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...




Share |

1 comment:

  1. This is a great idea for a campaign and battles Rafa. I look forward to following your descriptions as it develops.
    James

    ReplyDelete