28MM BLACK POWDER: BATTLE OF SALTANOVKA (MOGHILEV) 23 JULY 1812

A few weeks ago in my garage I set up a version of the Battle of Saltanovka 23^rd July 1812.  It was the first major action of the 1812 Russian Campaign.  Parts of the French 1^st Corps under Davout fought of an attempt by a Corps of Bagration’s Second Army of the West to move north to join Barclay’s 1^st Army of the West at Vitevsk.

Dave O’Brien and I commanded the Russians whilst Colin Jack and Bill Millar commanded the French.  It was a hard fought game but proved to be an obvious French victory.  Dave has written a full account of the action on his Facebook page.  I provided all the troops and most of the terrain.  The stream was kindly loaned by Dave Paterson.  I reduced the strength of the brigades on each side cutting the Russians to 4 battalions instead of 6 and the French from 5 to 4 battalions.  I used my Swiss and Berg troops to represent 2 of the French brigades.

I played the game again on Friday against Dave Paterson without making any changes to the scenario.  It proved to be an even worse defeat for the Russians who lost 6 battalions.  All the units that crossed the stream were either destroyed or thrown back across it.

French left about Saltanovka plus some of their centre

Russian brigade facing Saltanovka

  
Here is the OB for this version of the battle

RUSSIAN OB

VII CORPS GEN RAYEVSKY SR 8

12^th DIVISION

1^ST BRIGADE GEN PALITSYN SR7
3 INFANTRY BATTALIONS
1 JAGER BATTALION
LIGHT BATTERY
POSITION BATTERY

2^ND BRIGADE GEN PANTZERBITER SR 7

3 INFANTRY BATTALIONS
1 JAGER BATTALION
LIGHT BATTERY

26^th DIVISION

1^ST BRIGADE GEN LIBHARDT SR7

3 INFANTRY BATTALIONS
1 JAGER BATTALION
LIGHT BATTERY
POSITION BATTERY

2^ND BRIGADE GEN LADYZHENSKY SR 7

3 INFANTRY BATTALIONS
1 JAGER BATTALION
LIGHT BATTERY

4^TH CAVALRY DIVISION

12^TH BRIGADE GEN PANCHULIDZEV SR7
2 DRAGOON REGTS
HORSE BATTERY

13^TH BRIGADE GEN EMMANUEL SR7

AKHTYRSKII HUSSAR REGT
LITOVSKII LANCER REGT

RUSSIAN DEPLOYMENT AND TERRAIN ETC

Villages being Russian are only scenic they have no effect.  Some basic defences have been thrown up in front of the villages of Saltanovka and Fatova – these count as an unclear target to shooting and give a +1 to morale throws in hand to hand.

Units can ford the river if they are in base contact with it at the start of a turn.  If they get 1 move they cross on a 4+, if they get 2 moves they cross, if they get 3 moves they cross and can make a move after crossing.   The river is fordable between the swamps at either end.  Artillery can only cross by the bridges.

Initial Russian infantry brigade in each division starts up to 8” onto the table.  The others may march onto the table on turn 1.  The cavalry brigades are available on turn 4.

Game lasts 10 turns.

Struggle around Saltanovka - Russians have stormed the defences

Continuing struggle for Saltanovka

FRENCH OB

IST CORP MARECHAL DAVOUT SR9

85^th BRIGADE FRIEDERICKS SR7

4 BATTALIONS
REGT BATTERY

61^st BRIGADE GUYARDET  SR7

4 BATTALIONS (SWISS)
FOOT BATTERY
REGT BATTERY

108^th BRIGADE LEGUAY SR7

4 BATTALIONS
REGT BATTERY

111^th BRIGADE LONCHAMP SR7

4 BATTALIONS (BERG)
REGT BATTERY

5^TH CUIRASSIER DIV VALENCE SR8

3^RD CHASSEUR A CHEVAL REGT (HUSSARS)
2 CUIRASIER REGTS (CARABINIERS)

FRENCH DEPLOYMENT AND TERRAIN ETC

Villages being Russian are only scenic they have no effect.  Some basic defences have been thrown up in front of the villages of Saltanovka and Fatova – these count as an unclear target to shooting and give a +1 to morale throws in hand to hand.

Units can ford the river if they are in base contact with it at the start of a turn.  If they get 1 move they cross on a 4+, if they get 2 moves they cross, if they get 3 moves they cross and can make a move after crossing.  The river is fordable between the swamps at either end.  Artillery can only cross by the bridges.

French start on the table except for the 111^th Brigade which is available from turn 2 and the Cavalry Division which is available from turn 3.

2 French battalions can start the game hidden in the wheat fields.

The 3 French have 3 veteran infantry units otherwise all the other troops in both armies are line/regular troops.  These veterans can be assigned by the French commander to any of the French brigades on the table at the start of the game.

Game lasts 10 turns.

Here are the troop ratings that I used.

FRENCH	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
Old/Middle Guard Infantry	Musket	Infantry	7	3	3	4	Reliable, Elite 4+
Veteran Infantry/Yng Guard	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Light Infantry Sk  (Small)	Musket	Infantry	4	2	4	2	Skirmishers
Guard Heavy Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	9		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +D3, Reliable
Cuirassiers	Sabre	Cavalry	9		3	3	Heavy Cavalry +D3, Reliable
Guard Lancers	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Marauders; Lancers, Reliable
Dragoons	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +1
Guard Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	7		4	3	Marauders, Reliable
Lancers	Lance	Cavalry	7		4	3	Marauders; Lancers
Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders
Guard Horse Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders, Reliable
Guard Foot Artillery	Heavy Artillery	40”	1	3-2-1	4	2	Reliable
Horse Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
Heavy Artillery	Heavy Artillery	40”	1	3-2-1	4	2
Foot Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	2
Regimental Artillery	Light Artillery	24”	1	2-1-1	4	1

Infantry are Reliable in Attack Columns and have “must form square” rule.  Other small units reduce Hand to Hand by 2, Shooting by 1 and Stamina by 1.

Elite X+                        Rally of Disorder at start of turn by roll of X+

Heavy Cav +X   Add X to combat result

Lancers             Opponent has -1 cav -2 inf saving throw when lancers charge/countercharge

Marauders         Ignore distance modifiers for command tests

Reliable            Add 1 to Command tests

Skirmish           Can adopt skirmish formation

RUSSIAN	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
Guard Infantry	Musket	Infantry	7	3	3	4	Elite 4+, Stoic
Grenadiers	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	4	Stoic, Poor shots
Line Infantry/Jaegers	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3	Stoic, Poor shots
Opolchenie	Musket	Infantry	5	3	5	3	Poor shots, Unreliable, Levy 4+
Jaegers Sk  (Small)	Rifle	Infantry	4	2	4	2	Skirmishers, Poor shots
Cuirassiers	Sabre	Cavalry	9		3	3	Heavy Cavalry +D3
Dragoons	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +1
Lancers	Lance	Cavalry	7		4	3	Marauders; Lancers
Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders
Cossacks	Lance	Cavalry	5		5	2	Marauders; Lancers, Unreliable
Position Artillery	Heavy Artillery	40”	1	3-2-1	4	2
Horse Artillery	artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
Light Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	2

All Infantry have “must form square” rule.  Other small units reduce Hand to Hand by 2, Shooting by 1 and Stamina by 1.

Heavy Cav +X   Add X to combat result

Lancers             Opponent has -1 cav -2 inf saving throw when lancers charge/countercharge

Levy X+            Need to roll to rally of disorder at end of their turn by rolling X+

Marauders         Ignore distance modifiers for command tests

Poor Shots       -1 when shooting

Reliable            Add 1 to Command tests

Skirmish           Can adopt skirmish formation

Stoic                Can reroll first break test

Unreliable          Do not move on an equal command roll.  This counts a command pass.

French cavalry arrived but never struck a blow

French veterans holding firm at Fatova Mill.