Saturday 3 August 2019

Salzwedel Campaign – Day 7


Campaign Map on 28 September 1813
In the centre 1st French corps and the French reserve have laid siege to Salzwedel.
The city garrison is supported by 2nd Prussian corps and the Prussian reserve
However neither Prussian corps are operational, and are taking cover in and behind the city.

On the left 3rd French corps are regrouping behind Dahre
1st Prussian corps are in no condition to attack them

But Napoleon is determined to keep up the pressure
So on the right 13th Polish corps has been ordered to attack Kladen
Battle of Kladen – Move 9
Both corps start the battle with casualties
This usually results in a short battle
It is also often decided by artillery or cavalry combat

The artillery on both sides performed poorly
However the cavalry melee was decisive and exciting.
The first round was a draw, which is unusual
However the Poles won the second round

The Polish infantry were the main attack
The massed columns smashed the Prussian infantry
It was another convincing victory for the Emperor

Campaign Notes
Who moves first is important in cavalry combat
In this game Prussians did so, and charged the Polish lancers
They get plus 1 for impact on the combat dice throw

This one was unusual because the first round was a draw
Both sides lost 10% casualties and both were disordered
Disordered results in minus 1 on the combat dice throw
To recover the brigade must be within 8” of its commander
The Poles were, the Prussians were not

The Poles won the second round of melee
The Prussian hussars routed with 10% casualties

The winning brigade has to test morale, and if they fail will pursue
The Poles failed, charged after the Prussians and inflicted another 10%
But were now out of the battle until they could return to their general
This would take at least two move

The Polish infantry won this wargame
But they could not have done so without the decisive cavalry action

2 comments:

  1. Paul,

    Sounds like it has been an amazingly good seven days for the French. I guess that Napoleon has to weigh up keep the momentum and maintaining supply of his troops?

    James

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  2. Hi James

    This has been a really enjoyable campaign.

    ln the summer months we have much more time to wargame, in fact we can usually fit in an hour each day. So there is more of a flow than when we can only manage two or three days a week.

    The French are doing well. But that is more obvious with hind sight. At the start of each wargame the odds are very similar for both sides. However those odds are moving in favour of the French due to their string of victories.

    regards

    Paul

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