Christmas with Napoleon

We spent Christmas with my son and his family.   He has never been interested in Wargaming, nor anything to do with the Napoleonic period.   His passion has always been creating a home cinema.   His first attempt was when he bought his first house, just as we were moving to Spain in 2006.   I had sold my house in the UK, and was dismantling my wargames room which was built in our garage.   He removed the whole table and used the wood to build a cinema in his new garage.

He had gone through many versions, but now inside the house where it is much warmer and more comfortable.   These have included a projector on the wall facing a large TV screen.   He has also dabbled with 3D, which was very impressive.   But his latest set up is by far the best yet.   There is a very large screen (see above) with the electrics and sound system fitted into the wall around the sitting room.   The overall effect is very similar to sitting in a cinema.  The screen is huge, the picture crystal clear and the sound sharp and all surrounding.

He could not wait to demonstrate it with an evening watching "Top Gun: Maverick".   I have seen it before, but never like this.  

I told him that we would love to see both Waterloo 1970 and Napoleon 2023 on his system.   He was happy to oblige, but not prepared to sit through them himself.    So he set it up so that we could watch each one on alternative afternoon

 

I have seen Waterloo many times.   The first time was in a cinema in Germany in 1970, just before our first visit to the battlefield of Waterloo.   There was a visitor centre showing Waterloo, but it was in black and white and (I believe) made in 1929!

Since then I have watched the 1970 version at least twenty times.   We bought a video and then a CD and would watch it every couple of years.   For me this is the definitive film of the battle.  The acting is excellent, particularly Rod Steiger as Napoleon.   The uniforms as very accurate, especially for a popular film.   The story line is acceptable, and the scenery very similar to the battlefield.

I had watched Napoleon only once, and like almost everyone else was very disappointed.   The acting was wooded and unconvincing.   Joaquin Phoenix was the worse choice for Napoleon, particularly for the younger version.   Bonaparte was only 24 at the siege of Toulon   Phoenix was 49 when he made Napoleon.  

The battle scenes were impressive, if you knew nothing about the Napoleonic period.   I quite enjoyed the Toulon sequence, mostly because I don’t know very much about the siege.   However Austerlitz was pathetic.   I have visited the battlefield twice, and it looks nothing like the terrain shown in the movie.   Worst still there was no attempt to follow the sequence of the battle, which had it been done would have been impressive.   To concentrate on the frozen lake, and in particular to show the artillery covered in sheets at the start of the battle, is nonsense.   The very story about the losses on the frozen lake have long been discounted.   I recall reading that the lake was dredged only “a few bodies were found”

The battle of Waterloo was even worse.   Once more no attempt was made to follow the sequence of the battle, or to explain how it developed.   I have read many accounts about Wellington’s reverse ridge tactic, but never that he built trenches.   Napoleon leading the Guard on the final attack is well recorded, as is the fact that he handed over command well before they came within range of the enemy lines.   And I have never read an account of Napoleon leading a cavalry charge, which he appears to do at every battle in this move

But, for me, the most annoying thing was the large number of very large French flags carried by the French troops.    One seems to have been issued to every 50 men.  

Despite the above I did enjoy watching both movies on such an impressive sound system.   It was just like sitting in a very comfortable cinema with the latest audio and visual effects.  

Despite its age Waterloo was, and is, by far the best movie.   Even after 54 years the acting, uniform details, battle scenes and the gripping story line made this a most enjoyable movie to watch.  

Christmas Holiday

I am a creature of habit, which includes posting on this blog each week, almost always on a Sunday.   The only exception to this is rare holidays when I am separated from my trusty desktop. 

On 19 December we returned to the UK to spend Christmas and New Year with our family, as we have done each year since we moved to Spain in 2006.   The only year we missed was 2020, due to the Corona virus travel restrictions.   My daughter in law is a great believer in a traditional Christmas, with extensive decorations from 1 December and our three grandchildren ensure that there is lots of excited opening of presents on 25 December.  

When we arrived we were informed by our 8 year old granddaughter that we had to be up at 0600 on Christmas Day to “watch Father Christmas”.    Apparently there was expected to be good views of a comet, which was the Father Christmas in question.    The whole family was gathered in the back garden at 0600, but could see nothing due to extensive and very thick cloud.   Any disappointment was soon forgotten as we all regrouped in the sitting room to open the large piles of presents.

It always surprises me how easily we adjust to leaving sunny Spain for cold and often wet England.   We adjust to the drop in temperature and are fortunate my son lives in a lovely Northumberland village called Rothbury.   It is a very popular walking area, and even in December we are able to take advantage of the many walks around the village.

Even more surprising we don’t really miss our daily wargames.  

However I do miss the busy routine of our life in Spain, and particularly the almost daily administration on the computer.    We run a weekly walking group for our local U3A, and this includes preparation and recording of each walk on the computer.   In particular I post a blog each week of the walk.   Over the past year I have made short video of our various walking groups since we moved to Spain.   These are posted on YouTube as a record of our walking experience, and also a reminder for the members of the group and our friends and family in the UK.

Then there is the weekly post for my two Wargaming blogs, this one and the 1813 Campaign Diary blog.  Plus of course running the campaign itself, wargaming the battles and recording them on the diary.

Strangely I don’t miss the walks and wargames, but I do miss the busy daily routine.   We soon settle into the family routine, but have no routine of our own.   For a couple of days it is nice to visit the shops in Morpeth and Newcastle, but one day in each, particularly at Christmas time, is more than enough.   Rothbury itself has a good selection of pubs and cafe’s, plus a lovely river walk.   And we were fortunate that the weather was kinder than usual this year.  Only two days of rain, and as many sunny days of sun.   Very cold, but very enjoyable to walking.

It is lovely to be able to spend the holiday with the family, but after a few days I start to miss our normal routine and long for the warmer temperatures.   I can follow the holiday activities of our friends on Facebook, and am envious at their sunny days and temperatures of 18c.

So we were very happy to return home to the mass of emails waiting and to organise our first group walk on 2025.   Not to mention clearing the last game of 2024 off the wargames table and updating the campaign for the first one of the New Year.

Happy New Year to you all.

Jean Campaign – Day Seven

Campaign Ma

Main French depot at Hellin – 18 days supplies

French occupy Je
Spanish attack Huelma
Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – regroup and resupply at Ubeda
14th French army – occupy Jean
15th French army – defend Huelma

1st Spanish army – regroup and resupply at Linares
2nd Spanish army – retreat to Martos
3rd Spanish army – attack Heulma

5 guerrilla attack convoy Hellin to Tobarra – fail no casualties
9 guerrilla attack convoy Hellin to Elche – fail no casualties
13 guerrilla attack convoy Mortalalla to Huelma – fail no casualties

Second battle of Heulma – End of Move 2

15th French Army commanded by Marshal Augereau defend Heulm
3rd Spanish army commanded by General del Parque attack Heulma

French have 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, and 3 corps artillery
3 infantry and 1 cavalry brigades are detached to protect lines of supply
They have lost 3 infantry and 2 artillery battle casualties (500 men)

Spanish have 12 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, and 3 corps artillery
They have lost 7 infantry, and 1 cavalry battle casualties (2900 men)

Marshal Augereau was defeated at the battle of Alcaudete on 5 August
He retreated to Heulma where he rallied, regrouped and resupplied
This was the first French defeat of this campaign
General del Parque is determined to repeat his victory and retake Heulma

Comments

This is the first time in the campaign that the Spanish have attacked the French. Recent changes to the campaign mean that the French have to defend longer lines of supply and that the campaign does not end as soon as the French occupy the main Spanish city. They now have to be able to defend that city against a counter attack.

On the left 45th French corps have to hold the woods against 9th Spanish corps. The French outnumber the Spanish and they have 9pdr guns against Spanish 6pdr. The French hold this objective, but are unable to support the centre and right.

In the centre 44th Westphalian corps has to hold the woods and road junction against 8th Spanish corps. They do so until the last two moves, when the Spanish artillery weakens the infantry in the woods, who are then routed by an infantry attack.

On the right 43rd Italian corps have to hold the farm against 7th Spanish corps. The Spanish attack on the far right, and rout most of Iranian infantry and artillery. They then attack the farm, which is held by the elite 1st infantry brigade. Despite 20% casualties from close range artillery, the garrison hold, but are finally routed by an infantry attack. By then the farm is surrounded by Spanish infantry and casualties, and the garrison is forced to surrender.

The battle was won by infantry attacks, but decided by superior artillery. The Spanish had two 12pdr and one 6 pdr guns, the French had one 12pdr and two 9 pdr guns. The French started the battle with 10% casualties on two of their corps artillery, the Spanish were full strength. This gave the Spanish a considerable advantage in counter battery fire, which they took full advantage of. They could then move their artillery into close range of both the woods in the centre and the farm on the right. This allowed them to inflict heavy casualties on the defending infantry before their own infantry attacked.

A very interesting game resulting in a Spanish victory. But also enjoyable because it was not decided solely on the luck of the dice. The Spanish threatened with their weak 9th corps on the left, and attacked with their superior artillery in the centre and right. The Spanish commander took command of 8th corps artillery, which he used to support 7th corps attack on the farm, and then 8th corps attack on the woods. The result a well deserved Spanish

Campaign Maps

Germany 

My campaign has been designed to provide interesting battles to wargame, with the minimum of administration.   To this end I have created a fictional map of Europe, where historical boundaries have been replaced by military regions and districts.   You will see from the map that there are nine regions in Germany, each consisting of 9x9 squares.   Each square is a wargames table.  

The Erfurt region is outlined in white.   There are nine major towns in the region, including the city of Erfurt in the centre of the map.   Each town has nine squares, and each would have a named town.   Each town would be the subject of a battle/wargame.

The campaign is divided into a series of phases.  The objective of each phase would be to take and hold one of those nine towns.   There is the possibility to fight nine different battles, but normally six would be sufficient

Central Germany – Stage 1

Erfurt Region is part of Central Germany.   On this map the city of Erfurt is outlined in white.   This map shows the main roads (red) connecting major cities and secondary roads (yellow) connecting towns within the Region.   It also shows major rivers.   In addition it shows the borders of historical regions, such as Westphalia, Bavarian etc.   These are not important in the campaign, but are used to help place my fictional military regions within historical boundaries.

When I started the campaign my intention was to fight a series of campaign phases within one military region.   Erfurt Region would be the disputed area to be fought over.   Dusseldorf Region would be the French rear area and Dresden Region the Russian rear area.

When Erfurt district became the next campaign phase I would produce a detailed campaign map showing the nine squares.   The French would start the phase deployed within the Erfurt district, the Russians within Gera, but mostly in the three squares forming the border between Fulda and Erfurt districts.  The campaign would start when the Russians crossed the border into Erfurt district.  The campaign objective would be the city of Erfurt, and the army which took and held the city would be the winner.

It soon became obvious that there was a major flaw in this deployment.   If the Russians were unable to fight their way into Erfurt district, or if they were forced to retreat out of it, there was no campaign map to allow this to happen

Central Germany Stage 2

This map was the result.   It shows the cities of Erfurt and Gera.   The campaign objective would still be Erfurt, but if the Russians were driven back the French could now cross into Gera district and continue the campaign.  The map is slightly bigger, with 12 squares in place of the earlier 9 squares. 

After a while I realised that if the French lost Erfurt and were forced to retire, they had to move off the map.  This meant that it would not be possible for them to regroup and counter attack in an attempt to retake Effort.

Central Germany Stage 3

The latest map includes a larger area.    All of Erfurt district is now included, and also half of Gera region so that both cities are shown.   There are now 15 squares on the campaign map, allowing the possibility of 15 different battles.

One major advantage of this larger map is the opportunity to show the lines of supply/communication between the major cities.   This aspect has not played a major role in my campaigns to date, except in Spain.   However I want to have the possibility to include them should I wish to do so.   It allows an extra dimension to the campaign which is always useful.

It may well also result in longer campaign phases.   I have also found that because there is now a very real possibility of the French army launching a counter attack to retake Erfurt, the Russian commander is much more careful to avoid heavy casualties in the early part of the campaign.

In most campaign phases the attacker takes casualties to take the three squares adjoining the border.   He is then much weaker when he attempts to take the next three, which include Erfurt.   But it is worth taking extra risks because once the city is taken he has won the campaign phase.   With the possibility of a counter attack, or if he runs out of supply, he must now ensure that his army is capable of holding the city, not just taking it.

Jean Campaign – Day Six

Campaign Map

Main French depot at Hellin – 27 days supplies

French attack Jean
No Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – retreat to Ubeda
14th French army – attack Jean
15th French army – resupply at Huelma

1st Spanish army – retreat to Linares
2nd Spanish army – battle of Jean
3rd Spanish army - resupply at Alcaudete

Guerrilla brigades have no opportunity to attack French convoys

Battle of Jean – End of Move 4

French have 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, and 3 corps artillery
3 infantry and 1 cavalry brigades are detached to protect lines of supply
They have lost 1 infantry and 1 artillery battle casualties (500 men)

Spanish have 13 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigade, and 3 corps artillery
They have lost 3 infantry, 1 cavalry and 1 artillery battle casualties (1400

There are three game objective
The bridge on the left, the woods in the centre and the farm on the right
The army which holds at least two at the end of the battle is the winner

On the right 40th French corps have to cross the hill to reach the farm
They are outnumbered by 4th Spanish corps, but manage to capture the farm

In the centre 41st Baden corps are also outnumbered by 5th Spanish corps
They fight their way into the woods, but are routed by the Spanish infantry

On the left 42nd Polish corps match two infantry brigades on the left bank
The CinC takes command of the rest of the corps on the right bank
They force 6th Spanish corps to withdraw and secure both ends of the bridge

Having taken two of the three objectives the French win the battle

Comments
Once more the French had to avoid unnecessary casualties
They were also at a severe disadvantage, having detached 3 infantry and 1 cavalry brigades
They put the best two Polish infantry brigades on the left bank of the river, and took the bridge

On the right bank they forces the Spanish to retreat, but were unable to inflict serious casualties

In the centre they had a similar problem, but routed the Spanish cavalry with artillery fire
This allowed their infantry to enter the woods, but they were routed by a counter attack

On the right the French were attacked as they attempted to deploy between the farm and the hill
It was only when the Spanish cavalry were routed in the centre that they could attack the farm
After two rounds of melee the French infantry had to retreat into the centre of the farm
But they managed to rally and keep hold of the farm until the end of the battle.

This battle was decided by the infantry melee for the woods and the farm.
In both, the French had committed their elite brigades to the attack
However due to really poor dice (three 1’s out of four rolls) they lost the melee
They were driven out of the woods, but managed to just hold the farm

Another very enjoyable wargame, but it has made me ponder whether I should replace my D6 for D10 to determine combat and morale. No decision yet, I need some more play testing to confirm whether it is just bad/good luck, or the odds need to be wider.

Campaign Casualties

A typical wargame

When I first started wargame campaigns, many years ago, I was striving to make the wargame campaign as like a real campaign as possible.   To this end I carried forward all battle casualties from one battle to the next.  I quickly realised that the result was usually that the side which lost the first battle also lost the campaign.  This was because wargame rules make it very difficult for a weaker side to beat a stronger side.   It was a very important lesson, and one which dictated how I would design all future campaigns.

I remember reading (in an old Wargames Newsletter I think) that a wargame battle will never be the same as a real battle – no matter how hard you try.  And the more experience I gained the more obvious and true this proved to be.   In fact the more you try, the more obvious it becomes.   This is true in map campaigns, but even more so on the wargames table.   Scale is impossible to overcome, as is terrain.    So I quickly accepted that whilst trying to make a wargames campaign feel like a real campaign is a reasonable aim, the most important objective is that it should be enjoyable.   After all, it is a warGAME.

When I created my current campaign I designed it to provide interesting and enjoyable wargames.  That was, and is, the primary objective.  To this end it was important that all wargames should be enjoyable for both players, and thus both should have a reasonable chance of achieving their aim.

My wife is my regular, indeed now my only, opponent.   After many years we can anticipate what each other will do in a given set of circumstances.  This is particularly so when we wargame, if only because there are a limited number of wargame options.   Consequently the element of luck, in the form of a dice, determines pretty well all of our wargames.

Each casualty in our wargames represent 10% of the unit concerned.   This is translated into minus 1 in all morale and combat tables.   We use a 6 sided dice to determine all morale and combat, so minus 1 is a disadvantage, but not a deciding factor.  In fact it is the same penalty as a unit gets for being conscript, whilst an elite unit gets plus 1.

During a wargame most units will carry out their orders, even if they are conscript.   When they receive one casualty they will usually still be able to do so.   Two casualties make it more likely that they will lose a combat or fail their morale.   When they receive three casualties they automatically rout.

At the end of a campaign battle casualties are transferred from the wargames table to the campaign map.   Next day the loser retreats one days march, winner occupies the town which had been the objective of the battle.   Second day both armies halt, redeploy, resupply and replace all battle casualties except 1 for each unit.    Any unit which suffered casualties during the previous battle will carry 10% casualties for the remainder of the campaign.

All casualties do not have the same effect on future battles.   Cavalry and artillery casualties have a much more important influence than infantry.   This is because of their role in the battle as a whole.  

The attacking side must degrade the enemy artillery before they advance their infantry into long range, and even more so into short range, of the enemy guns.  Failure to do so will almost certainly result in a failed attack and the loss of the battle.  There are only two ways to degrade artillery.   First is to kill their gunners.   Second is to kill their supports, whether infantry or cavalry.     

Counter battery fire in the Napoleonic period was not very effective.  Nor should it be in our wargames.   In my rules it requires a roll of six using 1D6.   This will result in 10% casualties to the enemy artillery.   They can still do serious damage to attacking infantry.

The most effective way is to charge the guns with cavalry.   The cavalry advance half a move, the gunners test morale.   If the gunners pass they fire at the cavalry at close range (2 to 6 for a hit).   The cavalry then have to test their morale.  If they charge home the gunners automatically rout with 10% casualties.   The cavalry are then milling around the deserted guns, disordered or shaken, with 10% casualties.   If the enemy cavalry are within charge range they are in serious trouble.

Our rules are simple to understand and use, but this example will demonstrate that they still provide difficult tactical challenges even to a player very experienced with their use.   I hope that this will also demonstrate that rules do not have to be very complicated to have enjoyable games, even when the rules are fully mastered.

Jean Campaign – Day Five

Campaign Map

Main French depot at Hellin – 36 days supplies

French attack Linares
Guerrilla brigades active

13th French army – attack Linares
14th French army – regroup and resupply at Jodar
15th French army – rally, regroup and resupply at Huelma

1st Spanish army – defend Linares
2nd Spanish army – regroup and resupply at Jean
3rd Spanish army - rally, regroup and resupply at Alcaudete

14 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy to Mortalalla – fail and rout – guerrilla lose10%casualties
15 guerrilla brigade – attack convoy to Minateda – fail and retreat – no casualties

Battle of Linares – End of Move12

French start with 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigades and 3 corps artillery
Spanish start with 14 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigades and 3 corps artillery
Both sides have battle casualties, but the Spanish more than the French
Two of the Spanish infantry brigades are militia

The French cannot afford to lose too many casualties, particularly cavalry or artillery
They are only half way through the campaign, and will have to detach more brigades as garrisons
The battle plan is to concentrate artillery from 37 and 38 corps as a reserve grand battery
This will leave 37 corps (on the right) too weak to attack, they hope to pin 1 Spanish corps

The French are reluctant to use their cavalry against the Spanish artillery
And even the grand battery is unable to weaken the Spanish gunners
So the attack on the left and in the centre is slow to develop

The French do rout 2nd Spanish corps in the centre
They then attack the woods on the left and in the centre
The Spanish infantry put up a stiff defence and hold both woods to the end of the battle
There are no sufficient French infantry to attack the farm on the right
The Grand Battery do pound it, and cause 20% to the garrison
But the garrison hold their position and the farm at the end of the battle

Throughout the battle the Spanish withdraw as necessary to avoid the French artillery
But they mass behind the woods on the left and centre
They then counter attack as soon as the French infantry enter the woods, and mask their guns
Two French brigades are repulsed, and one Spanish brigade routs
But the Spanish continue to hold at least one section of woods at the end of the battle

This is a well deserved Spanish victory

Comments
The campaign is going exactly as planned.
It is anticipated that there will be 6 to 9 battles, and this is the fourth.

The French have to detach increasing numbers of infantry brigades to garrison captured towns
They also have to detach one of their cavalry brigades to protect their lines of supply
This means that as they advance they become weaker and weaker

The Spanish military garrison of each town become a guerrilla band when the town is captured

This means that they become stronger and stronger as the French advance.
The French have the same number of cavalry and artillery as the Spanish
But they are heavily outnumbered in infantry brigades

The French normally concentrate their artillery to batter the area of attack
They then send their cavalry to defeat the enemy cavalry, and hopefully their artillery
If this fails they used their concentrated artillery to out gun the Spanish gunners
The more cavalry and artillery casualties they receive the harder it is to do this

These tactics mean that the French get weaker as they advance and capture enemy towns
At the same time the Spanish get stronger, and attack the French lines of supply

In addition the Spanish have finally come up with a winning battle tactic
They keep their corps intact, and deploy their artillery to cover open ground
This means that the corps opposite the French without artillery will have an advantage
They keep their infantry behind cover of the three game objectives
By doing so they avoid artillery casualties, but can counter attack as the French advance
They keep their best infantry behind each objective to make the counter more effective
It worked to perfection in this battle, leaving the French unable to take even one objective

I was the French player in this game, but I was still very pleased with the outcome.