Austrian Hussar Regiment #2, Erzherzog Joseph Anton

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While I await a few items to complete the player write ups from the 1813 campaign, let’s return to newly painted units!

These rather colorful fellows are from the 2nd Austrian Hussar Regiment.

Their Inhaber was Erherzog (Archduke) Joseph-Anton, who was also Prince Palatine of Hungary (and the Inhaber of the 12th Hussars as well, under that title).

They were recruited in Transylvania (Siebenburg).

In 1809 the regiment fought at Sacile, The Piave, and Raab. 

The combination of light blue dolman, pelisse, and trousers with bright red shakos is quite something; all of that is further set off by the black and yellow braid and plumes. !

These are Piano Wargames figures; the next Piano Wargames 1809 Kickstarter is due to launch any day now!

Spring 1813 Campaign, Endgame

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Refueled by Pizza, the 1813 Campaign in a Day reaches its climax and resolution…

The continuing Battel of Wittenburg from the perspective of one wing of General Berg’s Russian Corps.

and the other wing of Berg’s Corps,. opposing part of Lauriston’s Corps. 

General von Bulow’s constricted position and much diminished Prussian Corps outside of Leipzig.

The pace of the French advance quickens at Altenburg, where von Blucher, although heavily outnumbered, holds his own with some Russian support. 

Overview of the involving Battle of Wittenburg; von Yock’s position is rapidly destabilizing. 

The newly arrived Russian press on towards Leipzig; perhaps they can wrest control of the key city from the French while they are distracted by mopping up the remnants of von Bulow’s Corps?

The French position around Leipzig. 
The situation remains fluid at the Battle of Dresden. 
“Man down!” The French Guard cavalry tries to polish off the rest of Von Bulow’s men. 
A charge by von Berg’s Russian cavalry at Wittenburg!

Latour-Maubourg puts some distance between his cavalry and the arriving Russian’s of ? Barclay de Tolly’s command. 
The opposing  lines at Altenburg.
It is Wittgenstein, the Allied C-in-C, who is hors de combat at Leipzig. The French Imperial Guard Chasseurs a Cheval have trampled another allied square; a badly damaged square of Prussian Grenadiers is almost all that is left of the Prussians at Leipzig. 
Battle lines at Dresden – Marmont vs Tormasov, mano a mano; the Russians still hold the city. 
That’s a lot of French (and some Badeners), including the Imperial Guard infantry moving on von Blucher’s position at Altenburg. 
At Wittenburg, Lauriston’s infantry have repulsed the charge of the Russian cavalry, and von Yorck’s Corps is continuing to crumble under the pressure of being attacked from 2 directions.
Another view of this half of the Wittenburg battlefield. 
Millerasovitsch’s advance on Leipzig, which is held by 2 Wurttemberg brigades.
Charge of the Russian Cuirassiers, including the Chevalier Guards, at Dresden. 
The remnants of von Bulows Prussian Corps arrives on the road to Torgau. It is garrisoned buy some Saxons, who have returned to their alliance with France. 
Some more Saxon infantry returns to Torgau from Leipzig. 

Barclay de Tolly’s Corps deploys opposite Dresden, as Latour-Maubourg marches off. The might Elbe river can only be crossed at bridges. 

The French close in on von Blucher’s positions at Altenburg; an Allied cavalry charge attempts to slow their advance, but is met by conscripts in a hasty square. 
Mortier and von Blucher look on. 
With von Bulow’s men gone, the French march to the defense of Leipzig!
Lauriston’s infantry attack von Berg at Altenburg. 
More French and Saxons arrive at Torgau, accompanied by General Reille himself. 
Reille advances on the last of  von Bulow’s Prussians; the Saxons have a long standing gripe with the Prussians, dating back to the their forced participation as Prussian “allies” in the wars of Frederick the Great, and then again in 1806.
Marmont is gaining the upper hand against Tormasov at Dresden. 

Latour-Maubourg crossing the Elbe!

Prince Eugene, Viceroy of Italy and Napoleon’s stepson, lead a charge of the 5e Chevau-Leger Lanciers at Wittenburg.
Von Yorck’s command is disintegrating, but Lauriston’s conscripts have suffered heavy losses… and yet, they are pushing back von Berg’s Russians. 
The race for Leipzig!
The Battle of Altenburg continues; here’s a rare cameo of Napoleon in the background,  enjoying a break from the burden of command – although that doesn’t seem to be his beloved Chambertin that he is consuming!
Reille has dispatched von Bulow’s small force, and now heads off to… ?
Battle of Dresden continues; the Saxon Guard du Corps are supporting Marmont’s attempt to regain the Saxon capitol. 

Crunch time is nearing at Altenburg. That’s a YES!
The Wurttemberg garrison of Leipzig is under attack by Milleradsovitsch!
Marmont is gaining the upper hand over Tormasov at Dresden. What are Barclay’s men doing? 
Lauriston’s close battle with von Berg proceeds at Wittenburg. 
The Prussians have defeated Eugene’s charge, but their position is becoming completely untenable. 

French coming to support the Wurttembergers at Leipzig. 

French closing in on von Blucher’s position. 
One Russian attack succeeds at Leipzig, whilst the other is repulsed. Marechal Bessieres is back in the saddle again, leading a charge of the Grenadiers a Cheval of the Guard. 
The battle between Lauriston and von Berg ebbs and flows at Altenburg. 
Overview of the filed at Altenburg. 
Assistant GM Mark records the action for posterity. 
As the daylight fades and the environs of Altenburg are covered with clouds of thick, black smoke, the French Imperial Guard infantry attack!
Reille’s Saxons arrive on the Grossbeeren table. 
Milleradsovitsch assaults Leipzig again. 
Barclay’s Corps advances on Dresden… but it has already fallen to Marmont! To make matter’s worse,  Latour-Maubourg threatens his flank with shot and saber!
Von Blucher hangs on at Altenburg. 
Two Prussian Infantry brigades guard the road to Berlin!  Reille has the combined arms advantage, with a battery and 2 Saxon infantry brigades. In order to lay siege to Berlin, he must exit at least 2 infantry and one artillery unit via the dark brown deployment zone with the yellow strip and the supply marker. 
Reille sets to the task at hand. 
The Prussians are driven back with losses!
One Saxon brigade is heavily damaged, but the remaining Prussian infantry is is still worse shape!
Wie gefällt dir ein Lederstiefel in deinem Arsch? The Prussians are crushed, and Reille’s Saxons lay siege to Berlin. Turnabout is fair play, eh?  This signals the end of the day’s action. 
GM Mike held a debriefing at the end of the event, revealing the map scheme and connections (which will be divulged in a future posting). All the players applauding GM Mike’s extraordinary effort in putting together a great scenario! Many of the attendees, myself included, took the opportunity to do some shopping at The Portal gaming store. Even with that, I had all of the troops and my terrain, etc., packed up and was on the road home by 6 PM, literally driving off into the Sunset on my way West through Hartford. 
The following post will have write ups of the experience from the standpoint of all the players who submit them, and then finally a post with a summation of the day by GM Mike will follow that. 
Next October, in Manchester! 

Spring 1813 Campaign, Later Phase

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The action of the Spring 1813 Campaign in a Day continues! 

Decisions at Dresden: as Mamont advances on the city, one Russian Corps marches off, whilst Tormasov and the Russian Guard Corps arrives!

The French continue to slowly expand their positions at Altenburg. Note the large black “God Die”, used for resolving thorny rules dilemmas!

Milearsdovitch decides (or General Wittgenstein decides for him), that his Corps might be more usefully employed elsewhere. and prepares top march away from Altenburg. 

Tormasov moves out of the deployment zone, while Marmont changes face to meet him. 

Fancy maneuvering to get the French line established. 

Latour Maubourg, at Bautzen, writes to Napoleon. 

MacDonald/Prince Eugene deploys opposite von York’s Prussians at Wittenburg… but von Yorck also has to contend with Lauriston’s Corps to his rear, and Lauriston in term has to contend with von Berg’s Russians on his flank. Sacre bleu!

Von Bulow fights on doggedly outside Leipzig, but his numbers are dwindling steadily. 

Another view of the situation at Dresden. 

Von Blucher seems to be pulling back instead going Vorwarts, evidently trying to trade distance for time at Altenburg. 

Milleradsovitsch’s Corps on the march on the Luckau table.

The uneven battle at Leipzig continues; although in an unenviable position, von Bulow’s artillery has taken a substantial toll on the French. 

Von Yorck’s position at Wittenburg from the Front…

and from his rather exposed rear!

The other wing of Lauriston’s Corps, and the opposition by von Berg at Wittenburg… who seems to have mostly cavalry. 

von Bulow’s men fight and die at Leipzig. 

The Russians still garrison and hold Dresden.

Wittgenstein oversees the march of Milleradsovitsch’s Corps through Luckau. 

The Corps formerly commanded by General Betrand is now lead by Jean-Baptiste Douet, Comte d’Erlon. Facing him as well as  Bessieres and Reille, von Bulow’s Corps is near collapse at Leipzig. 

Mac Donald and Prince Eugene press the attack on von York at Wittenburg. 

Lauriston and von Berg face off at Wittenburg. 

Latour-Maubourg awaits orders at Bautzen. 

The Battle of Dresden shapes up. 

With von Bulow’s Corps fading, a new Russian force makes an appearance outside Leipzig (uipper left), the footsore troops of Milleradsovitsch!

The French continue their slow but steady advance at Altenburg. 

Grinding combat between mac Donald and von Yorck at Wittenburg. 

The continuing Battle of Dresden between Marmont and Tormasov. 

One of many glorious charges by the Imperial Guard Cavalry and Marechal Bessieres at the Battle of Leipzig. 

Wittgenstein himself has taken command of a force to retake Bautzen!

Latour-Maubourg’s cavalry make use of their superior speed to exit Bautzen table, doing the Shuffle off to Boef et Merlot!

Russians control and garrison Bautzen once again – this time supporting the position with artillery against the return of the pesky Latour-Maubourg and his Horse artillery!

Witttgenstein redirects the remainder of his force elsewhere. 

A cavalry charge to delay the accelerating advance of the masses of Frenchmen at Altenburg. General von Blucher is becoming seriously outnumbered, but keeps his cool. 

Altenburg from behind the Prussian lines. 

Attacked from 2 directions, von Yorcks Corps is gradually melting away at Wittenberg. 

View of Lauriston’s part of the Battle of Wittenburg.

Milleradsovitch’s Russian Corps deploys, and will attempt to retake Leipzig. 

They are too late arriving to succor von Bulow, however! The Remaining Prussians begin to think about how best to save a few of their skins!

The Saxon Heavy cavalry joins Marmont’s battle at Dresden… 

whilst the ever mobile Latour-Maubourg’s Cavalry Corps makes their arrival on the other side of the Elbe!

Remnants of von Bulow’s Corps at Leipzig. 

The Battle of Dresden continues.

Von Blucher’s Corps has pulled back to a new defensive position at Altenburg, supported by the remnants of Winzingerode’s Russian Corps; the French are enjoying some breathing room at last. Marechal Mortier and the Imperial Guard infantry, Marechal Oudinot,  and the two commands of Marechal Ney, Generals Souham and Girard, make a verty imposing sight!

Lauriston’s attack on von Yorck’s rear is taking it’s toll at Wittenburg. 

Nom de Dieu! Still more new arrivals at the Battle of Dresden!

Von Bulow prepares to extricate what’s left of his Corps at Leipzig, as Reille, having called up the Saxon infantry from Torgau, pepares for his own departure. 

The Battle of Wittenberg proceeds apace. 

The situation  remains fluid at Dresden.

Spring 1813 Campaign, Middle phase

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Some Allied troops arrive at (neutral/Saxon) Torgau

Some Prussian reinforcements are sent to the Grossbeeren table. to guard the road to Berlin

Von York has withdrawn from the Wittenberg table, leaving Lauriston’s French Corps free to advance. 

The French “Grand battery” is making room for the rest of the French troops to deploy outside Altenburg, and Oudinot’s French and Bavarians strive to enlarge their foot print (right). Note the almost complete lack of French cavalry, resulting in the use of square to anchor their lines!

Masses of French troops swarm onto the Haale table, and prepare to overwhelm the small Prussian garrison left there. 

Prussians duly driven out!

Who ARE those guys??!  As Lauriston prepares to depart from the Wittenberg table, a new force of Russians appears to his rear! Lauriston, whose Corps is largely made up of conscripts,  did leave an infantry brigade to protect his rear… fortunately!

Latour-Maubourg’s Cavalry Corps on the march through Luckau!

Latour-Maubourg’s men exit from a road, and now they have to find what that road connects to… 

GM Mike used a slightly different system than in the past, where the player reads of the road number, then goes to the road network and Transit table center, finds the appropriate card, and then discovers where he is headed to, and any delays that might apply. 

Marshal Bessieres and the Guard Cavalry find a garrison at Lutzen… but they are friendly Wurttemburgers. 

Marshal Marmont prepares dispatches from the outskirts of Leipzig; the Russian Guard corps is visible to the right!

Marshal Bessieres and the Guard cavalry arrive near Leipzig just as von Bulow and the last of his Prussian Corps are exiting. 

The Haale table cleared of enemy troops, the French are on the move again!

Latour-Maubourg arrives near Breslau, finding the are garrisoned by a couple of Prussian infantry brigades. 

Still more French arrive to join the Battle of Altenburg!

Von Bulow countermarches towards Leipzig, as French and Wurttemberg infantry arrive to support Bessieres and the Guard Cavalry!
Russians and Prussians and French, oh my!  The scene at Wittenberg is looking quite fluid!

Latour-Maubourg deploys his forces to attack Bautzen. Unsupported cavalry are fairly impotent against infantry in towns and cities, but as soon as there is artillery present, the calculus is every different, and the French General puts his Horse Artillery to excellent use!

The French bubble at Altenburg keeps expanding!

Some Frenchmen arrive on the Grossbeeren table, and observe Prussian infantry entrenched to guard the road to Berlin… which also happens to be the supply source for the Prussians. !

Latour-Maubourg has seized Bautzen; if he can hold it, this will cut off the Russian supply line to Breslau!

And just as he basks in his accomplishments, a dusty cloud of Russians is seen approaching from the West!  Mount up!

Allied lines have pulled back, as more Russians move to support Von Blucher’s hard pressed Prussians. 

Reynier’s small Corps arrives at Leipzig from yet another direction, threatening to make von Builow into a very tasty sandwich!

Tormasov’s Russian Guards Corps advances on Bautzen, as Latour-Maubourg’s men deploy to counter them. 

Now it is Lauriston’s Corps doing the countermarch to meet the advancing Prussians and Russians at Wittenberg!

Marechal Marmont, observing the departure of the bulk of Tormasov’s men from Dresden, returns with his whole Corps!

Situation on the Bautzen table. By now, word of the capture of Bautzen has reached the King of Saxony, and he decides to return to the side of the French!  

As Marmont deploys to attack Dresden, a new Russian Corps arrives to support the garrison of the Saxon capitol!.

Bertrand’s Corps arrives at Leipzig! Caught between 3 French forces, von Bulow settles down for an uphill battle at Leipzig!

Cat and Mouse at Bautzen!

With no infantry support, Latour cannot “siege” Breslau (requires exiting 2 infantry and one artillery unit), but they have still cut the Russians off from their supply lines. Almost all of the Russian troops have to take a single morale check!

“Russians go right, Prussians go left, Frenchies go BANG!”  Von Yorck makes his return, supported by von Berg. 

Latour faces some Cossacks and a Russian Grenadier brigade. It seems the rest of Tromasov’s men have marched back towards ? Dresden. 

“I’m hit”  General Bertrand falls at Leipzig!

Cossacks charged by Wurttemburg Chevau-legers. 

Just as the Duke of Dalmatia readies his attack on Dresden, here’s Tormasov’s men returning from Bautzen. “Merde!”

Bertrand and Bessieres discuss how best to crush the unfortunate General von Bulow. Leipzig itself has been captured by the French and Wurttembergers!

Herr Gott, was is das? Just as Von Yorck deploys to press his advantage upon MacDonald, a most unwelcome visitor appears to his rear at Wittenberg. We haven’t seen much of Marechal MacDoanld’s Corps (Steve Tarro)  thus far, but that is about to change. At this point, he’s just a few fries short of a full Happy Meal! 

French Garrison at Chemnitz…

and a Russian one at Luckau; evidently having learned their lesson, the infantry are supported by artillery this time!
The epic battle of Altenburg continues!

Although there are allied reinforcements on the march, it certainly seems like the French have the “Big Battalions” here.  !

Continued cat and mouse around Bautzen. Around this time, Baden’s adherence to the French cause wavers, and the Baden units must take a single morale check. 

Von Bulow strives to hold off annihilation at Leipzig, heavily outnumbered and with French in three directions. He does still have a line of retreat though, via the deployment zone (tan rectangle along the right edge of the table. 
With a huge battle at Altenburg, the conflicts at Leipzig, Wittenberg, and Dresden, the day is far from done!

Spring 1813 Campaign, Opening Moves

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GM Michael Seibert gives an introduction to the Campaign and today’s event.

James Sulzen gives his usual excellent capsule review of the Snappy Nappy rules, by Russ Lockwood. 

Coffee, doughnuts, and councils of war!

Table 15 – left is Prague with Schwarzenberg’s Austrian Corps, neutral at the start of the Campaign; right is Torgau,  with 2 units of Saxon infantry, also neutral at this point. 
Close up of Prague…

and Torgau.
Von Bulow’s Prussians start at Grossbeeren.  Potsdam is in the upper right.  
Table 11, Wittenberg. Snappy Nappy rules author Russ Lockwood, aka von Yorck and Russian General Berg (aka Kevin Roller) prepare to move out.  
Berg and Yorck on the march at Wittenberg.
A mass of French, including the two components of Ney’s Corps (Girard and Souham) emerging from the Thuringerwald and crossing the River Saale at Jena, whilst Mortier’s Imperial Guard infantry crosses the Saale at Saalfeld. 
French troops, lead by Matour-Maubourg’s cavalry Corps, crossing the Elbe at Bernberg. 

French at Erfurt and Weimar; Bessieres and the Imperial Guard cavalry in the lead, followed by General Bertrand’s Corps.

The Emperor himself appears!

Marechal Oudinot’s French and Bavarians marching through Hof. 

Table 13, Bautzen, with the Russian Reserve Corps under Tormasov (Brian Carmody)
Tormasov on the march out of Gorlitz and Bautzen. Note the supply marker at Gorlitz; that is the road to Breslau, the Russian supply route!

Allied C-in-C Michael Kneis, aka Wittgenstein (Kutusov dies right as the campaign commences, causing command problems on the Russsian side) and a horde of Russians, including Winzingerode (Peter Villani) at Altenburg, Table 4.
Brandan Shaw, aka Prussian General von Bulow, at Grossbeeren

Rolando Pantoja, aka Russian General Milleradsovitsch, at Dresden, Table 10
Russians prepare to move out of Dresden.
Left to right,  General Girard (William Neyland), Marechal Ney and General Souham  (Mark McGloughlin), and Marechal Mortier with the Imperial Guard Infantry (Bennet Kneis), at Jena, table 2.

Emperor Napoleon (James Carmody), Bertrand (Nate Seibert), and Marechal Bessieres (Mitch Abrams) with the Imperial Guard Cavalry, at Weimar, Table 1. 
The blue poker chip indicates French control of Weimar, which is also a supply center for the French (green and brown marker). 

The well dressed Marechal Oudinot (Rob Painter), and Marechal Marmont (James Sulzen), en route from Hof, table 3.

All quiet at Prague and Torgau. 

At the beginning of the game, I played 2 swarms of annoying Cossack scouts and raiders for the GM; here is one group scouting Lutzen and Naumburg (Table 5). The Cossacks could change a supply site (poker chip) to neutral from French, but not to Allied. As in the actual campaign, the French were every short of cavalry, so chasing off these annoying gnats was not so easily done. 
The other Cossack group is at Zweikau,  a “Transit Table”, a new concept for this campaign, that GM Mike adapted from an Australian Peninsular Snappy Nappy Campaign in a Day.  Some roads exiting a table will direct a players forces to one of these transit tables, usually with a 5 – 10 minute delay, after which the troops usually have at least 2 choices of where to proceed to (as well as withdrawing from whence they came). If an enemy force enters, the larger force will ordinarily push the smaller force back out of the Transit table. 
The flip side of the Zweikau (not to be confused with the lesser, Einkau) Transit table, only turned after the requisite delay, reveals options for departure. 
Some Prussian Dragoons on the more complex Bad Duben transit table. 

Cossacks scout Hof and see Frenchmen off in the distance!

Cossacks scout the Lutzen table and find it empty. 

More Cossacks in transit through Zweikau. Eventually I turned these horsemen of the steppes over to local Allied commanders who could use them. 

French (and Baden) vanguard under General Girard arrives at Altenburg… and finds a great many Russians, joined by Prussian Feldmarchal Blucher (Kevin Carroll, left).

Von Yorck marching on the Halle Table, #6
On this earlier table map, the road from Mersberg to the East is not shown. 

All roads lead to Leipzig!  Prussian General von Bulow, Russian C-in-C, and Russian General von Berg
arrive at the large Saxon city. 

My Cossacks discover (and retreat from) a French Corps arriving  at Chemnitz. The Cossack leader composes a brief missive to his C-in-C, advising him of the French advance. In this campaign, due to the roving Cossacks and the poor numbers and quality of French Light cavalry, there was a significant chance of French messages being intercepted – I think 25 – 30%! Communication between players, especially to and from the C-in-C is vital in these events, and an exchange of messages can take 20 – 30 minutes real game time. Ouch!
Marechal Ney on the march from Jena, Table 2.

Generals Latour-Maubourg’s cavalry corps ( Karl Newbauer) left,  and  Prince Eugene/Lauriston (Sean Seibert), right, marching on the Bernberg table, #7. Bertrand is working on a pontoon bridge across the Elbe; although both sides had 2 Pontoonier/Engineer units, this would prove to be the only bridging operation attempted during the Campaign!
Marmont’s Corps advances upon Chemnitz, as the Cossacks scurry off.

Prussian and Russian forces secure Leipzig. 

Marmont detaches an infantry Brigade to… ?

Generals von Bulow and Berg at Leipzig. 

Prussian General von Yorck is displeased to see the arrivals of  three French commanders at Halle:  General Bertrand, Marechal Bessieres, and  Marechal MacDoanld (Steve Tarro). 
The allies deploy at Altenburg, threatening a warm reception to any arriving Frenchmen (and their Rhine Confederation lackeys). 

Marechal Ney directs the deployment of the arriving French and Badeners. 

As General Lauriston’s conscript heavy Corps exits from Bernberg, General Reynier’s  (Rich Moore) weak Corps (no Saxon troops at this point), picks up some odd Polish and Westphalian garrison troops to improve his combat potential, and march off to a different drummer. 

Marechal Marmont holds Chemnitz, and dispatches brigades of infantry in many directions to gather information; he is severely feeling the lack of any Cavalry to perform these duties!

“Cows may safely Graze” at Bernberg – the French have left. 
Funfkau! They will not be made in to Boeuf Bourguignon today!

The French have left some conscripts to garrison Jena and environs.

Wurttembergers in garrison at Lutzen.

Latour-Maubourg arrives at Wittenberg.

Two French Corps converge on von Yorck at Halle; perhaps discretion is the better part of valor. But what will the Allied C-in-C have to say about it?  Note the road signs, made by GM Mike!

As general Milleradsovitch prepares to depart from Altenburg, a new French force under Marechal Oudinot arrives via a different route!
Overview of the tables circa 12 noon. 

Latour Mauborg’s French Cavalry Corps on the march through Wittenberg.

Napoleon himself visits to assess the developments at Halle. 

French Infantry and Cavalry at Wittenberg. 

Prussians under von Bulow and Russians under General Berg at Leipzig. 

Marmont’s scouts encounter the Russian Imperial Guard and reserves under general Tormasov at Dresden!

French Infantry (MacDonald) and Cavalry (Latour-Mauborg) marching from Wittenberg; note the green chip denoting Russian control of Treuenbreitzen for supply purposes; that will not be the case much longer!

The Allies have departed from Leipzig, leaving a small garrison. 

Milleradsovitsch’s Russians march back towards Altenburg, as the battle there is well under way, with four French and three Allied players engaged!