So battle #2 has been fought.

Wittgenstein(Steve) advanced from Vendeuvre across the River Seine to Troyes which was held by 4 bttns of the Garde Nationale. These outstanding lads were rated as Unreliable and morale 5+.

Steve is in the blue shirt, Alan (provided the Bavarians) in the red and Goldie who although Campaign umpire played the French is in the white. Below is the start positions. French on western side of the Seine. They have blown the bridge on the central road, however bridge on northern road is not blown. They have 2 bttns covering the 2 roads and 2  supporting. Allies can try and send one bttn across per turn in boats. It is 3 moves to cross. The northern bridge can only be crossed in column of march.

Allied turn one and a Bavarian line bttn gets across the river on the allied right.

There was one piece of high ground which 2 Bavarian batteries took over. This is their first shots…needed 6’s to hit…2 6’s rolled. Awesome.

French bttn by Northern bridge sustains 4 wounds and a disorder from shooting, it pops.

French turn 1, one bttn has been destroyed, second has retired from central bridge(its a destroyed bridge) with 3 wounds and a disorder. The 2nd line bttns now move up to cover bridges.

Allied 2nd turn, this Bavarian bttn between the batteries was the forward bttn, it was ordered, twice, to get into boats and cross the river in front of a French bttn, they decided to blunder and retire. Wise men.

Here we have Bavarian light infantry who have followed their General across the river!

Its turn 3, and by the scenario rules bad things can happen to the Allies if they have not established a bridgehead by the destroyed bridge at the end of this turn. In turn 2 their had been a number of failed orders on the allied side so it was all a bit nervous. The left French bttn has 2 wounds and is disordered. The centre bttn has recovered from disorder but is still shaken and the right side bttn is now shaken.

Allied shooting on the left bttn causes more wounds and Paul needs to roll a 7 to pass his break test, he rolled a 3 so thats the 2nd of 4 bttns gone.

In the centre a Bavarian bttn moved up to the river bank and fired, rolling 3 6’s and inflicting 3 wounds. The bttn that had crossed the river upstream now moved up and fired along with the light infantry, adding 4 more wounds, which with the disorder meant Paul was rolling a break test on a -8. So he couldn’t pass, but then he rolled a double 1 anyway.

So having lost 3 bttns the French break and the Allies take Troyes.

Below is Map showing Troyes.

The Orders for Turn 5 are now going into the Umpire, the next turn could be quite interesting.

‘Marshall Marmont surveyed the village of Vaucler and the road which stretched from it south east to St Dizier. His scouts had just reported in, a column of Russian infantry was marching up the road. He was shocked to be told they had no cavalry, not even the dreaded Cossacks! Just then an ADC raced up from the west, Le Emperor and Marshall Ney, the Bravest of the Brave were approaching from Chalons with a Guard force and he was to hold his position until they could join him. The Russians were going to pay for invading France!’

So Tuesday night we had the first battle of the 1814 campaign.

Osten-Sacken(PaulW) set off from St Dizier and marched North East towards Vitray. The road could have 3 divisions move up it a turn, so Paul advanced with 3 Russian infantry divisions, each of 4 Musketeers, 2 Jager and 1 battery. For the numerically challenged, thats a wholesome force of 12 Musketeers, 6 Jager and 3 batteries. And as shocked as Marmont was, no cavalry!

Marmont(Robert) commanded 3 divisions, the 3rd Division of 4 ligne infantry and a battery, the 8th Division of 1 legere and 3 ligne, and the 1st cavalry with 2 light cavalry regts and 2 cuirassier regts.

Napoleon/Ney( was to be Rob, but Russ had to sub in for Rob) commanded the 1st and 2nd Young Guard Divisions each of 4 regts, and a Garde d’Honneur Division of 2 combined regts.

Meanwhile…..on the road from St Dizier…..

‘Ivan……I thought some of them thievin Cossacks were sent up the road before us this morning’ Igor said….

‘Nah’ said Ivan….’I spotted the drunken sods snoring in that farm they took over’…..

‘Crap’ said Igor…..’You think any ones had the balls to tell old fancy pants’…..

.’Nah….all pretty boys…no balls them officers’…….said Ivan……

‘You get enough ammo last night’ asked Igor…..

‘Nah’ said Ivan…..’Boris said the supply train is late’…….

‘Oh great’ said Igor……’Hope no garlic breathers are in that town up ahead then’ ….said Ivan…..and just then drums started beating…..

So the battle will be 5 turns followed by 1 turn of dusk when visibility reduce to 6 inches.

Below is Russians who have arrived on the table….the edge…the very edge.

And here is 2 divisions of Young Guard accompanied by Napoleon and Ney, The Garde d’Honneors  are off table on the road. Marmont is up in the middle of the table.

And here is middle of table, village of Vaucler with 3rd Division in residence. The light cavalry are forward of them, one on each table edge.

A view from the Russians with the Young Guard now skirmishing to their front and columns and cavalry close in. They still have not moved.

Russians have moved….the 6 units of Jager still have not skirmished, 2 have formed square though…otherwise bit of sideways shuffling. In the Jagers defence…as Ivan and Igor have said, they must be short on ammo…as Umpire only allowing them 2 shots instead of the normal 3, and their batteries seem to have lost 1/3 their guns….oh and its muddy so you can’t move and shoot guns in same turn.

Oh, and the 2 square are because of the announcement 2 Cuirassier regts had just failed order to rush on table beside the Hussars on the French left flank. This lead to discussions on Campaign rules on off table troops appearing…..a rarity in our games.

Anyone would think the French were running the campaign  🙂

Here come the Garde d’Honneurs down the French right flank. They were rated as ‘Ferocious charge’, so they reroll any misses in first round of combats….nasty for light cavalry…..the were nicely painted, well done Russ…very pretty.

What a mess. The Russians hugging the end of the table is now going to haunt them. They have no depth and are all bunched which is about to turn nasty for them, Russ has charged in with the 2nd Young Guards in the square and some columns Paul managed to get over there in the French left. In the Centre Robert supported by the skirmishing 1st Young Guards has also charged in.

The aftermath. A number if Russian units are missing. Paul failed almost every break test. It was truely appalling dice rolling. But Russ is a vastly experienced competitive gamer, he knows EXACTLY how to win in that mess of units!

The End Game. Paul did better in the middle but Robert did enough coupled with Russell’s demo on the flank to make the Russians retire beaten after dusk. Being a Campaign Game and I am not meant to be aware of actually casualties yet, I didn’t keep track of the casualties to either side.

As Ivan and Igor trudge back down the road to St Dizier in the dark…..

‘Well that was a shitfest wasn’t it Igor’

‘Yeah…..ole fancy pants probably shat himself alright Ivan’

‘Who do you think he’s gunna blame?’

‘Bloody Cossacks of course Igor!’

‘Those Frenchies were bit young weren’t they…..one kid I shot hadn’t even loaded his musket…and he didn’t have boots on Ivan!’

‘French Guard ain’t what it was mate’ said  Ivan

So that was the first campaign battle.

Sadly, Russians well and truely beaten.

So Goldie has been talking about an 1814 campaign for sometime, and over the past Xmas period he has rolled one out.

The French have 3 players(Russ, Robert and Rob), the Allies have 5 players(Terry, PaulW, Steve, Alan and Nick).

Goldie is the Umpire, Rulemeister and point of all communications. Rules are BP2 with some adjustments Goldie has made.

Players on the same side are only allowed to directly communicate if we have forces in the same nexus. We can communicate by sending ADC’s racing around the map passing messages between ourselves.

Below is the map we are playing on.

Each player is in command of a scaled down Corps. Each Corps has 3+ Divisions(2+ units) in it. Turns are are a day, split into Morning, Afternoon and Night moves. Each move is one town. Night moves can result in Divisions losing stamina.

It is VERY IMPORTANT to work out your order of march.

The 3 red roads are Imperial roads and 5 Divisions can move down them at a time, other roads are only 3 Divisions.

The Allies enter from the eastern edge, the French are somewhere on the map.

So its turn 1 and lo and behold, Osten-Sacken(PaulW) has marched into a nice French Trap at Vitry le Francois. Happily strolling down the road, they find Marmont in possession of the town and rapidly approaching what looks like Napoleon and Ney leading a Corps of Young Guard……the battle will be fought next week….report will follow!

So its day 2.

Am writing this report a bit differently and will split the tale into the 3 sectors and report on the South, then the North and will end with the Centre. Napoleon has sent some more photos so will incorporate a few of them as I got involved in my wee corner and neglected to take many other photos(his camera took better pictures as well).

Before start…here a picture of the French players….don’t have one of the Russians…yet…

So in the South…..

At the end of Day 1 the Poles had lost several batteries, as had I and they had replaced theirs with 3 heavy batteries and Montbrun’s cavalry division has also made it down the road to join them. With the full French force on the table it was time to attack. There were some disordered and shaken units plus light cavalry in their front line. Perfect prey for Cuirassiers to attack on ‘Follow Me’ orders, smash them and breakthrough on the units behind causing morale checks which units would hopefully fail. Dispite the urging of Kutusov( who was not slumbering in the rear) I had refrained from rushing into the attack, until now.

At the same time Brent had taken over from Mark commanding the Guard brigade as they were now in his sector…so they were thrown into the Westphalians….I advanced Grenadiers in support.

Things were going well for Russsia, the Poles and Westphalians lost combats and units retired/popped. However my disordered Grenadier unit was left exposed in the front line! The plan was to withdraw it behind the line that was supporting it to the rear but Nappy appeared and distracted me. Then it was the French turn and Johnathon who was dribbling with excitement as he looked at my disordered unit in front of his Cuirassiers. A   ‘Follow Me’ order is duly made and in they come. My brave Grenadiers form square, however it is a ‘disordered square’ so the Cuirassiers are allowed to beat me up and I sustain 5 losses. Its not looking good.  I roll break test my break test.

The 2 green dice below with Russian Eagles on them are 6s’ and so I pass! Woohoo…Russians are so STAUNCH!! The Cuirassiers retire and in my turn the square moves to the rear 6 inches and is now hidden behind the unit in line.

Now that was a ‘Get out of Jail Free’ card.

Further south I send 2 Cuirassier units into light cavalry who they counter charge. The cuirassiers as expected to win, and to not sustain enough casualties to be shaken so they perform sweeping advances which clear out the batteries, shaken infantry and more cavalry. This would my columns to advance with far less risk. Tuchkov died like all brave Russian Corp Commanders should…leading an attack!

A Big gap has now been made. In top of picture the Guard are taking it to the Westphalians(although the Westphalian Guard did take out a Russian Guard unit!).

The Poles and Westphalians are now retiring into woods and the lone battery is about to get a battalion in  the flank.

End Game. A Grenadier battalion has formed a square in the road in woods to stop any cavalry coming down it. Skirmishers are in the woods and a  line of guns with Grenadiers are facing retiring enemy in woods. The Cuirassiers and Cossacks plus some battalions are headed up to help out in the fleches. Brent has sent the Guard into join the Militia in woods beating up last of the 57th and secure not only woods but threaten French advance on the other side.

To the North.

This was obviously where the Russian push was going in…..

Eugenes troops behind Borodino…..Neys troops exiting woods.

A lack of French troops evident in the North.

Russians pushing through, there are French cavalry and artillery moving to oppose on the rear support table. But, Game called as Russian Victory in the North.

And the Centre…..

French pushing to left of redoubt.

Ney has cleared Jager and now advancing.

Eugene has been pushed back.

And in the Fleches Davout is fighting in woods and Fleches….there was some very noisey yelling going on around here all day. Periods of very good…or very bad dice rolls depending on your side!

The long reach of Ney. Russ on the attack.

Gorki Fleches with view down table.

The best defense is…attack.

Ney and Davout throwing everything in.

And the end……..Mark removing last of his combined Grenadiers…the Vistula Legion is joining in but there are a lot of shaken and damaged units…… in the woods the Russian Guard are now beating back Davouts troops…..and the game is called.

View from table end….

And that was our 2 day refight of The battle of Borodino, a Russian Victory.

The plan now is to refight in March 2021, with players swapping sides.

So now I can stop working on Russkies for a while.

Whew.

A big thanks to the Bowling Club and to Kevin and Murray for manning the bar and providing the bbq saturday night.

Over the weekend of 7-8 November 2020, 19 gamers and a barman gathered at the Seatoun Bowling & RSA Club in Seatoun, Wellington, New Zealand to refight the battle of Borodino.

The Battle would be fought over 24 foot of bespoke terrain boards specially designed and built by the crazy Mr Paul Weakley(6 interlocked boards, each 6′ x 4′). This was supported by another table the same size for the French reserves and a smaller 24′ x 4′  wide table for the Russians.

The players were drawn from around NZ with our core Wellington Group, our clone group from Auckland along with players from Tauranga, Whanganui, Levin and Christchurch. The French side included the The Woolshed Gamer and Valleyboy who will be posting reports as well.

The troops were basically the official orbat for the battle, halved, so on show were:

Russian:

• 94 battalions(2,256 miniatures)
• 34 Cavalry regts(10 Cossacks) (around 400 miniatures)
• 27 batteries (each 3 guns – 81 guns)

French:

• 108 battalions(12 Guard) (2,592 miniatures)
• 39 cavalry regts(4 Guard) (around 470 miniatures)
• 36 batteries(7 Guard) (each 2 guns – so 72 guns)

I have asked Napoleon(John Hutton) and Kutusov/Barclay de Tolly(Paul Weakley) to write a short version of the battle each and will post when they do.

Otherwise this report is naturally biased from my viewpoint as Bagration/Tuchkov/Duka.

Paul had been planning this battle for a some time. We have been planning and undertaking the painting of the Russians, since we started with virtually none. So it has been an exciting project. Who put hands up to paint Russians? What units would each paint? Then the purchase of books, figures, more painting and sending shipments of figures to Fernando Enterprises in Sri Lanka for some of us. Then basing them on their return, sourcing movement trays, sourcing and painting the fleches, and many nights practicing with the rule amendments we made to Black Powder 2 rules specifically for the game and then having the local guys here in Wellington practice storming fleches, fighting in heavy woods, then light woods, then cavalry battles to get ready for the Big Game!

I still don’t know what the French plan was but the Russian one was straight forward and is below.

• In the North Paul W with Stephen and Steve would launch an attack on the French left flank. This force included a brigade of Guard infantry, Guard cavalry, 1st Cuirassier Division, Platov’s Cossacks, the 8 Jager battalions from 2nd Corps and the 2 battalions of Guard Jager. They had 7 batteries, 3 being horse artillery.
• In the Centre we would hold! Baggovouts(Graeme) 16 Musketeer Battalions and their 2 batteries would move south to form a 2nd line behind Paul N, Nick and Mark.
• In the South Tuchkov(Me) and the 2nd Grenadier Division start with the Militia/Cossacks in support. Duka and 2nd Cuirassiers move in support. The Jagers of the 27th Division(Brent) are in the heavy Utitsa Woods. The Moscow Militia to move in support(during test games appeared to me best place for them, the limited move in woods, skirmish formation and extra morale save made them perfect) and a Musketeer brigade as well. Paul and I felt the French would press hard through the woods and prepared for it. Off table were 2 support batteries which could be used once 2 batteries had been destroyed.

So away we went!

French turn 1 and Davout moved brigades(plural!) into Utitsa woods. Jeromes Westphalians raced from reserve to flank them in the woods. The Poles were not expected until turn 3. Elsewhere a French Grand Battery appeared opposite fleches while the woods in front of the Redoubt were being contested. On the French left flank the French under Eugene advanced on Borodino village.

Now the Polish Prince Poniatowski was played by the delightful Kerry Thomas from Tauranga and his outstandingly well painted Murawski Poles. I first met Kerry when we played the Leipzig refight a few years back(2013) and I was Marshal Victor and we single handedly won the battle for Napoleon(well…that’s my recollection anyway!). The Westphalians coming through the woods were commanded by Johnathon from Christchurch, who also had Montbrun’s Cavalry and 3 heavy batteries trailing the Poles. Looked like we were going to have some fun.

To my right Brent from the Auckland Group was commanding the 27th Division(John had moved to Auckanld and joined them, whereas Nick then moved from Auckland and joined us in Wellington!) Once the Milita decided to move , they passed to Brent – we had decided for the game when troops moved into your sector, you took over command. Much tidier! I commanded my 12 battalions of the 2nd Grenadiers and their 2 light batteries plus 4 units cossacks and I later stole the 2nd Cuirassiers off Brent(they were my figures after all!). To the right of Brent was Mark commanding the 2 Fleches with 6 battalions of combined Grenadiers and the batteries in the fleches. The batteries of the 27th were supporting him.

I shall report the battle in series pictures taken on my phone. When Napoleon and Kutusov file their reports, will make a separate post with pictures from the better camera’s when they are sent.

The first picture below is the briefing from Paul Weakley on the terrain and what the features meant as far as movement effects.

This is my command on southern flank at Utitsa. 2nd Grenadier Division supported by Karpovs cossacks. Militia are on support table behind where photo taken from. Poles can be seen in woods with Davouts first units in woods to right. French table in background where rest of Poles plus Montbrun’s Cavalry and Westphalians heading my way!

A look back down table from the North where can see Dohtorov’s troops guarding the Kolocha with the Gorki fleches. Eugenes troops on the right…..and briefly….open terrain in the North!

The centre peice of the Russian line, the famous Raievski Redoubt with a heavy battery in possession with the 12th Divison and 4th Cavalry Corps to its rear.

Bagration fleches with a brigade of 2nd Combined Grenadiers in support.

In the North Eugene sends his 2 light cavalry brigades rushing out wide.

Back down in the Utitsa Woods, the Westphalians and Davouts have started mixing it with the 4 Jager bttns in there. In back of woods a brigade of the 27th is preparing to join in and the elite Militia bttns are sllooowwwlllyyy making their way to join in. I have stolen Duka’s Cuirassiers off Brent.

In the centre French infantry clear Jager out of light woods.

As per plan, Russian Jagers make a fighting withdrawl from Borodino Village leaving Eugene’s troops in the open. View from Gorki fleches.

Eugene’s flanking light cavalry brigades run into Russian Guard Cuirassiers….and friends…its not pretty.

Now I started losing track quickly as to what was going on elsewhere…..but I gather 2 brigades of French infantry, including one of 5 legere made a charge towards the Redoubt….only for Nappy to throw a paddy and demand they retire. I think this is the photo of some trying to disengage. Another French grand battery being formed in rear.

This is the Utitsa woods…..what a mess…..troops everywhere. I think this may have been the French plan…..swamp the woods….or play in the swampy woods…..but it seemed a magnet.

French have retired from field around Redoubt…and a long distance artillery duel commences. A favourite Russian ploy…we get more shots at long range…French at medium…so … we stay at long range where possible.

And in the north….the Russian flank attack is in full swing. The brave French advancing on them are Delzons 13th Division. Goldie finished them on the Friday before game…I provided flags and even painted the Eagles for them…..they were in a perfectly sound defensive position..and..Nappy…yep…he rode past again…demanded they advance in a manly manner and stop skulking…..it doesn’t go well…..the whisper is the ‘Ghost of Delzons’ can be heard at night on the battlefield….crying for his lost men.

The Russian moving gunline of jager/horse batteries with cavalry support worked a treat. With the brigade of Guard infantry providing the close quarter muscle.

Am sure Russians aren’t meant to be on French reserve table…Nappy…yoohoo….

End of day 1 we had a BBQ, just beating the Southerly Storm that was coming in(for those outside New Zealand, picture south of us is water…lots of cold water…so a southerly storm is not overly welcome)

And that was the end of Day 1….

Day 2 got interesting……

.

The best laid plans of mice and men…..

So I was having a birthday in late August….so organised a game on a saturday…..my partner Anita had already organised to be away for 3 days that weekend with her high school girlfriends for their annual drinking session…this year in Raglan.(all NZers would be thinking..Raglan…whats in Raglan?)…we were all excited…Anita got to drive up in her mates new Maserati…..daughter at home was moving out prior weekend…so Terry is home alone for 3 days……woohoo…

and then…..daughters flat move delayed 2 weeks…..an outbreak of the plague happens in Auckland so some the girls can’t make Raglan…so they cancel it……I don’t get why a handful of plague victims shuts down a whole country…..I am assuming part of Governments re election plan……keep everyone scared s***less……

So on with the game…..instead of playing in garage moved it to lounge…..scenario loosely based on Sheveradino Redoubt battle….the day before Borodino…..

So the Russians would be defending redoubt with 3 brigades of infantry(each of 4 bttns)…2 being musketeers and 1 Jager. The redoubt on the small hill had a position battery in it and the 2 musketeer brigades also had a battery added..

The French players each started with 5 bttns and they had 2 batteries in total.

At some stage Poniatowski’s Poles would make an appearance on the southern flank of the French….various reserve formations would make an appearance…infantry and cavalry and then towards the end of the game, I would get 5 Russian Cuirassier regts to play with, cause its my birthday!

Game started at 9am and finished at 3pm with refreshments break 12ish.

Pictures below tell the tale…..

Da Boyz! French side to left of table…..Russkies on the right

Redoubt with me to the rear…thats Bagration! Massed French advancing…..

Russian right….a number of Russian commanders started facing firing squads……Pauls Musketeer brigade meant to be holding vollage with Nicks Jagers adding skirmishing cover…..yet Roberts brigade has thrown them out…..my Combined Grenadiers arriving to the left……

From bottom to top……French have taken village….Pauls been pushed back to table edge…cavalry brigade has arrived on table in support…..beside redoubt my combined grenadiers have obliterated 5 bttns and moving onto next 5…..which they would soon also obliterate….on the otherisde of the redoubt…French columns advancing behind skirmish line…and at far end of table…Russian Hussars are trying to ride through a non-existant gap between village and woods. Steve was ordered to use them to force advancing French into square so guns/columns could take care of them…. such ineptitude has not only resulted in him being shot, but he has been transferred out of my Russian 2nd Army in Borodino refight to the 1st Army! Russ looks like he is thinking up an overly cunning plan….

A bit further into the game….of the 15 French bttns sent against my 5 combined Grenadiers….this is whats left….my 5 untouched…am awarding myself a medal….elements of 2nd Grenadier Division have now arrived so Paul has something to play with…he’s lost everything else…. Roberts French still intact…just.

So Steve and Nick have lost their initial brigades, and I have sent them the last 2 brigades of the 2nd Grenadiers. The Hussars are sitting in far corner disordered and getting shot to pieces by infantry. The NKVD is trying to catch up to Steve and shoot him. French played very patient controlled battle on this side. Lots if attacks going in…French Cuirassier’s now on table and closing in, and Poles starting to come out of southern woods.

End of game on Russian right…..French have a ring of cavalry…infantry all gone…..and I have 5 regts Cuirassiers on table!

On Russian left not so good…the Grenadier brigades taken a battering…I had sent 2 regts Cuirassiers to assist…..but we would be withdrawing….but a Russian victory as the French hadn’t even assaulted the redoubt..the aim of the game! By this stage Nick had joined me and we were enjoying a scotch.

So Call to Arms is over for another year and our second BlackPowder competition has been held.

Unfortunately our 8 player competition at the last minute went down to 6 with Goldie forced out with urgent house repairs(water leaking in sons bedroom wall) so I dropped out to make it an even player event.

So we were left with 3 French players and one each of Russian, Prussian and Spanish.

After 4 rounds, 2 on each day and where most games went to or close to the time limit of 3 hours, the podium winners were:

1st Place – Nick with Prussians

2nd Place – Paul W with Russians

3rd Place – Brian with Spanish

Paul W has volunteered to run next years competition.

A selection of photo’s follow.

Day 1 and we are up on the stage again……. battlefields each are 10 x 6 feet.

Some of Brian’s Spanish

Oh dear….a shaken Russian square with Polish Uhlans lead by their general charging in….unpleasant.

Shot down line of French advance

Only other thing of interest over the weekend was the Team Yankee and in particular taken by German force…. tempting.

last round game between John and Paul….. this scrum when out for sometime as more and more units were fed in….the game ended with the French breaking and Paul stealing 2nd place.

And the last round game between top 2 had Brian and his Spanish up against Nick and his Prussians. It was a hard fought game but ended in a draw which gave Nick 1st place and Brian dropped to 3rd place.

This is an example of a French 200 point force.

Rather than a 200 point game night I decided to give the Saltanovka scenario from Black Powders ‘A Clash of Eagles’ another go. We last played this when CoE first came out using the troop adjustments in CoE but for this game, used Black Powder 2 rules. I did make change of not allowing ‘Follow Me’ order but giving Davout, Compans, Dessaix and Raevsky special abilities and allowing them to be used normal commanders and not just having a Generals reroll ability. However, everyone forgot this for most of game…..annoying!

The evening was one of a howling southerly storm with gale winds  and driving cold rain but 5 hardy souls still ventured out.

Russ, Goldie and Robert commanded the French while PaulW and Steve the French. As a 3rd Russian player was required for later in game, I took that role.

Scenario is First Russian Army is attempting to cross the Dniepr River at Mogilev , however Davout has arrived there. So Bagration throws troops at him to see how strong position is, if weak, will smash through, if strong, will find another crossing.

The French are over the opposite side of the river, defending 2 villages in Fatova and Saltanovka. The French have 4 brigades, each of 5 bttns and 1 battery. They have 2 of the brigades holding the villages/river line, 1 in reserve to their right rear, the last off table as well as1 Chasseur and 3 Cuirassier regts off table.

The Russians have 2 standard divisions of 4 Jager and 8 Musketeer bttns each plus 2 light and 1 position battery each. The Jager start on table with the musketeer brigades/ artillery advancing on. They also have 2 brigades of 2 Dragoons each to arrive later on.

Russians get first turn. Objective is to take the villages and inflict as much damage on the French as they can, the French have to stop this.

View down table….Russian Jager skirmish line on right , Fatova which is held by Robert , Saltanovka in distance held by Russ and to left Goldie is sending the reserve brigade down to the French far left flank from its reserve position behind Fatova. Steve commands closest Russians while PW has those opposite Russ. I also placed 4 earthworks between the villages for the French.

View of Fatova with Steve’s forces arriving on table.

Reserve French arriving and heading towards Saltanovka.

Far right of Russian position when PW has discovered a ford and is sending his columns over it.

Saltanovka where Goldies brigade has formed a firing line and is advancing on Pauls columns. The villages were supported by some earthworks.

Goldies French after several rounds of combat…PW charged in…French held….then flank attack…Russians pop(where green dice is). Others stay.

Something not in the CoE scenario but one found in another. Russian 2nd Grenadier Division, which is my actual division arrive on a flank march…..as Goldie has sent the reserve brigade to other flank…the French had the Cuirassiers there…..so on a flank with woods and wheat fields…..perfect…for me anyway…..plan was to send briagde into woods…..shoot up cavalry til retired….and set up guns behind columns and retire some columns and shoot the c**p out of the cavalry…..alas ran out of time. Will need refight this on a weekend.

Fatova from Steve’s position……no attacks been made on the village….what has he been doing….he even sent a brigade to help PW…what the….needed take the village…..he is getting a major demotion. Siberia…in winter.

In the centre Russ reserve brigade has moved up and be hard to break through for Steve and Paul.

On far flank its is all rather in the balance. PW is taking it to Goldie….Russ still holds village and PW needs turn the flank. Dragoons in reserve if can get across the ford its fairly open for them. One again Russian columns are hard to take out.

And that was game called….will have to play on a weekend to get to a conclusion. French won this one in a canter, no villages swapped sides. No one used the abilities I gave the commanders…..will take a piece wood to next briefing so the French understand to use their commanders and the Russians understand they are meant to take the villages. Will need change setup as Russians need more depth so their guns do not set up within musket range of villages.

But was an attractive game, next time will have my new Hovels Russian buildings which are on their way from UK. Its a bday prezzie to myself, bunch painted buildings and plan having the woods finished as well.

It’s a holiday here in NZ today, Queens Birthday so Goldie suggested a game.

At Call to Arms Convention in August we are gaming a 200 point Napoleonic Tournament. Last year it was 220 points and 5 rounds, this year we will do 4 rounds over the 2 days and game at 200 points. Due to the Plague the organizers are restricting overall numbers of participants so we are allowed 8 players.

The brains trust(that doesn’t include me!) have made some changes in the points matrix so Goldie and I decided play 200 point game. Goldie to use his Prussians and I would use French. Half way through a rebase/tidy up of my French so had to proxy in some Vistula legion units.

Terry’s Force:

• 2 brigades infantry each of 5 ligne bttns,1 legere bttn and a battery
• Brigade 2 Polish Uhlans
• Brigade 2 Wurttemburg light cavalry
• The infantry and the Uhlan commanders were Command rating 8 and the Wurtt Cav were a 7. Plan being to assign General to the Wurtts to use his reroll.

Goldies force:

• Brigade Leib Hussars, 2 Grenadier bttns and a small Freicorp bttn
• Brigade 6 bttns Landwher plus a battery
• Brigade 2 musketeers
• Brigade 2 Dragoons,a landwher cavalry and a horse battery
• All commanders were 8’s

We decided to play down the battlefield which was 10ft x 6ft. We used Goldies new 1813 building and my new woods(not quite finished but close enough).

Below is my set up….

And below is Goldies set up. Centre of table has stream to pond and village with 2 defensive position. The race is on!

I won first turn. Both infantry brigades made x3 moves down table, Uhlans 1 move down my right flank, on the left the Wurtts stood around.

Prussians advanced except for the landwher on their left.

Next turn I move up to the stream, occupy the 2 defensive zones with my legere bttns and form checkerboard formation from village to edge of woods. Guns fail to deploy on my left. Wurtts still back in corner.

Now on my left flank I had deployed a skirmish cloud out in front of my columns. Goldie charged this with his Leib Hussars…my skirmishers naturally retired on their columns leaving the Leib hussars in the open. So I deployed into line…and gave them a good round of French gunsmoking!

Below is Goldies situation. On his left his 2 skirmishing landwher have advanced to centre of ridge, guns are moving up but 4 bttns still back at start position. In centre his cavalry have moved up and are behind ridge line with musketeers to their left. On his right the Leib Hussars have retired behind the Freivorps with the 2 Grenadier bttns now behind the Leibs and the horse battery to the flank.

In my turn I did a ‘Follow me’ charge with Wurtt cav into the Freicorps. They could not form square as to close to Leibs and so we decided they would evade, now disordered and Goldie rolled for a 1 move retire. This unmasked the shaken leibs who now got hit stationary. I then moved the left side infantry brigade up in support of the cavalry charge. Shooting caused wound and disorder on horse battery.

After the carnage of my cavalry charge, the Leibs had been destroyed, a supporting Grenadier bttn had broken, the horse battery auto popped and I turned to face the flank of the surviving Grenadier bttn. As brigade was now broken they would have retire 12 inches away from me as first move in Goldies turn.

On my right Goldies landwher had now surged forward and I was taking a bit of firepower!

On my left Goldie has used a ‘Follow Me’ to move a Musketeer bttn to put a block on his flank after the Dragoons failed a ‘Follow Me’ attempt against my flank Wurtt cav unit.

Below is final position in game after several frenetic turns! My Wurtt cavalry charged the Musketter bttn by woods. They formed square. We retired as we would, and I threw in a column against the square. Beat it but it stood and formed disordered line. I also moved up a line and skirmishers from other bttns and shot up Dragoons…..1 regt popped and the remaining 2 regts retired. I also moved the 2 leger bttns out of the village and shot up skirmishing landwher on ridge. Goldie had thrown in the other musketeer bttn against the line that shot up his Dragoons…..I won the combat, they stood and I then hit them in flank with a bttn, jammie sods lost but stood…..I had managed to get the other Wurtt cav to move up and also moved a Uhlan regt over to the left flank. On my right flank I swapped damaged bttn for fresh bttn, formed others into line and this added firepower along with artillery disordered and wounded the battery on ridge. Goldie conceded game at this point.