The Battle of Rohenburg - Second Game

CAMPAIGN BACKGROUND

Tactical Map 1 July 1813

Rohenburg is a small village on the Dresden road east of the river Saale.

3^rd Russian corps hold the village, and Kutuzov is leading 2^nd corps to support them.

Napoleon is leading 2^nd and 3^rd French corps to take the village.

WARGAME

Table at start of game Russians top, French bottom

Top road to Zeitz.

Left road to Gera

Right road to Dresden

Bottom road to Greiz

Map squares

F7, G7, H7

F8, G8, H8

F9, G9, H9

Game objective is to capture village of Rohenburg

2^nd Russian corps (Jan) in and around town

3^rd Russian corps (Jan) will enter top left

2^nd French corps (Paul) will enter bottom left

3^rd French corps (Paul) will enter bottom right

BATTLE REPORT

French advance

2^nd French corps (nearest camera) have rolled good movement dice and reached the road ahead of the Russians

3^rd French corps have swung around to approach the town from the west, to avoid marching on the Russian guns. They are on engage orders and are about to attack the Russian Cossacks.

French lose cavalry melee

The French won the first melee, on the right flank, against the Cossacks, who can be seen retreating on the hill far left.

However the guard grenadiers, who have low morale due to earlier casualties, have lost their melee and are routing (front right). In doing so they have shaken the square, which Napoleon is trying to rally.

Both French corps are approaching their objectives and are about to engage Rohenburg (right) and the Russian held farm (left)

Russians hold despite cannister fire from French artillery

Despite being outnumbered at Rohenburg the Russian infantry continue to hold. The French gunners have routed and the Russian artillery is moving into canister range.

The Russian infantry in the farm is also holding their own against two French brigades who are exchanging fire with them. The French artillery, now almost in canister range, have failed to inflict a single casualty.

The Russian cuirassiers have reformed after their melee and are awaiting orders to attack

French cavalry and artillery rout

Both French cavalry brigades are in rout, as also are the right hand artillery battery. One infantry brigade engaged at Rohenburg has also routed, and its neighbour is shaken. Napoleon is about to order a withdrawal before the Russians can take advantage of the situation.

EFFECT ON CAMPAIGN

The young guard, the second best corps in Napoleon’s army, was effectively finished as a fighting force, and Napoleon’s attempt to storm the river Saale has ended in defeat.

French casualties – 3 cavalry, 6 infantry, 2 gunners

Russian casualties – 3 cavalry, 3 infantry, 0 gunners

GAME NOTES

Game played September 2009.

Paul commanded the French.

Jan commanded the Russians.

This is the second time we have fought this game. Last time the Russians had a run of exceptionally good dice, and the French very poor ones, resulting in more serious damage to the young guard corps, who had already suffered severe casualties in an earlier battle.

The dice were again in favour of the Russians, though not so dramatically as the first game. However the French again rolled dismal dice, so the end result was the same. Still a victory for the Russians.

We changed the artillery rules considerably as a result of this game It highlighted that the rules favoured the artillery too much. In future the infantry will be the deciding factor with the guns only being very effective at close, or cannister, range.