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