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REPUBLIQUE
GRAND-TACTICAL NAPOLEONIC WARFARE IN MINIATURE



Austrian Troop Lists
average unit sizes and abilities

This list of formation types is designed to help beginning Republique players to relate real life Napoleonic formations with those used for game play. The list indicates only very basic averages, and players should remember that real life units varied enormously in both quality and size. In some armies, "green" troops were fully trained and could perform very impressively. In other cases, regular troops who had been allowed to become demoralized put in very poor performances. Unit descriptions include type, average size (number of bases) and average troop grade. The infantry lists also include skirmisher availability and quality. The cavalry lists include a classification of cavalry types. At the beginning of each section is a short description of each army, along with an average ratio of artillery batteries to infantry/cavalry bases. These recommended artillery ratios are purely for reference to help players develop a fair sense of usage.

The Skirmish column describes the number and type of skirmish markers which a unit type is allowed to deploy. A lower case description beginning with "one" indicates that the entire unit may deploy only one skirmish marker at any one time. An upper case description beginning with "All" indicates that unit type may deploy one skirmish marker per active combat base present. For example; a French light regiment with three active combat bases may deploy three skirmish markers, but an 1813 French line regiment with three combat bases may only deploy one skirmish marker.

The Austrian Army of the Napoleonic Wars was usually composed of solid German and Hungarian line recruits, and considering the stubborn conservatism of the officer corps, the rank and file performed well. Early in the wars Austrian troops performed well, and through 1809, Austrian regiments maintained a constantly professional bearing. By 1812, Austria was at the end of its rope, with no money left in the treasury and barely any equipment left in the country. The force which marched into central Germany in 1813 was quite literally Austria's last and only available field army, it was poorly trained and equipped, and had very little winter clothing.

Austrian cavalry was considered very good through 1809, although like the rest of the army, it had not been trained in grand-tactical maneuver, and so could rarely counter the more nimble field maneuvers of its most common opponent. Austrian light infantry units were severely constrained by army doctrine, and even the better units like jagers and grenzers were not fully trained for, or employed in methods fully benefitting their theoretical roles. For game play, the artillery is usually average morale grade.

Through 1805, the Austrian Army was still using the "Regimental Pool" system, assigning units to leaders who commanded temporary "columns". By 1809 they had theoretically adopted the Corps system, but it was never truly instituted, and commanders continued to employ a kind of divisional group system through the end of the wars. Austrian command category in Functional. May start using French system of maneuver in 1812. Recommended artillery ratios: 1800 - 1809 = 1 battery per 7 bases.

Infantry regiments Size Grade Available skirmishers
Line (1796) 5 or 6 bases Average -
Line (1805) 4 or 5 bases Average/Green -
Line (1809) 5 or 6 bases Average -
Line (1813) 4 or 5 bases Green/Militia one poor
Grenadier (brigade) 5 bases Veteran/Elite -
Jager 2 bases Average All Adequate
Grenzer 1 or 2 bases Average All Poor
Cavalry brigades Size Grade Type
Cuirassier 4 bases Average Armored
Dragoon/Uhlan 4 bases Average Medium
Hussar 4 bases Average Light
Infantry Divisions Infantry regiments Cavalry Artillery
1809-1814 Line 4 Line none 2 medium foot
1809-1814 Light 2 Jager & Grenz bat. 2 bases light cav. 1 medium horse
1809-1814 Grenadier 2 Grenadier (brigades) none 1 medium foot
Infantry Corps Infantry Divisions Cavalry Artillery
1809-1814 2 Line, 1 Light none 2 Heavy foot art., 2 or 3 medium foot art.
 
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