Friday, September 1, 2017

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 23rd July 1812.  It was the first major action of the 1812 Russian Campaign.  Parts of the French 1st 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 1st 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

12th DIVISION

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

2ND BRIGADE GEN PANTZERBITER SR 7
3 INFANTRY BATTALIONS
1 JAGER BATTALION
LIGHT BATTERY

26th DIVISION

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

2ND BRIGADE GEN LADYZHENSKY SR 7
3 INFANTRY BATTALIONS
1 JAGER BATTALION
LIGHT BATTERY

4TH CAVALRY DIVISION
12TH BRIGADE GEN PANCHULIDZEV SR7
2 DRAGOON REGTS
HORSE BATTERY

13TH 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

85th BRIGADE FRIEDERICKS SR7
4 BATTALIONS
REGT BATTERY

61st BRIGADE GUYARDET  SR7
4 BATTALIONS (SWISS)
FOOT BATTERY
REGT BATTERY

108th BRIGADE LEGUAY SR7
4 BATTALIONS
REGT BATTERY

111th BRIGADE LONCHAMP SR7
4 BATTALIONS (BERG)
REGT BATTERY

5TH CUIRASSIER DIV VALENCE SR8
3RD 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 111th 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.

6 comments:

  1. Bill did you see the new Clash of Eagles 1812 Russian Campaign supplement out soon for BP
    Peter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes will buy it. Did not like the setup for this action that appeared in one of the magazines. Russian command was so poor they could never win what is a difficult action to start with.

      Delete
  2. This game has a genuinely brilliant look. I have one question - in your notes your reference units of converged grenadiers. Where are they in the OB?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are not on the OB. When I was putting the troops on the table I decided to use the 3 Combined Grenadiers battalions instead of some line units. I decided the French player could allocate them to the any of the French Brigades that started on the table. In both games they were assigned to the 61st and 85th.

      Delete
    2. I have updated the log report to say this.

      Delete