Battle of Bautzen, 21st May 1813

This is the 2018 'Mega-Napoleonic' battle that the club seems to try and put on every year or so. Hosted by Rupert and aided and abetted by John we see a French Army attacking an Allied Prussian and Russian force on the second day of the battle. The game is being put on in 15mm utilising Shako 'Large Battle Rules' rules.

By the time of the battle Napoleon had over 200,000 men available to him east of the Elbe.

Tabletop Map

On the first day of the battle,Ney had 84,300 men, split into III Corps (Ney), V Corps (Lauriston), VII Corps (Reynier), II Corps (Victor), Chatel's light cavalry division and the 2nd Cavalry Corps. However Reynier, Victor and the 2nd Cavalry Corps were delayed by Napoleon's confused orders in the days before the battle, so he was only able to commit Lauriston's V Corps and his own III Corps.

Napoleon had 119,000 men, split into IV Corps (Bertrand), VI Corps (Marmont), XI Corps (Macdonald), XII Corps (Oudinot), Latour-Maubourg's 1st Cavalry Corps, one division of the Old Guard and two of the Young Guard. Prince

The tabletop its-self,
French Left wing bottom right

The Allies had four Russian corps (Miloradovich, Gorchakov, Barclay de Tolly and Grand Duke Constantine and three Prussia corps (Kleist, Yorck and Blücher). General Bennigsen was also present on the Russian side.

The Allies decided to place a screening force on the Spree, but concentrate on defending the valley of the Blösaer Wasser.

The game is scheduled to run for 3-4 weeks, a total of 30 game turns, more to be added here as it happens!

Alied rear, Centre

Week One: - Saw a French holding force, commanded by Nigel, move into contact on their right wing. On the French Left wing a corps advanced to cross the river and then try and flank the Prussian
army.

Allied rear, left flank

Whilst in the centre MacDonalds and Oudinot's corps there moved to attack and hold the Prussian held heights.

Late on the John & the French Guards arrived in the centre, forming an on table reserve as MacDonalds and Oudinot's Corps continued their attacks. On the extreme left wing, behind the Prussian army's flanks Ney's command made it's initial appearance.

Attacking the heights in the French centre

Week Two: - And the attacks in the centre pressed home, with hard fought struggles, particularly impacting Dave's Oudinot's Corps, who by the end of the evening had almost cleared the heights of Prussians. Meanwhile MIke W's MacDonald's Corp was pushng on over the heights and began engaging the Russian Guards units positioned just behind the heights.

Another view of the fighting on the heights

Tje French Guards arrive

Meanwhile the French Guards push onwards looking to support the centre, and by end of the evening had taken the town to their front.

The French right flank, continued to hold its position, whilst on the left, Neys' forces continued to arrive and move into the tabletop to engage the Prussians who had had plenty of time to face their advance.

Ney was ably supported by the French Corps which had crossed the river, and pressing their attack.

Ney's slow advance from the left flank

Week Three: - Saw Phil, playing Marshal Ney, and his command continue to arrive and grind their way very slowly across the back edge of the table, moving from the French left. The Prussians on that flank put up an extraordinary fight to constantly slow down Ney's advances.

Ironically, Ney. seemed to be hampered by the nature of his force having a high proportion of cavalry, instead of sweeping advances, Warren's Prussian squares obstructed the way and each square had to be tackled by infantry as they could be brought forward.

MacDonald & Oudinot advance on centre,
seen from the Allied side

Ney's infantry won every melee with the Prussian infantry but the Prussian Cavalry won every cavalry melee, Ney is working to get his heavy cavalry engaged to break the Prussian forces against him and clear the way....

Elsewhere Oudinot's forces pushed on and on, driving the Prussians from the hill in front of them, they survived two morale tests as their casualties began to mount but late on in week three, they reached their arrowhead goals.

The Guard continue to advance

MacDonald's forces fared less well, approaching their arrowhead target they were counter attacked by Mikey's Russian Guards units and although fighting stubbornly they failed their second morale test badly and routed.

The French extreme right, shift left!

The Guard pressed on and will be engaging with Russian troops next week in a meaningful way and further to the right  the French line has been moved left to support the guard's advance.

Week Four and Five: - Ney's Forces grind onwards into the Prussians, forcing them to gradually give ground. Ultimately numbers tell and the Prussian Corps crumble and dissolve, only to be replaced by Russian allies who have been able to move to their right flank in the time that he Prussians earned with their blood.

On the French' main front, things stagnated, with few corps available to fight  - it is left to the guard to hold the line along with a single other corp (Marmont) to their immediate right. Finally in week five, the Guard lash out and start inflicting serious casualties in their opponents, although Marmont's Corp is finally broken.