Friday Night Games - Battles for the Berezena Crossings, Part 3

Russians advance on their right wing to engage the French

The final week of the epic 3 week game saw John & Dave continue on as the French whilst Mat, Mike W, Mike N, Steve & Mat commanded the huge Russian force.

French left wing is compromised as they retire towards the bridge

Mat's command on the Russian left continued to batter the French in that sector, who also dealt as good as they received. However on the French left the tide had truly turned and over the course of the night the whole French left wing gradually collapsed under the weight of Russian onslaught.

Russians attack and break the French squares

Ultimately all French units to the left of the bridge were destroyed or broken, leading to the preparations for a pre-emptive flight of the right wing. Whilst the French had fought valiantly, they were defeated with significant losses.

French right from their side of the table

Close-up of small actions on the French right

One of the Russian columns marching on the French left

What's left of the French left, from the Russian PoV.

The French right, from their side, central position

More Russians closing

The French left collapses towards the river bridge, the game nears its end

Final shot of the French right, Guards positioned to defend
against Russians crossing the bridge (bottom right)

Friday Night Games - Battles for the Berezena Crossings, Part 2

French left flank closed down and in Square to counter
threat of Russian sweeping advance

After a two week hiatus Rupert's game resumed, July 3rd, the missed weeks were due to lack of player availability and extremely hot weather here in the UK.

Close-up of the squares

Mat was away on holiday but Mike N. replaced him and performed admirably on the Russian left. For the French, Grahame was able to join us and was given their extreme left as his command, which turned out to be a bit of a poisoned challenge.

Steve's troops advance in the Russian Centre against French positions

On the French right, John continued to hold off increasingly intense Russian attacks whilst taking the number of exiting French units to an impressive 13.

Russian Cossack Cavalry redeploying through advancing Russian columns. 

However, Russian interdiction on the escape route and bridge enabled them to claim two turns of points.

The 'Big Bash' on the Russian left, with French positions being hard pressed

Meanwhile Steve, in the Russian centre continued to hard press Dave & Grahame's units, eliminating a number of these as the French lines contracted and retired.

More Russians arriving

Mike W, commanding Wittgenstein's Corps if 3 Divisions continued it's outflanking manoeuvres and also provided addition support to Steve in the centre as all the Corps' divisions finally entered the table by the end of week 2.

More play next week!

French positions on their left being whittled down,
whist Russian numbers continue to grow

Yet more Russians arriving

And more....

The Russian left

Friday Night Games - Battles for the Berezena Crossings

Friday 12th June saw us back at Rupert's gaff to play a game that he was to umpire set in the Napoleonic Wars, as usual this was part of the Russian Campaign, a rich source of scenarios that Rupert is working through!

Figures were from John's, Mike N, Dave and others and the game used Shako rules and was umpired by Rupert. John, & Dave took the side of the French (Mike N. being out on a pub crawl!)  whilst Mat, Mike W & Steve played the Russians.

French from Mike N's command (driven by Dave on the night) crossing one of the Berezena Bridges.

Steve's Cavalry engaging Dave's counter-parts on the Russian right flank, behind can be seen Infantry form Dave's command in square.

Mike N & Dave's French commands

More cavalry action on the Russian right, at the end of the first week the French cavalry had been driven off by Steve & Mike W's horse.

French cavalry from Dave's command

The tabletop from the perspective of the French right wing

A lot of fighting on the French right as Mat's Corps engaged with John's forces in that area

Close-up of some French Artillery

More action from the French right wing

A lot of hard fighting on week one, predominantly on the French right but with other engagements om the French left, where Mike W's cavalry have turned the French flank. All to play for in Week Two!

Friday Night Games: Annual Napoleonic Big Game - The Battle of Apsern-Essling (Week Two)

    Week two same the same commanders resume their positions as the Austrian attacks drew ever closer to the French lines. Tis represented Day Two of the battle, with some redressing of lines having been allowed 'overnight'. 

French occupying the urban area on their left flank

An early Austrian attack on the church and graveyard are soundly repelled by the defending French. THe Austrians loos three battalions destroyed in the attack and they then circumnavigate the area. Mike W's 1st Corps head left of the church whilst Warrens's Corps head right and push a flank march through marshy ground attempting to reach the French rear.

French defenders in their centre left, commanded by Dave

Austrians advancing on their left flank

French emplaced batteries on their right

French units under Nigel occupying urban area on the French right flank

French centre right

Austrian cavalry arrive on their centre left

Wider view of the Austrian attcking positions on Day Two

Austrian attacks in the centre have more success with the line of the dyke breached by a number of Austrian units - both Infantry and Cavalry, several French battalions are lost. However, the French Guards Divisions are coming onto the tabletop in their rear.

Austrian attacks in the centre start to put French under pressure

Austrian left of centre

Massed Austrian batteries, to the right of the line, pound the French lines.

The French try to hold the line in the centre but are hampered by the need to defend against the Austrian flank march, only the French Guards seem to have the ability to puch back at the Austrians.

Another wider view of the attacks, in the right background can be seen a sweeping Austrian flank move, through marshy ground.

To compound the French problems in the centre Mark is able to deploy his Austrian Corps to deliver a massed attack on the French right wing. As WQeek Two closes, the game lies in the balnce.

End of Week Two and Austrian attacks go in on the French right flank.

Friday Night Games: Annual Napoleonic Big Game - The Battle of Apsern-Essling (Week One)

Friday 8th May saw us meet at Rupert's gaff to play John's 15mm recreation of the Battle of Apsern-Essling, where Napoleon was caught by the Austrians as he crossed the Danube.

The figures were supplied from the colections of John, Rupert & Dave - possible plus others!

The Austrian forces were commanded by Rupert and he was aided by Steve, Mark, Mike W & Warren whilst the French were commanded by Mike N and his sub-commanders - Mat, Davel & Nigel.

The French right flank at the start of the game, commanded by Nigel

French positions on their left flank, commanded by Dave

And the sparcely defended French centre, commanded by Mat and Mike N when his troops arrived

Most of the Austrian forces had to march on  to the table, with Mike W & Warren's Corps on the Autrian extreme right, Steve's Corp on the centre right and Rupert taking the centre and Mark's Corps takling the Austrian left.

Austrian 1st Corp arriving on the tabletop on Turn One.

A wider view of the Austrian extreme right, with Mike W & Warren's Corps at the edge of the world

Austrian trioops advancing

Steve's Austrians advancing 

More advancing Austrians!

Austrian centre an left

End of play on Week One, a massive Austrian attack, involving 3 Corps, is developing on their centre right and right wing.