Battle of Rain

Battle of Rain
	Part of the Thirty Years' War
	; Battle of Rain (engraving)
Date	15 April 1632 N.S.
Location	Rain, Swabia
Result	Swedish victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Holy Roman Empire ; Catholic League
Commanders and leaders
Gustavus Adolphus; Johan Banér; Lennart Torstensson; William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar;	Count Tilly (DOW); von Aldringen (WIA); Maximilian of Bavaria; von Scharffenstein;
Strength
c. 37,500 men, 72 guns	c. 22,000 men, 20 guns
Casualties and losses
2,000 killed or wounded	2,000 killed or wounded, c. 1,000 captured

The Battle of Rain took place on 15 April 1632 near Rain in Bavaria during the Thirty Years' War. A Swedish army under Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden defeated a Catholic League force led by Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly, who later died of wounds received in the battle.

Outnumbered and with many inexperienced troops, Tilly built defensive works along the River Lech, centred on the town of Rain, hoping to delay Gustavus long enough for Imperial reinforcements under Albrecht von Wallenstein to reach him. The Swedes spent 14 April bombarding the defences, then crossed the river the next day, inflicting nearly 3,000 casualties, including Tilly. On 16 April, Maximilian of Bavaria ordered a retreat, abandoning his supplies and guns.

Despite this victory, the Swedes had been drawn away from their bases in Northern Germany and when Maximilian linked up with Wallenstein found themselves besieged in Nuremberg. This led to the largest battle of the war on 3 September, when an assault on the Imperial camp outside the town was bloodily repulsed.