A FEW NAPOLEONIC REINFORCEMENTS

In the past month I have added more troops to my Napoleonic collection.  They are 2 detachments of 12 French foot dragoons to combat my recent Spanish lights and guerillas.  The figures are by Eagle Miniatures.  They were painted by my friend Kevin Bowman.  

The bases are from Martin at Warbases - they are on 3mm thick 40mm circles.  I use Javis static grass and Silflor tufts on top of model railway ballast.  

Now I have to come up with a scenario to get them all on my table.

Eagle Miniatures French foot dragoons

28MM NAPOLEONIC BLACK POWDER: VITEBSK OCTOBER 1812

On Thursday I played a Black Powder Napoleonic 1812 game against Donald Adamson.  It was a fictional encounter between a Russian force under Wittgenstein and a Franco-Bavarian force under St Cyr on the road to Vitebsk.

The Franco-Bavarians had 3 infantry brigades (Bavarian, French, Polish Veterans) and 2 cavalry brigades facing 4 Russian infantry brigades (2 Line, Grenadier, Opolchenie), a cavalry brigade and a cossack brigade.  The troops were fed onto the table effectively one brigade a turn.  We tried a few ideas from Clash of Eagles -poor Russian command, lack of initiative and bigger Russian batteries.  We used the alternate move sequence of initiative moves, firing, commanded moves, melees.

It was a very enjoyable game and by the end the French had lost 2 units to the Russian 4.  Both sides attempted attacks over the intervening stream.  The rearmost Russian brigade - the Opolchenie never arrived.  The OB follows the photos along with the troop ratings I used..

All my photos are on flickr at https://flic.kr/s/aHskpLHfUR

First Russian failed attack across the stream vs Bavarians

Russian left engages the newly arrived French brigade

Big Russian right wing cavalry melee - The French Lancers won but the Hussars were defeated

Russian volleys crashing out against the French attack - managed to hit despite being poor shots

Here is the OB

NEAR VITEBSK   - LATE OCTOBER 1812

MARSHAL GOUVION ST CYR  8

INITIAL TROOPS

19^th/ 20^th BRIGADE BAVARIAN   ON TABLE

3 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
1 LIGHT BTN OF 24 FIGURES
Ft Bty

1^ST LIGHT CAVALRY BRIG   OFF TABLE

2 HUSSAR REGTS OF 12 FIGURES
Hs Bty

REINFORCEMENTS

6^th BRIGADE FRENCH

4 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
Ft Bty

9^th BRIGADE POLISH

LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
3 VETERAN BTN of 24 FIGURES
Ft Bty

3rd LT CAV BRIG FRENCH

HUSSAR  REGT OF 12 FIGURES
LANCER REGT OF 12 FIGURES
Hs Bty

LG PYOTR KHRISTIANOVICH WITTGENSTEIN 8

ADVANCED GUARD

1^ST BRIGADE   ON TABLE

4 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
Ft Bty

2^ND BRIGADE    OFF TABLE

4 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
Ft Bty

1^ST CAV BRIGADE  OFF TABLE

2 HUSSAR REGTS OF 12 FIGURES
Hs Art Det

MAIN COLUMN  - REINFORCEMENTS

3^RD BRIGADE

4 GRENADIER BTN OF 24 FIGURES
Ft Bty

3^RD CAV BRIGADE

2 COSSACK SOTNAS OF 12 FIGURES

1^st COMBINED OPOLCHENIYE BRIGADE

4 MILITIA BTN OF 24 FIGURES

ARMY RESERVE ARTILLERY

Ft Bty (Hvy)

Polish brigade preparing to attack over the stream.

FRENCH	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Special
Old Guard Infantry	Musket	Infantry	8	4	3	4	Reliable, Elite 4+, Tough
Young Guard Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3	Reliable, Elite 5+
Line Infantry	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3
Combined Grenadiers	Musket	Infantry	7	3	4	3	Elite 5+
Guard Heavy Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	10		3	3	Heavy Cavalry +D3, Reliable
Cuirassiers	Sabre	Cavalry	9		3	3	Heavy Cavalry +D3, Reliable
Guard Lancers	Sabre	Cavalry	8		3	3	Marauders; Lancers, Reliable
Dragoons	Sabre	Cavalry	8		4	3	Heavy Cavalry +1
Guard Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	7		3	3	Marauders, Reliable
Lancers	Lance	Cavalry	7		4	3	Marauders; Lancers
Light Cavalry	Sabre	Cavalry	6		4	3	Marauders
Dismounted Dragoons	Musket	Infantry	4	2	4	2	Skirmishers
Guard Horse Artillery	Light artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	3	2	Marauders, Reliable, Elite 4+
Guard Foot Artillery	Artillery	40”	1	3-2-1	3	3	Reliable, Elite 4+
Horse Artillery	Light artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	1	Marauders
Foot Artillery	Artillery	32”	1	3-2-1	4	2

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

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

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	Reliable, Elite 4+, Stoic
Grenadiers	Musket	Infantry	7	3	4	4	Elite 4+, Poor shots, Stoic, Lack Init
Line Infantry/Jaegers	Musket	Infantry	6	3	4	3	Stoic, Poor shots, Lack Init
Opolchenie	Musket	Infantry	5	1/2	5	3	Poor shots, Unreliable, Levy 4+, Lack Init
Jaegers Sk  (Small)	Rifle	Infantry	4	2	4	2	Skirmishers, Poor shots, Lack Init
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	3	Marauders; Lancers, Unreliable
Hvy Foot Artillery	Artillery	40”	2	4-2-2	4	3
Lt Foot Artillery	Artillery	32”	2	4-2-2	4	3
Horse Artillery	Light artillery	32”	2	4-2-2	4	2	Marauders

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
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.
Lack Initiative    Can only charge nearest enemy, change formation or facing under Initiative
Poor shots        -1 factor when shooting