Salzwedel Campaign – Day 2

Campaign Map on 23 September 1813

1^st Prussian corps retreat towards Schenge

Blucher moves forward his reserve corps to support Kuhfelde

Napoleon orders 1^st corps and his reserve to attack Kuhfelde

3^rd French corps occupy Dahre

Battle of Kuhfelde – Reserves arrive on the left

Campaign Notes

This was the first use of the reserve corps on either side

Both reserves are full corps, but their infantry have been detached as garrisons

This leaves only the cavalry and artillery still in reserve

Each has its own corps commander

The advantage of the reserve is to allow each commander to reinforce one of his other three corps with additional cavalry and artillery.   This will make a significant difference to their combat ability, but will not make for too great a difference in the wargame.   When two full corps fight one corps the game outcome always goes to the stronger side.

Napoleon committed his reserve to the left of the main road.   It was his intention to take personal command of both corps artillery, and to place reserve corps commander in command of both cavalry brigades.  This would leave 1^st corps commander with only his four infantry brigades

The game plan was for the infantry to attack right of the main road, take the village and defeat any Prussian infantry in this area.   The combined cavalry division would be on the left flank, and pin the Prussian cavalry to prevent them disrupting the infantry attack.  The combined artillery would be in the centre and would engage the enemy cavalry and the garrison of the village in the centre.

To carry out this reorganisation Napoleon would have to take position within 8” of both cavalry brigades and corps artillery.   It would require three command points (3CP) to change the orders of the reserve corps commander (who is a poor commander), and 4CP for the artillery and cavalry (one for each brigade and corps artillery).   When he was in position he rolled one average dice and got five, plus his own three (he is an Elite commander) giving him 8CP.   This was sufficient to carry out the reorganisation.

Blucher wanted to take command of 2^nd corps cavalry, artillery and infantry brigade to the right of the village.  To do so he would only require 3CP (one for each brigade).   He rolled an average dice and got 2CP, plus his own 1CP (he is a poor commander).   However he had to move to within 8” of the three brigades, which required a further 1CP.   As a result he was only able to take command of the cavalry and artillery.

This reorganisation takes one full move to complete.   Everyone involved must be within 8” and the CinC requires sufficient CP to be able to issue orders to each brigade involved.   As happened in this case, the better the commander the better his chance of doing so.

I am very pleased with how this new rule worked in this game.  It will be even more interesting when only one side has the support of the reserve.  

Salzwedel Campaign – Day 1

Campaign Map on 22 September 1813

The Prussians are deployed over a wide area waiting for the French to show their plan of attack

Napoleon has concentrated the guard and reserve in the centre at Weyhausen

He orders 3^rd corps to attack Dahre in order to draw the Prussian reserve to the left

Battle of Dahre – move 10

The battle opens badly for the French

Their cavalry are charged and routed by the Prussian hussars

They rout through a nearby infantry brigade, who rout with them

The French ignore this set back and press forward to attack

They win the hand to hand combat

Three Prussian infantry brigades and corps artillery rout

The French fail to take the town

But the Prussians have to retreat during the night

The French win the battle

Campaign Notes

This was an interesting start to the campaign

Both corps were equal in strength and type

In addition the Prussians had a brigade in Dahre

Despite this the French had to attack

They moved to their right to threaten the Prussian left flank

Their heavy cavalry moved ahead to protect the infantry columns

The Prussian light cavalry charged and routed the dragoons

In falling back the dragoons moved through a nearby infantry brigade

The infantry failed their morale and joined the rout

The Prussian cavalry had to test morale, failed and pursued the enemy

This caused more French casualties, but also took the hussars out of the battle

The French ignored the cavalry melee, and loss of one quarter of their infantry

The Prussians had put one infantry brigade in the farm

So the French infantry were still equal to the Prussians deployed in the open

As the French advanced the Prussian artillery fired on them, but caused no casualties

One French brigade charged and routed the gunners, who missed at close range

At the same time a Prussian brigade charged the French gunners

They suffered 10% casualties, failed their morale and halted shaken

The deciding combat was between two French brigades in column and one Prussian in line.   Hand to hand combat is costly in our rules.   Both sides usually lose casualties.   In this case each French brigade lost 10%, but the Prussian lost 30%

The Prussians routed, taking the nearby shaken brigade with them

The Prussian hussars had to return to command range of their corps commander (8”) to rally.   By now they had done so, and were once more a threat.   The French infantry had suffered casualties, and promptly formed square.

At nightfall the Prussians held both the town and the farm.  They also had their cavalry.

However they had lost three infantry brigades and their artillery

The French had lost one infantry brigade and their cavalry

The town is on the forward right wing of the Prussian deployment.   There is no one within supporting range.  Blucher is unwilling to detach his reserve to support them.   So at nightfall he orders them to retreat and abandon Salzwedel.

Both sides have suffered heavy casualties. 

The French lost 1100 casualties and two brigades in rout

The Prussians lost 3100 casualties and four brigades in rout

A good start to the campaign for Napoleon.