Engagment at Pedagierra: set up

Pedagierra Set Up

The redoubt at Predagierra represented a compromise solution to a difficult tactical problem.

The road to Lesagano ran along a narrow wooded valley, and as such was superficially easy to defend. Any blocking force on the road would eventually be outflanked by skirmishing light infantry however. 

The tavern at Pedagierra was located in a place where the valley floor broadened out to the north west of the road. The road itself ran along a gently curving ridge before the valley narrowed again to the south-west.

As such, any attacker would be tempted to debouch onto the flat land and execute a flanking manoeuvre. Colonel Baron Brempt was therefore ordered by General Colli to locate the bulk of his force here, throw up field fortifications where necessary and engage and defeat the attacker. In theory this would bring the bulk of any advancing French force to battle, and provide an opportunity to both delay it and inflict casualties.

The Piedmontese have entrenched around the tavern to the north of their position (top of picture) and also in the south where the roads runs off the table into the defile of the narrowing valley floor (bottom of picture). Three battalions are located on the reverse slop of the ridge and are intended to be available to reinforce wherever the attacker's main blow falls

Brempt therefore deployed his eight infantry battalions as per the photograph above. Where will Augereau direct his attack? He has six understrength battalions of chasseurs a pied, who have just spent the night marching up to the start line, and six battalions of ligne.

Although the Piedmontese have the advantage of being in a prepared position, and are not too heavily outnumbered (4800 to 3200), they lack mobility due to their commanders staff rating of 7 and extended line.

The French legere are tired and therefore do not benefit from the elite 4+ special rule that the ligne enjoy. Their leadership is good however, both brigade commanders are SR 8 and Augereau is SR9.

Victory goes to the side that breaks the other. The Piedmontese break if 5 of their 8 battalions are broken or shaken. The French if both their brigades break (there are six battalions in each brigade, therefore four out of six battalions must break or be shaken to break the brigade).