On May 18th, 25 garners gathered for a special event at Drums Along the Maumee 3 in Toledo, OH. Starting at 4 pm, Ted Bender prepared the battlefields for play. First off, I would like to thank Ted for painting over 4000 figures for this battle, and all the work he put into making this game a success. Thanks also go to Jim Wonnacott for helping GM the northern sector.

The battlefield was 6'x9' for the northern sector, 6'x8' for the western sector, and 6'x16' for the southern sector. This was in the shape of the letter "C". The French were on interior lines and it was a bit crowded for the French generals as they were literally back-to-back during the game. Start time was 6 pin, with teaching modified Napoleonic Fire & Fury rules. The actual fight was underway by 7 pm and completed with results by 11 pm. The scenario began at the start of the French counterattack (2 pm on the day of battle).

Northern Sector

Napoleon had decided to commit the 3rd Corps (Souham) to support Marmont's 6th Corps defending against Blucher's Prussians and Russians of the Army of Silesia. With the 6th Corps' left flank anchored at Mockern, the 3rd Corps deployed near the main road to Leipzig on the right flank of 6th Corps.

The battle began with the Prussians advancing on the 6th Corps and starting the struggle that ended in the destruction of Marmont's Corps and opening the road to Leipzig to allied advance. The French 3rd Corps continued the fight against the Russians, but they could not hold against the weight of the allied advance. At the end, the Allies advanced to the vary gates of Leipzig.

Western Sector

Here Bertrand's 4th Corps was tasked with holding open the escape route for the French army. Against them came the Austrian 3rd Corps (Gyulai) with the Allied Commander in Chief Schwarzenburg watching. The battle opened poorly for the Austrians as an entire infantry division retreated out of the battle after a short firefight with the entrenched French.

At this point, it was decided to commit allied reserves to shore up the attack of the allies here. By the time the reserves reached the battlefield, the allied position had changed for the better. Schwarzenburg took his headquarters cavalry and found an opening in the French entrenchments. Positioning himself, (and his cavalry) on the French left flank, he began a charge that rode down the French defenders and opened the way for the Austrian infantry to advance and drive back the French.

General Bertrand sent a message to Napoleon that the Austrians had closed off the retreat route of the entire French Army! The victorious allies then captured Bertrand.

Southern Sector

This is where to main battle was fought (and I spent a majority of my time). Here the remaining French army, including the Guard, was deployed on the line Wachau-Liebertwolkwitz-Posna. The objective was to take Gossa and split the allied army in half and then defeat them in detail.

The initial artillery duel went very bad for Napoleon. This day, the French gunners missed their targets repeatedly. However, the allied gunners had the range and mauled the grand batteries opposite them. The French then committed the reserve cavalry to hold the line while the left flank attacks went in to mangle the allied right flank. There were many allied formations that were in reserve that did not advance much on the allied left flank. It was very crowded with troops, and the generals were reluctant to advance into the teeth of the French cannons.

The Allied right flank was finally broken. As the French were advancing to finish their work and outflank the allied artillery guarding Gossa, Napoleon received two couriers. Both brought word of disaster from the north and west. At this point, the Guard infantry and some artillery were countermarched back to Leipzig to try and hold the city against the advancing allies. The allies still had reserves left to plug the holes in their lines near Gossa. At this point, it was clear that the French had lost.

Casualties: Allies 90,000, French 125,000. Guns out of action: Allies 264, French 374. Scale: 500 troops/base, 12-16 guns per artillery base, Divisions were smallest tactical unit with commands set at Corps level.

I would like to thank all the gainers who participated in the battle to make it a success.