Battle of Friedland, session II

We'e through the 19:00 turn of Friedland.  The Russians will not win this battle, but they have a very good shot of holding onto the town of Friedland and earning a draw.  The French losses earlier in the day -- in terms of ground and troops -- were heavy enough that the Russians have left themselves in a strong position.

During this session we had Brad and John as the French, and Dave and Cheatin' Bob returned as the Russians.

The French right after the arrival of Ney's VI Corps. 

The French right.  Victor's Corps is in front of Ney's, and they have pressed the Russians back beyond the Sortlack Woods. 

The French assault a line of Russian artillery batteries.  Some of the brigades are heavily fatigued, but there is not much of the Russian left with which to counter-attack. 

The French left.  They are close to Heinrichsdorf, but have not yet re-entered the town. 

The French left consists of the shattered remnants of the Reserve Corps plus the newly arrived Guard Corps.  Mortier's Corps is also present, but is at the rear. 

The French left.  Heinrichsdorf is in the foreground. 

The Russian right.  The force is very light on infantry, but strong in artillery and cavalry. 

Bird's eye view of the Russian right and Friedland.  The French seem unlikely to be able to force the river and enter Friedland on this flank before nightfall.  The Russian 1st (Guards) Division is occupying Friedland. 

Russian right.  Note the artillery in the center. 

Platov's Flying Corps has entered the map and is on the east bank of the Alle River, and is approaching Friedland. 

The Russian left is pretty thin.  The Support Division is gone, and most of the other divisions of this wing have been either destroyed or nearly destroyed. 

Russian left. 

The artillery batteries on the Russian right should be able to pivot left on the hill to support the beleaguered Russian left wing. 

There isn't much left of Osterman's 2nd Division other than a line of artillery batteries.  They will soon be overrun, but they may take out a few French companies as they go! 

The Russians have committed their reserve -- the 14th division -- to the left wing to support Bagration's mauled command.

Battle of Friedland, session II

The group finished our second session of Friedland.  We played the noon through 19:00 turn (so eight turns total).

The additional casualties through the 19:00 turn:

French
1 artillery battery
2000 cavalry
6000 infantry

Russian
Lvov, commander of the 6th division
10 artillery batteries
2000 cavalry
10,000 infantry

Total casualties from the start of the battle:

French
4 artillery batteries
8,000 cavalry
12,000 infantry

Russian
12 artillery batteries
12,500 cavalry
23,000 infantry

Version 0.3 of the rules are available

The Rules page now has a link to the published v0.3 edition of the rules.  This version contains new rules and mechanics to support the Battle of Friedland scenario, such as handling movement of reinforcements.

The next version of the rules (v0.4) is underway based on our experience playing Friedland.

The Battle of Friedland casualty report : through the 11:00 turn

The Battle of Friedland is a 19-turn scenario.  The battle begins with the 06:00 turn, and ends with the 24:00 turn.

After the first six turns (06:00 through 11:00 turns) the casualties have been pretty heavy on both sides.  Overall the Russians have lost more troops, but only by a small margin.

French losses

• 3 artillery batteries
• 6,000 infantry
• 6,000 mounted cavalry

Units destroyed

• 1B/3rd Div/Res (Saxon)
• 2B/3rd Div/Res (Saxon)
• 1B/1st Heavy Cavalry Div/Res
• Saxon HC Brigade/I
• 1B/1st Dragoon Div/RC
• 2B/1st Dragoon Div/RC
• 9th Hussars Reg/RC

Officers removed

• Res Officer (Lannes' ADC)

The French losses have tended to be entire units (e.g., all three of the major Saxon Units have been destroyed), and they have lost their edge in cavalry quantity and quality.  The number of eliminated medium and heavy cavalry stands have been very high.

Russian losses

• 2 artillery batteries
• 11,000 infantry
• 4,500 mounted cavalry

Units destroyed

• 1B/8th Div
• 2B/7th Div
• 3B/Advanced Guard (cavalry)

Russian losses have been pretty heavy amongst the infantry, but relatively few infantry brigades have been destroyed outright.  Many of the Russian infantry brigades are pretty mauled at this point.

Battle of Friedland: 06:00 to 12:00

We started the Battle of Friedland on Friday 4, 2015.  Kyle, Dave, and Cheatin' Bob played the Russians. John and Marc played the French.

Situation after the 06:00 turn:

French dragoons have driven the Cossacks from the plateau near Heinrichsdorf.  Russian line infantry have filled the northern end of the town.

French Hussars are pressing a Russian line infantry brigade posted between the millstream and a less formidable stream to the north (bottom of the photo).

Mortier and his VIII Corps enter the battle.

The Saxon heavy cavalry has been destroyed, but the Saxon infantry brigades are holding strong.  A regiment of Hussars is the only thing that stands between the Russians and Posthenen.

The 1st brigade of the 3rd division (Saxon) of the Reserve Corps holds off the Russian Support Division and Advanced Guard, but at a heavy cost.

Situation after the 07:00 turn:

This elite Hussar regiment successfully fights off two Russian cavalry brigades.  The legend of the 9th Hussars begins!

Situation after the 08:00 turn:

The Russians finally destroy the 9th Hussars.

The Saxon infantry continues to hold, but is hard-pressed.

The Russian batteries repulse repeated charges of French cavalry just outside of Posthenen (bottom right).

Stalemate outside of Heinrichsdorf as both sides take heavy casualties.

The situation after the 09:00 turn:

The French VIII corps artillery deploys.

The Russian left wing cavalry mass near the Sortlack Wood.  

Repeated cavalry attacks have destroyed most of the Russian infantry in the center, but at a heavy cost to the French Reserve Cavalry Corps. 

Cheatin' Bob gets ready to advance Gallitzin's command.

The Russian 14th Division prepares to cross the Alle and move into Friedland.

The situation after the 10:00 turn:

The Polish infantry and cavalry of the French VIII Corps move in to stabilize the French right flank.

The rest of Mortier's VIII Corps holds on against determined Russian cavalry attacks.

Lannes' aide-de-camp is wounded during the battle forcing Lannes to take direct command of the Reserve Corps units one by one.  Many have been destroyed, and the survivors are forming near a hill just northwest of Posthenen.

A brigade of French grenadiers in Heinrichsdorf are all that is left of the French left flank. 

The situation after the 11:00 turn:

The Poles push back the lead elements of the Russian left.

But the Russian left is still pretty strong, and has a lot of artillery.

A huge Polish brigade occupies a town.

The remnants of the Reserve Corps form up.

The Russian 1st (Guard) Division smashes the last of the French grenadiers and occupies Heinrichsdorf.

An Emperor's-eye view of the battlefield as Napoleon approaches from the west.