Disaster near Borodino

As the Grand Armee's advance continues deep into the heart of the motherland, Bagration dispatched two brigades of infantry to halt the French advance and they soon ran into advance elements of the invading army. How did the Russians fare? Read on and find out.

We used John's rules for Borodino, including his suggested stats for units so my Russians lost their steady rule but got an extra point in stamina, I'd rather have the steady rule- but that might jsut be grumbling aobut the outcome!

Turn 1: Kent reads the battle notes transcribed by Napoleon himself apparently.

 We each had 8 battalions of infantry in two brigades- Kent's incldued 2 units of Guard (one per regiment) and 2 units of Veterans. I had 6x line battalions and 2x veterans.

 End of turn 1. My right command refused to advance towards the enemy.

 End of turn 2- Kent advanced a battalion to flank my troops- my artillery would take care of them- or would have if it hadn't blundered and moved in the wrong direction.

 The thin blue line advances.

 While the stalwart defenders of the  motherland march forward to meet them. Atr this point everything was still looking okay...

 Uh, oh. I smell trouble. The Cavary brigade has arrived.

 Still my right flank refuses to do anything useful.

 My Cavalry arrives, my lancers advance then the rest of the Cav join the mass milling round trying to sort out where they are supposed to go. This does not bode well.

 Meanwhile the guard cavalry charge my artillery, ignore the casualties and run down my guns (again!)

 The French Cavalry have charged my infantry, foring them into square so the Gurd go in with the bayonet and rout my battalion- oh, if only wer were steady...

 Ta da! Where did the Russians go?

  minor hiccup comrade, continued the advance! Alas I again manage to fail most command rolls and my attack becomes even more disjointed. It also means Kent is able to continue to concentrate his fire on my exposed brigade and the casualties soon mount...

 In fact two more battalions are shot to pieces and the brigade routs! Ah, crap, now we are in trouble...

 Retreat! The remaining battalions retreat off the table.

 My Dragoons move to cover the crumbling left flank.

 At least the right brigade has finally decided to move...

 The Guard Cav and French infantry dare the dragoons to advance into the valley of death- but disorder them with musket fire. .

 Now the French attack pivots to the French right.

 My infantry fail to inflict any meaningful casualties (again)

 The French Dragoons slaughter the Lancers and drive the survivors from the field.

 Guard Cavalry attacks the dragoons destroying them too.

 And the Russians break. A total white wash, the French did not lose a single battalion! Talk about a white wash. I did miss the steady rule but Kent played his army well and again my lack of coordination of my brigades cost me dearly. Very well played Kent.

Next time we will add a couple more infantry battalions.

The Bomber 
I watched this the other night and thoroughly enjoyed it. The premise is a bit silly but an enjoyable war movie and (the wargamer geek coming out in me) the terrain was great inspiration for war gaming in Russia and the Ukraine. Interesting to get a Russian view and the story is definitely not from a western film making perspective which is good. I thought they did a pretty good job of showing the issues facing Russian soldiers (eg. NKVD) and also of atrocities commmitted in Russia. Well worth a look.

Craig

New gaming room- WIP

Yesterday I got some underlay and carpeted the gaming area of the storeroom/workshop beneath our new house with some carpet I had salvaged from one of our flats when we were recarpeting last year- I knew it would come in handy sooner or later. Today's job was to cut down a 6x4 table to snuggly fit between the beams supporting the floor above so I now have a 6ft x 7.5ft table set up and ready for action. 

 

 Of course the rest of the room is still a bit of WIP- there is a large area  that gives access to the undernearth of the house in the top left corner. I'll add some louvre doors to hide that storage section and finish off the gib on the walls and it should look quite good. 

 Below is the area I was going to convert to a rather large gaming room (the space is about 9 metres x 6 metres). We still intend to fill it in and add windows and doors for large games room/hang out area for the kids.

 

 Hopefully this week Kent will be available for a game of Black Powder. 

Craig

Perry Russian Dragoons

Tonight I finished the third stand of the new Perry Russian Dragoons. Lovely figures. Next up will be the command stand to finish the unit off.

Alas, Kent is busy tomorrow night so no game of Black Powder this week, it will give me a chance to get the command stand done though.

Craig

Black Powder

We've finally got the internet back on so can update the blog. I started some of the lovely new Perry Russian Dragoons last night and this evening Kent popped round for a game in the new gaming room. We used the same forces as last week.

The games room is under the house and unfortunately there is a large beam in the centre of the floor supporting the house above I but I can fit in a 7.5ft x 6ft gaming table between the beam and the wall.

The French brigades deploy. 

 As do the Russians. This time I reorganised my brigades into one with 3 battalions, the other with 5.

 I got the first turn and advance.

 End of turn 1: both sides advancing. Kent went for a shallow, linear deployment so I as hoping to use my flank and rear supports to allow me to punch a hole through his lines. But as it turned out he beat me to the punch.

 Still getting to grips with how far things can move- this being a prime example, his guards charge my artillery and destroy it.

 Then their advance after combat brings them deep into the rear of the Russian position. Oops.

 Things are looking better in the centre though where we are threatening to break through.

 My infantry on my left change formation, reform into line and fire a volley at the Guards- alas I forgot about the enfilading fire rule.

 Kent charged but typical Russian stubbornness meant we stayed locked together in combat.

 Cuirissiers arrive and charge the guards.

 In the centre we fail to make much headway.

 Kent's on cuirissiers and Dragoons arrive. The currissiers fail to move but the dragoons are thrown against the Russian cuirassiers.

 Good thing most of the French cavalry failed to act, the cuirissiers were in trouble! Luckily though I break the dragoons and sweep forward into the cuirrassiers, who are forced to retire off table as so the French Cavalry brigade is broken.

 The fight on the left flank continues but the Russian infantry are seriously out gunned.

 Unfortunately the cuirissers that had been thrown into the fray are forced to retire off the board and so are destroyed.

 Kent forms line on my far right and rakes the Russian battalions with enfilading fire- so that is how it works.

 The French Guard change formation and charge the Russian infantry in the rear! Yikes! the Russian brigade finally breaks and is destroyed.

 In the final turn the remaining Russian infantry brigade is caught in a pincer move by the two French infantry brigades and are also broken.

Another good game. Kent used his line more effectively than I did and really made me pay in the last couple of turns. Memo to self don't deploy your artillery too far forward. I'm still getting used to how quickly units can move and the game can change, the move rates are surprising me still but it does make for a fast, fun and bloody game.

Hopefully the French will get their comeuppance next week.

Craig