Campaign Move 6

1600 to 2000 15 August 1813

Marshal Victor – Commander 2^nd French Corps

Victor fought an aggressive fighting retreat towards the river Saale.

He held his right flank with a well timed cavalry charge against the Russian cavalry, infantry and artillery moving through the high ground there.   As the artillery unlimbered on the edge of the hill to support the main 9^th division advance, they were charged by a regiment of French dragoons.   The gunners were cut down and the supporting cavalry and infantry routed.

Despite this there was nothing Victor could do to hold his left flank.   3^rd division were attacked in front by 8^th division and on their left by 6^th division.   Dubreton held the woods on his left to the very end, but his centre crumbled under the pressure.

4^th division in the centre tried to retreat when it became obvious that the battle was lost.  They sent their cavalry brigade to the rear to hold the vital bridge.   This left their infantry to attempt a fighting retreat, but one regiment after another was broken and routed.

At the bridge all was chaos.   A mass of routed French infantry and cavalry crowded the bridge and make the task of the French cavalry sent to hold the bridge all the more difficult.

Meanwhile 6^th Russian division were fighting to reach the bridge and prevent the French escape.

Their infantry were blocked by the French infantry holding the woods.   But their cavalry pushed ahead for the bridge.

The fought two cavalry melee to reach the bridge, and their victory added to the confusion amongst the French fugitives.   By late afternoon the Russian cavalry had reached the bridge, and it was all over for 2^nd French corps.

At 1800 Victor decided that all hope was lost.  If he continued to fight he would only suffer more casualties.   Each attempt to form a rear guard has failed.  His formed regiments were competing with the routed mass in a race for the bridge, which was now in Russian hands.

This is the first time in the whole campaign that a full corps was forced to surrender.

Napoleon is now faced with a difficult decision.  His army hold the west bank of the river Saale, which is a strong defensive position.   Retreat will be difficult, as his army will be greatly outnumbered once the Russians have crossed the river.  

Battle of Possneck Day 2 – Move 10

1700-1800  15^th August 1813

Table at start of Move 10

Time is running out for the French

More than half of their regiments have been cut down, are in rout or shaken

Because the Russians are so close they have to sacrifice formed infantry to cover the retreat/rout

16^th hussars alone are in position to hold the bridge, and they have 10% casualties

Russian corps at the end of Move 10

3^rd Russian Corps

Russian infantry and cavalry surge ahead and mask their artillery

It is now just a race for the bridge

Rudzewitsch (left) advance and bypass French rearguard regiment who surrender

The remainder of the enemy have retreated

French right wing has collapsed

Woroncow (centre left) advance towards bridge

The French centre has collapsed

There is no formed enemy to attack

Melnikow (centre right) has bypassed the woods and is nearing the bridge

4^th cuirassiers charge 16^th hussars in the flank and cut them down

4^th cuirassiers join 4^th dragoons at the bridge

Galitzin (right) has surrounded 9^th French in the woods and they surrender

Remainder of division advance towards bridge

French left wing has collapsed and there are no formed enemy to fight

French corps at end of Move 10

2^nd French Corps

Victor has failed to reach the bridge before the Russians

More than half of his corps are cut down, in rout or shaken

Dubreton (left) starts the round with just 3CP

His last formed regiment is surrounded in the woods and surrender

The remainder of his division have been cut down, are in rout or are shaken

Vial (centre) has 4 CP for this move

Artillery and 15^th infantry both retire

Vial moves to command range of 16^th hussars and orders them to charge 4^th dragoons

The result is a draw, with both regiments disordered

4^th Russian cuirassiers then charge 16^th hussars and cut them down

Maison (right) orders 3^rd dragoons and 8^th infantry to about turn and march for the bridge

7^th infantry are left to form the rearguard, but are soon surrounded and forced to surrender

7^th dragoons (on the hill) are out of command range and make their own way back to the bridge

Russian cavalry reach the bridge

Russian cuirassiers and dragoons on the left have reached the bridge

The mass of French cavalry and infantry are all in rout and must avoid the enemy

The limbered artillery will be cut down if they do not surrender

There is now no possibility of a French retreat

Marshal Victor orders 2^nd French corps to surrender to avoid their complete destruction

Game Notes

2^nd French corps has ceased to exist as a fighting force

There are still a few formed infantry and cavalry regiments, but they are vastly outnumbered

If they attempt to stand and fight they will be destroyed

The only bridge has been captured by the Russians, so retreat is now impossible

If this were not a campaign game we would have finished it on move 8, and agreed that the French had lost and must surrender.

Because it is a campaign game we have carried on, but with each move more and more French regiments are routed or cut down.  

The French made a good recovery in the opening moves to react to the surprise Russian attack.

But the arrival of 6^th division on the open French left flank was decisive.

The French had no reserves to counter 6^th division, and were now outnumbered four to three

Worse still there was nothing to stop 6^th division from reaching the river and taking the bridge

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

 

Table at end of battle

Game Result

The French started the battle with     ;           9600 infantry, 1800 cavalry and 1100 gunners

They lost to battle casualties             :           4700 infantry,  700 cavalry and 800 gunners

The remainder surrendered                :           4900 infantry, 1100 cavalry and 300 gunners           

The Russians started the battle with  :           9600 infantry, 1400 cavalry and 1200 gunners

They were reinforced with                 :           2900 infantry, 700 cavalry and 400 gunners          

They lost to battle casualties                        1900 infantry, 1100 cavalry and 400 gunners

The result is a major Russian victory

The loss of 2^nd corps is a disaster from the French

The Russian commander will have to nominate one of his three divisions to handle the large number of prisoners

6^th Russian division will cease to be under command of 3^rd corps and will await orders from their own corps commander

Battle of Possneck Day 2 – Move 9

1600-1700  15^th August 1813

 

 Table at start of Move 9

Left – 2^nd French corps are starting to give way

Right – 3^rd Russian corps press home the attack 

 

 Russian corps at the end of Move 9

3^rd Russian Corps

Russian left is in a shambles after French dragoons charge hill

Centre is secure, right is pushing ahead towards the bridge

Rudzewitsch (left) now on Attack orders

French dragoons charge shaken cavalry on the hill and rout them

11^th infantry join them and both are cut down by the dragoons

The remainder of 7^th division break the centre of 4^th French division

Woroncow (centre left) is still on Engage orders

His artillery have cause havoc in the close packed enemy ranks

2^nd infantry win their firefight with 5^th Westphalian, who lose 30% casualties and rout

14^th French  infantry and 11^th hussars fail their morale and join the rout

Melnikow (centre right) is now on attack orders

8^th infantry win skirmish fight with 10^th French, who lose 10% casualties and rout

4^th cuirassiers charge shaken 12^th French, who fail to form square in time and are cut down

Galitzin (right)  orders his infantry and artillery to concentrate on the woods

He sends his cavalry ahead to secure the bridge over the river Saale

French corps at end of Move 9

2^nd French Corps

Victor desperately tries to withdraw his divisions back to the river

Dubreton (left) has lost more than half of his division

Both cavalry regiments are in rout and making for the bridge and safety

One of his infantry regiments have been cut down, and a second is in rout

He remaining two regiments are fighting in and near the woods, and in danger of being cut off

His artillery has withdrawn towards the bridge, but has no infantry or cavalry support.

Vial (centre) has sent one cavalry regiment to hold the bridge

The remainder of his division is falling apart

Two of his infantry regiments are in rout and a third is shaken

Only 15^th regiment on the hill is retreating in good order

Maison (right) is holding his own, despite heavy casualties

7^th dragoons have rallied after cutting down the Russian gunners

They charge, and rout, the Russian hussars and break the supporting infantry

7^th infantry win their firefight and rout 9^th Russian

Despite this the remainder of the division has to fall back towards the river

Game Notes

Both sides are taking heavy casualties

When one regiment fails its morale and breaks, all friends within 4” also have to test their morale

Because most regiments already have casualties it is not unusual for the rout to spread

6^th Russian division had brushed aside the weak French cavalry and are pushing towards the bridge

Only the French held woods is holding them back.

The infantry and cavalry have been ordered to take the woods and fall on the French left flank

The cavalry have been ordered to bypass the woods and secure the bridge

A mass of broken French infantry and cavalry regiments are making for the bridge and the relative safety of the west bank.

Rule 18 covers morale

Wargame rules can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Campaign Move 5

1200 to 1600 15 August 1813

General Wintzingerode – Commander 3^rd Russian Corps

General Wintzingerode had not been warned that 6^th Russian division had been ordered to “march to the sound of the guns” until they approached his right flank along the Domburg road just before midday.

At this stage the battle was inconclusive.   The French had recovered well from their initial shock, and were holding their own just west of Possneck.   The weakness of the Russian cavalry had prevented Wintzingerode from taking full advantage of his surprise attack.

As the Russians approached the main French battle line a series of skirmish engagements broke out.   Behind this screen the Russian infantry moved into position ready to launch their main attack against the French centre.   Then word arrived that 6^th Russian corps had made contact with the Russian right flank.

Wintzingerode had two choices.

He could order 6^th division to continue behind his battle line and form a reserve in the centre.   This would strengthen his main attack, and ensure that the French would be destroyed if their held their ground.   However he would have to halt his attack until 6^th division were in position.   This might not be achieved before nightfall, in which case the French could withdraw over the river under cover of darkness.

Or he could order 6^th division to attack along his right flank.   There was very little space, and the area was dominated by the French held woods.   Just west of the woods French cavalry were positioned to delay any advance.  

Wintzingerode met general Galitzin at the head of 6^th division and requested him to drive west and take the only bridge over the river Saale.  If he could achieve this before nightfall 2^nd French corps would be lost and would have to surrender.

Galitzin ordered his cavalry to drive off the French cavalry to allow his division to approach the woods.   His leading infantry brigade, supported by the divisional artillery, would attack the woods and secure the flank.   The division would then push on to secure the bridge.

By mid afternoon his cavalry had routed the enemy cavalry and his infantry were exchanging musket fire with the French in the woods.   But this fighting slowed his deployment, and time was running out.   He was confident that if he could reach the bridge he could take it.  It would be dark in four hours, his infantry could not reach, and secure, the bridge in that time.

He ordered his cavalry brigade to push on to the bridge without infantry or artillery support.   They would reach the bridge in time, but would be powerless in the face of formed infantry in square.  If the French had one or two regiments at the bridge they could still escape at the last moment.