Toaw Scenario: 1866 - Battle of Custoza

Briefing
1866 - Battle of Custoza This is a beta, please send comments and ideas. This scenario is using the XIXth Century database engine. You can download it here Kingdom of Italy (Light Blue on Green) vs. Kingdom of Austria and Hungary (White on Grey) 1. HISTORICAL NOTES In 1866, the young kingdom of Italy, allied with Prussia in the hope of gaining the Veneto and Trentino provinces from its traditional Habsbourg enemy, had a good War plan. The Army of the Mincio would advance in the "quadrilatero" to attract the main Austrian Army, while the Army of the Po, stationed near Ferrara, would cross the Po and march onto Venice. At the same time, Garibaldi with a force of "irredentisti" would strike north of the Lake of Garda to attempt to seize the Trentino. Unfortunately incompetence and policital motives of the Italian commanders failed to coordinate this. Only the Army of Mincio marched to face the main Austrian forces. The Battle of Custoza was the only major battle of the land based 1866 Italian Campaign. On the 23rd of June, the Italian Army of Mincio, under incompetent General La Marmora, had crossed the Mincio river. The following day, it resumed its leisurly advance assuming that the Austrians were still in the fortified town of Verona. Meanwhile, the Austrian Southern Army, informed of the Italian army, had advanced to within strinking distance. As the 24th dawned, the Austrian army was spotted and the scattered italians scrambled to occupy the high ground around Custoza. Here, the Italian II.Corps was bounced by the Austrian VII.Corps and, while the fight was neither major nor lost, the Italian commanders starting panicking and ordering retreat, which happened in good and without Austrian pursuit. Only Garibaldi achieved some success, but despite this, the campaign brought italy to only hope for am Austrian defeat to Prussia. This happened at Sadowa and Italy, through the Mediation of France's Napoleon III received the Veneto. The trentino and other lands would have to wait for 1918. Will you be able to do better at Custoza? 2. HOMERULES units cannot dig set terran possession to invisible Cavalry regiments have their movement augmented by using special units to simulate their speed, while infantry mooves relatively accordingly the times (and due to scale) 3. EVENTS simulate italian general incompetence? 4. PLAYERS NOTES The Italian Army of 1866, was well armed, motivated and trained for the times, but was sufffering from cohesion of diverse national troops and of incompetent Piedmontese commanders. Artillery and Cavalry was a specialist troop and was well trained and performed well. the Austrian Army also suffered from cohesion due to its multi-ethnical composition, but was a superbly disciplined force, if too rigid, as it would find out against Prussia. Piero Falotti

In 1866, the young kingdom of Italy, allied with Prussia in the hope of gaining the Veneto and Trentino provinces from its traditional Habsbourg enemy, had a good War plan. The Army of the Mincio would advance in the "quadrilatero" to attract the main Austrian Army, while the Army of the Po, stationed near Ferrara, would cross the Po and march onto Venice. At the same time, Garibaldi with a force of "irredentisti" would strike north of the Lake of Garda to attempt to seize the Trentino.
Unfortunately incompetence and policital motives of the Italian commanders failed to coordinate this. Only the Army of Mincio marched to face the main Austrian forces.

The Battle of Custoza was the only major battle of the land based 1866 Italian Campaign. On the 23rd of June, the Italian Army of Mincio, under incompetent General La Marmora, had crossed the Mincio river. The following day, it resumed its leisurly advance assuming that the Austrians were still in the fortified town of Verona. Meanwhile, the Austrian Southern Army, informed of the Italian army, had advanced to within strinking distance. As the 24th dawned, the Austrian army was spotted and the scattered italians scrambled to occupy the high ground around Custoza. Here, the Italian II.Corps was bounced by the Austrian VII.Corps and, while the fight was neither major nor lost, the Italian commanders starting panicking and ordering retreat, which happened in good and without Austrian pursuit.
Only Garibaldi achieved some success, but despite this, the campaign brought italy to only hope for am Austrian defeat to Prussia. This happened at Sadowa and Italy, through the Mediation of France's Napoleon III received the Veneto. The trentino and other lands would have to wait for 1918.

Will you be able to do better at Custoza?

The Italian Army of 1866, was well armed, motivated and trained for the times, but was sufffering from cohesion of diverse national troops and of incompetent Piedmontese commanders. Artillery and Cavalry was a specialist troop and was well trained and performed well.

the Austrian Army also suffered from cohesion due to its multi-ethnical composition, but was a superbly disciplined force, if too rigid, as it would find out against Prussia.