Salzwedel Campaign – Day 8

Campaign Map on 29 September 1813

Both armies are battered from days of fighting.

Napoleon is pleased with his progress so far.  He has driven the Prussians back to the area around Salzwedel.  That city, and the town of Kladen, are both under siege.   He now needs a couple of days to regroup, fine tune his supply chain and replace his battle casualties.  Then a final push will take Salzwedel and end the campaign.

Blucher is well aware that time is not on his side.   Unless he can disrupt French plans he will lose the campaign.   He has only one slight advantage, and that is 1^st corps who are in better shape than 3^rd French corps after their recent victory at Schenga.  

He orders 1^st corps to attack Dahre

Battle of Dahre – Move 5

The town is held by 16 French brigade.   3^rd corps are south of the town reorganising after their defeat at Schenga.   Napoleon is not expecting an attack.   It will take four hours for 3^rd corps to concentrate and “march to the sound of the guns”.

The garrison held against close range artillery fire and an attack by two Prussian brigades for six moves.  Before they could be reinforced the finally broke, with 50% casualties.   The supporting brigades were just outside the town, and had to test morale for the rout.  They failed and were shaken.

Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but the Prussians managed to keep one brigade in the town at nightfall and claimed a victory.

Campaign Notes

We do not have a lot of town fighting in our games, despite the fact that most battles are for possession of a town.  I achieve this by a rule that to forage there must be no enemy in an adjacent map square.  This results in the supporting corps deploying between the town and the enemy.  So battles are fought in front, rather than in, the built up area.

However this battle requires the garrison to hold for at least five moves before they can be reinforced.

Each town has two equal sections, built on a felt square.   A garrison must be one infantry brigade, but to hold the town requires two brigades – one in each square.   If there is only one brigade they can choose to hold one square, or deploy in both.  If they do so they lose 1 on their combat dice to defend the town.

It requires at least two brigades to attack a town to have a chance of success.   It is possible with one if the garrison has casualties, or is very poor quality troops.  But very risky.   Each brigade can attack one side of the town, so it can be difficult to attack more than one if the town has support.   However if one brigade is split between two town sections it is easier for two brigades to attack at once.

1^st Prussian corps were able to approach the town without any opposition.  By move four their artillery were deployed within short range of the town.   However they required 9 or more with 2D6 and failed.

The photograph shows the situation at the end of move 5.   Two Prussian brigades are attacking from the left.   Four French brigades are approaching from the right, but are still one move away.   Both Prussian brigades have fired (see smoke) and required 5 or 6 for a hit with 1D6.  Both have failed.

The Prussians move first for move 6.   They must decide whether to continue musket and artillery fire on the garrison, or to charge and melee.   The French will enter the town during their move, and unless the garrison is routed will be able to replace them.   However the garrison has not had any casualties, but both of the attacking brigades have 10% casualties each.   Hand to hand town fighting is very costly and very unpredictable.   The Prussians charge, but fail to break the garrison and enter the town.   Each brigade suffer a further 10% casualties, but pass their morale test.

The French move second for move 6.   The garrison has suffered 20% casualties during the first round of melee, but have also passed their morale test.  The supporting French infantry have reached the base of the town, but not yet entered.

The French move first for move 7.   The melee continues and the garrison suffer another 30% casualties and rout.   The two supporting brigade must test their morale for this rout, they fail and are shaken.   They must rally before they can enter the town.

The Prussians move second for move 7.   They win the melee, but one brigade has lost 30% casualties and the other 20% casualties.  If they enter the town they will come within short range artillery fire.  If they receive more casualties they will almost certainly rout.   Both brigades withdraw to allow their artillery to fire and to replace them with fresher infantry.

The French move second for move 7.   The routed garrison flees from the town.  The two shaken brigades test their morale.  One fails and joins the rout, the other is still shaken.

The French move first for move 8.   They have two brigades with only 10% casualties.  One is shaken, the other enters the town.  The shaken brigade fails its morale test and routs.  The other has to test morale for the rout, fails and is shaken.

The Prussians move second for move 8.   All of their brigades have 20% casualties or more, except for one with 10% casualties.  That brigade is sent into the unoccupied town section. 

The French commander orders a retreat

The Prussians have won, but it could very easily have gone either way.