What were you doing this past Labor Day weekend? While many of us were
having that backyard picnic or a quiet weekend with friends and family, 150
historical gamers mentally donned their Russian, French, and assorted French allied uniforms, marshalled their regiments, divisions, and corps and recreated that great battle under the gates of Moscow, the Battle of Borodino.
An overview of the Murphy Field House from the Spectators Bleachers, looking North on the game table as the game begins. The French are to your left. The Russians are to your right. The Judges table is in the Foreground. The French and Russian Command Post were outside the photo to the left and right, hence all that the Commanders could really see were the back of their subordinates' T-shirts. S. McHenry
180 years ago, On September 7, 1812, a Russian army, 120,000 strong, (including 24,000 cavalry and 640 guns) dug in around the small town of Borodino, 72 miles west of Moscow and made its stand against Napoleon's French and allied invaders. For the French, this was the opportunity for the decisive battle they so desperately needed. Napoleon mustered his remaining 160,000 men (He had started the invasion with 430,000 men) - including 32,000 cavalry and 587 guns left to him following detachment along his LOC, corps of observation, and losses by combat, disease and desertion, in one final attempt to destroy the elusive foe.
Though this bloody battle ( 28,000 men killed or wounded Frenchmen, and a Russian casualty list of some 45,000), this was not the decisive battle that Napoleon had sought. The wounded Russian bear was allowed to retrea4 badly mauled but still intact. The very indecisiveness of the battle's outcome would ultimately prove fatal to the French army, the campaign, and ultimately, Napoleon's throne. Yet this ferocious battle continues to capture our imaginations.
It captured the imagination of one wargamer in particular. In the late 1980's Mr. Jim Petrie of Havre de Grace, Maryland, began a quest to recreate this battle in miniature, in a manner and scope befitting this massive engagement. This quest would ultimately end at Murphy Field House, Fort George G. Meade, MD, where people from all walks of life would come together to recreate history and make history themselves. They were joined by Dr. David Chandler -- is there any Napoleonic era gamer who doesn't own a copy of his landmark Campaigns of Napoleon ? -- and Professor Major Wilber Gray of the United States Army War College. Each, in his own way, added immeasurably to this unique wargame weekend.
Serious planning for the game began at 1990 Cold Wars in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The idea snowballed, sounded, became interested in hosting the event. At this point Tony Figlia, Chief of the Community Recreation Division for Fort Meade, enthusiastically entered the picture. In Europe Tony had worked with the British Army's Emblem Wargame Club, in running several giant games including Waterloo 88, where French, English and German military personnel recreated that famous battle south of Bruxelles, playing their respective national sides; Marengo and Talavera. Tony, now stationed at Fort George G. Meade offered to help and, with the approval by the base brass, to provide base facilities for the event.
Empire II (long out of print) was chosen as the game rules to lessen any ill feelings among the designers of the current selection of Napoleonic rule sets and so as not to show preference. Jim issued 10 to 12 rules supplements prior to the game.
Jim would be the Chief Judge with eight other judges and two timekeepers. Phases within the turn would be timed. While only 30 seconds was allowed for charge declarations, 2 3 minutes were permitted for most phases. The game was intended to last 12 hours of scale time (48 turns), starting at 6:00 a.m. to reflect the actual battle. However, by about 9:30 Sunday night the game was called after 20 turns.
For the most part, the geographical area around Jim's home and the nearby wargame groups served as the pool of willing gamers for the French and Russian high commands. Randy Meyers, a Columbia, Maryland, resident was transformed into Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French. Neil Brennan of Ellicott City assumed the role of Chief of Staff Louis-Alexandre Berthier. The cast of characters that filled out the other 92 slots in the French army command structure (down to the division level), included people from Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, New York, and one from New Mexico.
On the opposing side, the Russian High Command was led by Wally Simon as General of the Combined Russian Armies Mikhail Kurusov, and included Fred Hubig as the Russian Chief of Staff, Bob Hurst as Baron Levin Bennigsen, Todd Kauderer as Army Commander Baron Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, and Richard Crouch as Army Commander Prince Peter Bagration. From what I've been told the Russian Field Commander roster is now lost to posterity but included people from New England to Georgia.
Dr. Chandler adds his signature for the umpteenth time to a gamer's copy of "Campaigns of Napoleon"-S. McHenry
The giant 18' by 48' playing surface was set up in Murphy Field House as three parallel 6' x 48' sections to allow for troop movement. The 48' length was made up into three 16' sections. The center 16' represented the land area from Utitza, at the southern end of the Russian line, to the town of Borodino, north of the Kalotcha River. The northern 16' section was outside the historical battle area, north of Gorki. The southern 16' section, south of Utitza, also outside the historical battle area.
The order of battle for each side included not only those units that actually participated in the battle, but also those French and Russian units involved in the Russian theater of operations, such as the Austrian Corps under Schwartzenberg, MacDonald (X Corps), and Oudinot (VI Corps) for the French; and Tormassov 3rd Army) and Wittgenstein (Ist Corps, Ist Army) for the Russian player.
In all, more than 12,000 15mm infantry and cavalry figures and 800 guns represented the armies fielded for this event. 20% of the figures used were painted in 1991/92. More than 4,000 pieces of terrain were used and 20 villages were located on the tables. This major effort was supported by many organizations in different ways. Crazy Egor provided the dice. Tactical Conflict Systems provided the buildings and much of the terrain. Fred Hubal did the incredible job of hand painting the buildings, which including the Borodino Church and the Great Raveski Redoubt (both later given as prizes to the best general from each side).
The Historical Miniature Gaming Society provided for Dr. Chandler's travel expenses and an honorarium for his presentation following dinner on Friday evening. Waxtel and Hasenauer Publishing provided the basic terrain boards. The Best Western Maryland Inn provided reduced cost rooms for the participants with a complementary full breakfast each morning. They also provided lodging for Dr. Chandler. Special recognition goes to Tony Figlia and the base command of Fort George G. Meade for the use of their facilities, including the Officers Club, presentation and banquet rooms, Murphy Field House, and all of the logistical efforts that were part of the complex arrangements that made the weekend a success.
On Friday night following the initial terrain and troop dispositions, we settled into the Officer's Club Banquet Room for an excellent meal to hear Dr. Chandler describe Napoleon The Man and Commander. Dr. Chandler's insightful biography focused on Napoleon's ability, time and time again, to successfully encourage his people to endure hardships and sacrifice not so much for France, but for Napoleon. He brought out the complexity of the man, his abilities and genius, even as his energies had waned by 1812.
The game commenced on Saturday morning. The weather was overcast with a light drizzle -- perfect for wargaming. At Murphy Field House, bleachers had been set up so that spectators would have a commanding view of the battlefield. Over 100 white tee-shirted generals on both sides began moving their troops. A headquarters had been set up for each side's commander and associated stuff. The overhead electronic scoreboard kept track of the time, turn number, and the amount of time left in the particular phase. A flip chart posted on the bleachers and the audio and buzzer system kept the players abreast of the phases and any announcements. The game was also videotaped.
Approximately five dealers were on hand to display their wares and Brian Whitaker began running Limeys and Slimeys games for any interested spectators.
A halt was called at 6:00 p.m. for dinner and Major Gray's slide presentation of the Battle of Borodino. Using slides of the diorama housed on the battlefield and pictures of the actual field conditions, he concentrated his talk on how terrain affected the battle by providing natural barriers, directing certain attacks, and stalling others. The result was a better feel for what the commanders faced and why certain decisions were made, particularly the problems faced by both sides at the Kalotcha River, north of Borodino.
Sunday morning -- still perfect gamer's weather of overcast skies and intermittent light rain prevailed. The participants were serenaded by the First U.S. Army Band in front of Murphy Field House. They did an excellent job of pumping up the commanders for once more into the breach. By 9:30 p.m., after completion of 20 turns, the two overall commanders and Chief Judge Petrie reviewed the situation on the field and reached a conclusion.
It was a Major French Victory. This was based on the French control of Borodino, two of the three fleches, the Great Redoubt, and the losses suffered by two of the three Russian armies, effectively removing them as a fighting force. But the Russians could still withdraw and retained their position between the French and Moscow. The French right (Marshal Augereau and General Poniatowski) had failed to inflict any serious damage to the Russian Army in the vicinity of Utitza.
Bob Giglio was recognized as the best French player. He was originally to command the 4th light Cavalry Division (Rozniecki). However, due to a last minute cancellation he also commanded the entire 4th Reserve Cavalry and 7th Heavy Cavalry Division (Latour Maubourg). He captured 38,000 prisoners, met all his objectives, cooperated extremely well with associate commanders in getting the job done, and was a superior tactician.
I believe that Kevin Cilia? (Raevski's 7th Corps) was recognized as the best Russian player for his efforts to hold the Great Redoubt against difficult odds, throwing the French out of that position more than once. He received the Borodino Church and the Great Redoubt in recognition of their efforts.
I spent about six hours, on and off, at the game, mostly on Saturday. As anyone knows who has watched a game in progress, it is difficult to give a blow by blow description of the event with any accuracy. This game was no exception. But after talking to a number of participants it started to remind me of the story of the blind men and the elephant. Each told the story from their own position on the field, with a certain inherent bias. Some of the descriptions of the same event bore little relation to one another. So while we wait for an official after action report promised by Mr. Petrie and the two commanders (I was told an attempt at one is forthcoming) lets look at some of the vignettes that linger in memory.
The game plan for the French and the Russians were very close to those of the original participants. The primary Russian strategy was to use the prepared positions to control the French attack while holding reserves to reinforce needed sectors and providing local counterattacks. What appeared to be a major Russian attack by the left flank from Utitza towards Doronino and the French V, XI and (I believe) the Austrian Corps was contained by the French, who refused their right and allowed the terrain to do the rest. There were conflicting reports on the success of that attack. The attack was downplayed by the Russian command.
Initially, a number of French generals wanted to carry out the maneuver originally recommended by Davout at the battle a sweeping end run, south of Utitza. Randy "Napoleon" Meyers decided against it due to the terrain and lack of room to maneuver. He chose to refuse the right and feint a movement to the left with the II, VIII, and X Corps to attack across the Kalotcha River toward Gorki. This, it was hoped, would draw off Russian reserves and provide for the main attack planned for the center of the Russian line in the vicinity of the fleches. Wally "Kutusov" Simon acknowledged that the hinge point of his army was just north of the fleches.
By the end of the game Borodino had been taken by the French (I believe that it was the VII corps), while The French IV corps is credited with capturing the fleches and the French III corps is credited with taking the Great Redoubt. But I'm making it sound too easy.
The initial placement of the French grand batteries in the center was too far away to be effective. Time was lost as they were repositioned forward. Ironically, this also happened in the original battle.
The attacks in the center were a seesaw affair that lasted for hours, with the French first achieving their objectives and then being thrown back by counterattacking Russians fed into the maelstrom.
The only real rules issue of the battle pertained to the French crossing of the Kalotcha River north of Borodino. Jim Petrie, in researching the game, discovered that the river in this area was only 18' wide and about 6' deep, but had steep banks 10' to 25' high. The fords were really cuts in the banks. He felt that while skirmishers could cross the river at any location, formed troops should only use the fords. French bridging trains could also used by formed troops to cross non-ford areas.
The primary Russian objections were to the way in which the pontoon trains were set-up, moved and reused during the game, the mechanism of breaking down large formed units into skirmish order to cross the river, and that the river banks were not as steep as they should be. Considering that this was the only major problem raised by either side during the entire game that I am aware of, I give high marks to the advance work, the judges and both sets of commanders for a successful game.
One of the French secret weapons was the II Corps of Oudinot. This corps was played by members of the US Army Military Academy contingent (West Point gaming dub) under the command of Captain Mark Decoteau (who played Oudinot's Chief of Staff). Captain Decoteau arranged the trip as an official outing so that the cadets could participate. They were put on the French left flank due to their willingness to subordinate themselves to the cause. Special recognition also went to one of the West Pointers, Mr. Jason Olsen (General Delzons) the 13th Cav. Div. Commander (IV Corps) for his unselfishness in the sacrifice of his division to protect the French infantry. In general, I heard uniform praise about their performance.
True to form Napoleon handed out a number of honors for performance to his troops during the game, including 20 Legion of Honors, 4 Commander's Legion of Honors and two Marshal Batons.Captain Geoff Johnson (General Lariboissiere) Commander of the Artillery Park was recognized for his skillful use of the pontoon trains in bridging the Kalotcha River. The Russians handed out four or five awards during the game.
Months after the battle, Jim Petrie noted that the game proved one thing. You can take almost any set of rules and a large number of people from all over the country, and if you do your homework, the game will work. And the game did work. People learned, had fun, reinforced old friendships, and created new ones. Those who were luck enough to be there, and participate, owe a great deal to the hard work and dedication of Jim and Tony, and people like them, who made it happen to Dr. Chandler, in his French Napoleonic Engineer's Officer uniform, and Major Gray who made themselves accessible to everyone -- and to Historical Miniatures Gaming Association, Tactical Conflict Systems, etc. that donated money or services.
Can we improve? Yes, I think we can. If Jim or Tony or someone else wants to tackle this kind of event, the biggest improvement would be to involve the spectators at a higher level.
How? Perhaps one of the best ways would be regular mini-talks about the battle, period tactics or related subjects or a regular basis during the day at the site.
In the same vein, mini-battles using the same rules on small tables, with an instructor to get people to try the system or just try gaming. Regular mini-talks during the event about miniatures, taking a hands on approach. Perhaps a battle status board would be useful to keep spectators aware of what is going on. Attendance by local gaming dubs, who could put on a demo and encourage people tc) attend one of their club events. This event could be an important first step in increasing awareness about our hobby.
So Jim; I hear talk about a large scale Gettysburg or another Napoleonic game? Is there any truth to the rumor?
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