This scenario was designed to provide the maximum amount of suspense and maneuver. Orders of battle are not historical. The battle was predicated upon a rematch at Novi at a later date. I was required to develop a scenario that reflected an Italian campaign by Russo-Austrian forces in 1813. (Napoleon did not continue to Moscow in 1812 but fell back from Smolensk as soon as he realised his supply and communications were collapsing and that the Russians could not be brought to battle on his terms. A great many men were lost but the GRANDE ARMEE survived as an effective instrument. This setback encouraged some former vassals and allies to resist France once again. The conduct of the war moved to Germany and Italy. Austria has rejoined the Allies; Prussia is unreliable.) Prince Eugene has been charged with the defense of the South after the Army of Italy was beaten and scattered at Piacenza in June. Eugene arrived and collected his forces at Novi to save his nephew's kingdom. They consisted of Northern Italians strengthened with the remnants of French and Neapolitan fugitives from Piacenza who had retreated south. The Austrian commander advanced slowly, confident of victory. ITALIAN ORDER OF BATTLE Prince Eugene (30,000) Italian Corps (Cent Gregor) 1st Div. 8 line & 2 light bn 2nd Div.: 8 line & 2 light bn. Guard Bde.: 4 battalions Cavalry Div.: 3 Regiments 54 Guns French Corps (Gen Martin) 3rd Div: 6 line & 2 light bns Cavalry Div: 3 Regiments 14 Guns Neapolitan Div.: 2 line & light bns Gd Marine bn. 6 Guns ALLIED ORDER OF BATTLE Marshall Foppe (40,000) Russian Corps (Gen. Finley) Inf. Div.: 4 line & 4 light Rgts Cavalry Div.: 2 Hussar Rgts. Cossack Div.: 6 Rgts w/6 guns 48 Guns Cavalry Corps (Gen. Ladda) Lt. Div.: 1 Hussar & 1 Lancer Regt Dragoon Div: 4 Dragoon Rgts Kurassier Div.: 2 Kurassier Regts 18 Guns I Corps (Marshall Foppe) 15 line 3 Serbian Fk bns 1 Tyrolian Jaeger bn 30 Guns II Corps (Gen. Mackin) 9 Hungarian line bns 5 Grenadier bns 3 Kurassier Rgts 24 Guns ORDER OF ENTRY All but the Austrian II Corps was available at start to the Allies. Russians had to enter on the Alexandria road and the Austrian I Corps on the Piacenza road. The Cavalry Corps could enter anywhere on or between the two roads. The II Corps was not available to the Allied CIC until approximately noon. The Italians and French were spread around the map by divisions except for the Guard Brigade posted at Gavi, 10 km. to the south. Only outposted cavalry units were positions north of Novi. (1 Div., Basoluzzo; 2 Div., Tavolo; 3 Div., Novi; Fr. Cav. Div., Novi; Italian cavalry outposted.) The historical odds against the Northern Italians were reduced to balance the scenario. Both ClCs were apprised of the general situation and relative overall strength of the opposing forces. Victory conditions were to destroy the enemy forces, or in the case of the Italians, to prevent the capture of Novi. Both CIC were given maps of the area of operations and informed that it was too late in the dav for battle but not too late for maneuver. The Allied commander had to enter all his available forces but need take no further action. The Italian CIC could do as he pleased so long as he prepared to give battle. Troops were moved about according to the respective ClC's orders on a master map held by the referee. The march rate was double combat speed until enemy troops were spotted or contacted. Order delivery was instantaneous and reliable for simplicity's sake. Vague or illegible orders were given a roll of the die for lower echelon commander reaction and all units had a chance of making mistakes, the Allies more than the Italians. Foppe decided upon a bold ploy, sending his Russian Corps directly to Basoluzzo. (Unbeknown to the Austrain CIC the Russian general had situation instructions to cover himself with glory and ignore orders from the CIC unless delivered in person -- a reflection of the attitude of the historical Gen. Kray in 1799.) The I Corps marched to its staging area at Pozzolo and began to deploy. The Cavalry Corps entered in the center at Pozzolo and the Kurassiers and Dragoons advanced to contact with the Italian cavalry screening Novi. The Italian CIC acted erratically, sending cavalry hither and yon, ordering troops out of Novi so that others could go in and forgetting entirely to order up the Guard until nightfall. First Division was isolated by cossacks at Basoluzzo, and 2nd Division clogged the roads south of Novi. A halt was called to daylight after seven movements. Both ClC's were then allowed to totally redeploy any and all forces as they pleased, subject to the caution that troops moved by night might get lost or worse. They also gave final orders to their forces for the night and early morning for the time before grand-tactical orders could arrive through the command chain. The morning dispositions were as shown on Map A. Nothing dramatic occurred during the night but neither commander tried anything, either. The purpose of this exercise was to decide on a field of battle. We could not recreate the entire AO on a scale of 40 yds = 1". Also, to provide more realism through an approach to contact and deployment. This relatively simple process helped to give each CIC a stake in the battle before it began, allowing them to plan a strategy and maneuver to effect it. It also amused the referee to watch the two groping toward each other in an atmosphere of boldness, fear, ignorance and indecision. THE BATTLE The action opened at 0700 with an immediate Russian assault on Basolazzo. Marshall Foppe had hoped for this action on the part of his insubordinate subordinate and was readying an assault also, toward the ridge west of Novi and Novi itself. The Italian 1st Division initially put up stiff resistance, mauling the Russian infantry until orders arrived to retreat on Pasturano. The 2nd Division concentrated in and behind Novi. The Neapolitans were recalled from countermarching back to Serravalle. All the cavalry of the Italians and French repositioned to the extreme right to counter the Austrian main force. The Guards were ordered to support the cavalry by means of a circuitous march east, then north and west, to fall upon the enemy left. One column of Austrians swung west and then south toward the center of the ridge west of Novi. The other advanced directly upon Novi and began to cannonade the defenders. This column was a feint to pin the enemy's attention -- it succeeded almost too well. The Italian cavalry advanced and in close coordination with horse artillery drove off the Dragoon Division and cossacks in disorder, exposing the Austrian left flank and nearly penetrating their rear. The French cavalry, following as a second wave, turned and flung itself against the Austrian masses and guns enscounced between the chateau and farms outside of Novi, disordering itself for no longterm gain. The brilliant Italian cavalry action was not supported by infantry and finally lost momentum. The Austrian Light Cavalry Division was diverted to fill the gap and managed to stabilise the situation before the Guards arrived. Foppe pulled his forces back from Novi slightly to counter the Guards, then dashed off to order up the Kurassier Division to provide support for the main column still passing upon the ridge. Meanwhile the 1st Italian Division had been pushed back to Pasturana and reinforced by Neapolitans with orders to hold the town. Second Division had been almost inactive in and about Novi with most of its' troops sheltered behind. But by this time the last of the Prince's opportunities was slipping away. The Allies had clearly retained the initiative, Italian maneuver room was constricted, and the advance Guard of the Austrian II Corps made it's appearance at 1100. The battle was called, a clear victory for the Allies. NOTES Rules used were Empire, Second Edition in 25mm scale and with a time frame of 20 minutes per turn. Italians, French and Russians used the 1812 organisation while the Austrians utilised 1809. Some special rules were added and they are outlined below. Player comments on the scenario and the special rules were favorable. It was generally agreed that the battle was enjoyable because of maneuver room. The board was not cluttered with troops left to right and both had adequate room to maneuver except as his opponent interfered. We used four 4' x 8' platforms forming a 16' x 8' surface. The battle of Novi provides a nice "counter-balance" situation with many historical niceties for the referee to inject. I didn't try to put them all in but selected the one that might offset the Allied advantage in strength. Each CIC had an opportunity to attack. The flexibility and superior position of the Italians countered the Allied numbers and superior cavalry. The combinations are many and this scenario certainly has not exhausted them. SPECIAL RULES 1) Neapolitan troops move as French for this scenario. 2) Instead of indicators for each unit and size, each indicator will represent a regiment of infantry or cavalry or two or more artillery batterys acting as a unit. The component units are considered to be in column and limbered and within command distance of the indicator. The front of the indicator marks the front of the lead center unit 3) Non-combat moves can only be taken in designated primary and secondary roads and must be in road column. Primary roads support two columns side bY side and secondary one. Tertiary roads (tracks) allow for road column rate but not non-combat. 4) If a unit has failed a morale test once in a phase, it need take no further checks i n that phase. 5) The contours in this scenario are double penalty to account for the actual height involved without excessive use of terrain features. 6) Artillery may rapid fire If artillery does nothing but fire in a turn it may fire a third time at the same range as the second firing, but at a cost of 2 units of fire for the third shot. Intention to rapid fire must be announced at the beginning of artillery phase and the gunners may not leave their guns to seek cover. 7) The walls of Novi require one turn to scale. A sapper figure with the assaulting unit adds +10% to the unit for Close Action. Walls protect as a stone building. Once the walls are breached at least 1" they no longer give protection at that point and may be entered in normal movement without penalty. Note: Sr Trucco informed me that Marshal Zhukov of the USSR has written a paper on Suvarov and/or the Battle of Novi. The Novi historical society has been unable to obtain it. Does anyone know of the document in question or a way of tracing and obtaining it? Sr Trucco is continuing his research and would no doubt value a copy highly. Second Battle of Novi: Five Large Maps (very slow: 384K) Battle of Novi: Historical Account Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. 1 #5 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1980 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com