056. The Battle of Eylau - WDS Campaign Eylau-Friedland

8 February 1807 - Historical - Intended to be played Head to Head - Bennigsen and the Russian army were on the move towards the west. Breaking winter quarters they pressed on and ran into Bernadotte and Ney's corps as both were foraging for food. Quickly falling back before they could be defeated in detail these troops escaped the clutches of the Russian army. Napoleon reacted by moving to cut off Bennigsen from his supply depot. Once again the Russians slipped away. The night of the 7th of February the French army caught up to them at Eylau. The next day one of the most famous battles of the Napoleonic Wars was fought in terrible weather. Like skilled chess players Napoleon and Bennigsen committed their forces. Davout was due to come up from the south so Napoleon launched two attacks to pin the Russians in place so that III Corps could then turn their flank. Meanwhile, Ney had been tasked with keeping the Prussians under the command of L'Estocq from reaching the battlefield. Like a grand drama the two sides thrusted and parried each other's moves. Davout's attack was brilliant but he lacked sufficient cavalry to exploit his victory. Ney allowed L'Estocq to reach the battlefield (in part) and the Prussians marched around the rear of the Russian army and attacked Davout at the end of the battle. Ney arrived causing Bennigsen to halt the attack on III Corps. In the end both sides had fought to a bloody draw. The Russians would withdraw from the field of battle but this was no Jena. Both sides would go back into winter quarters having accomplished nothing other than to diminish the size of their armies. Eylau will always be remembered as a battle that should have been avoided. Design Note: The Russian artillery ammunition level is low due to the fact that the army was low on ammunition. They had counted on the Prussians being able to supply them but events in 1806 changed their plans. The Russian player will have to carefully use the ammunition they have.