Sunday 1 September 2013

Pirna for Lasalle (and V)

The Russians are desperately trying to open the exit towards Bohemia

Russian Guard Uhlans overrun the 3/85e ligne before forming square...
.. while the triomphant Russian Guard Cuirassiers reject the 5e Chevau-Legers Lanciers
The Russian line fires furiously...
The Russian Guard cavalry is now master of the strategical bridge...
... and some Russian units cross the stream flying fom the French
... but the game ends and the Russian have lost!
The game finished abruptly because in turn 22 the Russians when the French failed the Army Morale Check after reaching their Army Morale Breakpoint (one third of losses).The final results were:
French losses (8 points): 3/ and 4/55e ligne; Italian Chasseurs a Cheval; 9/8e foot artillery and 2/4e horse artillery
Russian losses (18 points): 1/Revel IR; 1/ and 2/Tchernigov IR; 2/Minsk IR; 1/Semenovski Guards IR; Grodno HR; Soum HR; Loubny HR; Position battery #5 and Horse battery #7

In Lasalle, the presence of pursuing cavalry can convert a retreat in a total rout. In this case, the French had 4 bases left of pursuing cavalry, i.e. 4 points, whereas the Russians had 12 bases left and 2 'normal' units, giving a total of 14 points, so the Russian cavalry (mainly Cossacks) is able to cover their retreat.

Therefore the battle was a French marginal victory

Epilogue. Pirna for Lasalle finished like the real combat. Ostermann-Tolstoi was able to extricate his forces from Vandamme interference, although with a larger number of losses than in the reality.  In 1813, Vandamme pursued the retiring Russians into Bohemia, only to be trapped and routed in Kulm (29-30 of August 1813),  making that Napoleon lose all advantages won at Dresden.  See the main web site for a re-fight of Kulm with Napoleon's Battles.





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2 comments:

  1. A great game Rafa - well done the French!

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  2. Higher level morale is a good mechanism to stop wargamers "fighting to the last man" isn't it? You think that you army is going okay, but the losses add up and *bang* a brigade/division/corps or even the army is *gone*!

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