Napoleonic Game

Today's game, postponed from two weeks ago, was a Napoleonic one. Set in  September 1813 with the French column falling back towards Leipzig where the Emperor is consolidating the army for the next phase of operations. However, as the column was moving west a sizable Coalition force has been detected advancing from the south on a parallel road, threatening to capture the vital bridge over the Mulde near Bennewitz. A French force consisting of three small infantry divisions and two cavalry divisions have been turned south to intercept this force and prevent it from interfering with the rest of the column crossing the Mulde.

The French begin the game on the northern edge of the table, up to 300mm in from the edge, but only need to deploy troops in view from the opposite side of the table. Initiative is weighted in favour of the Coalition (they roll 2 dice to the French 1 - the highest score moves first) once the first turn is completed the French player must place all his units on the table.

The Forces were:

French	Coalition
Infantry Division: 10 battalions, 2 light, 1 field, 1 horse batteries Infantry Division: 8 battalions, 1 field, 1 horse batteries Infantry Division: 8 battalions 2 field batteries Cuirassier Division: 3 Cuirassier regiments, 1 horse battery Heavy Cavalry Division; 4 Dragoon regiments, 1 horse battery Artillery Reserve: 1 field, 1 heavy batteries	Austrians: Infantry Division; 8 battalions, 2 field batteries Light Brigade: 1 Hussar regiment 1 jager and 1 Grenze battalion, 1 horse battery
	Russians: Infantry Division: 12 battalions, 2 light, 1 position battery
	Prussians: Infantry Division: 8 line, 2 reserve 2 landwehr battalions, 1 jager battalion, 2 field batteries
	Coalition cavalry: Division: 4 Austrian Cuirassier regiments, 1 Russian horse battery Division; 2 Russian dragoon, 1 Prussian Landwehr and 1 Prussian Cuirassier regiments, 1 Prussian horse battery
27 battalions, 7 Cavalry regiments, 2 light, 6 field and 4 horse batteries	35 battalions, 9 cavalry regiments, 7 field and 3 horse batteries

In addition each side had a reserve they could call on. Each reserve consisted of a brigade of guard infantry, a brigade of guard cavalry plus artillery. There were, however, restrictions on the reserves. Both sides had to decide before the commencement of turn 4 if they were going to call the reserve and if they did would roll 1 xD6 and if the score was 4,5,6 it would arrive on the table edge in turn 4 otherwise on turn 5. There was also a catch for calling that reserve that neither side was aware of (other than being told that there was a potential penalty). That catch was that the French guard was the rearguard of the column and the Russian guard was closing on them. If the French Guard was called and the Russians were not, the Russians are assumed to have driven the main French column and secured the Mulde bridge, winning the game. Conversely if the Russian guard were called and the French were not, the main French column was not pressured and crossed the Mulde, winning the game. If neither of the guards were called success was determined by who controled the three exit roads on the French northeastern side of the table.

The Terrain

 

The Game

My  plans for an eight player game were thwarted when two had to cancel and I had to play, where I had intended to umpire. Sadly one of those who cancelled was our regular war correspondent so I am drastically short of photographs.

The French deployed  their strongest division plus the cuirassier division on their right, with the other two divisions to the left and on the extreme left the dragoons. 

The Coalition forces deployed with the Russians in the left, the Prussians to their right and the Austrians on the extreme right. All their cavalry was to the right.

The Russians were quickly held by a sweeping movement by the French right, but were able to hold their position, despite appallingly bad luck with their artillery. The main coalition effort was by the Prussians supported by the Austrian artillery and cavalry. 

The French left, however,  was a hard nut to crack because it was difficult for the Allies to find away around the farm. The French commander in this sector, however, was convinced he was defeated from the start, yet he held onto his position until almost the very end of the game.

The Russians were always going to be in trouble, but a bit of bad luck on the French part let them hold on for longer than they should have, but in the end they crumbled, the Russian Guard was called and ordered to march right across the rear of the Coalition  position toward the left. The unengaged Austrian infantry also shifted left. 

In the end the left of both lines collapsed. The Prussians mauled but not beaten controlled the centre right while the Russian Guard and Austrian infantry formed up to face the largely intact French right.

But as the action came to a close, since the Russian Guard  had been called, there was no pressure on the French main column and they managed to clear the bridge. The rearguard, badly mauled as it was, has saved the day. The Emperor was pleased.

And so to the few pictures I managed to take...in no particular sequence...