28MM NAPOLEONIC BLACK POWDER: VITEBSK OCTOBER 1812 V2

On Wednesday I staged a slightly revised version of my Black Powder Napoleonic 1812 fictional Vitebsk game.  The first version is at:  

https://blenheimtoberlin.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/28mm-napoleonic-vitebsk-1812.html

This time Donald Adamson and I commanded the Russian force and Tim Watson & Colin Jack commanded the French and Allied force.  The OB strengths remained the same as the first game with the Franco-Bavarians having 3 infantry brigades (Bavarian, French, Polish/Neapolitan) and 2 cavalry brigades facing 4 Russian infantry brigades (2 Line, Grenadier, Opolchenie), a cavalry brigade and a Cossack brigade.  This time the French lancers were upgraded to Guard lancers and 2 of the Polish battalions were replaced by Neapolitan units.

In this version both sides started with their 2 initial brigades deployed on the table.  As before the other troops were fed onto the table one brigade a turn but this time the order of march was determined by the players.  We tried a few ideas from Clash of Eagles - lack of initiative and bigger Russian batteries - but abandoned the poor Russian command rules.  We used our standard alternative move sequence of initiative moves, firing, commanded moves, melees.

This time I had worked out the victory conditions.  If at the end of the game a side held both ends of the 2 bridges it won a decisive victory.  If this condition was not met a victory was determined by which side inflicted the most losses of enemy infantry and cavalry units.

It was a very enjoyable game and by the end of 10 moves the French had lost 7 units to the Russian 2.  However the French won as they held both ends of the 2 bridges.  The French rolled good movement rolls but threw truly abysmal break tests.  The Russians threw repeatedly poor movement dice so advanced very sluggishly.

Russian steamroller engages the Bavarians

Russian right flank held of by the surviving French hussars and a few infantry

French 2nd cavalry brigade arrived - moved smartly to the bank of the stream then never moved again!

End position showing the seriously depleted Franco/Allied infantry line