NAPOLEON’S FIRST DEFEAT

The Battle of Caldeiro was hard-fought encounter between Napoleon and Alvinczy a few days prior to Arcola. This was a battle affected by snow, sleet, and mud, and one in which the Austrian advanced guard fought stubbornly against Napoleon’s attempt to crush them before reinforcements arrived.

By Rob Harper

When considering scenarios, it is important to give some thought to the time limits of the typical gaming evening, and the modest size of forces available to most wargamers. I also like to present games that give both players a fair chance of winning… so when asked to look at potential scenarios involving Napoleon during the Italian Campaign of 1796-1797, one lesser-known battle seemed to meet all the above criteria. Of added interest is that the historic result demonstrated that Napoleon was up against a very able opponent and suffered a rare setback. Napoleon was in a very difficult position. Whilst trying to blockade an Austrian Army in Mantua, he found himself faced with the approach of two large columns from the north: one under Davidovich (18,000 men), and another under…

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Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy (Digital) - 1 Issue, WSS 128

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