Happy New Year 2012!

Happy New Wargaming Year to Everybody!

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Wethau. The terrain and the rules

This Lasalle Scenario is based on a real combat fought between the Augereau's IX Corps and the Liechtenstein's Austrian 1st Light Division and the Streifcorps of Thielmann and Mendorff along a stream and in the plain beyond it.
For the narrative I have used the following bibliography:

• Tableau de la Campagne d'automne de 1813 en Allemagne. Dimitrij Petrovič Buturlin.pp 102-103 (1817)
• Campagne de 1813. La cavalerie des armées allies. M.H. Weil, pp 205-210 (1886)
• Napoleon at Leipzig. The Battle of Nations 1813. George Nafziger, pp 81-85, Emperor's Press (1996)

According to these references, the focal points of the combat were (1) the bridge at Wethau in the highway Naumburg-Weissenfels, defended by the 2nd and 7st Jagers (with a company of Grenzers) some cavalry and all the Austrian artillery and (2) a ford located 2 km upstream that allowed Augereau to outflank the Austrian defenders avoiding the Wethau defile, a difficult terrain interspected with woods. Beyond the stream, the terrain opens towards the south-east, allowing the deployment and maneuvers of cavalry. For the tablegame I have used current GoogleEarth and Google Maps images and some small maps found in... a German equestrian page! After the corresponding editing in Power Point, the result is:

The Scenario specific rules were already used and tested in other Scenarios:
Assault of defiles
Lasalle does not allow march columns to fight, so the assaults on defiles, such as bridges, fortified gates, field fortifications, etc. can not be played on the table in a convincing way. There were some friendly discussions in the Lasalle Forum regarding this topic. At last, I have used the Scruf’s proposal:
(1) A march column can assault a defile like a bridge, a fortified gate, a fort, etc. It represents not only true march columns, but also all those formations with a much reduced front.
(2) It fights halved dice and with no previous shooting, adding a -2 for "bad terrain" as they will be fighting in cramped quarters.
(3) The defending enemy may use the "cover" or "higher elevation" modifiers when applicable.
(4) However the small front, the enemy never halves their dice

Optional rule for baggage units (As for my suggestion in Lasalle e-book p. 143)
(1) The wagon moves as if it were a foot artillery unit, always limbered.
(2) The wagon neither fires nor can charge the enemy. It has only one formation: limber. It does not block line of sight or fire. It may not be fired upon.
(3) Friendly units may move through it, as they move through a limbered artillery unit.
(4) Any enemy unit - regular or irregular - may charge the wagon, as long as that unit is eligible to charge (it is in a formation that permits it to charge, it is facing the right way, etc.)
(5) In its reaction phase, the wagon may attempt a Fall Back, as if it were a foot artillery limber. It succeeds on a roll of 4+, but if attacked by enemy cavalry, it must re-roll a success, even if within 1BW of friendly infantry.
(6) If it fails to fall back, then the wagon is automatically captured in the ensuing combat. Combat must be “resolved” against it, as if against any other unit, but the resolution consists simply of removing the wagon, advancing the enemy unit(s) that captured it 2BW, and awarding the captured Objective to the enemy.
(7) Any enemy unit that contacted the wagon suffers 1DISR, unless that would break it. (The men are dispersed, plundering the loot). The unit must then take a discipline test. If it fails, it is marked in some way, showing that it is disordered and still plundering.
(8) A unit that is still plundering is considered “Out of Command” for the entirety of its side’s next turn.

Optional rule for Cossacks (and other irregular cavalry)
(1) Irregular cavalry units may charge enemy units standing in 'march column' formation.
(2) Irregular cavalry units must to pass a 'Discipline' test to initiate the charge.
(3) If routed in 'decisive combat' the irregular cavalry unit is immediately broken.
(4) If the target is a baggage unit, use the above Optional rule for baggage units.

Next, the Reinforcements schedule and the Objectives for both commanders.

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Wethau. An OOB for Lasalle

Voilà the first version of the OOB for Wethau. It is a modification of the real OOB (including additional French and Allied units) and it is heavily based on the Nafziger's OOB's.

French Army
10 Battalions/10 Regiments/4 Batteries (11,220 men); Army Moral 47; Break point 16

C-i-C IX Corps Augereau (-/-)

51e Division Turreau (-/*)
1e Brigade Lagarde (+1/*)
2/25e Légère R/A/SK2 +
2/63e Ligne R/A/SK1
2e Brigade Aymard (-/*)
3/10e Légère R/A/SK1 +
3/32e Ligne R/A/SK1
2/58e Ligne R/A/SK1
Artillery
22/1e Artillerie Foot 3Guns/M/1Hw
5/2e Artillerie Foot 3Guns/M/1Hw

9e Light Cavalry Division Subervie (-1/*)
32 Light Cavalry Brigade Klicky (+1/-)
3e Hussar Regiment R/E/Pu
26e Chasseurs à Cheval R/A/Pu
33 Light Cavalry Brigade Vial (+1/-)
14e Chasseurs à Cheval R/A/Pu
27e Chasseurs à Cheval R/A/Pu

Reinforcements
52e Division Semele (-/*)
1e Brigade Bagneris (-1/¶)
2/17e Légère R/A/SK2 +
2/39e Ligne R/A/SK1
2e Brigade Godard (-/¶)
6/121e Ligne R/A/SK1
6/122 Ligne R/A/SK1
2/86e Ligne R/A/SK1
Artillery
22/2e Artillerie Foot 3Guns/M/1Hw
2 Train Companies

1e Brigade 5e Heavy Cavalry Division Quenet (-/-)
2e Dragoon Regiment R/E/Sh/Pu
6e Dragoon Regiment R/E/Sh/Pu

6e Heavy Cavalry Division Montéléger (-1/¶)
1e Brigade Lamotte(+1/*)
18e Dragoon Regiment R/E/Sh/Pu
19e Dragoon Regiment R/E/Sh/Pu
2e Brigade Mermet (-/¶)
22e Dragoon Regiment R/E/Sh/Pu
25e Dragoon Regiment R/E/Sh/Pu
Artillery
2/3e Horse Artillery Horse 2Guns/M/1Hw

Allied Army

9 Battalions/8 Regiments/4 Cossacks / 4 batteries (12,320 men); Moral 51 Break point 17 (See Note 1)

C-i-C 1st Light Division Liechtenstein (-/¶)

1st Brigade Hessen-Homburg (+1/-)
1st Jager Battalion R/E/SK2
2nd Jager Battalion R/E/SK2
Kaiser#1 Chevauxlegers R/E/Pu +
Brigade Battery Foot/3cannons/Light
2nd Brigade Scheither (-1/-)
1/Brooder Grenz IR R/A/SK1 or R/I/SK2
7st Jager Battalion R/E/SK2
Vincent#4 Chevauxlegers R/E/Pu +
Artillery
Cavalry Battery Foot/2cannons/Medium/1How

StreifCorps Thielmann (-/*)
Austrians Gasser(-1/-)
Hohenzoller#2 Chevauxlegers R/E/Pu
Klenau#5 Chevauxlegers R/E/Pu
Prussians Von Kurland (-1/-)
Silesians Hussars V/E/Pu
Silesian National Cavalry S/A
Russians Orlow (-/-)
Cossacks 4 S/I/Pu
Cossacks 5 S/I/Pu

StreifCorps Mensdorff (+1/*)
Er. Ferdinand Hussars #3 V/E/Pu
Illowaisky X Cossacks S/I/Pu
Gorin I Cossacks S/I/Pu

Reinforcements 
1st Division Austrian II Corps Lederer (-/-)
1st Brigade Sorenberg (-/*)
1/Gradiskaner Grenz IR R/A/SK1 or R/I/SK2
Kienmayer#8 Hussars + V/E/Pu +
Erz Johann#1 Dragoons R/E/Pu
Foot Battery Foot/2cannons/Medium/1How
2nd Brigade Longueville (-1/-)
1/von Strauch#24 IR R/E/SK1 +
2/von Strauch#24 IR R/E/SK1 +
1/Bellegarde#44 IR R/E/SK1 +
2/Bellegarde#44 IR R/E/SK1 +
Foot Battery Foot/2cannons/Medium/1How

Notes
(1) Each Cossack unit is worth one Moral Point.
(2) Units marked (+) are large (6 base) units.

Watch for the terrain and special rules!

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Wethau: the next Lasalle project

October 10, 1813. The Allied Armies are converging towards Leipzig while Napoleon is calling for all the available forces to fight the climatic battle of the Saxon Campaign.
The Augereau's IX Corps is advancing along the Saale from Naumburg to Weissenfels, closely watched by the Liechtenstein's Austrian 1st Light Division and the Streifcorps of Thielmann and Mendorff. The main road crossed the Wethau stream, a small tributaire of the Saale, by a bridge located in the Wethau village that is now in Austrian hands after the French light cavalry of the advance-guard was expelled by a surprise attack carried out by the Austrian Jager Battalion #7. Liechtenstein, closely supported by the Thielmann's and Mensdorf's Sreifcorps, hoped to delay Augereau for at least a day's march in the Wethau defile, if not totally block his march on Leipzig.
However, Augereau used his 51th Division to attack frontally Wethau while simultaneously used an unguarded ford located 2 km upstream, taking in reverse and routing the Austrian defenders that retired on their supports, the Allied Streifcorps and the Austrian Light Division. A cavalry battle ensued between the Allies and the Milhaud's V(bis) Cavalry Corps, containing some 'Heavy' Divisions formed by veteran Dragoons arrived from Spain, and after a bitter fight the Allies were forced to retire. Augereau continued his march towards Leipzig.
This Lasalle Scenario is based upon that combat, although I have taken some historical licenses to make a more interesting tabletop battle. Thus, the involved forces will be the full IX Corps and the 5(bis)Cavalry Corps for the French side, and some units of the Lederer's Light Division of the Austrian II Corps.
It will be another 'international' battle with Russian Cossacks and Austrian Jagers and Grenzers!

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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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Altenburg (VI). A French tactical victory

The sunset arrived (i.e. no more additional turns!) and the combat is finished.
The Allied are maintaining a thin line with their right flank resting on Schelditz. The untouched Austrian Grenzer form the extreme of the line, with the intermingled Prussian cavalry and Cossacks at their left. Facing them, two of the Pirè's French Hussars are protecting the retreat of the only Young Guard cavalry unit, the Chasseurs a Cheval.

In the center of the Allied line, the lone Austrian ChevauxLegers Hohenzoller #2 is facing the whole Jacquinot's line Chasseurs a Cheval brigade.

The Russian Cossacks form the Allied left flank while, in the background, the Baden infantry and one French Pire's Hussar regiment can be seen scorting the French baggage, protected by the deployed Old Guard Volante (horse) artillery.

Another view, this time from behind of the French table side, showing the French superiority in the centre

The combat is technically a DRAWN BATTLE, but all the numbers are against the Allied: they were in the verge of the breakpoint after losing 6 cavalry regiments whereas the French losses only amounted to 3 cavalry regiments (although two were Young Guard units).
Additionally, if the number of lost bases is considered, the Allied (37) are again overcome by the French (23).
All in all, the Allied Streifcorps have been no capable to rout a French inferior force, and the combat will pass into history as a French tactical victory.

Edited (12/18/2011). The coloured pins next to the units, show the casualties: green: one ; orange: two and red: three.

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Altenburg (V). An unexpected fall back

The tribulations of the Young Guard Cavalry continue: the Silesian Hussars break at last the Young Guard Chevauxlegers Lanciers de la Garde:

But in the other flank, the Austrian Hohenzoller #2 Chevauxlegers Regiment is routed by the French 5e Chasseurs a Cheval:

Provoking a major disaster because during their falling back from the combat, they disorder and break the Austrian Kienmayer Hussars #8 Regiment!:

Only to be charged and routed again by the French light cavalry Regiment:

Meanwhile, the Baden infantry and the transport is arriving to the safety of Rositz, protected by the deployed Guard Volante Artillery:

And the battle ends. Watch for the final result!

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Altenburg (IV). The end is near

Although the cavalry battle is, in general, degenerating into a series a individual combats, some regiments are making combined attacks. In that way, the Austrian Palatinal Hussars #12 Regiment is taken between the Young Guard Chasseurs and Grenadiers a Cheval, becoming broken in the proccess:

Meanwhile, the Prussian National Cavalry regiment is rejecting the Young Guard ChevauxLegers-Lanciers:

But are broken by the Grenadiers a Cheval!:

The Lorge's Chasseurs a Cheval regiments are arriving in haste to fall upon the Allied left flank:

But surprinsingly, the Gorin II cossacks achieve a victory on the flanking Chasseurs a Cheval!:

The Grenadiers a Cheval are broken by the veteran Silesian Hussars:

The Allied sense the victory upon the almost broken Young Guard remaining regiments:

The end seems near!

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Altenburg (III). The first cavalry clashes

The first serious hand-to-hand cavalry combats are in progress
The Young Guard Chevaux-Legers Lanciers reject the veteran Silesian Hussars in an indecisive encounter forcing them to fall-back.

However, the Prussian Neumarkt Dragoons break the Quinette's Combined Dragoons Regiment.

And after the first combat, the victorious Prussians fall over the Young Guard Chasseur a Cheval Regiment, also routing them!

But the other French 'heavy cavalry' at Altenburg, the Combined Dragoon-Cuirassier Regiment, has rejected the Austrian Kienmayer Hussars #8 Regiment.

The stakes are high!

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Altenburg (II). The reinforcements arrive

After their local triumph, the Young Guard Chasseurs à Cheval fall back along their comrades of the Grenadiers à Cheval, protecting the flanks of the retreating Baden infantry.

The Pire´s Hussars are facing the outflanking Allied cavalry which, after deploying the Austrian Levenehr Dragoons #4 Regiment in line, are ready to the combat with the help of the Cossack battery.

The first Allied reinforcements, the Prussians of the Thielmann's StreifCorps have arrived upon the right flank of the French Quinette's heavy brigade.

However, the French reinforcements also arrive throught the village of Rositz, far away of the actual battle.

A storm is gathering!

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Altenburg (I)

The opposing armies have deployed at Altenburg.
Lefevbre-Desnouettes is defending the bridge with the Baden infantry closely supported by the Young Guard cavalry and the Guard Volante Artillery. Piré is covering the left flank while watching the Allied cavalry. Quinette's heavy cavalry (dragoons and cuirassiers) is in the rear right flank in reserve:

Platov is menacing the French center with his regular Austrians while trying to outflank the French with the mixed Austrian-Cossacks detachments:

The Allied cavalry crosses the stream in two points

While Piré falls back facing the Allied in the left:

And the Young Guard Chasseurs a Cheval routs the veteran ErzHerzog Ferdinand Hussars Regiment #3!:

To be continued....

Note. All the information about the Scenario is now on the main web-site

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Altenburg 1813. The terrain

The table game for Altenburg is ready. There some subtile differences with the proposed map (see here)

The fog of war in action!

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Spain wins Davis Cup

Rafael Nadal defeated Juan Martin del Potro 16 64 61 76(0) at Seville's Olympic Stadium on Sunday to hand Spain their fifth Davis Cup by BNP Paribas title. The classic contest lasted 4 hours 8 minutes.
Nadal was completely dominated at the start of the match as del Potro raced out of the blocks and won seven straight games to take a set and a break lead, but the world No. 2 snatched a crucial game at the start of the second set that swung the momentum.
When Nadal broke again to win the second set it looked like he was on his way to a comfortable victory. He walked through the third set and went a break up at the start of the fourth, but then del Potro, lifted by the Argentine fans, staged a remarkable comeback.
In an enthralling fourth set, which swung one way and then the other on more than a few occasions, del Potro served to take the match into a decider, only for Nadal to break back. A few moments later the Spaniard found himself serving for it, but this time del Potro broke back.
The rubber headed into a tiebreak and Nadal immediately took control, never looking back. He was utterly ruthless and completed the perfect 'golden' breaker with a winning forehand, a shot which sealed Spain's crown of Davis Cup champion for the fifth time.

Taken from Davis Cup official site

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Altenburg update: the optional rules

The combat of Altenburg was a small affaire involving some pulks of Russian Cossacks, irregular cavalry as per Lasalle, as well as the defense and assault of a defile, the bridge at Schelditz. The scenario needs some optional rules to cover both aspects, since Lasalle is best suited to open-field combats involving regular units. The following rules will be used:

Assault of defiles
Lasalle does not allow march columns to fight, so the assaults on defiles, such as bridges, fortified gates, field fortifications, etc. can not be played on the table in a convincing way. There were some friendly discussions in the Lasalle Forum regarding this topic. At last, I have used the Scruf's proposal:
1) A march column can assault a defile like a bridge, a fortified gate, a fort, etc. It represents not only true march columns, but also all those formations with a much reduced front.
2) It fights halved dice and with no previous shooting, adding a -2 for "bad terrain" as they will be fighting in cramped quarters.
3) The defending enemy may use the "cover" or "higher elevation" modifiers when applicable.
3) However the small front, the enemy never halves their dice

Optional rule for charging Cossacks
(1) Irregular cavalry units may charge enemy units standing in 'march column' formation.
(2) Irregular cavalry units must to pass a 'Discipline' test to initiate the charge.
(3) If routed in 'decisive combat' the irregular cavalry unit is immediately broken.

These rules have been used in previous scenarios so they are well tested. Watch and see!

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