Background This was a one-off battle which I played with Rick Ferens and Pat Butzerin on Feb. 16, 2002. The rules were Column of Assault. The playing time was about two hours. The table size was 6 feet long by 5 feet deep. Setup Conditions and the Armies The battle was assumed to take place somewhere in Central Europe in 1813, and was a French corps of about 11,000 men attacking a Russian division of about 8,000 men. Since the French were on the assault, they would receive a +1 on their initiative dice each turn. The French army consisted of: 10 battalions of line infantry @24, Grade D 6 battalions of light infantry @24, Grade B 4 battalions of grenadiers @24, Grade B 2 regiments of carabiniers @ 12, Grade B 2 regiments of lancers @12, Grade D 1 regiment of gendarmes (what the heck ... ) @12, Grade B 1 8-gun heavy battery 1 8-gun field battery Total: 9,600 infantry, 1200 cavalry, 16 guns. The Russian army consisted of: 4 battalions of grenadiers @16, Grade B 3 battalions of jaegers @16, Grade C (Grade E if they skirmish) 12 battalions of musketeers @16, Grade D 2 regiments of militia @16, Grade F 2 regiments of cuirassiers @ 12, Grade C 1 regiment of heavy cavalry @18, Grade D 1 regiment of chausseurs @ 18, Grade D 1 12-gun heavy battery, -1 on ballshot chance to hit 1 12-gun field battery, -1 on ballshot chance to hit Total: 6,720 infantry, 960 cavalry, 24 guns. The Battlefield and Setup Game Setup and Initial Movements The battlefield was basically flat, with very gently rolling ground that provided perfect fields of fire for the powerful Russian batteries. There were three roads, meeting in the center of the table, and several small woods (see maps). The Russians Set up first, placing their two batteries in the center of the table to dominate the field. They placed their grenadiers behind and to the right of the guns, with one musketeer battalion between them. To the right of the batteries the Russians set out several musketeer battalions in square, with battalions in column to reinforce them, and the two cuirassier regiments behind the infantry. In the woods the militia formed up, to try and at least annoy any French advance. To the left of the batteries the Russians placed 8 musketeer battalions, backed by two grenadier and two jaeger battalions. The French Set up next. Being rightfully nervous about all those enemy tubes pointing at them, they placed their main strength on their far right flank, to attack the Russian left and try to turn it. Their guns began the game limbered and behind their infantry, on the right. In the center and left they placed most of their cavalry, backed by infantry. They hoped to overrun the Russian guns and clear the center. The Course of the Battle On the first turn the French advanced their center, and lucked out when the Russian battery, rolling 12D10 (1 die per tube), managed to miss with all dice (they needed a 9-10 to hit). But the Russian field battery fared better, nearly shattering the cavalry regiment it selected for its target. Thereafter it became obvious that the French had badly miscalculated by trying to advance in such a manner over open ground with their cavalry. The Russian heavy battery had a canister range of 16" (240 paces), and literally blew three more French units off the table. The field battery did almost as well, killing of two units. The Russians then advanced their right flank, overrunning the gendarmes, one lancer unit, and two more infantry battalions with their cuirassiers. The militia made it all the way through the woods, and were nearly attacked by the surviving lancer unit, but the lanciers thought better of exposing their flank to the cuirassiers and instead withdrew. On the Russian left, the French marched heartily forward, but never got their guns into action. The French launched four battalions in a massive charge against two Russian musketeer battalions, who met them in line. The Russian musketry was ineffective, but every French charge failed, and their regiments recoiled in shaken status. (The French needed a 6-10 on 1 D10 to charge home, but failed every roll.) French Main Assault At this point, the French player surveyed the wreckage of his left and center, and decided that he would never achieve victory; nothing could survive those guns. The French conceded the game and retreated in relatively good order. Back to MWAN #117 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum 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