Start of Burgos Campaign Phase

Campaign map of Europe

There are five campaign areas in Europe, as shown on the map above

North Germany – French v Prussians
Central Germany – French v Russians
Southern Germany – French v Austrians
North Spain – French v British and Portuguese
Southern Spain – French v Spanish

This is a fictional campaign and is based loosely on the historical 1813 campaign.

The campaign is divided into campaign phases
Each phase is self contained and starts with both armies at full strength
Each phase is about the size of the historical Waterloo campaign

The map of Europe is divided into squares, and each square is a military district
Each campaign phase is fought for possession of one of those districts

The aim of my campaign is to allow me to use all of my model soldiers and scenery
To achieve this each campaign phase is fought in a different campaign area

The sequence is

North Germany
North Spain
Central Germany
South Spain
South Germany

This sequence was chosen to allow maximum contrast with uniforms and scenery.
For example we have a series of buildings for north Europe and Spain
The bland Prussian uniforms are followed by Wellington’s red coats
Bland Russians come next
Followed by the very colourful Spanish regulars and guerrilla brigades
And finally white Austrians, before we return to bland Prussian again

North Europe battlefield – Goslar campaign phase

The table is a collection of 2x2 foot scenic squares which replicate the campaign map.
The buildings, woods etc are placed on top of these scenic squares
6x6 inch fabric square are sued to show the area of the farm, village or town
A farm or village has one of these squares, a town two and a city four

On the photo above there is a farm top left, with a green square
Top right is a fortified farm, similar to Hougoumont or La Haye Sainte
Bottom left is a second fortified farm; normally this would be a village
Bottom is the city of Goslar, represented by four scenic squares

No attempt has been made to make my city look anything like the actual town of Goslar
To do so would require a lot of effort to make specific buildings or features
Just not worth the effort for a two month wargame campaign

Spanish battlefield – Merida campaign phase

You will see that I use the same scenic squares to create the wargames table
I live in Spain and have visited most of the major, and many of the minor battlefields
There are parts of Spain which are barren, particularly in the summer
But most of the country is similar to the UK, certainly in Valencia comunidad where I live
So I feel it is acceptable to use the same colour green for the base of each scenic square

The town buildings are all Hovels, of which I have a large and varied collection
The villages and farms are all homemade, from card.
My wife Jan did the artistic work, I did the basic painting
The town’s buildings are all light brown, to reflect the better construction
The farms and villages all white, which is very common on rural buildings

When there is a river involved there are less villages or farms
This is because I never have two buildings in adjacent squares
I have found that this allows a more open battlefield, which is more challenging
I also have eight squares with hills, which allows a good variation
And finally five river sections, including two bends.

This photo illustrates well the reason I use fabric squares to show the area of buildings
In the centre of the photo the city of Merida is represented by four such squares
The two nearest to the camera have been removed to show fighting inside the city

Burgos campaign map

I used to restrict the campaign phase to the area covered by the district being attacked.
In this came it would have been the nine squares with Burgos in the centre
But I had a problem when the attacking army lost the early battles and had to retreat
So I changed the campaign map to include the area either side of the district boundary
In this case the British base of Valladolid is on the left
The French base, and the campaign objective, of Burgos in on the right

I always have a twinge of regret when my fictional campaign involved a historical objective.
Some years ago my wife and I spent a week exploring Wellington’s 1812 siege of Burgos.
I know the ground extremely well, and would love to recreate the siege
But, again, that is not possible in a two month wargame campaign

Nor is the general area anything like the physical area around the city of Burgos
The river Douro does flow through the Burgos area, but not the city itself
And I am quite sure no resident of the area would recognise the route of my river
I long ago came to realise that the most important part of creating a wargame campaign is compromise

Conclusion

I don’t think I have any favourite campaign area.
The important thing for me is the wargame itself, which must be enjoyable
I have left behind the desire to recreate historical battlefields and battles
Or to attempt to make my tabletop battles just like “the real thing”

In my early years of Wargaming I read Don Featherstone’s Wargamers Newsletter
Don had fought through WW2, and had experience of “the real thing”
His approach was that Wargaming was an enjoyable recreation experience
He know only too well that it was impossible to recreate the horror of real war
And who in their right mind would ever want to do so

So I am looking forward to a couple of months of moving my French, British and Portuguese model soldiers around my well used wargames table. And when my wargame campaign visits a village or town which I actually visited I will have happy memories of the real thing, and not spoil the fictional wargames experience.

Summary of 1813 Campaign

 

1813 Campaign map

The campaign started in July 2009. 

The campaign has been reorganised six times since then, either because it ran out of days in the year, or when it changed from a solo campaign to PBEM (play by email).   Within each campaign there are varying numbers of “mini campaigns” or “campaign phases”.   Each campaign phase is a self contained mini campaign consisting of 5 to 10 (usually 6) battles fought as wargames.

There have been 95 campaign phases, each lasting about two months.    This map shows the location of each phase and the colour indicates the winner of the phase.   The campaign has also produced 507 battles which were fought as wargames.   There are a series of blogs covering the whole campaign from July 2009 with a continuous diary and battle reports with photographs of each battle fought.

Sixth Campaign map

The current campaign (The Sixth) started in June 2020.   This was the first campaign to use the new fictional maps of Europe with military regions and districts.   I decided to create a fictional map of Europe having spent 11 years trying to create a map which I could divide into squares which I could then transfer to my wargames table.   Trying to scale down my master map (a road atlas of Europe) to a series of wargame tables proved too difficult (for me anyway).  So I decided to scale up a wargame table to create a fictional map of Europe.   Each square on this map is a military district.   Each district is divided into nine towns, and each town is a wargames table.    Nine districts make up a military region.

 

There have been 21 campaign phases each of which is shown on this map.   These have provided 134 battles to wargame.

Hildesheim Campaign Phase

When I started the Sixth Campaign I fought each campaign phase on a map showing the nine towns of that military district.   However I soon decided it would make more sense to show the area either side of the district border and include the administrative HQ of each army.   In this case the French HQ is Hildesheim and the Prussian HQ is Goslar.   The district border is the purple dotted line in the middle of the map.

There were six battles fought during this campaign phase, and the location of each is shown by a coloured star.   French victories are in blue and Prussian in Grey

When I started the 1813 Campaign in July 2009 I never thought that it would last so long.   I had run quite a few solo campaigns before then, but each were based on an historical campaign, rather than a fictional one designed to provided battles to wargame.  The great advantage of a fictional campaign is that you can develop it as much as you like. 

The objective of the campaign has always been to provide interesting battle for my wife and I to wargame, using to the full our collection of model soldiers and scenery.   In 2009 that included identical armies in 6mm, 18mm and 28mm.   However we soon found that we preferred to use the larger figures, and the 6mm and 18mm were soon gathering dust on the shelves.

The maps and the orders of battle have changed over the years, but the objective has never changed.   Being able to restructure the maps and order of battle has allowed me to created different scales of battle so we never get bored with the actual wargames.   It also allows me to undertake lengthy projects, such as the fictional maps, to add interest to the campaign itself.

When I wrote the original campaign rules I also wrote a set of rules loosely based on  “Le Feu Sacre” Napoleonic rules.    Both have changed drastically over the years, and now bear little resemblance to those used in 2009.   But this also has maintained our interest in Wargaming. 

The beauty of designing campaign and wargame rules for yourself if that you don’t have to justify them to anyone else.   It has certainly worked well for us, and I would strongly recommend it to other wargamers.

Hildesheim Campaign – Day Seven

25 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 7

The Prussians retreat to Hildesheim-Goslar border
1st Prussian army – retreat to Seesen
2nd Prussian army – retreat to Holle
3rd Prussian army – hold Harsum

The French hold Hildesheim and win the campaign
1st French army – regroup at Hildesheim
2nd French army – hold Springe
3rd French army – occupy Alfeld

Comments
The failure of the Prussians to take Hildesheim created a problem as to who had won the campaign. They had won four of the six battles fought during this campaign phase. But the campaign objective was to take and hold the city of Hildesheim.

Having failed to take Hildesheim 2nd Prussian army has to retreat to Holle, just south of 3rd Prussian army at Harsum. This left 1st Prussian army isolated at Alfeld, so they had to retreat west to Seesen, bringing them into line with the other two Prussian armies. This allowed 3rd French army to retake Alfeld.

This seemed the most reasonable solution. The Prussians occupied the three border towns, reflecting their success throughout the campaign phase, in that all three were within French held Hildesheim District.

In truth the result of this campaign phase was a draw. Both armies had suffered considerable battle casualties, and neither were in any condition to continue the campaign. Both would need a week or so to regroup, resupply and reinforce. All this would be easier to do were the Prussians to move further west into Goslar District. But I could not convince myself that this was a decision Blucher would have made in similar circumstances.

It is perhaps a little surprising that this sort of compromise is not required more often. Given the unpredictability of our wargame rules one would imagine that it would happen more often. But in fact the “obvious winner” almost always takes the campaign objective of the enemy city and rightly wins the campaign phase.

So a rather unsatisfactory conclusion to an otherwise enjoyable campaign phase. Not a great problem, because the aim of the campaign is to produce interesting and enjoyable battles to wargame, and it has certainly done that.

Hildesheim Campaign – Day Six

24 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 6

The Prussians attack Hildesheim
1st Prussian army – occupy Alfeld
2nd Prussian army – attack Hildesheim
3rd Prussian army – regroup Harsum

The French retreat
1st French army – defend Hildesheim
2nd French army – regroup at Springe
3rd French army – retreat to the west

Battle of Hildesheim – End of Move 2

The city of Hildesheim is the administrative centre of Hildesheim military district.
It is also the main supply depot for the French army.

2nd Prussian army, commanded by General Bulow, attack Hildesheim
They have12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They start the battle with 4 infantry casualties (1600 men)

1st French army, commanded by Emperor Napoleon, defend Hildesheim
They have 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They start the battle with 6 infantry, 2 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (2800 men)

On the right the Imperial Garde hold the hill and area to the left. As the Prussians approach the artillery move forward to delay their deployment. The Prussian infantry are forced to advance through the fortified farm, causing considerable delay. The Prussian artillery deploy at short range on the flank of the Garde gunners, causing them to withdraw. This allows the Prussian infantry to attack the hill. After an initial success the Garde counter attack and rout the Prussian infantry

In the centre the Prussian reserve cavalry charge the French cavalry. They lose and are routed, allowing the French cavalry to threaten 5th corps and force them to form square. The Prussian cavalry rally, again charge the French cavalry and this time win the melee.

Only then can 5th Prussian corps advance and attack the woods. They quickly take the woods, and supported by the reserve cavalry break the French centre

On the left 6th corps infantry advance on the hill, causing considerable delay. Their cavalry and artillery pin the French to the left of the farm. The Prussian infantry take the farm, but are drawn into the melee for the centre. This allows the French to counter attack and retake the farm.

At nightfall the French hold two of the three game objectives and despite suffering much heavier casualties they win the game.

The French have lost 15 infantry, 4 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (6600 men)
The Prussians have lost 11 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (4500 men)

There are 7 French brigades in rout
The Prussians have 4 brigades in rout

Comments

The French started the game with more casualties than the Prussians. This prompted the latter to launch a very aggressive attack. Both CinC had created a cavalry reserve of two brigades. This often results in a stalemate, with both sides reluctant to risk a melee. However in this game the Prussian cavalry advanced early in the game and charged the weaker French. Much to my surprise (as Prussian player) the French won, and routed both Prussian brigades.

The French cavalry then charged the nearby Prussian artillery, forcing the gunners to abandon their guns and seek shelter in a nearby square. This left the French cavalry in possession of the centre, and forced 5th Prussian corps to form square. Fortunately the routed Prussian cavalry rallied, returned and again charged the French cavalry. This time they won and turned the tables on the French. It was now the Prussian cavalry which dominated the centre.

For most of the game it looked like the Prussians would win. In fact at the end of move 10 they occupied all three objectives. However the French counter attacked and retook two of the three objectives.

Despite suffering many more casualties the French were clear winners at the end of the maximum 12 moves. They had lost 2nd corps in the centre, but firmly held both the farm on the left and the hill on the right.

A fast moving and very enjoyable wargame. The rules are working really well, and allow for unexpected reverses – such as the late French counter attacks. This is the main advantage of using our simple, but effective, combat and morale tests with just one D6.

Hildesheim Campaign – Day Five

 

23 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 5

The Prussians attack Alfeld
1st Prussian army – attack Alfeld
2nd Prussian army – regroup Holle
3rd Prussian army – occupy Harsum

The French retreat to Springe
1st French army – regroup Hildesheim
2nd French army – retreat to Springe
3rd French army – defend Alfeld

Battle of Alfeld – End of Move 2

On 20 August the Prussians defeated the French at the battle of Seesen
The French retreated to Alfeld and the Prussians entered the city of Seesen
Both armies have regrouped and the Prussians now attack Alfeld

1st Prussian army, commanded by Marshal Blucher, attack Alfeld
They have12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, 3 corps artillery
They start the battle with 3 infantry and 1 artillery casualties (1200 men)

3rd French army, commanded by Marshal Murart, defend Alfeld
They have 12 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigade, and 3 corps artillery
They start the battle with 5 infantry and 1 cavalry casualties (2100 men)

Murat has created a cavalry reserve by taking command of the cavalry brigades of 7th and 8th corps. He has placed them centre right between the two corps…

Blucher has created a grand battery by taking command of the artillery of 1st and 2nd corps. He has placed them centre right opposite the French cavalry reserve.

On the right 7th French corps have occupied the woods. 1st Prussian corps is advancing to attack the woods, with their cavalry on the far right. These cavalry charge the French gunners, who evade into a nearby square. The Prussian infantry are then free to attack and capture the woods.

The Prussian grand battery advance in support of 1st Prussian corps. They are charged by the French reserve cavalry, and one battery is routed. However one cavalry brigade fails to charge home and the second are counter charged by the 2nd Prussian cavalry. Both French cavalry brigades retreat is disorder.

This allows 2nd Prussian cavalry to force 8th French corps infantry into square, and they are routed when charged by the Prussian infantry.

On the left 3rd Prussian corps advance to attack the farm. Their cavalry and artillery pin 9th Polish corps, whilst their infantry attack and capture the farm

Comments

It is quite normal for the CinC to take command of either cavalry or artillery to form a reserve. Normally the opposing general creates a similar command, and this often results in a stalemate.

However this time the Prussian commander left all three cavalry brigades with their respective corps. Instead he took command of artillery and supporting infantry from two of his corps and placed them opposite the French cavalry. He then manhandled his guns forward, and the French cavalry have to either charge the guns or retreat. They choose the former option.

When cavalry charge enemy guns they advance half a move. The gunners must then test their morale to determine how they will react. If they pass the test they can choose to fire at short range, or evade if there are supporting troops within half a move.

In this game one Prussian battery started with 10% casualties, which is minus 1 on firing. They retreated to a nearby square. The cavalry charging them halted and withdrew next move.

The second battery remained with the guns; the French cavalry charged and received 10% casualties. If the cavalry charge home it is an automatic 10% casualties on the gunners and an automatic rout. However the cavalry failed the morale test and halted shaken. The nearby Prussian cavalry then charged and routed them.

The loss of the French cavalry gave a big advantage to the Prussian army and played a major role in them taking all three game objectives. However if the cavalry had won, and the Prussians lost two of their three corps artillery, they would not have been able to continue their attack.

This is the first time that we have used this tactic of opposing massed cavalry with massed artillery. It was a risky option, but fortunately it paid off. No doubt this tactic will be used in future game, and it will be interesting to see how often it works.

Blogger is very slow

 

Is anybody else having problems with Blogger .   It is very slow to post photos or amend text.   I keep getting a message "this page is not responding" and Post: Edit.   It started about ten days ago.

Wargame Rules - Artillery

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was having problems with the Artillery rules.   In particular the effect of crew casualties.   In our current rules casualties are shown as a percentage, for example 10%.    Such casualties affect the combat and morale tests by imposing a minus 1 on all tests.

This created a particular problem with counter battery fire.   At long range artillery required a roll of 6 using 1D6.   This meant that a battery with just 1 casualty could not hit enemy gunners at long range.   Long range artillery is 12” and short range 4”.   This gave a massive advantage to the side without any gunner casualties and their gun dominated each game.

Counter battery fire had become a standard tactic in our games, particularly for the attacking player.   The attacking player would unlimber his artillery at long range of the enemy guns, with the rest of his army out of range.   Both sides would then fire away at each other, usually with no effect at all.  

Apart from counter battery fire, the only other option was to charge the enemy guns with cavalry.   Cavalry charge range is 12”, the same as artillery long range.   The cavalry would have to move into artillery long range, and then charge the next move.   This meant that the artillery could fire once at long range (3 or more for a hit) and again at short range (2 or more for a hit).   

I am play testing a new rule which restricts counter battery fire to short range.   I have never experienced a game where guns are able to deploy that close to the enemy guns.   In practice they would be engaged by either cavalry or even infantry.

With this rule change cavalry is the most favoured option for removing enemy artillery, though a very risky one.   The sequence for cavalry charging artillery is:

Cavalry advance half move (6”)

Gunners test morale, if they pass they can either fire at short range or evade to nearby supports

If gunners evade cavalry can either halt disordered, or retreat 6” to their start line

With cavalry the only option to take out the enemy gunners, this tactic is used much more often than when counter battery fire was an option.   We draw chips to determine the sequence of corps moves each turn.   If the cavalry are drawn after the enemy artillery they can move into charge range of the gunners without risking fire at long range 

The artillery reaction has become an interesting choice.    If they pass their morale test they must choose to either fire at short range or evade.   If they evade the enemy cavalry can prevent them returning to the guns.   If they fire they will probably hit the cavalry, who must then test their morale to charge home.   They require a roll of 3 or more to do so.   If they pass they charge and the gunners rout with 10% casualties.  If they fail they remain at short range of the guns and are either disordered or shaken depending on their test result.  

In our first game using this new rule there were two cavalry charges against artillery.  In one the gunners already had 10% casualties, passed their morale test but ran to a nearby infantry square.   In the second the gunners fired, the cavalry failed their morale test and were counter charged by enemy cavalry and routed.

Lots of possibilities with this rule amendment and it has added a new challenge to our wargames

Hildesheim Campaign – Day Four

22 August 1813 – Northern Germany Day 4

The Prussians attack Harsum
1st Prussian army – regroup Seesen
2nd Prussian army – occupy Holle
3rd Prussian army – attack Harsum

The French retreat to Hildesheim
1st French army – retreat Hildesheim
2nd French army – defend Harsum
3rd French army – regroup Alfeld

Second battle of Harsum – End of Move 2

On 19 August general Yorck failed to take the town of Harsum
He had to retreat east to Langelsheim to regroup

Since then the French have been defeated at Holle and Seesen
They both had to retreat west to regroup

This has left Marshal Victor isolated at Harsum

Yorck has been ordered to attack Harsum again and force Victor to retreat

General Yorck commands 3rd Prussian army
Marshal Victor commands 2nd French army
Both armies have suffered casualties at the first battle of Harsum

French start the battle with 6 infantry and 1 artillery casualty – 2500 men
Prussians start the battle with 4 infantry and 1 artillery casualty 1700 men

On the left the French artillery started the battle with 10% casualties
This meant that they were outgunned by the Prussian artillery
Consequently 6th corps had to withdraw slowly to keep out of artillery range
This allowed the Prussian infantry to attack and take the village

In the centre both CinC had taken command of two cavalry brigades
Neither side were prepared to risk a melee, and neither played any role in the battle
Without cavalry support the fight for the woods in the centre was an infantry melee.
It continued for three moves, but eventually the Prussians took the woods and road junction

On the right the Prussian artillery started the game with 10% casualties
This put them at a serious disadvantage against 4th French corps.
However the Prussian infantry advanced onto the hill and engaged the French infantry
This melee continued for most of the game, and both sides lost many casualties
But once again the Prussians gained the advantage and took the hill

Having captures all three game objectives the Prussians won the battle

Comments

The large number of casualties with which both sides started the game would play an important role. As explained above this was particularly so for those corps with gunner casualties.

The reluctance of both sides to commit their cavalry did not play a significant role. If they had risked an extended cavalry melee it would have been a game changer for the winner. Had the Prussians lost they would not have been able to advance their infantry in mass. A French defeat would have resulted in their infantry being forced into square, and their gunners put at risk. This is the reason neither player risked a cavalry battle.

The Prussians were able to concentrate their best infantry brigades to attack the three game objectives. The game was decided by three prolonged infantry melee. This is always risky, because so much depends on the luck of the dice. And with both sides starting the game with casualties, many brigades were very brittle and at risk from morale tests. The large number of French brigades in rout at the end of the game was a direct result of this condition. Once one brigade failed their morale and routed, all supporting brigades within 4” had to test their own morale. If they had existing casualties there was a real risk the rout would spread throughout the whole corps.

Very enjoyable game, and not nearly as one sided as the outcome would suggest. In the early moves either side could easily have one any of the three decisive infantry melee. The French were unfortunate that they failed their early morale, and the rot spread

Wargame Rules – Artillery

The use of just 1D6 to determine all combat and morale rules has proved a great improvement on the previous rules, which used 2D6. It has simplified outcomes and also made them much more unpredictable.

However to determine artillery fire casualties it has raised problems which I am currently struggling with. The artillery rules are as follows:

Total require for a hit
06 – Artillery at long range
05 – Artillery at short range
05 – Building, woods or hills at long range
04 – Building, woods or hills at short range
04 – cavalry at long range
03 – cavalry at short range
03 – infantry at long range
02 – infantry at short range

Combat factors
each casualty – minus 1
walled town – minus 1

When all artillery crews are at full strength there are no problems. However after the first three battles of a campaign each army will have battle casualties. These are reduced to just 1 per brigade when the army is regrouped (receive reinforcements and redistribute casualties). So when at the start of the fourth, fifth and sixth battles it is normal for many brigades, including artillery, to start the game with one casualty.

The photograph above shows the artillery casualties at the start of the game. 4th and 6th French corps artillery each have one casualty. The Prussian artillery do not have any casualties. This is quite unusual, more often only one side will have a casualty, or else both sides will have a casualty thus sharing the problem for both players.

The attacking army must try to reduce the effectiveness of the enemy artillery. Failure to do so will almost always result in failure. For example an infantry brigade will be receive casualties twice before they reach defending artillery. At long range the gunners require 3 to hit, at short range only 2. Each time they receive casualties the infantry have to test morale, they deduct 1 for each casualty plus 1 for being disordered. With two casualties the infantry are very likely to fail their morale and retreat or rout.

Counter battery fire is the usual way to reduce the effectiveness of enemy artillery. However at long range the gunners require a total of 6 for a hit. If they start the game with one artillery casualty the maximum they can achieve is 5. They would have to move to close range of the enemy gunners (4”) to be able to hit them.

When I wrote the rules I anticipated that rolling a 6 in counter battery fire would not happen very often. I don’t know what the odds are, but I do know that it has happened surprisingly often in our wargames. And, of course, it always seems to happen to the wrong side! If the attacking army are unable to hit the enemy gunners their infantry are at a huge disadvantage in launching an attack.

Balance is all important in wargame rules, and I am not sure that I have it right in this particular case. In all other circumstances the artillery rules work quite well. With two dice, allowing a maximum of 12 outcomes, I could adjust the tables. This is not possible with jus t one dice.

Despite my reservations I am inclined to keep the existing rules and just accept that rolling a 6 to hit the enemy gunners is actually quite hard. And when it does happen it is just luck. Sometimes it is better to accept an apparent unfair advantage, and accept that you can’t always find a solution to every problem.

Hildesheim Campaign – Day Three

21 August 1813 – Northern Germany Day 3

The Prussians attack Holle
1st Prussian army – occupy Seesen
2nd Prussian army – attack Holle
3rd Prussian army – regroup Langelsheim

The French retreat to Alfeld
1st French army – defend Holle
2nd French army – retreat to Alfeld
3rd French army – regroup at the border

Battle of Holle – End of Move 2

The French, commanded by Napoleon, occupy the three game objectives at the start of the battle
Old Guard woods on the right
2nd French corps road junction in the centre
3rd French corps farm on the left

The Prussians, commanded by Blucher, arrive at the start of move 1
4th corps attack the woods on the right
5th corps attack the road junction in the centre
6th corps attack the farm on the left

4th corps, on the right, never look like taking the woods
They capture and hold one section, but the French hold the other two

5th corps in the centre, is the main Prussian attack
Blucher takes command of half of 6th corps to support them
They break, and rout, all of 2nd French corps

6th corps, on the left, pin the French holding the farm on the left
With the centre broken, Blucher attacks the farm with artillery and two brigades
The French hold the farm for three moves/hours, but eventually retreat

At nightfall the Prussians hold two of the three game objectives and win the game

Comments

Another very enjoyable wargame, with the advantage moving from one side to the other
The game lasts a maximum of 12 moves, and could go either way until move 8

The French cavalry were unlucky, and lost all three melee, though the guard rallied
The Prussian cavalry could then threaten the Prussian artillery and force them to withdraw

The massed Prussian infantry attack on the three objectives started on move 6.
Only one brigade could occupy or enter each game objective
Both sides had committed their best infantry brigades to hold and attack
So it required a prolonged fight to determine the outcome

However the Prussian cavalry could pin the French reserve infantry
This allowed the Prussian infantry to bring their full strength to bear

The French have lost 12 infantry. 4 cavalry and 2 gunner casualties (5400 men)
The Prussian have lost 7 infantry casualties (2800 men)

A decisive Prussian victory

Feeling My Age

 

I don’t often have a moan on any of my blogs, because I usually feel that I have a lot to be grateful for and know only too well that there is a lot who would happily change places with me tomorrow.

However.......

Last June I turned 80 which is one of those critical birthdays which it is more difficult than usual to ignore.   We moved to Spain in my early 60s, and I remember thinking “60 is the new 50”.   It may not be true, but there is an element of truth in it.   My wife and I were still quite fit and made the most of moving to this lovely part of Spain.   

A month after we arrived a new U3A was formed in our local town, and we were amongst the first members.   This introduced us to hundreds of ex pats who had taken the decision to move to Spain for our retirement.   In 2006 there was a real surge of brits moving to Spain, encouraged by the many TV programmes such as “A life in the Sun” and the free four day visits paid for by local estate agents to encourage the move.   It was a very exciting time and great to be surrounded by like minded people of a similar age.   Everyone was new, so everyone wanted to make friends.

We took full advantage of the many coach trips organised by the U3A for four day trips to Madrid, Granada, Seville, Barcelona and Saragossa – plus many many more.

We also discovered hill walking with a local walking group, a hobby which we have enjoyed ever since.   For ten years or so we walked as part of a group, but as they got older we started our own walking group.    This not only kept us fit, but widened our circle of friends.

Equally important we built our first custom made wargames table.   Our house was bought “off plan”, which meant we had a large say in how the rooms could be adopted.   We were able to expand an underbuild to provide us with a space large enough for a 6x6 foot table, and an adjoining room for shelves to hold the model soldiers and model buildings

A third project was to make a large collection of model houses to populate our wargame tables spreading from north Germany to southern Spain.   And in two scales, one for 28mm and a second for 18mm.    My wife was the artistic one who designed and built the card buildings.   I got to paint them.   This kept us busy for a couple of years.

My 70^th birthday passed by almost unnoticed.   I have never been one to celebrate birthdays or occasions.   Nor do I particularly enjoy eating out, despite the many excellent and relatively cheap restaurants available locally.   I would rather have a favourite meal on our naya (balcony) on a warm June evening with a cold glass of wine followed by brandy and coffee.

However 80 years old demanded my attention.   As it approached I became aware that many of our walking friends had given up hill walking.   Being in the U3A there is always a supply of new arrivals eager to join in new activities, particularly walking which is not only healthy but also a great way to meet new friends, even if your are not a natural mixer.   However the group was remaining the same age (average 70ish) but we had gone from the youngest to be far the oldest.

My wife Jan had had an accident on the mountains, which made her very wary to tackling the harder climbs.   We had always walked together, and I just didn’t enjoy the walks so much without her.   So I decided to start a new walking group, but this time easy 9km valley walks.   We both enjoyed them, and within a few months it was just as popular as our previous more challenging mountain walks.   But it was an admission that we were both finding the walks we previously enjoyed very challenging.

In March last year my optician confirmed that I had cataracts of both eyes which now needed attention.   I was quite shocked to discover that I had lost 20% of the sight in both eyes in just a few months.  I visited our local GP and was referred to the local hospital.   But, as in the UK, there would be a long wait.   With all the elderly Brits living locally there is a lot of call for replacement knees and hips plus of course cataracts.   It would take 9 months to get the hospital appointment, and another 5 months to get a date for the first operation.   Fortunately my sight did not get worse during this long wait – at least until a few weeks ago.

In late May I became aware that I could no longer read paper size print without eye strain.   I managed ok with the computer, until a few weeks later when I found that becoming difficult too.

Then a week ago I caught a bad cold/flu from my wife, causing me to worry that the operation might be cancelled if they realised when I turned up for the operation.   Finally four days ago an early heat wave arrived without warning.   Temperatures rose from a pleasant 24-26c to a very uncomfortable 34-36c.  

So for the past few days I have been feeling very sorry for myself.   Unable to spend so much time on the computer, feeling too ill to either walk or want to wargame and the approaching operation on my eyes which I would rather not think about too much.

Tomorrow is the first cataract operation, and the weather forecast is for lower temperatures next week.  So hopefully when the next blog comes along I will be feeling much more my normal self and not feeling so sorry for myself.

To celebrate the above I have updated my blog photograph.   The earlier one was taken in about 2008, this one was June 2025.   Our walking group surprised me with a birthday cake and a photograph of Jan and I after one of our walks.  I was starting to feel a little dishonest positing the earlier photo and can feel that I am being more honest with this one.

Hildesheim Campaign – Day Two

 

20 August 1813 – Northern Germany Day 2

The Prussians attack Seesen and retreat to Langelsheim
1st Prussian army – attack Seesen
2nd Prussian army – observe border
3rd Prussian army – retreat to Langelsheim

The French advance to border
1st French army – concentrate on border
2nd French army – advance to border
3rd French army – defend Seesen

Battle of Seesen – End of Move 2

The French were not fully deployed at the start of the battle.
8th corps were in and around the woods in the centre
7th and 9th corps were either side of Seesen, but could move at the start of move 1

The Prussians were off table at the start of the game, but would arrive start of move 1
3rd corps would have to move over the hill on the left, which would delay their arrival

The French occupied all three objectives before the French could get anywhere near
7th corps the hill on the left, 8th corps the woods in the centre and 9th corps the farm on the right
On move 4 the French cavalry in the centre charged the Prussian artillery
The gunners abandoned their guns and ran to the nearby infantry square
As the French cavalry swarmed around the abandoned guns, the Prussian cavalry charged
The French lost the melee and routed with 20% casualties.
8th French corps would never recover from this set back

The Prussians were delayed by the hills on the left and right
So it was late in the day when they could launch their three attacks
With only one move to go all three combats were undecided
But on the last move the French took the hill on the right and the woods in the centre

The French lost 7 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties (3000 men)
The Prussians lost 3 infantry and 1 artillery casualties (1300)

Comments

I wish I could convince all serious wargamers to attempt the sort of simple games which Jan and I enjoy. I am sure that many would be put off by how simple the mechanics of our rules seem. Everything is decided by the roll of 1D6. This means that all combats and morale tests are very unreliable.

There are a small number of plus or minus points for both combat and morale. This reflects elite, regular or conscript troops. They also reflect firepower and skirmish ability. And of course casualties affects both combat and morale. Morale is also affected by the position of the corps commander, if he is within 4” of a brigade they get plus 1.

So the rules are not as simple as they at first appear. But if one side rolls a one, or a six, for either combat or morale it will have a dramatic effect.

I suspect that luck plays a larger part in my wargame than it did in real life. However it is a game, and when both players are very experienced and rarely make a mistake it can easily become predictable and boring. This enhanced element of luck changes all of that.

I can honestly say that I enjoy our wargames now more than I have ever done in the past. Not many could say that after Wargaming against the same player for more than 55

Hildesheim Campaign – Day One

 

19 August 1813 – Northern Germany Day 1

The campaign opens with a Prussian surprise attack on Hildesheim district

The Prussians are deployed to the east of the Goslar-Hildesheim border
They are out of sight of the French, but are concentrated ready to attack
1st Prussian army – observe Seesen
2nd Prussian army – observe Holle
3rd Prussian army – attack Harsum

The French are deployed to the west of the Goslar-Hildesheim border
One corps from each army is deployed on the border
The remainder are in reserve for ease of resupply
1st French army – defend Holle
2nd French army – defend Harsum
3rd French army – defend Seesen

Battle of Harsum – End of Move 2

The winner must occupy at least two of the three game objectives

Village on the left
Woods in the centre
Hill on the right

The Prussians start the game with a considerable advantage
All three corps enter the table at the start of move one

One French corps occupies the woods in the centre at the start of the game
The other two corps will not arrive until the start of move 2

On the left the Prussians reach the village first, however it is occupied by one brigade
They send two brigades to attack the village, the rest deploy to slow the Prussian advance
The French occupy the village on move 10, but lose it on move 12

At nightfall neither side hold this objective

In the centre the Prussian gunners are routed by the French gunners
Without artillery support the Prussians are unable to attack the woods
At nightfall the French hold this objective

Only infantry can fight on the hill on the right
Both CinC lead three infantry brigades to take the hill
After a prolonged melee all six brigades are routed
However the Prussians rally first and take the hill
At nightfall the Prussians hold this objective

Neither side has taken two of the three objectives
But there are three Prussian brigades in rout and only one French brigade
The French are declared the winner

Comments

Very interesting and enjoyable first game of the new campaign
The Prussians should have won, they had the advantage of surprise
This translated to all three corps arriving on the table at the start of move 1

The French had one brigade on the table at the start of move 1
But the other two would not arrive until the start of move 2

As always luck played an important part in the game
Artillery fire on gunners is usually ineffective
It takes a roll of 6, with a six sided dice, to hit gunners
Yet in the centre the Prussian gunners were hit three times
This is a compulsory rout, and they were out of the game
Without artillery the Prussian corps could not attack the centre objective

The Prussians took the village on the left towards the end of the game
However the French had their best skirmish brigade to counter attack
They also redeployed their artillery to fire on the garrison at short range
In the last two moves they caused three casualties (30%) to the garrison
The Prussians routed and abandoned the village
It was too late for the French to occupy the village
And the Prussians had an elite brigade ready to counter if they did

The most interesting part of the game was the infantry battle for the hill on the right
In my current rules only infantry can fight on hills, cavalry and artillery can move but not fight
Both CinC took command of three brigades of infantry each and marched onto the hill
Only two brigades on each side could deploy to skirmish or melee.
Over a period of three moves all six brigades were routed
The Prussians went first, but also rallied first, and were able to return and occupy the hill

Not a good result from the campaign point of view
The attacking side have lost the first battle, and will have to retreat

Hildesheim Campaign – Introduction

Europe

The next campaign phase is set in northern Germany and the objective is to take the city of Hildesheim. This will be the 94th campaign phase since we started the 1813 campaign in April 2009. This map shows the location, and winner, of each of those phases.

This is not the original campaign map. In July 2021 I created a series of maps covering all of Europe and divided into fictional regional areas. This was to avoid the difficulty of researching actual maps and trying to confirm national and regional boundaries in 1813, plus location of rivers and mountains. I divided Europe into 33 military regions, each of 9 districts. Each district is a campaign phase, and has 9 towns each of which is a wargame table.

North Germany

This may shows the new military regions and districts. But it also shows the historical national boundaries, such as France, Hannover, Westphalia and Prussia. This is only for information, and to help orientate. The rivers shown do not follow their actual rout, but are so that I can include them in the campaign.

There are three regions in North Germany
Osnabruck Region – French rear area
Brunswick Region – campaign area
Berlin Region – Prussian rear area

Brunswick Region

There are nine districts in Brunswick Region

There have been 24 battles fought in this region

The French have won 13 and the Prussians11
Each star shows the location of a battle fought

Hildesheim Campaign

The campaign is fought between the French held city of Hildesheim, and the Prussian held city of Goslar.

First French army is commanded by Napoleon. It is divided into three armies, each of three corps. They are deployed to the left of the border. The map shows the location of each of the nine corps at the start of the campaign phase.

The Prussian army is commanded by Blucher. It also has three armies each of three corps. They are deployed to the right of the border. Their objective is to take and hold the city of Hildesh

Infantry Combat and Morale Values - The Solution

Typical Austrian Corps

All corps of all nationalities, except for the French Old Guard and the Spanish Army, will have the same combat and morale value as follows:

1 infantry brigade CA FB SC
2 infantry brigade CB FC SA
3 infantry brigade CB FB SB
4 infantry brigade CC FC SC

1 cavalry brigade CB

1 artillery brigade CB

C indicates the class of troops, used for morale
F indicates firepower, used for volley fire
S indicated skirmish ability

A are elite and will add plus 1 for combat or morale
B are trained
C are conscript and will be minus 1

In addition each casualty will deduce 1 for both combat and morale tests

In the past the same grades were used, but each brigade had a different combination of plus or minus for morale, volley fire or skirmish. This made it difficult to compare and identify different abilities on the wargame table. The order of battle sheet had to be consulted each time there was a combat or morale test.

In future the first brigade will be elite, and where possible grenadier figures will be used
They will be ideal for hand to hand fighting, average for volley fire and poor for skirmishing

The second brigade will be excellent skirmishers and jager, riflemen or light infantry figures used
They will be most suited for open order fighting, average for morale and poor for volley fire

The third brigade will be standard, trained infantry, line infantry figures used to represent them
They will be average for morale, volley fire and skirmish

The fourth brigade will be poor quality and landwehr or militia figures used when possible
They will be poor for morale, volley fire and skirmish.

This will make it very easy to allocate the most suitable brigade to each task, and also make it easier to identify them on the table.

 

French Old Guard

This is the only exception, apart from Spanish infantry. They are the elite of the French army, but by 1813 were not on a par with the Imperial Garde before the Russian campaign. I wanted them to be different from the other corps, but I may change my mind about that after play testing.

1 infantry brigade CA FB SC
2 infantry brigade CB FB SB
3 infantry brigade CB FC SA
4 infantry brigade CC FC FC

1 cavalry brigade CB

1 artillery brigade CB

The first two brigades are grenadiers, the last two chasseurs. So the elite skirmishers are in the third brigade. The fourth brigade are conscripts.

Typical Spanish corps

I have sufficient figures for four Spanish corps, but only enough cavalry for two corps. This was deliberate, because I wanted the Spanish to be weak in cavalry.

1 infantry brigade CB FC SC
2 infantry brigade CC FC SC
3 infantry brigade CB FC SB
4 infantry brigade CC FC SC
1 cavalry brigade CB 
1 artillery brigade CB 

At present I am using a completely different order of battle for the Spanish. This is because even in 1813 they were inferior to the French infantry, even to the conscripts. This will be very hard to replicate on the wargames table.

In addition only half of the Spanish corps have cavalry, which leaves them at a huge disadvantage.
To counter this I have increased their armies to four corps, rather than the three in all other armies.
They will also have the advantage of large bodies of guerrilla brigades to attack French lines of supply.

Once more I may change my mind about this after a period of play testing.  

Infantry Combat and Morale Values - The Problem

 

Typical Bavarian Corps 

All of the corps in my campaign, except for a few Spanish, have the same order of battle.

4 infantry brigades
1 cavalry brigade
1 corps artillery

I have always retained an element of national characterists in the infantry brigades, despite wanting both commanders to have an equal chance of winning on the table top. The order of battle for a typical Bavarian corps is as follows:

1 infantry brigade 4000 CA FB SB
2 infantry brigade 4000 CB FC SB
3 infantry brigade 4000 CC FC SC
4 infantry brigade 4000 CC FC SC
9 cavalry brigade 1000 CB light
9 corps artillery 1000 CB 12 pounders

The combat ability and morale of each infantry brigade is shown in the three columns on the right. C is class, F is firepower and S is skirmish ability

A is elite, B is average, C is poor.

All of these are affected by casualties, with one casualty (10%) reducing all three by one
For example a class A skirmisher becomes the same as class B with one casualty.

These abilities are different for each nation, but also for each corps within all armies. There are 1440 infantry brigades in the current campaign order of battle, and every one is slightly different.

Deploying an army on the wargames table requires some study of the ability of each infantry brigade, taking into account which have casualties. When I adopted this system, many years ago, I liked complicated rules and really enjoyed pondering the strengths and weakeness of each brigade in my army. But at that time we used to wargame once a week, at best. I did not run a campaign, so each wargame was stand alone. I was quite happy to spend considerable time planning each wargame and trying to be very clever pitting different abilities on the table. At that time I ran a wargames club from my garage, and we used my figures and scenery. There were up to 10 players, of very different abilities, knowledge of the rules and even interest in Wargaming. The games were mostly every march to the centre of the table, rolls lots of dice have plenty of casualties and fight until the last man standing – or we got to 11pm and the game just ended. Next week a different game with no reference to the outcome of the last one.

My wargaming is now confined to battles derived from my campaign, and my only opponent is my wife Jan. Over the years, and particularly since we retired, our preferred type of wargame has changed drastically. We started our 1813 campaign in April 2009 to provide us with interesting and enjoyable wargames. Since then we have played 511 wargames generated by the campaign. That works out at about 32 games a year. Our preferred type would now be called “fun”, as opposed to “aggressive”.

That is a lot of wargames to transfer from the campaign map to the wargames table, which is my job. I also deploy both armies on the table, though Jan can (and often does) amend the location within the game guidelines. To do so she has to study the combat ability of each corps in her army. It is to make this process easier that I am rewriting the orders of battle.

I will explain the new order of battle in the next post.

Ingolstadt Campaign – Day Seven

Campaign Map

French occupy Ingolstadt and win the campaign
7th French army – advance to Buxheim
8th French army – occupy Ingolstadt
9th French army – hold Manching

Austrian abandon Ingolstadt and lose the campaign
1st Austrian army – retreat to Kosching
2nd Austrian army – retreat to Vohburg
3rd Austrian army – hold Emsgaden

Comments

The campaign ends in a well deserved French win.

Both armies won three battles each, and at the end the Austrians had the advantage in the north. But in the centre and south they had suffered many more casualties than the French, and in particular at the final battle for Ingolstadt. Even allowing for my generous battle casualty replacement rules, there is no way that Second Austrian Army could have recovered, counter attacked and stood a reasonable chance of retaking Ingolstadt.

It also made sense that with the centre and southern Austrian armies in retreat, First Army in the north would have had to retreat or risk being surrounded by 7th and 8th Bavarian armies and forced to surrender.

Two aspects of the campaign require adjustment of the rules following this campaign phase.

Despite making the supply rules easier than in Spain, I found them time consuming and unnecessary in Germany. Obviously supply is important in any campaign, but historically they did not play a vital role in the 1813 campaign in Germany. Unlike in Spain, there were not large bodies of irregular troops constantly attacking supply trains or depots. To reflect this, the supply rules in this campaign were just a record keeping exercise. This could just as easily be done by allowing each army six or seven days supply, and when they ran out the campaign ended.

I also spent some time thinking about the combat and morale value of infantry brigades. I have long used a system of national characteristics. For example French are better at skirmishing, British are better at volley fire, Russians are very stubborn. This raises a lot of problems when deciding which brigade is most suitable for which role in each wargame. It is made considerably worse when campaign casualties are added. For example an elite skirmisher becomes a standard skirmisher when the brigade has 10% casualties. I am working on new orders of battle, of which more later.

Yet another enjoyable campaign, not least for the colourful table top with white and blue uniforms for the Austrians and light blue and white for the Bavarians.

Next time it will be Napoleon v Blucher in northern Germany, but with a slight twist in the tail. Of which more later.

Ingolstadt Campaign – Day Six

Campaign Map

17 August 1813 – Southern Germany – Day 6

French attack Ingolstadt and retreat to Lauf
7th French army – retreat to Lauf
8th French army – attack Ingolstadt
9th French army – rally and resupply at Manching

Aus
1st Austrian army – regroup at Buxheim
2nd Austrian army – defend Ingolstadt
3rd Austrian army – rally and resupply at Emsgaden

Battle of Ingolstadt – End of Battle

8th French army, commanded by Marshal Mortier, attack Ingolstadt
2nd Austrian army, commanded by General Klenau, defend Ingolstadt

French have 9 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigades, 3 corps artillery
Austrians have 10 infantry brigades, 3 cavalry brigades, 3 corps artillery

Both armies are full strength, less brigades detached on garrison duty.

Ingolstadt is the main administrative centre for the Austrian army
It is also the campaign objective for this campaign phase

The Austrians advanced to attack the Bavarians as they entered the table and started to cross the three bridges. The Bavarian cavalry crossed first and deployed to allow the infantry and artillery to cross behind them.

On the left 6th Austrian dragoons charged and routed the 24th hussars. This delayed the rest of the Bavarian corps, until their artillery deployed on the northern bank and routed the Austrians dragoons.

On the right 22nd Bavarian corps took a big risk in placing their artillery on the right bank of the river. This allowed them to force the elite Austrian division holding the right bank to retreat, and it also allowed them to engage the rest of the Austrian corps on the left bank. The Austrian artillery redeployed to engage the enemy gunners, but this allowed the rest of the Bavarian corps to attack along the left bank and take the first objective – the ford.

The Bavarians now attacked the hills in the centre and on the left, the second and third objectives. This developed into an infantry melee, and the Austrians lost both

Having secured all three objectives the Bavarians won the game and the campaign.

Comments

The Austrians were deployed on the table at the start of the game, but out of artillery range of the bridges. The Bavarians moved first and managed to get all three cavalry brigades on the enemy side of the bridges, to protect the infantry and artillery as they crossed the river.

On the left the Austrian cavalry charged and routed the Bavarian cavalry. This delayed the right hand corps and almost won them the game. The Bavarian artillery unlimbered and fired on the rallying Austrian cavalry, hitting them and causing 10% casualties. The cavalry failed their morale test and routed.

This is a good example of how a good, or bad, dice roll can affect the whole game. In this case the luck favoured the Austrians in game move 2, but deserted them in move 3. In effect it saved the whole game. Had the Austrian cavalry passed their morale test, their artillery could have deployed within short range of their side of the bridge. This would have prevented one third of the Bavarian army from crossing and ensured an Austrian victory.

A daring plan can also have an impact. On the right flank the Bavarians risked putting their artillery on the right bank of the river, leaving them no artillery on the left bank to counter the Austrian gunners there. The elite Austrian infantry division on the right bank had no answer to the approaching artillery, and retreated to abandon their side of the ford. The Bavarian gunners could now fire at close range on the mass of Austrian infantry on the left bank. The Austrians retreated and the Bavarians took their first objective.

The hills in the centre and on the left were the second and third objectives. Both were decided by prolonged infantry combat. This was decided by the luck of the dice, and this time”lady luck” smiled on the Bavarians.

Interesting, and very enjoyable, wargame for both of us.