Sunday 28 April 2013

The AAR of Surprise at Kosen (A SDS Scenario)

I have found some spare time today (winter weather helps!) to compose the AAR of the last SDS Scenario, "Surprise at Kosen". You can see below some highlights:

The alarm has been sounded and the Grenzer sentinel opens fire while the French are approaching under the cover of the cemetery walls
French and Grenzer are facing across the stream after the first moments

The hand to hand combat on the bridge is becoming more and more bloody

The French and grenzer officers are fighting one with another

A lucky French shot kills the Grenzer officer before he could finish the fallen French lieutenant

A 'forgotten' Chasseur watches his officer standing defiantly amongst a pile of wounded and dead men

A more detailed account (40 pictures) has been uploaded to the main web site (here) along with the Scenario rules (here). The game was fast and fun (including a forgotten Chasseur and the redemption of a previously frightened Chasseur!) and the Activation step was carried out by using the Doghi’s mechanism.

Enjoy it!




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Saturday 27 April 2013

Raguhn: the new Lasalle Solo Scenario

The research for the new Lasalle solo Scenario (I am not still sure of the final name) is almost done. As said in previous posts, the French forces belong to Morand’s 12th Division of the Bertrand’s IV Corps, acting as right flank guard of the general French advance towards the Army of Silesia, and to Roussel’s 2nd Lt Cavalry Division (Sebastiani’s II Corps) part of the french advance guard. The Russians are part of the Osten Sacken’s XI Corps, left behind in a dangerous isolation, when Bluecher realized that Napoleon himself was advancing against him at full speed with several Army Corps and tried unsuccesfully to cross the River at Duben (see the Duben Scenario and the corresponding AAR). The actual strategical situation at October 8 is depicted on this re-touched contemporary map (see the original version in Napoleon-Series).


This is a "What if" Scenario not only because the actual history was slightly different and neither Bertrand nor Sebastiani catched Osten-Sacken and, but also because of the solo mechanisms used, only part of the Russian forces will appear on the tablegame (although the French forces do appear in full).
Below we can see the first version of the OOB for the Scenario. It is heavily based on the Nafziger's OOBs.


Marshall Bertrand
French IV Corps
Army Moral 43 Break point 14
14 Battalions/6 Regiments/3 batteries (11,200 men)

C-i-C Bertrand (+1/*)

12th Division Morand (+1/*)
1st Brigade Belair (-1/¶)
1/8e Leger R/E/SK2
2/8e Leger R/E/SK2
3/8e Leger R/E/SK2
4/8e Leger R/E/SK2
2nd Brigade Toussaint (+1/*)
1/13e Ligne R/E/SK2
2/13e Ligne R/E/SK2
3/13e Ligne R/E/SK2
4/13e Ligne R/E/SK2
3rd Brigade Hulot (+1/*)
1/23e Ligne R/E/SK2
2/23e Ligne R/E/SK2
4/23e Ligne R/E/SK2
1/137e Ligne R/E/SK2
2/137e Ligne R/E/SK2
3/137e Ligne R/E/SK2

1/2 Foot Artillery Foot/3 cannon/Medium/1 Howitzer
3/2 Foot Artillery Foot/3 cannon/Medium/1 Howitzer

II Cavalry Corps Sebastiani (+1/*)
2rd Lt Cav. Division Roussel (-1/¶)
7th Lt Cav Brigade Dommanget (-/-)
4e Chev-Leg Lanciers R/E/Pu/La
5e Hussar Regiment R/E/Pu
9e Hussar Regiment R/E/Pu
8th Lt Cav Brigade Lagrange (-/¶)
2e Chev-Leg Lanciers R/E/Pu/La
11e Chasserurs a Cheval R/A/Pu
12e Chasseurs a Cheval R/A/Pu
7/1Horse Battery Horse/2 cannon/Medium/1 Howitzer


General Osten-Sacken
Russian XI Corps Army
Moral 59 Break point 20 (Theoretical values. The actual ones will depend of the appearing forces)
19 Battalions/6 Regiments/5 batteries/8 cossacks (16,000 men)

C-i-C Osten-Sacken (+1/-)

10th Division Lieven (-/-)
1st Brigade Agatin (-/*)
1/Jaroslav IR R/E/SK1
2/Jaroslav IR R/E/SK1
2nd Brigade Sass (-1/-)
1/Crimea IR R/E/SK1
2/Bieloserk IR R/E/SK1
1/Bieloserk IR R/E/SK1
3rd Brigade Achlestischev (-/-)
1/8th Jager R/E/SK2
1/39th Jager R/E/SK2
2/39th Jager R/E/SK2

27th Division Neverovsky (+1/¶)
1st Brigade Stawicki (-1/¶)
1/Vilna IR R/E/SK1
2/Simbrisk IR R/E/SK1
2nd Brigade Alexejev (+1/¶)
1/Odessa IR R/E/SK1
1/Tarnopol IR R/E/SK1
3rd Brigade Kollogribov (-/¶)
1/49th Jager R/E/SK2
2/49th Jager R/E/SK2
1/50th Jager R/E/SK2

16th Division Repninsky (-/¶)
1st Brigade Rachmanov (+1/-)
1/Okhotsk IR R/E/SK1
2/Okhotsk IR R/E/SK1
1/Kamchatka IR R/E/SK1
2/Kamchatka IR R/E/SK1

Pos. Bat.#10 Foot/4 cannon/Hvy/1 Howitzer
Pos. Bat.#13 Foot/4 cannon/Hvy/1 Howitzer
Lt. Bat. #24 Foot/4 cannon/Medium/1 Howitzer
Lt. Bat. #35 Foot/4 cannon/Medium/1 Howitzer
Horse Bat. #18 Horse/3 cannon/Medium/2 Howitzer

Cavalry Vassilshikov (-1/¶)
3rd Dragoon Division Uschakov (-1/¶)
Smolensk DR R/E/Pu
Kourland DR R/E/Pu
2nd HussarDivision Raskachoff (+1/*)
1st Brigade Yurkpwski (-/¶)
White Russia HR V/E/Pu +
Akhtyrsk HR V/E/Pu +
2nd Brigade Vassilshikov II -(+1/-)
Marioupol HR V/E/Pu +
AlexandriaHR V/E/Pu +

Cossacks Karpov II (-1/¶)
Karpov #2 S/I/Pu
Loukoffkin S/I/Pu
Kutainikov #4 S/I/Pu
Grekov S/I/Pu
Semencikov #4 S/I/Pu
Illowaiski #9 S/I/Pu
Baron Bode S/I/Pu
4th Ukrainian S/I/Pu


Next, the initial dispositions and Scenario rules!



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Thursday 25 April 2013

A short film about the battle of Vittoria

Watch the first version of a film Project about the battle of Vittoria 1813, the last great battle of the Peninsular that marked the end of the Spanish Napoleonic adventure.



You can see other Spanish Napoleonic short films at the Silbelius' Vimeo page



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Tuesday 23 April 2013

Kosen for Song of Drums and Shakos

Today is holiday in Valladolid (and Castilla y León). We are celebrating the battle of Villalar (1521) when the Comuneros of Castilla were routed by the imperialist forces of Carlos I (or Charles V). It was a rout, but in that day we commemorate our autonomy from the Spanish central state! 
With no job and some hours for me, I have run the Kosen SDS Scenario (see here, here and here).
It was a fast and furious game, reaching its outcome, a French victory,  in 12 turns, including a calling for help to the Yahoo Song of Blades and Heroes forum, immediately answered by Andrea Sfiligoi and Sergio Laliscia themselves!

The French lieutenant standing amongst the fallen

The central event was a bloody encounter over the bridge involving both chief of the squads and the Grenzer sargeant. Despite their gallantry, Natporučnik (lieutenant) Kocsis and Sargeant Spasic resulted dead in that melee along other private (the "Big" brother) and other four Grenzers resulted dead around. The French had four dead (including Sargeant Funes) and two wounded fantassins in the same of the battlefield.
In addition to the bridge melee, the most striking fact was that the final shot killing Natporučnik Kocsis  (and breaking the Grenzers, was fired by a Chasseur that was previously forced to flee by the Grenzer "Big Brother" (Fear rule). Once recovered, the Chasseur fired his lucky shot. Incidentally, the question posted on the Yahoo Forum was related with the behaviour of a fleeing man after his flee moves.
A final curiosity: after the end of the fight, a French chasseur was discovered hidden behind a tree. The poor guy was forgotten during the advance!
A more detailed AAR will be posted in the next days.. If I find some spare time!



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Saturday 20 April 2013

Several possibilities: Another Lasalle Solo Scenario (II)

The solo Mechanics are adapted de Rich Barbuto's Solo Scenario 'Attack at Vilna')
The gaming table is divided in three (A, B, C) zones and each had 10 numbered locations. As the French enter the southern (bottom) edge of the table and move north, they would first see the enemy in zone A, moving westwards, and a die will be rolled to generate and locate Russians forces. When the French enter zone B, another set of Russian forces will be generated and the same when the French arrive to zone C.
French forces belong to Morand’s 12th Division (Bertrand’s IV Corps) and to Roussel’s 2nd Lt Cavalry Division (Sebastiani’s II Corps) and make up for a total of 14 battalions, 6 regiments, 2 foot batteries and 1 horse battery. They will be divided into Advance Guard, Main Body, Right Flank Guard and Left Flank Guard, and will enter following the blue arrows.
The Russian forces will move westwards (right to left) and belong to the Osten Sacken’s XI Corps, comprising jagers, line infantry, dragoons, hussars, several position, foot light and horse batteries, and a Cossack complement.

The number of Russian units in each zone is found by rolling 1D10.
Zone A (Russian Flank Guard) : 1-2: 3 units; 3-6: 4 units; 7-8: 5 units; 9-0: 6 units
Zones B and C (Russian Main Body) : 1-2: 6 units; 3-7: 7 units; 8-0: 8 units
The type of
Russian unit in each zone is also randomly determined:
Zone A : 1-5: Jager battalion; 6-10: Cavalry Regiment. When a Russian unit appears, an additional 1D10 will determine the presence of Cossacks: 1 – 5 : No Cossacks ; 6 -0 : Cossack Pulk.
Zone B : 1-5: Line Battalion; 6-7: Cavalry Regiment; 8-0: Battery
Zone C :1-7: Line Battalion; 8: Cavalry Regiment; 9-0: Battery
The location of each
Russian unit is decided by the roll of 1D10. Only one Russian unit can be in a same point in zone A, whereas zones B and C allow for two units on the same spot.
The disposition of the Russian unit is also determined with 1D10
Zone A: 1 – 5: in march column; 6 – 0: deployed facing South (Cossacks always face South)
Zones A and B: 1 -2 : in march column ; 5 – 0: deployed facing South

To be continued



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Friday 19 April 2013

Several possibilities: Another Lasalle Solo Scenario

Again the real world is interfering with wargaming...The playing of the SDS 'Kosen' Scenario is being delayed by different and very demanding academic duties, and the Lasalle homonymous Scenario 'The crossing point. Kösen. October 21, 1813' is in the same conditions, i.e. frozen.
However, computers and internet enable other possibilites to "modern" wargamer, that are almost so fun as actual wargaming, for example the research for the design of... another Scenario!
This time, the trigger was the reading of the Rich Barbuto's Solo Scenario 'Attack at Vilna' (available for free download from the Lone Warrior site). The scenario shows a French (Davout's I Corps) flank attack on a retiring Russian (Bragation's 2nd Russian Army) column. The French are player-controlled whereas the Russians appear randomly in the table in different positions, triggered by the French advance across the tablegame.


Taken from Rick Barbuto's Scenario
The 1813 homologous Scenario is based on the movements before Leipzig battle, when Napoleon advanced northwards to cath the Blucher's Silesain Army, after this last had crossed the Elbe at Wartenburg (you can see a Napoleon's Battles Wartenburg game at my web site by clicking here) and was heading for a rendez-vous with the Bernadotte's Army of the North. 
Movements of Russian and French forces
The rapid French advance, caused the haste retreat of the Blucher's forces that were almost taken at Duben (see a Lasalle Duben game here). In the confusion, the Osteman-Sacken's Russian contingent became isolated and made a westwards flank march, passing along the Bertrand's IV Corps and the Sebastiani's II Cavalry Corps. In the real world, Osteman-Sacken avoided battle, and reached the safety with his C-i-C, crossing the Mulde River. Afterwards, Blucher forced the undecided Bernadotte to advance towards Leipzig, but that was another history.
Bibliography:
G. Nafziger. Napoleon at Leipzig. The Battle of the Nations. 1813. Emperor's Press. Chicago, 1996. p. 62
S.L. Delvaux. Witness to Glory: Lieutenant-General Henri-Gatien Bertrand, 1791-1815. Florida State University. 2005. p. 293
F.L. Petre. Napoleon's Last Campaign in Germany, 1813. Lane, London, 1852. p. 305
F.K.F. Müffling. Passages from my life: together with memoirs of the campaign of 1813 and 1814. R. Bentley, London, 1853. p. 347.


To be continued...




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Friday 5 April 2013

Building a wargaming table

You can see in the Flick Gallery of Jeffrey Knudsen (from War Artisan) a terrific method to build a wargaming table, by using foam rubber floor tiles, a ground cloth and wads of polyester batting fixed with straigth pins. This allows to change the shape and location of the hills each time the table is built.


btt3

btt5

btt8

btt18

The effect is amazing but take into account that Jeffrey uses 10mm figures. Don't miss the other Jeffrey's Flick Galleries, with a lot of useful ideas and great AAR's of land and naval wargames. The below pictures are taken from Zweibrucken, a fall 1813 game.

Atf02-13 045

Atf02-13 027

Incidentally the link was found through Andrea Sfiligoi and Sergio Laliscia  (the 'father' of Song of Drums and Shakos) in the Song of Blades an Heroes yahoo group.


Monday 1 April 2013

A Napoleon's Battles game in youtube!

Many rainy days here in Spain and only internet to play with! However, while waiting for the releasing of NB-IV, I have been able to find a Napoleon's Battles game in youtube. It involved Prussians against French and Italians.
Below you can see the four parts of the game










Enjoy!


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