The battle of Mogilev was fought between the French and Russians on Ju1y 23, 1812. Our refight of the battle featured CLS rules and 390 points for the French who were on the defense and 730 points for the Russians. Each side had 12 pounds of artillery. The game was scheduled to last eight turns with the Mogilev Road exit being worth 25 points, the farm was worth 10 points and five points would be awarded for each foot occupied of the north board edge. The river required a three inch penalty for crossing and no charging or firing was allowed following crossing for one turn. The game featured Rich Borg's millions of Russians in 30mm scale, some of them obviously veterans of years of hard campaigning. Rob Davidson, Pat Kurivial and Rich Borg commanded the Russians while Dan Rakowski and myself commanded the French. In the refight, the French defended the heights above the bridge on the Chenaya River south of Mogilev. They had built works on the heights to resist the oncoming Russian hordes. On turn one, the French sappers; destroyed the stone bridge over the river and Russian forces advanced on both French flanks with the Russian horse artillery doing mostly damage to the French right. As the game progressed, French howitzer fire caused devastating casualties to the Russians advancing on the French left flank; Cossack probes to the center were replused, and on the French right, the swamp and works were hotly contested with much carnage. Finally, the Russians managed to cross the river in force on both flanks constantly advancing and seemingly nonplussed by horrendous casualties. On the left flank, the Nassau Battalion and several companies of voltigeurs sold themselves dearly but when a squadron of French cuirassier charged into a solid block of Muscovites and then routed as the result of a low die roll on pre-impact (editor's note. In CLS, units charging must pass a morale test before closing) morale, it was the beginning of the end. Marshal Corbett rushed the 1/105th line to cover the road exit to Mogilev and ordered the artillery to hold cannister, but by that time, Marshal Rakowski the bravest of the brave!' was 'the deadest of the dead!' Rakowski, in command of the French right flank east of the road had his entire command, himself included, slaughtered to the man. The 6th Legere, 5th Lancers, gallant Poles of the Vistula Legion, Oldenberger, and Wurtzenberger, all sacrificed to the Russians for the glory of the Emperor. The wily Slav commander had turned and then crushed the French flanks instead of assaulting the fortified French positions on the heights. This was a most enjoyable game in which eight CLS turns were played within three hours and marked the fourth battle in which Corbett and Rakowski as French were smashed and humiliated by a Russian victory. Back to MWAN # 24 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1986 Legio X This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com