Snappy Nappy

The Russian Conflagration of 1812

The Game From the Umpire's Neutral Perspective

by Russ Lockwood

Three cheers to all the players for battling across Russia with gentlemanly demeanors and amusing commentary. Ultimately, the comradery of the tabletops far exceeds the mark in either the won or loss column. If there's one thing I enjoy, it's seeing a group of erstwhile enemies joking and laughing over beer and pizza.

The battle of Lida.

The French side: Mike Meusz (Emperor Napoleon), Fred Stratton, Keith Stratton, Joe Seliga, Steve Brandeis, and Pat Cleary.

The Russian side: Ed Carmien (Czar Alexander), John Miller, Michael Miller, and Dan Burkley.

I would also like to thank Dan, Fred, and Mike for the use of their troops.

Napoleon's Plan

The Emperor settled on a bold plan: Advance North to Riga and capture the fortress. It is a big value objective, and may force the Czar to sue for peace before the French have to advance too far. He would bring along the bridging train and cross the Dvina upriver of the fortress to get even more troops on the assault. He also called for a holding force in the strategic south, while probing forward to the east.

Alexander's Plan

The Czar would adopt a flexible plan that depended on the French direction of advance. Initially, they expected the French to head east, and thus planned to fall back to the Dnipre River from Bobruysk to Orsha, then extending north to Polotsk. Brest would be garrisoned, and a front formed to defend the Brest-Vladomir-Kovel triangle of swamps and woods. If the French pushed south, they would maneuver all the way back to Zhitomir, leaving garrisons to delay the French.

But they discounted a thrust north, figuring that alothough Riga would be a close objective, the nature of a fortress would prove almost impossible to take. There was but one bridge over the Dvina River which the French could attack. Besides there was a corp in the way screening the fortress--it could retreat into the fortress.

Maneuverings

Davout's double sized I Corp and Nansouty's Cavalry Corp pressed through Novo Troki and headed for Vilnius and Lida. Zenberg's XVI Corp headed for Bialystok.

Everyone else except the four corps off to the west headed for fortress Riga. If Napoleon thought the traffic jam to the east was bad, the jam to the north was worse. Nonetheless, they pressed the Russian 1st Corps covering the fortress, smashing all the cavalry and chasing everyone else back into the fortress. Artillery was brought up to soften up the fortress, but Riga's walls were thick, and Napoleon soon despaired of even closing with the fortress. He brought the pontoon train with him, as well as a supply train, but they moved so slow, it was several days before the bridge sections could even think of bridging the Dvina, but inexorably, the French went northward. Then, Napoleon changed his mind, or perhaps his faithful Oudinot changed his mind. In any case, the bridge train slowly made its way ever upriver, never being fashioned into a crossing.

Meanwhile, Davout took Vilnius easily and pressed forward, crossing a minor river and heading towards Svencionys. He ran into the now well-positioned Russian 2nd Corp. One sharp skirmish was all it took for the Iron Marshal to lose his cool and retreat. Meanwhile, Reynier's VII Corp and Latour's IV Res. Cavalry Corps were pulled from their march north and sent east to Vilnius and points south to re-inforce Nansouty, who floundered around between Kovno and Kuznitska and Lida. Reynier headed to Asmjaney, met the Russian 3rd Corp, skirmished, and retreated back across the minor river.

At Riga, the garrison and what was left of 1st Corps withstood the siege, trading shots with the French, and watching them turn to the east and trudge across the roadless fields of Russian Lithuania. In the center, any thoughts of retreat were dispelled when the French made an appearance and then fled. 4th Corp stood in reserve, although some shifting towards the north took place. Doctorov's double-sized 6th Corp held roughly the Lida-Kuznitska line with ease, with garrisons at the the Bialystok and Brest crossing places.

Zenberg's abortive attempt to storm Bialystok secured the river line. A Cossack patrol penetrated well within Poland to report additional two corps were heading east, but nothing in the near future. 7th and 8th Corps were coming up from Lutsk to re-inforce Doctorov. Additional forces were mobilizing and 5th Corp was coming down from St. Petersburg, turning up at Riga, and heading east along the road to seal off the breech at Jakapils, and ultimately, force the French to retreat back across the bridge.

The French managed to place the pontoon bridge at Jakapils, storming the village in the face of a Russian garrison. But instead of crossing en masse, as part of a plan to force Dunaberg, or even head back to Riga, Napoleon changed his mind again and turned all the corps south towards Svencionys. At one point, a full division lay almost across the bridge, with another right behind, when both were ordered to turn around and head south. The Imperial Guard went south to the road and headed east towards Svencionys. Ney pushed south of the ridge and through the woods to try and reach Braslav, while Oudinot headed nort of the ridge heading to Braslav.

Meanwhile, Davout finally pushed across the river, took Asmjaney, and reached Molodechno. Little did he know that Doctorov was quickly annihilating the French cavalry in a series of battles between Lida and Vilnius. It was all Reynier could do to hold onto the town and Novo Troki. Two more French corps, VIII and IX, entered Russia via Kovno and were fed into the maw of the three-corp Russian beast. The French were taking a beating.

One new corps and two half-strength corps now arrived from the south marched for Brest. One corp broke off and headed for Navogrudok, while two went via Bialystok, Kuznitska, and Lida to press the French. It proved too much. Vilnius fell to the Russians, cutting the supplies off to the eastward heading French.

Napoleon had counted on the road from Svencionys to Vilnius to Kovno and westward for a line of communications and supplies. Now the middle was in enemy hands, the Guard was isolated at Svencionys, and Ney and Oudinot were not making progress towards Braslav. Russians were appearing out of the woodwork, and Eugene's command was no where to be found.

It was here that the afternoon session ended at roughly 7:00pm. Battle had raged from 1pm, and in the six hours, somewhere around 20 turns were completed on the main tables. Over dinner, the situation was much discussed and debated. By the time dinner was over, a very demoralized French command structure threw in the towel--egged on by the Russians. Saturday's battles were over, so the Umpire decided that for Sunday, Napoleon's objective would be to retreat and get as much of the Grande Armee out of Russia as possible.

When Sunday came, only two players arrived: a Russian and a new player. The Russian took over the Czar's place and the new player took over Napoleon's spot. He was informed of his objective. Withonly two players, each turn took closer to 45 minutes to resolve.

The Retreat

The retreat started ominously enough. The Imperial Guard, Ney, and Oudinot all attacked eastwards. So much for saving the Grande Armee. The two corps of Eugene and Grouchy also arrived from Poland and were immdiately tasked with assaulting Brest and Bialystok.

The Russians continued to attack northward and westward from Vilnius and points south. The corps opposite the Imperial Guard fell back, but not by choice, while the other corps held up Oudinot and Ney. The newly arrived corp and existing Russian corps pressed Davout ever westward. Dreams of encirclement from the (previous) Czar looked to become a reality.

That's when Napoleon took the Imperial Guard cavalry (not infantry) and pounded around Vilnius, accompanied by additional forces rounded up and re-energized by the arrival of Le Empereur! Under the Emperor's direct observation, savage attacks finally broke the Russians and retook Vilnius. The Russians held a line just south, but for now, the French controlled Vilnius--although the Russians controlled Novo Troki.

It was at this time that the afternoon session ended at roughly 6:30 pm. Roughly five more hours had been played. The stranglehold of the French LOC was loosening, but the French were burning supplies, and starting to take looses from their lack. As umpire, I finished this on Monday night, putting in a couple more hours to see what could be done.

The End

Ney, Oudinot and the rest of the northern pincer began a withdrawal that should have begun earlier. The Imperial Guard infantry also started to withdraw down the road to Vilnius, suffering from lack of supplies as well--and fending off ever voracious Russian attacks.

Napoleon, piecing together remnants of units, stormed Novo Troki, but was repulsed. The Guard cavalry tried again, and then again, each time picking up different units. Finally, with the aid of the one last intact IG infantry unit, the French forced the Russians from the village, and then chased them back through Russian lines to the south. The road home was open once more.

And it was not a moment too soon. Leaving a garrison at Vilnius, what was left of the Imperial Guard infantry dragged itself westwards. Davout's corp was gone as well, and the shattered remains of the Grande Armee stumbled across the Niemen. Down south, Eugene finally took Brest, but Bialystok remained in Russian hands. It was a small victory--there was nothing left to exploit the breakthrough through the denuded Russian south, nor anything to support up north.

French Returns

Imperial Guard:
Old, Middle, and Young Guard: One more failed morale check for each and there would be no OG, MG, or YG.
Vistula: Completely Intact
Artillery: Good shape.
Heavy Cav: half gone.
Light Cavalry: all gone.

I Corp Davout
All gone except for about 20 guns

II Corp Oudinot
equivalent of 1 division left, with about a dozen guns
(Oudinot was killed in a rearguard action)

III Corp Ney
1/2 an infantry division, 1/2 a cavalry division, and about 40 guns

IV Corp Eugene
Lost 1 division, otherwise intact

VI Corp St. Cyr
1/2 a division, 15 guns left

VII Corp Reynier
1 division left

VIII Corp Vandamme
1/2 a division left

IX Corp Victor
1 beat-up brigade left and about 30 guns
(Victor was decapitated by a cannonball, and his successor was wounded enough to send him home)

X Corp MacDonald
Lost 1 division, otherwise in great shape.

I Res. Cav Corp. Nansouty
All lost

II Res. Cav. Corp. Montbrun
1 division left, about 25 guns left

III Res. Cav. Corp. Grouchy
Completely intact

IV Res. Cav. Corp Latour
1/2 division left

As you can see, the invasion was a debacle for the French. The Guard took it on the chin, but what else could you expect when you use it as the tip of the spear and then its supply line is cut. Doctorov and friends stymied the French around Vilnius, not that Doctorov was around at the end of the battle--he was felled by a cavalry sabre trying to hold off the Imperial Guard cavalry. Another Russian commander, Borosdin, also fell during the campaign.

If you tallied the victory points, the Russians had 203, and if you were generous to the French and presented them with points from their maximum advance...14. A lop-sided Russian victory indeed.

Lessons for the Umpire and Commanders

The number one lesson: feed the commanders. They bitch less with a mouthful of pizza.

The number two lesson: no more attempts at two-day games. It's a little pointless playing Snappy Nappy across all those tables with only two players.

The number three lesson: Make sure you label the artillery by corps. I didn't include the parent corps and there was some degree of poaching that went on.

As for anything else, it was all simple rules interpretations. The biggest one was targeting, and I only realized this later. One table played that you fire a unit at a time, and can wait to see the effects until you fire the next unit. The other table played that all targets are designated at once and roll at the same time. This descrepancy hit home when Ney charged part of his corp to melee a line of Russians. Ney could line up infantry vs. infantry and infantry vs artillery, but there was an extra Russian artillery unit supporting the attacked (adjacent) artillery unit. The clever Russian player designated the non-meleed artillery unit to fire first, which drove away the adjacent attacking French infantry unit. The artillery unit that had been meleed, instead of shooting at its attackers (because they had been repulsed by the other artillery's fire), designated the French infantry meleeing the adjacent Russian infantry as its target. At which point the French player called foul, noting that artillery was unlikely to ignore a division in their face in favor of shooting at a adjacent division not in their face. I ruled in the French favor.

Teach me to pay attention. All defensive fire is simultaneous--pick you targets and roll your dice. I can see the idea of piecemeal sequential firing means you "take a chance" that a target will remain in range, but in that situation, I find it hard to ignore all those bayonets advancing right at you.

Also, as a secondary effect, the ability to shoot across rivers came into question. I allow it, but some thought it was too liberal. I think some revision is necessary in that you can only reach across to the other side of Major Rivers...if the target unit is back an inch, then the target would be ineligible. This is similar to a rule we use about edge of woods--back an inch, no target unless you're up close and personal (and no firing out, either). On the edge and you can shoot and be shot at. You would be able to fire across Minor Rivers as normal.

I don't want to get so bogged down in minutae. It's Snappy Nappy--big concepts, simple execution. If you want tactical level combat, there are plenty of other rules sets. It's virtually impossible to get people together constantly to fight out a campaign at a tactical level (the campaign conundrum--everybody wants to play a campaign, but interest and time flags after a while).

With scales this large, you have to judge the effect of a corp coming up against another corp, or a detachment of a corp. It's not that the unit ends right at the edge of the base, but that it represents more a center of activity and advancing across ground towards an enemy means skirmishing is going on, maybe some heavier regiments or brigades bumping into each other. The spot the unit sits on is the main line of resistance, so to speak.

Wargamers tend to be so literal. You have to think in larger scales. The idea is to compress complete tactical battles into a die roll or two at the Snappy Nappy scale. In Russia, scale pushed the design quite a bit.

The idea of co-ordinating turns across all tables for three turns worked out well...again. That's a standard rule, now.

The OOB, which generally following the historical precepts, tested the use of 4-stand units. They turned out to be hell-on-wheels for melee...and somewhat nudged the system. A clever Russian player would save his 4-stand units for charges, and when facing a 2-stand unit or 3-stand unit, would have a significant edge. In some ways, it makes sense. You stuff a big unit against a small unit, you should have some edge, but when you're rolling a d10 and you have a 10 factor edge, it's a bit too much. So, I'm discarding 4-stand units. It was a good way to keep the number of units down and keep units at division scale, but it did contribute to an uneveness.

Supply proved to be a non-issue during the game, mostly because most people ignored it--although I as umpire kept an eye on it for the French. Up until Vilnius fell, it wasn't much of a problem. Also, the French did not go very far into Russia, although they were forced to deploy depots as they traversed the roadless wasteland between Vilnius and the Dvina.

The use of three sizes of depots was too much--too much detail for this game. Oddly enough, I believe Russia would be just about the only time where such large scale lack of supplies affected the entire army, so there needed to be a rule, but three sizes? Too ambitious. Teach me to read too much. From now on, one size fits all.

The actual Morale Checks to represent unsuccessful lines of supply/foraging worked OK. The Guard, best units in the system, suffered little, but did indeed suffer from time to time.

Movement was increased from 12" on primary road to 18". I liked the idea of primary and secondary roads. Factor the scale at 2.5 miles to the inch times 18 inches equals 45 miles per turn. I was slugging a turn at 1 day, but this is closer to 2.5 days, which is exactly the scale change I did for Russia. I feel that keeping the original 1" = 1 mile format will work best, and keeping the 12" = 12 miles for a day's travel remains about right. I would rate secondary roads at 9". Remember that roads negate terrain penalties and allow units to use Forced March rate.

Formations in town. Here's an interesting one. An infantry unit garrisoning a village gets only a small modifer value as compared to being in square in the open. Even a town is only half. Cavalry then can attack infantry in villages and towns at greater effect. Good rules lawyering there. Allowing infantry to take a "Hasty" square modifier will do. Of course, the infantry can always spend the 1/3 formation change on their turn and form a "Solid" square in a village or town. That would eliminate cavalry from overunning towns...

As for bad rules lawyering, the charts gives a bonus modifier when Heavy Cav "hits" Light Cav. One wag argued that since his Light Cav charged into the Heavy Cav, that modifier didn't apply. Nice try, but no go. I will, however, change the word "hits" to "versus" to clear up any confusion.

Then there was the artillery displacement as a result of failed morale checks. We ruled that it always had to limber up when retreating, even when it was only 1".

I added an opportunity charge--more like a reaction move, and I admit reaction is mixed. It does solve the waltzing around the flank movements, which is a good thing, but does cause some problems. For example, If an infantry unit tries to form square in the face of a cavalry unit, the cavalry unit can opportunity charge. A successful Morale Check stops the unit from square. Whereupon, being charged by cavalry, can they form a hasty square? I ruled that was acceptable. Limiting op charges to units that move rather than change formation would do the trick. Op charges will be an optional rule in any case.

Fronts and Flanks caused some consternation. I use the 180-degree rule. If the attacker starts in front of that imaginary 180 degree line across the front of a unit, it hits the front of the unit. If any part starts on the flank, then you can charge the flank.

Other like the 45 degree rule: if an attacker starts a charge anywhere on the flank of a unit 45 degrees off the corner, it's a flank charge. The corollary is the "accesible face" rule--pick the one you're closest to.

At this scale, I figure units have enough time to orient themselves to an attack. I stick by the 180 degree rule. A 45 degree rule would be optional--but not in my campaigns.

Scenario After Action Review

Commanders never go where you want them to go.

Whenever I set up a scenario, I try and visualize where the big battles would be and try to place them in the main (and well-lit) large tables in my basement. This, I figured, would be around Smolensk. Boy, was I wrong! With all those tables stretching east, Napoleon headed north! And then he headed into a region without primary roads. Then Davout got cold feet crossing over the minor river towards Minsk, and Doctorov put up a heckuva fight around Vilnius.

In the case of matching Snappy Nappy to history, Bagration won the argument over striking northwards to sever Napoleon's line of communications--far east of where the historical Bagration wanted to go, but his plan more or less.

Napoleon had indeed intended to cross the Dvina, but this time, he went after Riga. To be fair, Napoleon did have a pair of siege trains, one of which started in Danzig and made it most of the way to Riga before Napoleon ordered it home as he plowed past Smolensk. If the game's Emperor had access to a siege train, I suspect he would have parked it at Riga. But he didn't, and it shows how tough a nut Riga would be to crack.

On the other hand, it is good to see a commander try a new strategy. It didn't work, and was changed twice more, but now at least we get the idea that a northern route would be extremely difficult: as it was in history--the Dvina roughly formed the left flank for the Grande Armee. And as little as the supply train showed, it was difficult to set up an alternate line of communications in a roadless wasteland. Technically, there are roads there, but not anything that could handle the Grande Armee on a long thrust eastward.

What did occur is a fierce battle with fair to middling maneuvering: the Imperial Guard marched the furthest for the French (roughly 12 feet), while elements of 8th Corp marched the furthest for the Russians (about 10 feet or so). It's not quite the 22 feet for a cavalry unit in anothergame, but it beats the 3-4 feet typical of most Napoleonic wargames.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I enjoyed the invasion of Russia. After 10 years of Snappy Nappy, it's a solid set of rules where most quirks have been playtested out. I get into trouble whenever I start to add chrome to them, or try out optional rules, but then again, I enjoy trying to stretch the system.

I'm in the process of re-writing Snappy Nappy for a release in 2005. Stay tuned...

More Snappy Nappy: The Russian Conflagration of 1812

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