Monday 25 January 2021

The Russians are cast aside on the field of battle as Ney thunders down the Friedland road

 

Action at the height of the battle as the French assault the heights

Phil and I finally managed to get our schedules together to play the very well designed scenario from Dave Brown of “Neys attack at Friedland”.  Originally the plan was to play this with Ben however he has graduated University and started a full time job in his chosen field. How good is that!

This was originally a General De Brigade scenario however we converted it to General D’Armee with some assistance from DCR himself as well as Richard C on FB. Many thanks to them.


The photos below show the preliminary “loose”deployment of both French and Russian forces. Both Phil and I were able to make done minor pre- battle adjustments with the exception of Marchands Division who were in the Sortlack woods.




Have I mentioned I like tall trees to help create some vertical scale?

Marshall Ney taking inventory of the troops available for the task

Some slight alterations to the woods 

Russian left flank with elements of Platov and Kologrivovs cavalry

Russian High Command with General Bagration.  Only four Aide de Camps so if things
start to go wrong it was going to be difficult to right the ship.


Cossack forces on the left.  My intenmtion was for these sotnias to harass the edges and flanks.
They actually did a sterling job throughout the battle however the Russians would find other 
parts of the field to lose the  initiative!

Labtour-Mauborgs Dragoon brigade with horse artillery attached

General Ogarevs Jager brigade.  I spent ages building them up specifically for this scenario...so
you all know how they are going to perform

Cookie sends the cavalry straight up towards the outskirts of Friedland

Colberts light cavalry brigade takes the French left flank

The Russian Cossacks advance

Roguets Brigade advances towards the outskirts of Sortlack

Off board Russian 12pdrs on the other bank of the River Alle force the light cavalry into
alternate formations.  The Hussars took a fearful battering early. 

The Russians are firmly positioned outside Friedland 

Cossacks force back the skirmish screen for Roguet and Belair


A closer view of the early Russian Jagers from Elite Miniatures

I missed the photo however the Russian Dragoons charged a battalion of the 20th Jagers.  
They bounced the French off into a retire result.

Awaiting the skirmishers advancing out of the woods


Though unformed, these chaps continue to harass

Back on the Russian right the Jagers send out their skirmishers

Russian guns on the raised ground attempt to hit the advancing French with everything

Marcognets brigade advances up the centre

The French skirmish screen take on their brave but outnumbered Russian
counterparts, making short work of them.

Ready for another run

On the Russian left, Guard Hussars and Duke Constantine Uhlans prepare to advance. As fate
should have it, a double six roll from a French battery kills their commander and holds
up their planned advance.

Infantry around the stream



The French cavalry advance once again

The Russian Grodno and Pavlograd Hussars advance in support of the Jagers and artillery


The French near the heights

This could be very interesting

I do very much like the Elite Miniatures French Dragoons - beautifully sculpted by 
Peter Moreby many years ago.

The Cossacks still trying to sneak around the flanks

The Jagers look pretty well established don’t they? Oh you fool...

Time to get these lads into the fray

French guns prepare to send a few salvos into the Russian ranks

Skirmishers looking for targets from either side. The skirmish rules in GdA work incredibly well.



French squares look strong and firm however the Russians were happy with this holdup on
the Marshall Neys flank.

Remember those Jagers? Double Six roll forcing the Brigade Commander to flee the field causing his formation to falter. The corresponding test on the faltering brigade forces a sudden withdrawal exposing the rest of the Russian position in a matter of moments

A friendly experimental drone, perhaps a precursor to the Sputnik programme, provides this view of the chaos that starts to unfold around Friedland .Oh



The French assault on the higher ground hits whilst the cavalry prepare to

I do like this picture


Mmmm...not good if you are the Russians


Once again a series of poor roles and the faltering brigade, too near the edge of the field, retreats
off to lick their wounds to fight another day.  Hopefully.

Cavalry clashes that the Russians hope will halt the rot


On the Russian left the Uhlans seek at the very best, a small consolidation by riding into a square that may be battered enough to destroy. Could it falter that flank?

Another view as the lancer regiment hits

The cotton wool illustrates the loss of fire discipline of the legere. Despite the hope, more inept 
Die rolling ensured the French units survival and a return to lines for the cavalry 

The French look to smash through the Russian centre baseline

Horse artillery move up yo see if they can find a target. No need lads, the job is done and the lights and delights of the town of Friedland are calling!

So within thirteen turns the French achieved a total victory over the poor Russians of General Bagration. A great game and a very enjoyable days gaming with Cookie.

18 comments:

  1. What a wonderful spectacle and terrific report thank you very much for presenting it. On your and others' recommendations I've just got my own copy of GdA and wondering if I can get my aged head round it without assistance. Due to COVID we can't expect to game with mates for months yet in UK. Chris

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    1. Thanks so much Chris. The game was great and we had enormous fun playing it. The General D’Armee rules are very well designed and the very good command and control system works very well. We are certainly most fortunate here in Australia with COVID control etc.

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  2. Fabulous looking game mate. I really like the GdA games for rollicking big battles like this one.

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    1. Thanks SP - it’s a great gaming system.

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  3. That's a lovely series of photos Carlo starting with the stunning quality of your games room. Love the action shots and story, those Russians are obviously no good so you need to post them to me here in the Gulag of NZ for rehab, either that or buy some new dice
    Well done

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    1. Thanks Kerry. Yes the Russians are certainly repeating history taking on the Early French forces of Napoleon. The command and control aspects of the adc’s in GdA make an enormous difference and add to the excellent feel the rules having for playing the game in this period. As for a NZ trip for these lads...it would be so much easier for you to pop over to Perth mate...don’t forget those beautiful Poles!

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  4. A splendid looking game indeed Carlo.

    I do like to see your toys at play...

    All the best. Aly

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  5. Fantastic Carlo,

    Absolutely what Napoleonics are about.
    Great figures and great game.

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    1. Thanks HA - nothing like a big Napoleonic game.

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  6. Looks great, and with an engaging narrative to boot!
    Those Jagers have shaken out their "First battle Blues", and will doubtless be stellar performers henceforth!

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    1. I blooming’ hope so Peter. They were a beautiful, beautiful figure to paint though. They will get their revenge I am sure.

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  7. A bountiful collection of beautiful pictures Carlo.

    Certain Russian players obviously need a couple of hours of dice throwing practise daily for at least six months. The Tzar/Czar/Tsar (whatever!) expects it!! 8O)

    Salute
    von Peter himself

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    1. Very true Von Peter, very true. The Russians struggled a bit however those French through like they had formed a pact with the Devil himself! It was tremendous fun nevertheless?

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  8. terrific looking game, we have got a lot of gaming in over the last 12 months but alas no big battles. soon I hope.

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    1. Thank you very much John. We certainly have been most fortunate in our neck of the woods in regards to changes to lifestyle etc.

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  9. A great looking game Carlo. Always wonderful to see big battalions and regiments in action.
    Those jägers suffering a 'falter' and retiring without hardly coming into combat is a bizarre result. I take it that two good dice rolls for artillery fire and then destiny (on Phill's behalf) killed the jäger's commander and then you made an average roll on the faltering table and the brigade buggered off (well, retired)? I'm never keen on such mechanics, no matter how low the odds. It's like the 'blunders' in General de Brigade. Surely it should just put them out of command? When Brunswick died at Jena or Bagration mortally wounded at Borodino it resulted in a command void, but troops did not all immediately bugger off!
    I know, your game, your rules...! :)
    Regards, James

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    1. Hi James and thank you for your lovely comments. The issue for the Jagers was not the bad rolling as much as the position on the table. The unfortunate role was magnified by the need to retreat which took them off the board. If I had managed more aides in the command phase I actually voila gave re-rolled my falter dice however the Russian limitations at head quarters made this impossible. No problems with that impact of Command and control have a direct impact in the game. I looked at it as the inability of the Russian General Staff to effectively overhaul the command of the brigade in sufficient time and before the powers that be in that same brigade decided to withdrawal from the lines as they reassessed who was running the show.

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