NAP SCENARIO: TARUTINO 18th OCTOBER 1812

This was a game based roughly on the Battle of Tarutino 18 October, 1812 played using Black Powder Rules. It was a surprise attack by the Russian Army on the vanguard of the French Army under Marshal Murat approx 65 miles south of Moscow. I based the OB on the troops I had available taking into account to some extent the proportions at the actual battle with the Russians having 2 more brigades and more artillery. What follows are a note on the troop ratings and BP rule changes, the player briefings, orders of battle and the scenario special rules.

Troop Ratings and Rule Changes
As for previous games I gave the French infantry the Reliable in Attack Column useful rule and gave the Russian infantry the Steady useful rule. In addition I made the Russian infantry poor shots with a -1 factor on their shooting. All the units are BP standard sized units. All the commanders were rated 7.
The game was played with the 66% version of the BP rules - reducing movement, firing ranges and proximity distance by 66% but I retained the command radius and support at normal 12" given the size of the units. Interpenetration by formed troops was not allowed if one of the units was charging. I allowed formed troops to move thru the woods but with their movement reduced to 50%. We used the alternate turn sequence of Initiative moves, Shooting, Commanded moves, Melee - it works well for Napoleonics.
After our game I am thinking of giving the Russians a version of the Valiant useful rule rather than Steady. There is no risk of failure in the first break test with Steady which I think makes it too powerful a useful rule with units surviving in quite impossible situations. Some uncertainty is required. I think in future I will use a version of Valiant but amended so that the unit can only reroll the first break test it makes rather than the first test it fails.




Map of the table

 Link to Flickr photoset of the game with further descriptions
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157629997592173/　
　
Russian Briefing
After abandoning holy white walled Moscow the Russian army withdrew southeast towards Kaluga taking up a position at the camp of Tarutino 65 miles south of Moscow..
They were followed and observed at a distance of 5 or 6 kilometres by the vanguard of the French Army under Marshal Murat.
Initially the Russian forces were very weak and lacking in confidence but by mid-October, the strategic balance of power had shifted. Kutuzov’s force had been reinforced by reserves troops from throughout Russia and was now superior numerically and far better supplied compared to the French/Allied force it confronted. The French army had suffered attrition from the poor local conditions and their isolated position as the vanguard of Napoleon’s grand army.
Bennigsen, Kutuzov’s hated chief of staff, and others suggested that by mid October they should attack Murat. It was clear that the French should soon retire from Moscow and now was the chnance for some type of victory. Accordingly prompted by this advice on October 18th Kutuzov launched a surprise attack on the French covering force.
The terrain is generally open but with forests on the approach route and with some high ground just south of the Moscow to Kaluga highway. The villages as usual in Russia are lightly built and only provide cover from shooting. The exceptions are the heavily built convent of Teterinki and the walled manor house which are treated as built up areas.
Your order of battle is attached. At the beginning of the action your force should enter in 3 columns in the centre, left and right of the table. At least two brigades must be assigned to each of the 3 columns. The extra 2 brigades can be assigned to any of the columns. One brigade from each column can enter the table each turn. The order of march within the columns must be decided in advance.
The army reserve heavy batteries must be attached to any infantry brigade.
Further troops are held in reserve under FM Kutusov and may be made available.
　
RUSSIAN ARMY
CinC GENERALS MILORADOVITCH & BENNIGSEN 7
1ST BRIGADE
4 JAEGER BTN OF 24 FIGURES
FB
2ND BRIGADE
4 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
FB
3RD BRIGADE
4 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
FB
4TH BRIGADE
4 GREN BTN OF 24 FIGURES
FB
1ST CAV BRIGADE
2 DRAGOON REGTS OF 12 FIGURES
HB
2ND CAV BRIG
2 HUSSAR REGTS OF 12 FIGURES
HB
3RD CAV BRIG
HUSSAR REGT OF 12 FIGURES
MTD JGR REGT OF 12 FIGURES
4TH CAV BRIG
2 COSSACK REGTS OF 12 FIGURES
HB
ARMY RESERVE ARTILLERY
2 FB (H)

KUTUZOV’S RESERVE - CONTROLLED BY THE UMPIRE
5TH CAV BRIGADE
2 CUIRASSIER REGTS OF 12 FIGURES
HB
5TH BRIGADE
4 GREN BTN OF 24 FIGURES
FB

French Briefing
Marshal Murat - King of Naples
You are in command of the advance guard of the Grand Army. For nearly a month your force has been holding a position 65 miles south of Moscow covering the Russian army under Kutuzov lying around Tarutino. Your command is deployed in a 5 mile line south of the River Chernishnya. The main highway from Moscow to Kaluga runs behind your position.
All has been quiet for several weeks and there seems little likelihood that the Russians after their beating at brooding would risk an action with you. Your force has found it difficult foraging and few supplies have been sent forward from Moscow. You are very concerned about the state of your cavalry and artillery horses which are suffering from a lack of forage.
The terrain is generally open but with woods to the south and with some high ground just south of the Moscow highway. The villages as usual in Russia are lightly built and only provide cover from shooting. The exceptions are the heavily built convent of Teterinki and the walled manor house which are treated as built up areas. Your order of battle is attached.
At the beginning of the action at least one brigade must be deployed in each of the 6 baseline squares of the table.
The army reserve heavy battery must be attached to an infantry brigade. One of the cavalry brigades can be held of table in reserve and ordered on as required. You must decide in advance which half of the table they are deployed behind.
　
VANGUARD OF THE GRAND ARMY
MARSHAL MURAT KING OF NAPLES AND SICILY 7
16th Brig
4 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
FB
17th Brig
4 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
FB
18th Brig FOR
4 LINE BTN OF 24 FIGURES
FB
RESERVE ART
1 FB(H)
1ST CAV BRIG
2 CH A CH REGTS OF 12 FIGS
2ND CAV BRIG
HUSSAR REGT OF 12 FIGS
DRAGOON REGT OF 12 FIGS
3RD CAV BRIG
CUIR REGT OF 12 FIGS
LANCER REGT OF 12 FIGS
4TH CAV BRIG
2 BAV CHVLG REGTS OF 12 FIGS
3 OF THESE CAV BRIGS CAN HAVE HB ATTACHED
　
SPECIAL RULES FOR TARUTINO

SURPRISE ATTACK
FOR THE FIRST 3 MOVES FRENCH COMMAND RATING IS 6 - TO SIMULATE THE CONFUSION OF THE SURPRISE ATTACK.  HAVING PLAYED THE GAME THIS MIGHT BE CHANGED TO 5.
FRENCH UNITS WERE ALL DEPLOYED IN LINE WHICH IMPACTS THEIR SUPERIOR COMMAND IN ATTACK COLUMNS.

POOR FRENCH MOUNTS/TEAMS
NO FRENCH GUN CAN HAVE MORE THAN 2 MOVES - DUE TO POOR HORSES
EACH FRENCH CAVALRY BRIGADE DICES AND ON A 1-2 LOSES ITS HORSE GUN. NO MORE THAN 3 OF WHICH CAN BE DEPLOYED.
BEFORE FIRST CAVALRY ACTION RUSSIANS ROLL FOR EACH FRENCH CAVALRY REGT AND ON A 3-6 THE REGT STARTS WITH A CASUALTY.

FRENCH DEPLOYMENT
BRIGADES CAN DEPLOY ANYWHERE IN THEIR SQUARES.
FRENCH CAN DEPLOY AN INFANTRY BTN IN EACH OF THE 2 BUILT UP AREAS. DOES NOT NEED TO BE THE BRIGADE SQUARE.