So what are you doing over Christmas?

[fsn]

My last day in the office is Wednesday, then I'm off work until the 2nd Jan. I have no commitments, no parties, no nothing. So what to do?

Well, I am working on my 13th Napoleonic army, so why not give the existing 12 a run out? I am going to do a contest. I'm going planning to fight a series of battles in a knock out format - all done randomly. They will all fight on the same (randomly generated) terrain, and each brigade will start at a random point on the table - coming in ... randomly. 

I've randomly ordered the armies, and each pair will fight. There's 12, so I'll have to do 4 preliminary rounds (selected randomly), the winners, plus the 4 as yet uncommitted will then pair off; the 4 winners will go into the semi final and then there will be a final. 

Army	Infantry	Cavalry	Batteries
France 1813	648	320	5
Denmark	795	100	4
Prussia	420	80	2
Brunswick	512	92	2
Bavaria	696	160	4
Wurttenberg	792	160	3
Sweden	780	120	3
Britain	1140	420	7
Russia	576	160	6
Austria	624	200	5
Ottoman	540	240	3
Poland	864	140	4

The first battle will be the 1813 French against the Danes. The red side here are the French, the blue the Danish. Danish brigades are all arms.

On move 1 the 1st French infantry brigade will arrive at point red 1, the top of the table. This is a bit of a problem, as this is 2/3 of the French infantry, and they are quite a way from the bulk of the army. A cavalry brigade will arrive at red 7 at the same time. The Danish 2nd Brigade will arrive at blue 10, on the road.

Move 2, the French 2nd Infantry brigade will arrive at red 15. 

Move 3, a second French cavalry brigade will arrive behind the 2nd Infantry. The Danish 3rd Brigade will arrive at blue 13.

Two further French cavalry brigades arrive on moves 4 and 5; and the reserve artillery on move 6. The final Danish brigade (oddly enough the Advance Guard) will arrive on move 6.



Prussia and Brunswick both have very small armies, so I'm glad they paired off against each other. The British army is double the size of most others, so I'll only play some of the brigades.

[paulr]

Sounds like fun

I'll be working on rules and scenarios

[mollinary]

If my paints arrive in time I'll be preparing my Pendraken Viking Army for the SoA Battleday 2025 Battle of Maldon. Already have the Saxons. Fingers crossed.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

I'm working until 5:15 on the 24th and back at work on the 27th. Busiest time of the year. 
I also get 1st Jan off.
Ain't I lucky. 

[paulr]

Luxury

[Orcs]

I have nothing planned at all. No socializing due to wifes having to be fairly isolated.

In the last couple of months I have painted in 20mm 150 odd Sikhs for 14th Army, 3 A/T guns , 11 vehicles with crew.

I just have  to decide if I should do the Japanese opponents, or paint something more interesting (WW2 uniforms are easy but boring).

My current favoured choices are:-

10mm Parthian Army
10mm Scutarii unit
10mm Daciam Falx Unit.
15mm Italian wars Units
20mm Jungle huts I have just 3d Printed
Troop of Lee Tanks For Sikhs
Troop of Armored cars for Sikhs.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Trying to ignore it in the vain hope that it will go away..... 

[T13A]

Hi

Son arrives home from university in Lincoln later today for the holidays so looking forward to catching up with him over a pint (or two). We're off to Copenhagen for a few days on Thursday with both the Krigsmuseet (war museum) and Tivoli on the agenda. I'm hoping that Osprey's 'Fighting Sail' rules will be under the Christmas tree on 25 December and have a few ships on order from Tumbling Dice, so that is my little Christmas wargaming project sorted (after watching some of the 'Crusty Colonels' videos on YouTube). Will also need to sort out an order for the new figures just released in the fantastic Pendraken AWI range, just a shame they don't do Napoleonic ships....... Spending Christmas day with friends in Frome and then looking forward to getting away to Thailand for a couple of weeks in January.

Have a good Christmas all.

Cheers Paul

[Steve J]

Quite quiet as we have a SEND son, so Xmas can be very exciting for him but also very challenging. Frankly once we've had our traditional (but not typical traditional) meal, SWMBO and I say "thank God that's over for another year!". So reading, watching University Challenge Xmas special and generally just chilling out (if possible) with the family, who will all be home, as both kids moved out this year.

Merry Xmas to one and all and a Happy New Year too!

[Last Hussar]

FSN - May I suggest;

12 Armies is 4 groups of 3. Each in a group fights the other 2, so 3 battles per group: A v B, A v C, B v C

That gives 4 group winners. Best Group winner plays the Worst performing group winner, with the other two in a battle - That would be your semis.

Then a final with those two winners.

15 battles, 16 if you do a 3rd place play off.

[fsn]

I did think about a league system. 

However if A beats B, B beats C and C beats A then we have three armies which won one and lost one.

I don't use a points system - I suppose I could count casualties or objectives - but won't.

It's a good thought though Hussar. Thank you.

[Matt J]

Quite quiet as we have a SEND son, so Xmas can be very exciting for him but also very challenging. Frankly once we've had our traditional (but not typical traditional) meal, SWMBO and I say "thank God that's over for another year!"

I resemble that remark! 

Mine comes down for a couple of pigs in blankets then back to the computer screen. Alot easier now he's older, xmas was a nightmare when he was younger!

[Last Hussar]

Just keep a record of who did the best in each game. Don't know how you will be judging it, but if you have clear victory conditions it shoul be doable.  I would suggest using the same victory condition on all three battles in a group, even it you try different methods in different groups.

[fsn]

I had the first battle this afternoon. France vs Denmark.

I should explain that Nobby's Napoleonic Rules (1804-1815) are based on the command structure. Battalions/regiments/batteries can perform tactical operations - e.g. form line, unlimber or detach skirmishers - but otherwise obey the last order received. You need a brigadier to make some more serious decisions like attack the farm, or retire the left, and you need division/corps commanders to pull it all together. Orders can be changed when an ADC brings them from a superior order in the chain of command. Command units were randomly allocated to brigades. 

Why is this relevant? Welllllll. The Danish army is a nice balanced force. Three brigades each of several battalions of infantry plus a regiment of cavalry and an artillery battery. Each brigade reports to the division commander Hessen-Homburg.

The French, however are a mix of Lauriston's V corps and Latour-Maubourg's I Cavalry Corps. This split command gave them a bit of a problem.

On move 1, the bulk of the French infantry (6 bttns, plus the division's artillery) arrived at red 1. Having no orders, the Brigadier (who shall remain anonymous) rolled  die. 1-hold, 2-5 advance, 6 charge the nearest enemy. Brig threw a 1 and the brigade settled in a defensive posture.  At the same time, the French dragoons arrived at red 7. their brigadier threw a 6 some advanced boldly, looking for Danish blood.

This was the 2nd Brigade (4 bttns of infantry, the Jutland Cavalry and a 6pdr artillery battery). They were accompanied by Hessen-Homburg, and advanced in good order towards the crossroads.

Move 2 the French 2nd Brigade (3 bttns) arrived at red 15, on the Danish left flank. Regrettably, the brigadier also threw a 1 and so the brigade took a coffee break. meanwhile the French dragoons got a bit bunched up on the bridge, and fell prey to some pretty accurate and deadly fire from the Danish 6pdrs. The Danish continued a mild advance, but the 2 bttns of the Funen regiment were hived off to face the French 2nd infantry brigade. 

Move 3 the Danish 1st Brigade (5 btns, 1/2 rgt of Hussars and 2 batteries) arrived on the 2nd Brigade's right. A speedy ADC was despatched who ordered the 2nd Brig to form line with the 2nd Brigade. meanwhile, the Danish artillery continued to pound the approaching French dragoons. A second French cavalry brigade of three half-regiments of light cavalry (mostly lancers) arrived behind the dormant 2nd infantry brigade. They decided an advance was the right decisions, but would take a while to pass through the infantry. 

Move 4 Over the bridge now, the French dragoons attempted to from up in the space between the cross roads and the river. The Danes, left wing resting on the woods and the buildings about blue 10, now deployed 3 batteries on the poor dragoons. Unsupported, the morale of the green coated horsemen was somewhat shaky.

Mixed news for the French. The Latour-Maubourg appeared with the brigade of Cuirassiers and the horse artillery. Unfortunately, he appeared at red 18, well away from his other two brigades and with high ground in the way he was unaware of their presence so could not yet change their orders.

Move 5 saw Lauriston finally make an appearance with his light cavalry brigade of Chasseurs and his artillery at red 13. Immediately, he delivered a stinging rebuke to the 2nd infantry brigade, pointing wildly at the Danes and yelling "there is your enemy - attack, attach, attack!" he also sent an ADC galloping off towards the 1st Brigade with no doubt equally stirring words of encouragement in manoeuvre.

Alas, it was too late for the French dragoons. Their developing charge was still being bombarded by 3 Danish batteries, and the Danish Funen regiment had deployed it's two battalions in square. The two Danish cavalry units had combined to move to the Danish right flank in a position to counter charge the hapless French riders. The brigade basically failed a morale check and the charge stalled, failed and broke. the dragoons, unsupported and having taken significant casualties, decided to remove themselves from the field.

Move 6 As the Dragoons exited stage left, the final French unit, the 12pdr artillery arrived at red 17. Meanwhile, Latour-Maubourg and the Cuirassiers passed in front of the artillery seeking the enemy. This was bad news for the Danish Advance Guard (4 btths,1 1cav rgt, 1 6pdr btty) who meandered on the field at blue 7 (threw a 3 so could advance).

Move 7The Danish Advance Guard makes hastily for the comparative safety of the trees and buildings at blue 10. the Artillery of the 1st And 2nd Brigades redeploy and start a cannonade aimed at the French Lancer brigade. This was not Lauriston's day. Although the Danish artillery fire was somewhat desultory, only one battery being able to engage, Lauriston's ADC who was galloping towards still motionless 1st Infantry Brigade, was caught up in the fire. His horse stumbled and the ADC was thrown.* the 1st Infantry was not destined to play a part in this battle.

Latour-Maubourg was in two minds. he could see the Danes debouching at blue 7, but was keen to unite his Corps elements. he had no idea that the Dragoons had retired, but could see the Lancers advancing at the unbroken Danish line, the 2nd Infantry brigade slowly moving in support. Realising that a small cavalry brigade (even of Cuirassiers) could not achieve much against 4 battalions of infantry, who were unshaken and with plenty of time to counter a charge, Latour-Maubourg led his troops towards the lancers, and ADC galloping ahead with orders for the lancers to stop advancing until joined by the Cuirassiers. Doubtless, Latour-Maubourg was hearted to see  Lauriston and his staff in the distance.
 
Move 8 The Danish line, unmolested by the French redeployed roughly on a North-South axis, with the left on the woods, and the right held by the two cavalry regiments. The artillery now began a serious  bombardment of the Lancers.

The Cuirassiers moved to go behind the slowly advancing 2nd infantry brigade, to join the lancers. Lauriston sent his chasseurs to protect the right (Southern) flank of the developing French line. The 12pdr battery crested the hill and began it's slow move to join the main body.

At this point we have 3 French infantry battalions, and the equivalent of 5 cavalry regiments active on the table. The artillery attached to the infantry division was playing boules with the 1st Brigade, the horse artillery was making its way towards the lancers, and the reserve artillery was moving to where its guns could do some mischief. The Danes on the other hand, had 8 battalions in formation, with flanks secured by terrain and the 11/2 cavalry regiments, with the 3 attached batteries making merry discomforting the French. Besides that, there were 5 battalions, 1 cavalry regiment and a battery moving up to strengthen the Danish left.   

Move 9 Lauriston, peering nervously to the North, saw no sign of the 1st Brigade moving, so despatched a 2nd ADC with fresh orders for the 1st Brigade to hasten southward. He was less than happy when Latour-Maubourg galloped up, his Cuirassiers passing behind him to join the lancers. Now the French Command was unified, but the situation was somewhat grim.

A Danish ADC gave the Advance Guard fresh orders, and the light infantry changed direction slightly to threaten the French right.

The Danish artillery continued their good work, changing their target to the slowly advancing French infantry. These poor souls suffered a check and their advance slowed.
       
Move 10 The Danish Holstein Dragoons, seeing the French 12pdr battery lumbering around unsupported, decided that they would make a good target of opportunity and hared off after them. The rest of the brigade moved into or around the the woods.

Move 11 The 12pdr battery, seeing the oncoming Danish dragoons, makes a sensible decision, and moves off the table at red 14. Meanwhile, Danish artillery continued to play on the French infantry, whose morale was sustained only by the presence of the Corps commander.   
 
So now we have something of a standoff. the Danes don't want to advance in the face of superior French cavalry, and the French don't have enough infantry to hand, and what they did have was being picked at by Danish artillery.

The French decided to regroup, and the battered 2nd brigade withdrew, covered by the cavalry. the Danes let them go.



SummaryThe French army (as I have constructed it) is rather bitty. 7 brigades in 3 divisions in 2 Corps. they suffered in this battle entering all over the place, and by the bulk of the infantry being far from superior command, and deciding it was time to take a break.  The Danes, on the other hand benefit from a concise structure (3 brigades in 1 division/corps), and entering the table in a compact mass, with the overall commander being in place early.
   
The French did have a run of bad die rolls. If Lauriston's first ADC had reached 1st brigade, they may have been able to effect the result. Similarly, the very effective Dragoon brigade threw itself away with zero result.

Oddly enough, the only unit to fire were the Danish artillery. All probably quite unrealistic, but quite fun and really unexpected. I'm thinking of adding a Marshal to the French to give them a bit more command rigour. 

Next up: Prussia vs Brunswick.

*ADCs don't automatically arrived. Every move the throw a die. On a 1 they are impeded, A 2nd die shows the scale of the delay. 1 or 2 - never arrive, 3 or 4 don't move that turn, 5 or 6 move 1/2 distance.       

 

 

[kustenjaeger]

Interesting stuff. I look forward to more AARs!

Edward