Salzwedel Campaign – Day 6

Campaign Map on 27 September 1813 

After five days of fighting both armies are desperate for resupply and reorganisation

Both French and Prussian corps are down to 2 days supplies

If a corps runs out of supplies it will suffer attrition casualties

There are sufficient stocks to resupply both armies, but they are in the wrong place

Due to corps constantly moving, only the main corps have sufficient supplies

2^nd Prussian corps has to retreat into Salzwedel

The reserve corps has to retreat behind the walled city

1^st and 3^rd corps both halt, regroup and resupply

All four French corps halt where they are to regroup and resupply

There are just enough stocks to resupply each corps with one days supplies

Blucher orders redistribution of supplies from Salzwedel to Schenga and Kladen

Napoleon orders movement of supplies from Weyhausen to the new depot at Kuhfelde

Campaign Notes

The campaign supply rules are really very simple

But they are also very effective.

Each army always has a minimum of 20 days supplies

This is four days per corps and four days in reserve

This is the combined total of supplies with corps and in all depots

If the army falls below, the balance is delivered to the main depot

Each depot receives one days supplies for one corps each campaign day

A depot much have a full strength infantry brigade as a garrison

It takes a brigade one full day to establish a depot

Up to four days supplies can be moved between depots each day

They can move a maximum of three squares per day.

Each corps starts the campaign with four days supplies

Plus four days spread between the depots

Each corps can carry a maximum of four days supplies

For at least three days there is no problem, whatever the army does

But unless they receive supplies each day, they will start to run low

This is particularly so when there is a lot of movement and fighting

Often a commander will have to decide whether to continue to advance

Or to stop and resupply, or perhaps move his supplies around