Overnight, Napoleon moved most of his troops to Ronco, leaving enough men to hold Verona for the time being. From Ronco, he planned a fast strike up the west bank of the Alpone, across the bridge at Arcola, to launch an attack on Alvinczy’s line of communications around Villanova. The aim was to force Alvinczy to pull back from Verona, and hopefully cause sufficient losses to make him abandon his plans of uniting with Davidovich.
The French faced enormous risks, and the advance on Arcola was along an exposed causeway, little more than the width of the road. Although this was considered essential, a covering force would have to advance to Porcile to cover the western flank of the main thrust along an equally exposed route.
On 15 November, troops under Augereau’s command marched along the narrow causeway through the marshes toward Arcola, while Massena was tasked with covering the west flank of the army around Porcile.
These scenarios are designed for a 1:20 ratio of figures to actual men, with ‘stands’ of six infantry, four cavalry, and one model gun (representing two actual guns). Approximate historic strengths involved in each engagement have also been shown to enable you to adapt to your own rues or scales.
SCENARIO 1: The first assault
The famous attempts by
