Painting time. Brandenburg Uhlans (and III)

The Brandenburg Uhlans are ready to fight. You can see below a series of pictures showing the unit after flocking and varnishing.

The pictures were taken into the house: the temperature outside is -3ºC (26.6ºF)!

Edited (December 1, 2013)
You can watch the full history at the main web site: Prussian Uhlans

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Painting time. Brandenburg Uhlans (II)

There are no 1/72 (HO) plastic figures in the market for the Prussian Uhlans of 1813. After a visit to the Plastic Soldier Review page, searching for sets with a reasonable similarity with the desired figures, I finally chose the Italeri 6080 French Light Cavalry set (see below)

Italeri 6080 French Light Cavalry set

These figures wore a short-tailed coat or 'Kinski', very similar to the Prussian hip-length double-breasted tunic or 'kollet', and trousers with an the outer row of buttons. The only minor surgical interventions needed to disguise them as Prussians were the elimination of the carbine when necessary, the replacement of the sword with a lance and the addition of plasticine (or green putty) to simulate the shako cover (the colpak figure was not used).
The below series shows the different steps of the painting process

After the basic colours application

After the first highlight

After second highlight and addition of the shako covers

Uhlans mounted in their assigned horses

Afetr addition of lances (made with straighten paperclips)

and pennon lances (made from paper)

Tomorrow, the final flocking and varnishing steps

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Grunberg for Lasalle. An analysis

The charge of the 19th Hungarian infantry regiment in the Battle of Leipzig (1813) against the French

The main conclusion to be drawn from the combat of Grunberg, is the huge advantage that enjoy in Lasalle the 'large units' of six figures, like the Austrians of 1813, when facing 'normal' units of four figures like the French (and incidentally 'the rest of the world'). This 50% advantage appears at different times of the game:
1) Fire. In Lasalle, the musket fire effect is determined with the firing unit rolling a number of dice equaling the number of figures in its first rank. The comparative efficincy of the skirmisher screens can modulate this, but the French had a poor skirmish performance in 1813, so the Austrians are more likely to cause more fire casualties than the French.
2) Hand to Hand Combat. In this case, both sides roll a number of dice equal to twice the total of their respective figures. The final numbers can change depending on various tactical aspects, but the result is that the Austrians habitually will roll more dice, so it is quite difficult to break an Austrian unit in hand to hand combat.
3) Morale of the units. The number of casualties that a unit can absorb in Lasalle before to be broken and eliminated, depends on its initial number of figures. Here the Austrians of 1813 have again an advantage that is often decisive, as they can absorb a 50% more of casualties than the French, and consequently they have a larger resiliance.
4) The Army moral. The morale breaking number, i.e. the level when a side becomes routed in Lasaale and must concede the day, depends on their morale number, that is calculated with 'normal' units being worth 2 morale points, while the 'large' ones are worth 3 morale points, the breaking level of an army composed from 'large' units is always greater than the corresponding to an army composed of 'normal' units, so it is more difficult to break it.
During my solo-gaming I act in a god-like way. I made that the French followed their usual 'en avant' attacking tactical doctrine, while the Austrian followed their habitual and more cautious defensive approach. The net result of these opposing doctrines, when combined with the four points described above, was that the French crashed their heads, again and again, against the sheer weight of the Austrian numbers. The battle became thus a matter of attrition and consequentlythe winner was the side that could absorb more losses.
This combat has shown the power of the 'big battalions' or that, as we said in Spain, 'God helps the bad when they outnumber the good' (Dios ayuda a los malos cuando son más que los buenos)
 
The next project will be a combat between Frech and Prussians and both sides love the attack!

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Grunberg for Lasalle (and V)

While the Austrians were rejecting the French attacks on the hill, the situation in the rest of the battlefield was still developing. The first series depicts a summary of the fight in the center, near Grunberg.

The French cavalry has occupied the center while the infantry run towards Augustusburg

The 1/ and 2/Mariassy IR form square and repel the attacks of the 3e and 5e Hussards, respectively...

... and afterwards reject the combined-arms attacks of the French ...

... that are forced to use musket and cannon fire to try the breaking of the solid Austrian squares.

The second series shows the fight in the outskirts of Augustusburg

The French reinforcements advance against Augustusburg after the ocupation of the cemetery

The 1/Kaiser IR rejects the 2/26e Legere...

.... and then the Austrians deploy breaking the 2/26e Legere with musket fire...

... and then advance in line, breaking the 2/93e Ligne in hand-to-hand combat.

This loss precipitated the end of the battle, because the French reached their Army Morale Breakpoint in the turn 25 (first additional turn) and failed the subsequent Army Morale Check. The final results were:
French losses (17 points): 1/11e legere; 1/ and 2/2e ligne; 1/ and 2/ 18e ligne; 2/26 ligne; 2/93e ligne 8e Chevaulegers-Lanciers; 26/3e Foot artillery (General Valory wounded and General Piquet dead)
Austrian losses (14 points): 1/Wurzburg IR; 1/ and 2/Gyulai IR; Klenau Chevaulegers; 2 brigade batteries of the 2nd division

In Lasalle, the presence of pursuing cavalry can convert a retreat in a total rout. The French had 24 points of pursuing cavalry (24 bases left), whereas the Austrians had only 6 points (6 bases left). Therefore, the French cavalry  was able to cover their retreat.

The battle was an Austrian marginal victory

Epilogue. Grunberg for Lasalle finished like the real combat, with the French forces retiring towards Leipzig and the Austrians waiting for the arrival of the rest of the army. In 1813, Murat (the Victor's C-I-c) retired on Lieberwolkwitz, where took place the battle of that name, the prelude to the Battle of the Nations.  See the main web site for a re-fight of Lieberwolkwitz with Napoleon's Battles.

Next time, the analysis of the game!

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Grunberg for Lasalle (IV). The fight on the hill

After the break of the first Austrian line, the French advanced against the hill near Hohenlichte, one of the keys to the Austrian position.

The 11e Legere breaks the 2/Gyulai IR....

... and then advances uphill, sweeping aside the surprised Austrian artillerymen...

.. and forcing the Austrian infantry downhilll...

... engaging them aftewards in a fierce firefight...

... but in the subsequent charge, the 1/11e Legere is rejected and falls back...

... only to be crushed by the flank attack of the 1/Warasdiner Kreuzer Grenzer

The situation reachs a sort of stalemate in this area

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Painting time. Brandenburg Uhlans (I)

Taken from Histofig site

With the Grunberg Scenario under way (it is finished actually, but the final result is under embargo until published!) I am 'researching' for the Christmas Lasalle battle. This time, the Scenario will be located in the days following the battle of the Katzbach, when the routed French forces were closely pursued by the Prusso-Russian forces.
While preparing the OOB's for the Scenario, I found that the Brandenburg Uhlans took part in the pursuit, but also that there are not Prussian Uhlans amongst my lead/plastics recruits. Therefore, this will be the next painting project, really a very reduced one, because I only need 8 figures to build a four-bases 'normal' Lasalle unit.
A quick review of the literature, led to the classic Osprey Men-at-Arms 172 book Prussian Cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars (2).1807–15, from Peter Hofschröer and illustrated by Bryan Fosten, where the uniforms are described.

Taken from Osprey MAA 172

Uhlans wore a dark blue 'kollet' (a hip-length double-breasted tunic) with poppy red collars and 'polish' (pointed) cuffs and two rows of buttons curveing slightly outwards to the top. The lapels were piped in red and the short tails had a two-inch-wide red trim. The button colours and soulder straps were used to distinguish the regiment, with the Brandeburg Uhlans (Regiment no. 3) carrying yellow shoulder straps and buttons. The rank-and-fie could also wore a dark-blue Litewka (a long coat). A dark blue sash piped in red was carried by the rank-and-file The legwears were dark-grey overalls covered in black leather up the whole length of the inner legs and around the ankles. Down the outer surface was an open seam closed with a row of buttons (piped in red?). They wore also a cavalry shako covered in campaign with a black waxed cloth.
The armament consisted in a curved sabre with a steel scabbard. The troopers carried a lance with a brown shaft and iron point. In 1813 the pennants were dark blue on the lower halves and yellow (Brandenburg Uhlans) on the upper half. The rankers wore also a pistol and a black leather cartridge-box with white (shown black in all the sources) belt.
The horse furniture was a black sheepskin saddle cloth with a red 'wolf's teeth' (triangular) trim.

Taken from Elting & Knoetel

The next step is to search for the adequate figures.

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Grunberg for Lasalle (III)

While the fashionable French Hussars became lost in the woods and the unfortunate Bronikowski's French brigade was wiped out, the Austrian first line suffered the assault of the French

The Austrians fall back fromt the hills towards Grunberg...

...but the weak angle of the Austrian first line is broken by a French combined-arms attack.

...opening a hole in the Austrian front line ...

... that is then widened by the French infantry, isolating the Gurnberg garrison...

.... whereas the French Chevauleger-Lanciers have broken the Austrian Klenau Chevaulegers...

... contacting the French reinforcements, that are outflanking the Austrian first line and  advancing against Augustusburg...

... ready to fight the Austrian reinforcements, that wait deployed in outskirts of the town

It seems as if the Austrians were near defeat!

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Grunberg for Lasalle (II) (or 'The unfortunate brigade')

One of the more exciting aspects of solo wargaming, is the chance that near-impossible things occur. These things, collectively known as friction or fog-of-war, happen due to different causes, such as bad reconnaissance, poor staff work, bad weather or simply bad luck.
Such thing occurred during the play of the Grunberg Lasalle Scenario, when two detached French brigades (Bronikowski's 2nd infantry Brigade of the Vial's 6th Division and the Picquet's 3rd Light Cavalry Brigade) appeared by surprise in the right rear flank of the Austrian line. What at first seemed an intelligent and skilled tactical move, became a mousetrap when one strong Austrian Brigade materialized itself in the rear of the French newcomers!
You can watch below the course of the events.

The detached French units appear in the Austrian rear...

... and immediately advances against the Austrian that have changed front...

... and fire with some success against the newcomers.

The 2/Erzherzog Ludwig IR routs the combined attack of the 2nd Ligne Regiment...

...but the Austrians appear now in the French rearguard that are forced to change front themselves.

The 2/Erzherzog Luwdig IR attacks and breaks the 1/2nd Ligne Regiment

... and afterwards rejects the flank attack of the 2/2nd Ligne Regiment...

... and then advances in combination with the Rosenberg Chevaulegers, breaking the 2/18th Ligne Regiment...

... whereas the 1/18th Ligne, taken in the wrong formation, is also broken by the 1/Warasdiner Kreuzer Grenz Regiment, which afterwards took the unprotected French battery.

The lone 2/2nd Ligne Regiment is broken by the fierce attack of the 2/Erzherzog Ludwig IR.

The full area is now in Austrian hands, and the French have lose a full infantry brigade

And so, with the total destruction of a French infantry brigade (the wise French cavalry commander led his brigade to safety) ended the fighting in this area.
As the rest .... watch this space!

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