal off the table:

The Austrian player, can if he desires, withdraw units of the 1st Division off the southern end of the table. They may reenter the table on any subsequent Austrian phase, but they may only do this once.

Victory Points

In addition the following scenario specific victory points apply.

Austrians:

1 v.p at the end of each Austrian phase that an unspent Austrian unit is within 12BW of the road from the bridge to the western table edge (Does not apply on a phase when the Prussians are withdrawing).

1 v.p at the end of each Austrian phase that an unspent Austrian unit is within 12BW of any part of the three central hills from the 13:00 Austrian phase onwards (Does not apply on a phase when the Prussians are withdrawing).

1 v.p at the end of each Austrian phase that the Prussians are still on table once the 'Prussian Withdrawal' rule is in effect.

Prussians:

1 v.p per unspent unit withdrawn from the table between Point B and the Parschwitz road after the 'Prussian Withdrawal' rule is in effect.

Both sides:

Only applies if there is not a 'Prussian Withdrawal' during the game.

5 v.p's each for having sole control of each of the 3 central hills.

+ 5 v.p's for having control of both the western and central hill.

The Historical Battle

The battle opened with elements of the 1st Division clearing the town of Trautenau and engaging the Austrian 1st Brigade on the heights. Yet there position there was very strong. Therefore von Bonin, who had now arrived ordered elements of the 2nd Division to cross the river and outflank the Austrian position. After a considerable delay caused by the terrain this they eventually managed to do. Finally forcing Mondl's 1st Brigade to withdraw from the hills and pushing them off to the south.

At this point the fighting died down and thinking that the battle was over von Bonin started to form his columns up again to continue there advance. Unfortunately the arrival of Grivicic's 2nd Brigade, and the news that the rest of the X Corps was on the way, had given fresh heart to the Austrian attack. so first of all te 1st and 2nd Brigades renewed the attack. Then as time progressed they were joined by the other elements of the Austrian X Corps. This proved to be to much for the 'skitish' Prussian commander who ordered a withdrawal.

There was still hard fighting to do on both sides, as a stand had to be made on the Kapellenberg (the central of the 3 hills) to give time for the withdraw to be completed. An assault by the newly arrived 4th Brigade failed to dislodge the Prussians from these hills. It was only wit the intervention of the final brigade, Knebel's 3rd, that the Prussians were finally forced of their hilltop positions.

The Austrians had won their only victory of the war of 1866. Yet they had little reason to celebrate. The news from elsewhere that the Prussian Guard Corps was on their flank meant they would not be able to exploit their 'success'. While they had lost 5586 men dead, wounded or missing to the Prussians 1282. Even worse they were to fight another battle the following day, as the Prussian Guard Corps caught them trying to withdrawal from their positions, see Burkersdorf