On the last week of July, our group played some ESR in Russia.
Situation
Napoleon’s continued invasion of Russia and Russia is pushing back. The French continue their push towards Moscow. The French are pushing two corps from the west along two separate roads. We started with known objectives and directives for Forces and Formations. Both Forces may enter deployed so we can get right into it!
The victory conditions were 1 point for each of the four villages to the west of the main forest. 2 points for each of the middle villages and 3 points each for the back row villages.
A view from the southeast towards the French deployment
A view from the French deployment in the west towards the east.
Opposing Forces
We used two fictional orders of battle, 2 Forces per side.
French OOB:
Marshal St Cyr (Army commander)
2 Enthusiastic Infantry Divisions + Corps Artillery Park
1 Light Cavalry Brigade
General Lasalle (he’s not really dead!)
1 Determined Infantry Division
1 Standard Infantry Division
1 Cuirassier Division
Marshal Jordan
2 Infantry Divisions
1 Light Cavalry Brigade
General Bennigsen (Army Commander)
Count Langeron
1 Stoic Infantry Division
1 Normal Infantry Division
1 Cuirassier Division
General Leviz
1 Stoic Infantry Division
1 Normal Infantry Division
1 Cossack Brigade
The Russians may deploy one Formation in the west but most of the forces must be deployed in the east by the eastern villages.
Game Start
The French forces array themselves with Marshal Jordan in the north and General Lasalle in the south. St. Cyr takes the central position. St. Cyr’s plan is to push aggressively towards the Russian positions and hit them as hard as possible before their reinforcements can arrive. St. Cyr will move his Force into play supporting success in the north or south as the situation dictates.
The Russians place Count Langeron in the south and General Leviz in the north. General Bennigsen places himself centrally to provide guidance on either flank. His plan is to hold as long as possible to deny the French an easy march towards Moscow.
By Turn 2, the French were threatening the first villages.
One of the Russian Formation on the south side of the battlefield decided to make a stand in the southwest.
By turn four, the Russian lines have solidified. The question is which direction will St Cyr move his infantry, to the north to support Lasalle or south to support Jordan. Note the ployed infantry behind Jordan’s lines. The general fancies himself able to exploit the hole he plans to blow in the Russian defense around the village.
Still turn 4, a close up of the south end of the line. St. Cyr is solidly in the center of the battleline waiting to see what happens.
The Russian defense is quite stout. The village itself is held by Jagers with the line troops extending the line towards the south. To the infantry rear are six squadron groups of Cuirassiers ready to plug any holes.
Turn 5 and the Russians skedaddle from the village. Jordan send this troops against the line troops in the village. The Russians have had enough. Retreating away from the French mobs. Three cheers rise from St. Cyr’s men supporting to the north. Jordan springs his trap. (He is deploying that column, correct?)
He didn’t get enough battalions out of that column. The Russian armored horsemen charge and destroy Jordan’s ployed column. Six stands of cuirassiers versus just a few infantry. Nope, not good odds. Jordan’s grand exploiting attack falls back on itself, Retreating from the horses. However, the French light cavalry charges in using “Mass Cavalry” forcing another combat phase.
Turn 5, end of all combat, in the south. The French lights staring down Langeron’s Curassiers.
Turn 5 in the north, Lasalle’s attack starts to shape up. The French Cuirassiers attempt to overrun the guns on the north side of the river. Moving his infantry across the river has taken a bit longer than the general would have liked but he is starting to engage the Leviz infantry outside of the northern most town. The Russian relief infantry is marching to back up the town in the middle of the picture.
Combat phase, turn 6, it is time to say goodbye to Count Langeron.
Turn 7, in the south, Marshal St. Cyr advances to contact the slowly retreating Russian division.
In the north, St. Cyr turns also sends in units to support the huge battle brewing round the last western village.
By turn 11, the southern front has built up in front of the river. Shots are exchanged and St. Cyr sends his Legere into the village.
On the northern flank, the French continue their push on both sides of the river threatening the next line of villages.
Turn 12, the Russians still hold both the northern village and the southern village.
Northern town is still in Russian hands but things do not look good.
In the south, the Russian command is just about broken.
In the north, no Russian defenders are in good order.
-Jose Muldoon
