Season's Greetings/Felices Fiestas

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Probsthain for Lasalle. The Scenario

One of my best wishes for this year 2018 is to return to wargaming after almost two years of absence, in which work and family obligations have left me with scarce free time (although I have to confess that this little spare time I have dedicated to play Elite Dangerous!). It is then time to resume the things where I left them, finishing the Lasalle Scenario for Probsthain, a small rearguard affaire between the retreating Russians and the pursuing French.
In order to add randomness (a must for a solo wargamer!) I have used the "Holding Action" programmed scenario from the Grant's book ”Programmed Wargames Scenarios”. I designed an EXCEL worksheet following the Grant's book indications and made six different outputs. A die roll choose the number 6:


Deployment and Reinforcements
Russian retreating units
Its mission is “to cause the enemy the maximum delay without taking unacceptable losses”, i.e. higher than a 40%. The main body does not deploy further the line RL. One light unit can be deployed forward. The force will be divided into a main body (85%), 60 % on high ground to the west and 40 % on high ground to east , and a Reserve (15%). Two units (one at least must be infantry) will occupy Probsthain village.
The retreat will be ordered when casualties reach a 30%. The defence will be "broad in depth using isolated strong points, mobility and local counter attacks". A breakthrough by approximately 30 % or more of the French Force will result in the break off from combat of the Russian forcé, which will then pursue the French Force which has broken through.
French pursuing units
Its mission is “to break through the Prussian forces as quickly as possible and continue the advance on the route heading south-east”. NOTE: A breakthrough cannot occur on the right-hand side of Russian's position but only in the centre or left segments close to the high-road. The French force is divided into an Advance guard (15%, 4 units), a Main body (65%, 16 units) and two Flank guards (10%, 2 and 3 units) arriving at a máximum distance od 24" (60 cm) from the central road. Their respective arrival times (starting the  Lasalle arrival procedure p. 91) are: 

- Advance guard (7th Light Cavalry Brigade, 3 Reg. + 1 HB bat): Second turn
- Left flank guard (8th Light Cavalry Brigade, 2 Reg.): First turn**
- Right flank guard (1st Brigade Belair, 3 Bat.): First turn**
- Main-body (Rest of units): Four turns after Advance guard
The French plan of attack will be: The Advance guard will attack quickly straight down the main route, hoping to break through the centre. The Main force will advance rapidly, but on a broad front probing for a weakness in the Russian defence and then committing the reserve. Any isolated position or strong point will be bypassed and the opportunity to break through will be ignored, unless it is available to at least 25 % of French Force at one time.


The map has been slightly changed

I hope to spare time to be able to play this Scenario.... before Easter!!!

Watch this space!

Season's Greetings/Felices Fiestas

Thery are coming (Thargoids in Elite: Dangerous)

First contact with the Thargoids in Elite: Dangerous



They are back. Run for your life!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS....

and

HAPPY WARGAMING!

Leonard Cohen is dead

The Canadian poet and snger Leonard Norman Cohen passed away in November 7, 2016. I discovered him in my teens and his songs have been in my life until his death.

Sit tibi terra levis

An AAR for NB

Javi Gámez, the owner of the publishing rights and the soul behind the 4th Edition of Napoleon's Battles (NB-4) continues to add material to the Napoleon's Battles web site. The latest addition is an AAR about Friedland narrated by Tom Bierschenk. In Tom's words:
"The game was played on 15 July 2016, at the Historicon Miniature Gaming Convention in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The game lasted from 1:00 in the afternoon until midnight, and we completed 26 turns of a 30 turn scenario.
At that point, we called the game, judging that it would likely be a slight Russian victory. Most of the Victory Points in the scenario are in the village of Friedland and the two bridges at Friedland in the Russian rear, and the French were very close, but could probably not take the village before the end of the game"
See a simple of the AAR:

In bed with a sort of flu and waiting to play with my little men...
Watch this space!!

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A day to remember

My daughter's wedding!!!!

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Probsthain for Lasalle. The forces

The Russian forces taking part in the Probsthain affaire were part of the rearguard cavalry of the Langeron Corps of the Army of Silesia, commanded by the General Yuzefovich,, in combination with the rearguard of the Osten-Sacken Corps.
For the French side, were involved elements from the Sebastiani's II Cavalry Corps and from the Bertrand's IV Corps.
In order to make an interesting and balanced game, I took units of the Nafziger's Orders of Battle Collection. The French were taken from list 813JIA "French Order of Battle for Leipzig, 16-19 October 1813" and the Russians from the 813IIK "Army of Silesia, End of September ". Some units were not used, to acommodate a feasible number of units on the tablegame.

Russian Army
Moral 38 Break point 13
12 Battalions/4 Regiments/3 Cossack Pulks/ 3 batteries

General Yuzefovich

C-i-C Yuzefovich (-/-)
Cavalry Rearguad Yuzefovich (-/-)
1st Brigade Rüdinger (-/¶)
Kargopol DR R/E/Pu
Kiev DR R/E/Pu
2nd Brigade Uschakov (-/¶)
Smolensk DR R/E/Pu
Kurland DR R/E/Pu
Cossack Brigade: Kuriatov (-/*)
Karpov #2 S/I/Pu
Lukowkin #2 S/I/Pu
Grekov S/I/Pu
10th Division Lieven (-/¶)
1st Brigade Salfinski (-/-)
1/Jaroslav IR R/E/SK1
2/Jaroslav IR R/E/SK1
2nd Brigade Sass (-/¶)
1/Crimea IR R/E/SK1
1/Bieloserk IR R/E/SK1
2/Bieloserkn IR R/E/SK1
3rd Brigade Achlestischev (-/-)
1/8th Jaeger R/E/SK2
2/8th Jager R/E/SK2
1/39th Jager R/E/SK2
Artillery
Position Bat #10 Foot/4guns/H/1Hw
Light Bat. #24 Foot/4guns/M/1Hw
Horse Bat. #24 Foot/3guns/M/2Hw
16th Division Repninsky (-/-)
1st Brigade Rachmanov (-/¶)
1/Okhotsk IR R/E/SK1
2/Okhotsk IR R/E/SK1
1/Kamchatka IR R/E/SK1
2/Kamchatka IR R/E/SK1
Baggage unit train
Baggage unit train

French Army
French Army Moral 46 ; Break point 15
14 Battalions/7 Regiments/4 Batteries

General Sebastiani

C-i-C Sebastiani (-/*)
II Reserve Cavalry Corps Sebastiani (-/*)
2nd Light Cavalry Division Roussel d'Hurbal (+1/*)
7th Light Cavalry Brigade Lagrange (+1/-)
11th Chasseurs à Cheval R/A/Pu
12th Chasseurs à Cheval R/A/Pu
5th Hussars R/E/Pu
2nd Heavy Brigade Thiry (-/-)
5th Cuirassiers V/E/Sh
8th Cuirassiers V/E/Sh
8th Light Cavalry Brigade Dommagnet (+1/¶)
9th Hussars R/E/Pu
2nd Chevaulégers R/E/Pu/Ln
Artillery
7/1e Horse Artillery Horse 2Guns/M/1Hw
2/11e Horse Artillery Horse 2Guns/M/1Hw
12th Division Morand (+1/-)
1st Brigade Belair (-/-)
1/8e Légère R/A/SK1
2/8e Légère R/A/SK1
3/8e Légère R/A/SK1
2nd Brigade Toussaint (+1/*)
1/13e Ligne R/A/SK1
2/13e Ligne R/A/SK1
3/13e Ligne R/A/SK1
4/13e Ligne R/A/SK1
3rd Brigade Hulot (-1/-)
1/23e Ligne R/A/SK1
2/23e Ligne R/A/SK1
4/23e Ligne R/A/SK1
4/13e Ligne R/A/SK1
1/137e Ligne R/A/SK1
2/137e Ligne R/A/SK1
3/137e Ligne R/A/SK1
Artillery
1/2e Artillerie Foot 3Guns/M/1Hw
3/2e Artillerie Foot 3Guns/M/1Hw

Next thing, the Scenario rules

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