Messages from the Snappy Nappy Fall 1813 Campaign
by the Marshals of the Austrian, Russian, Prussian, and French Armies

If you read the narrative about the Fall 1813 campaign, then you know that Snappy Nappy rules require all communications to go via courier (through the umpire). I thought it would be interesting to put all the messages, French and Allied, into a timeline to see how the commanders acted and reacted to threats (real and imagined!).

The game started at 12:30pm and plays in real time. Here are most of the messages, some must have been lost to posterity, others, especially in the pre-game verbal conference, were not listed or written down, and some enigmatically do not have a time on them for some reason.

The time represents the time the message was SENT. Usually, it was delivered 15 minutes later, less if on the same table, more if the commander was engaged in battle or very far away-- up to 30 minutes. Generally, if you add 15 minutes and look down the list, you'll see the effect shortly thereafter. Many messages cross in transit. I added [parenthetical explanations] where I thought it would clarify the note. I left upper and lower case emphasis as was written in the messages.

French Corp numbers are Roman numerals. Allied Corp numbers are in Arabic.

Enjoy.
12:30: Blucher to Yorck: Probe
12:30: Blucher to Sacken: Probe
12:30: Blucher to Langeron: Screen
12:30: Napoleon to Poniatowski: Screen with VIII Corp, II Cav Corp.
12:30: Ney to Lauriston: My dear Lauriston, I order you to adopt screen order. Send two divisions south to secure Hirshburg, and after this, move and secure Landshut and Licban [Lieban]. Detach a division to secure Friedland and south to Grotten [Grottau]. Upon accomplishing, please keep in constant touch and report back at all times,
12:30: Ney to MacDonald: Screen orders. One division to Jauer, one division to town south of that, one division to garrison Schweidnitz. Report all progress.
12:45: Milhaud to Napoleon: 2 corps on at Kulm and more entering. 13 div. total.
12:47: Yorck to Blucher: Heavy French opposite Liegnitz. 2-3 Corps.
12:50: Poniatowski to Napoleon: Multiple Austrian Corps moving west to Elbe via Zwickau and north through Gabel.
1:00: Lauriston to Ney: 17th [Div] to Landshut via Hirschberg, 16th 19th [Divs] and artillery to Friedland via Lauban.
1:02: MacDonald to Ney: Sighted CR:LT CAV X - MD at 12:30.
1:02: Ney to Napoleon: I have relieved siege of Glogau and have found 1 Prussian Corp and 1 Russian Corp. Am following orders as we agreed.
1:03: Schwartzenberg to Klenau: Change order to Probe.
1:04: Schwartzenberg to Hessen-Homberg: Change order to Probe.
1:07: MacDonald to Ney: 35th Division has met enemy cav at 1:00pm just shy of bridge to Jauer. Threw enemy back across bridge. Am defending bridge until further advised.
1:07: Milhaud to Napoleon: Teplitz, 1 Div. Lt Cav, 5 Divs Infantry, 1 artillery. Merueldt. 2 div lt cav, 2 div infantry, 1 artillery.
1:07: Milhaud to St. Cyr: Kulm, 1 Div. Lt Cav, 5 Divs Infantry, 1 artillery. Merueldt [?] 2 div lt cav, 2 div infantry, 1 artillery.
1:09: St. Cyr to Napoleon: Russian Cav Corps and Russian INF corps coming through the pass roads near Kulm.
1:18: Napoleon to St. Cyr: Attempt to defend closest mtn pass to your current position. Use 1 div. Also, send 1 div to center pass for defense purposes (rough sketch included).
1:20: Napoleon to Poniatowski: Please assess possibilty of going on offensive in your area with Nappy and II Corp in support. Plus, I Cav- could we breakthrough and flank Aust. who are moving through passes to the west of Elbe River?
1:21: MacDonald to Ney: 31st Div has defeated cavalry met earlier. Am moving to secure area from attack from the EAST!
1:21: Ney to Lauriston: I am engaged with three corp. I will hold and keep you advised.
1:22: Lauriston to Ney: Am I on my own to Landshut? No friendly forces in Sight!!!
1:23: Ney to MacDonald: I am engaged against three corp of enemy. Will hold to keep them off. You hold off set up [contingency plan] for my fall.
1:23: Napoleon to Poniatowski: Is pass south through Zwickau then west to Teschen clear? If so, Nappy considering flank move -- see previous message.
1:27: Hessen-Homberg to Schwartzenberg: Shall I go to Alt Georgewald? I am piled on behind Klenau who is at Teschen.
1:32: Kleist to Schwartzenberg: Enemy encountered outside Zittau. Request Defend orders to effect movement back to Zwicktau [Zwickau].
1:33: MacDonald to Ney: Have crossed in force across at Schweidnitz. Am threatening force near Streigau from the south. I have the 31st [Inf Div], artillery, and Lt Cav [division].
1:36: Poniatowski to Napoleon: Austrians seem to be holding pass (Grottau). Another corps was moving west along Zwickau-Teschen road.
1:41: Lauriston to Ney: Have secured Landshut with two divisions. Hirschberg secured with 2nd Lt Cav of II Cav Corp. Friedland secured with 16th Div and artillery. 19th Div and artillery will move into Grottau.
1:41 MacDonald to Ney: CAN'T READ YOUR OWN DAMN Handwriting. My Cav is approaching fort at Schweidnitz unopposed. Am holding Bridges at Jauer and Streigau.
1:49: Schwartzenberg to Kleist: Change orders to Defend.
1:57: Poniatowski to Napoleon: Austrians in the Grottau pass are holding. Another corp is advancing through the Gabel pass.
2:02: Ney to Lauriston: Please support Poniatowski's VIII Corp in his attack.
2:02: Ney to Napoleon: Have engaged enemy at Glogau, Liegnitz, Jauer. At least 3 to 4 corp of enemy hold off. I have dispatched V Corp to support VIII Corp.
2:04: Lauriston to Ney: 17th [Div] at Lieban. Large body of Austrians heading west.
2:09: Lauriston to Ney: In front of Reichenburg. Will you attack on time?
2:14: MacDonald to Ney: I need troops. Substantial enemy forces moving to Streigau and Schweidnitz crossings.
2:14: Blucher to Yorck: Come here please.
2:30: St Cyr to Napoleon: Russians and Austrians starting to break through mountain passes. Need reinforcements.
2:30: Ney to Lauriston: You may release your division to support VIII Corp. The Cavalry I attached is still yours.
2:30: Vandamme to Napoleon: Your most imperious majesty: Several Austrian corps approaching Dresden. Will hold. You must reinforce Dresden and river line.
2:35: Schwartzenberg to Klenau: Attack French corp along your road of march to Dresden.
2:38: Schwartzenberg to Gyulai: Have 3rd Corp attack towards Meissen. Have 2nd Corp attack towards Dresden.
2:38: Hessen-Homberg to Schwartzenberg: At least 3+ enemy Corp coming through Georgewalde and Zwicken [Zwickau] pass. Will make stand between Teschen/Zwicken [Zwickau] when pushed out of pass.
2:39: Kleist to Swarty: Please change orders to Screen.
2:41: Hessen-Homberg to Kleist: I will hold between Teschen/Zwickau. If you are pushed back, do so on my right flank (south east of Zwickau).
2:48: Vandamme to Napoleon: 14 Div and Cav Corps being threatened by Austrian Corps.
2:51: MacDonald to Ney: Have occupied fort at Sweidnitz [Schweidnitz] with 31st Div and 1 artillery. My Lt Cav is being pursued across Streignau crossing by 4-12 stands of enemy cavalry. Need troops to cover two southern crossings!
3:02: Schwartzenberg to Kleist: Change orders to Screen.
3:08: Schwartzenberg to Constantine: Attack towards Stettin and Meissen.
3:23: Ney to MacDonald: Start to pull back. Head towards Friedland (west).
3:24: Vandamme to Napoleon: 1st Div and Cav about to be overrun. We will die for our emperor.
3:31: MacDonald to Ney: Troops guarding Jauer crossing taking fire/under assault. 35th Div shattered. Am holding with 36th Div and guns.
3:31: Ney to Napoleon: We have engaged Russian/Prussian (4 Corps). We are doing retrograde movement. Please advise of your situation. I am still in possesion of Glogau as well as all original holdings.
3:36: MacDonald to Ney: Am being bypassed in Schweidnitz fort. Will attempt a breakout to the west when conditions favourable. 2 Div Cav crossing Streigau, 2 Div Cav crossing one road south
3:40: Napoleon to St. Cyr: Withdraw to behind Elbe River. Do so in square. Defend river crossings at Koenigstein and Goritz.
3:51: Ney to Lauriston: I have elements of VI Corp moving to Friedland. If you let me know your situation, I will send more of VI Corp to support you.
4:26: Lauriston to Ney: Troops are needed at the Landshut-Hirshberg area. Send VI Corp in that direction.
4:56: St Cyr to Napoleon: V Cav Corp down to 1 Hv Cav Div, XIV has 12 units left [out of 14 to start]. I can hold for a while unless they mass attack me. Only defending Koenigstein now. 3 Towns garrisoned.
5:30: Wittgenstein to Schwartzenberg: We have surrounded, pounded, and astounded St. Cyr at Koenigstein. Expect them to retreat across Elbe within 20 minutes. All units fresh except Coassacks, who are MIA.
5:30: Klenau to Schwartzenberg: Have grand battery at Dresden (200 guns). Expect to attack Dresden with both corps after destroying their last battery (have taken out two). Expect to occupy in 2 hours. 90% all units fresh.

ILLUMINATING, EH?

Remember, messages are delayed about 15 minutes on average, so messages are constantly crossing in transit.

Commanders who grasped that this is operational-level battle and kept communications open did better than those attempting battalion-scale tactics and ignoring their fellow commanders. A third of the players had never set eyes on the rules before, the rest had played at least one game, some up to four. Thankfully, the veteran players helped the newcomers along on some of the finer points, and rules questions diminished after the first hour and a half until this umpire primarily played courier.

What you get a sense of is the scale of uncertainty--guesstimates of enemy strength, with the occasional detailed inventory of enemy units. No doubt, C-in-Cs enjoy the "I need troops" messages from as corp or wing commanders who have not yet ascertained that they are in some cases sacrificial delaying forces.

You'll also notice the heavy traffic of the French vs. lighter traffic of the Allies, especially Blucher's command. That's partially because Ney had stymied their advance and limited the Prussian to one table. As for complaints by Ney that he did not know whether Napoleon received any of his messages, Napoleon was later heard to remark (while quaffing a German brew), "Ney was doing great, why bother him?"

Finally, a word about the C-in-Cs. If you think it is easy to coordinate far flung attacks by corps separated by distance and time, guess again. Even standing in the same basement with only seven tables and a relatively streamlined command set, you can see how player initiative can really gum up the best laid plans or salvage a rapidly deteriorating situation. Part of the trick is to anticipate what will go on. Part of it is not to panic. And part of it is to gather the best intelligence you can--and how we may believe we would always be clear in reporting enemy positions, movements, and strengths, but sometimes, we have a failure to communicate. Napoleon, Ney, Schwartzenberg, and Blucher did extremely well in keeping track of positions and providing orders and guidance in support of their vision of what the plan would accomplish.

THE PLAYERS

Units do shift around, but principally, these were the commanders...

French:

Napoleon, Imperial Guard: Fred Stratton
Ney, Marmont, Sebastini: Scott Ippolito
St. Cyr: Dave Mills
Milhaud: Charles Reese
Poniatowski, Latour-Marbourg: Rich Pichnarczyk
Lauriston, Victor: Don Manser
MacDonald: Ed Carmien
Vandamme, Kellerman: Dennis Shorthouse

Allied:

Schwartzenberg, Constantine, Gyulai: Dan Burkley
Blucher, Langeron: Dan Radakovich
Yorck, Sacken: Phil Alexander
Kleist: Bill Abernathy
Wittgenstein: Pete Panzeri
Klenau, Hessen-Hombeg: Tibor Vari

Related

Snappy Nappy: Fall 1813 Overview and Replay
Snappy Nappy: Fall 1813 Order of Battle and Map
Snappy Nappy: Fall 1813 Transcribed Commanders Orders

Snappy Nappy: 1809 Austrian Invasion of Bavaria