Warfare in the Age of Le Duc du Grand Fromage: Napoleonic

Showing posts with label Napoleonic. Show all posts

Thursday, 8 February 2018

Maida 1806

The battle of Maida was fought in Southern Italy in 1806. It came about as a result of an amphibious landing in support of the local insurrection of the Italians. The real life battle pitched two very even forces together, approximately division sized with minimal terrain. This makes for a very good introductory game or just if you are in the mood for a short game. The British had a major victory in both history and our game using the Carnage and Glory Two system.

Map of the Battle

Thanks to Napnuts for the photo

http://www.napnuts.com/maida_scen.htm

The line battle took a ninety degree shift in our game with Kempt successfully advancing on the British left flank and Digonet on the French Right flank. The only spoiler for the French avance was the British 20th line lurking in the bushes and preventing the French from exploiting their gains.

Victorious General Stuart overseeing his deployment

A powerful light infantry division on the left overseen by the dubious General Compere.

The British view of the Légere for most of the game.

Light Infantry Battalions on the French Right Flank

French Right Flank with cavalry and horse artillery. British had no cavalry but a preponderance of artillery 3-1

Colonel Kempt advances on the British Right Flank...sweeping the French Légere before them.

The embarrassing Lowry Cole forms square...then line....then square again....then line...rince and repeat doing much to instill confidence in the men!

French attack on the British left flank. Successful except for the presence of the 20th line lurking in the scrub.

The 20th line unleashes a devastating volley against a French Légere unit casing 149 casualties.

British and French advanced on their own respective rights causing the whole line of battle to reposition almost 90 degrees form the starting point.

Royal Corsican Rangers (and Sicilian Volunteers) were the only rifle armed unit in the game ut spent must of their time chasing French Légere around the table. They were a small but mighty unit.

General Comperes last unit at endgame. A 1,000 man strong French line unit, in ongoing back step to keep within skirmish range to good effect.

The Valiant RossShire Buffs

The Rutlandshires await the advance of the Polish Italian Legion, who despite the encouragement of the incomparable General Luigi Peyri never make it. His mortal leg wound did not help.

Stuart viewing a battle won

Thursday, 14 December 2017

Gross Gorschen 1813

Wow. I can't believe its been over a year since I last posted. The latest game to be played chez Duc was the battle of Gross-Gorschen 1813 with Carnage and Glory. This was really the opening phase of the battle of Lutzen and I modified one of the General de Brigade scenarios to put it together. It was a bit of a marathon game stretching over 4 or 5? sessions simply because the tenacious French would not give up the game even after substantial army morale loss. Towards the end a gust of wind would case a morale check on the French units. I finally called the game when their army morale sunk below 50%. Prussian army morale was still above 75%. Kuddos to Von Rod for a well done major Prussian victory.

Unfortunately it only occurred to me to take pictures near the end of the game.

Town of Gross-Gorschen after which the action was named. This was the largest built up area consisting of two sectors each of which could hold a battalion. Since the interior did not need to be defended, defending units could shoot up to 33% out of each wall rather than the usual 25%. The French never lost possession of the town despite bombardment from three allied batteries and some infantry fire.

The first village lost to the Prussians without a fight after LaBoissiere's cavalry screening force in front of the village was swept away by superior numbers of allied cavalry.

The French advance on the Prussian flank as part of their "closing the door strategy", vacating one of their objective villages to do so. Since the objective was to their rear, no real risk in doing so.....unless they fail!

Prussian artillery prepares to blow "the door" off of its hinges with close range canister.

The critical point in the battle. The hard suffering French have just received much needed reinforcements and have decided to immediately throw them into the battle for Kaja, the key objective village, occupied by a fresh unit of Prussian Grenadiers. Two columns advanced against them unsuccessfully taking ten to one loses, losing a colour and General Anthing to a mortal leg wound. The remnants fled from the table.

A close up of the valiant French charging to their doom!

Getting in the spirit of things a unit of Prussian Hussars charges to their doom against a newly deployed French battery

That's all for this time. More games and pics soon!

Wednesday, 22 July 2015

Wavre 1815 - 2015

Le 1er Dispatch du Duc du Grand Fromage
Wavre 1815

Game held chez duc, July 2015 in the underground lair using Carnage and Glory computer moderated rules