With over 20 players wanting to join the action this was going to be a test of the scenario and rules so we were all hoping it would not end in a bloody stalemate with an inconclusive result.
A combined briefing to all commanders started just after 9am and we were off!!
The initial briefing related to geographical features including the Kolocha and smaller streams as below:
Deadground: as shown with green string. Artillery can fire into dead ground and will count as “bounce through.”. The Kolocha is fordable everywhere but unlike other streams where you are merely slowed down any unit wishing to cross the Kolocha must spend a move in the ravine itself before moving on at normal speed. Disorder applies. Artillery must cross via a bridge. Fleches and the Grand Redoubt can be occupied by infantry IF there are no guns already occupying the space. Infantry are deemed to be in column formation and will fire as a column. 20 degree variation from centre for both infantry and artillery in the fleches. The Grand redoubt has a slightly wider arc. 20 degrees from the flank appertures. Wolf pits will slow infantry and cavalry movement by half. They do not disorder. |
The victory points were a little complex but consisted of retaining key geographical features with the Grand Redoubt being worth the most combined with casualty deductions:
Victory Points: Borodino village.: 1 point per building (4). The church is a strong point. Gorki 6 Points. Valuyevo 10 points. Psarevo 10 points. Grand Redoubt. 20 points. Fleches. 2 points for each. (3) Any other building 1 point. Minus 2 points for each brigade removed. Minus 1 point for each Guard infantry battalion removed. (either side) Valuyevo, Psarevo and Gorki can be contested by cavalry where the points are split (otherwise only infantry in buildings) Where the unit succeeds in advancing off the table into the enemy’s reserve area.: 2 Points per unit, or any flanking attack by either side. |
The use of blinds and dummy blinds and command and control played as follows:
Blinds and revealing blinds. Visible at 60cm with clear line of sight or 40cm if concealed. (woods, buildings, behind other units or behind walls or in dead ground). Blinds can be shot at by artillery, count as “bounce through” a kill will force it to reveal. Blind spotting occurs at the end of the movement phase. Blinds can spot other blinds and they will both reveal each other (if one is a dummy blind then it will be removed and the opposing blind will just reveal inf vs cav). When revealed no unit from a blind can be placed on the board closer to an enemy unit than when it was a blind. Blinds will always move at infantry column speed until revealed. Skirmishers can spot as well as formed units. (commanders cannot spot)
It is up to subordinate commanders to choose where they enter the table and on what move. Napoleon/Berthier and Kutozov/Bennigsen can offer their advice but cannot over-rule what an individual player wants to do. Artillery have 6 effective rounds per battery. The Russian battery in the Grand Redoubt has an unlimited supply. Overall the Russian artillery have no advantage over the French artillery, except they have more 12 lbs. (+1). Corps/Divisions deploy in the same EP area, unless Guard. Only Guard units can be broken down and deployed to different EP’s. However, remember your higher ranking Div commander cannot be in more than one place to offer support. |
Each side had a separate briefing without prying eyes /ears as follows:
FRENCH
French. Players will inform the umpires at the start of the game of any wish to perform a flanking move. Depending on the entry point and whether the units are infantry or cavalry, players will not know on what move they appear until they do. (applies to EP’s G and H.)
French notes: Up to a total of 6 brigades can be earmarked for the flank attack on the Russian left wing. Each brigade can be earmarked as a blind or dummy blind so none/some or all may be used for a right flanking attack. Your Guard Infantry cannot appear before Day 2 but may be used as the flank attack.
Napoleon is free to move where he wishes.
Reserve. Players must give an umpire 1 moves notice, with a declared EP, before deployment. Units may be withdrawn from the table and be placed in reserve, to be given new orders. Such units will still be subject to the one move’s notice rule.
RUSSIAN
Russian notes: A right flanking manoeuvre is permitted with or without blinds. No more than 6 brigades can be earmarked for a flanking attack. Up to 6 brigades can be blinds and/or dummy blinds. Each blind can be : 1/ Nothing. 2/ a brigade of cavalry or infantry. The 3 skirmish stands belonging to M. Borodzin may deploy collectively into the woods to the south from M1 if they wish.
Russians. You can decide as the game unfolds if you wish to launch a right flank attack. However, entry point A will have an 8-10 move delay from the moment the request is made. Entry point B, a 4 move delay.
Reserve: All other entry points require 1 moves notice. Once requested there is no opportunity to recall the order and the EP and time of arrival is then fixed. Units cannot withdraw off the table into the reserve area to be re-deployed later. Russians stand and die. The reserve artillery: The release is set on a sliding scale as follows: Day 1. M7/8 5+. D1 M9/10 3+. D2 M1, can deploy.
Command and Control: Kutotzov (C-in-C) is located in Gorki where he stays all game. So the Russians will be reliant on their Divisional commanders and will not have the benefit of his close support (+2). Barclay can offer support to units in the 1st West Army but not to units in the 2nd West Army (vice versa for Bagration). This reflects the poorer and less flexible command and control of the Russian army.
FRENCH PLANNING:
The surprise with the French initial deployment was the amount of cavalry earmarked for the extreme left wing which already had Ornano, Grouchy plus the addition of Davout’s Corps, and then Nansouty all of which would be on the “wrong side of the Kolocha river”. But this was their plan, so they hoped to swing the door shut on the Russians from the left. The difficulty of crossing the Kolocha was made clear in the pre-game notes and briefing. Woods between Utitsa and the fleches meant French heavy cavalry could not be switched from that flank to the centre, which they felt, limited their options. In reality Utitsa was a solitary battle but as it turned out, troops did venture through the woods, between Utitsa and the fleches.
Latour-Mauborg would sally around the flank on the right behind the Russian lines but had no infantry support while the Guard were left in reserve to wait and see how successful Ney would be in his attempt to storm the Grand Redoubt. The fleches would be left alone for now.
RUSSIAN PLANNING.
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Much of the Russian decisions rested on how they would deploy their reserves to changing circumstances. Indeed, Baggovut’s Corps was not deployed until the very end of the game. Despite three changes of mind during this initial 30 minute process a plan was settled on. Neither Uvarov nor Platov would undertake a right flanking manouevre as had happened in 1812, so it was left to Tolstoy’s Corps supported by Korff’s cavalry to undertake this long journey into the unknown. Not even the Russians knew when they would arrive. What the Russians failed to do was deploy some early cavalry centrally in order to slow down any French assault on either the Grand Redoubt or fleches. This they may regret.
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| Starting positions. |
How it began.
The French moved purposely forward in all directions. Eugene closed his grip on Borodino and the three Russian Lifeguard jager battalions under Bistrom decided to stay put in a delaying action. The option to evacuate Borodino was there initially but a quick decision was needed. Ney moved his Corps through the woods and began his advance towards the Grand Redoubt, with little if any meaningful cavalry support. Poniatowski deployed and marched up the New Smolensk Road towards Utitsa with Junot’s Westphalians in support. The Polish approach was delayed so it was the Westphalians who overtook and ultimately led the assault on Utitsa. Not ideal, given the command quality of Junot’s subordinates vis a vis the Poles. But in the end Junot exceeded expectations. Perhaps the head wound he received at Lonato in the Italian campaign was responsible for his madness and ultimate death only a year later. But in this game he did well.
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| Platov's cossacks in the woods. |
Davout deployed to the left of the Kolocha river between Ney and Eugene. Bistrom watched Eugene’s approach nervously but Russian cavalry soon appeared on the extreme Russian right in the form of Siever’s Corps to ensure the French would have difficulty totally encircling Borodino. Ney continued his assault on the Grand Redoubt, unhindered by any Russian cavalry interference. Raevesky looked on and the Grand Battery started to inflict casualties on the advancing French infantry. French blinds appeared behind the stream opposite the fleches which puzzled M.Borodzin, wondering what they might contain. His Corps stood fast and waited.
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| Initial movements |
The first 4-5 moves quickly came and went. Much entailed getting into position before assaulting a given position. Starting from the Russian left, Tuchkov combined his infantry with his grenadiers to prepare for the coming onslaught, positioning his battery on the Utitsa mound.
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| Stogonov's Grenadiers under Tuchkov prepare with other line units. |
Karpov’s Cossacks moved behind Utitsa into the woods separating Utitsa from the fleches, largely as nuisance value, while some might have expected them to move in the opposite direction towards the flank to act as the eyes and ears of the exposed Russian left.
M.Borodzin soon found out, having shot at them with his artillery, that the stationary French blinds opposite the fleches were in fact…nothing at all. Pressure for M. Borodzin to redeploy his Corps, to support both Utitsa and the Grand Redoubt, began to mount. Which direction should he go? Ney tip toed slowly through the wolf pits and began to assault the Grand Battery itself. Eugene got stuck into Borodino, while Dokhturov moved up to support the beleaguered jagers in Borodino as best he could.
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| Paskevich (under Raevski) tip toe carefully through the wolf pits. |
More and more Russian cavalry appeared on the extreme Russian right wing (Sievers) to counter the huge French cavalry advance which included not only Ornano and Grouchy but also Nansouty’s Corps of cavalry. Even Murat was there. Surely this would be a pyric victory for either side as the chances of the French taking Gorki were virtually nil, so it is difficult to see why the Russians responded by throwing in their cavalry too.
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| An abundance of French cavalry on the wrong side of the Kolocha. |
Kututzov was being pressured by Sievers into releasing yet more Russian heavy cavalry in the form of Duka’s 2nd Cuirassier Division. After all Duka was under Sievers’s command. However, Kututzov resisted the overtures and retired back into the church at Gorki to finish the remaining half bottle of champagne that he had begun earlier. Or have a fag outside.
Bitter fighting across the battlefield.
Well nearly. Only the fleches remained eerily quiet. The French were confident. Early signs were looking good. Eugene was banging on the Borodino church to try and finish off the the last remaining battalion of Lifeguard jagers holed up inside.
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| A french legere battalion moves up to support foot artillery close to Borodino Church. |
Ney, beyond expectations, had not only engaged the Grand Battery but succeeded in its removal. Ledru’s infantry were now inside the Redoubt but exposed to angry looking Russian Guard infantry who were preparing to counter-attack.
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| Russian Guard infantry prepare to counter attack. |
However, all three of Ney’s Divisions were weakened and Rosen, commanding some of the Russian Guard infantry having just arrived on the battlefield, prepared to attack. Marchand’s Wurttemburg Division was the first to be removed when the Russians took a more aggressive stance to try and re-take the Grand Redoubt.
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| Russian Uhlans await orders to engage. |
The French carefully left behind battery after battery into the central area close to the fleches and this massed battery is where their reserve artillery deployed also. The impact of this firepower was devasting and the casualties piled high on the Russian side as there were few places to hide. Little wonder the Russian units in the fleches did not want to hang around unnecessarily. M Borodzin , covering the fleches, sent Vorontsov’s Grenadiers towards Utitsa through the woods, while Mecklenburg moved right to help the dire situation around the Grand Redoubt. Neverovski would be left to hold the fleches on his own.
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| Russian foot battery. 12lb. (hence the caisson) |
It took time but Junot and the Polish advance on Utitsa was proving too much for Tuchkov’s Corps. Both Stroganov and Konovitsyn were being badly mauled and both were within touching distance of 66% casualties which would have been curtains. It became a case of who could run the fastest especially when there was Polish cavalry in hot pursuit. There was a complete stand off between Karpov’s Cossacks and the Westphalian light cavalry belonging to Chabert, until Denisov’s irregular Cossacks could not resist the temptation any longer and launched an attack from the woods on the Westphalian infantry drawn up in line. The musketry fire devasted both Cossack regiments. They never made contact and disappeared into the dust. Seeing this, Karpov’s remaining brigade commanded by Kalinin decided to sink further into the woods and watch and wait. Chabert stood outside the woods and waited also, but the nuisance value of these Cossacks tied up a whole French brigade of cavalry when they could have been of more use elsewhere.
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| Chabert's light cavalry. |
The flanks open up…
Then the flanks opened up. Latour-Mauborg appeared on the extreme Russian left wing and threatened the Russian opolchenie who nearly bolted at the very sight of these horsemen. Panic in Russian HQ was deafening. Uvarov’s cavalry and the 2nd reserve artillery was quickly despatched to shore up the left.
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| Latour-M's Saxon heavies come in on the flank. |
At a similar moment Davout was unhappy to hear that Tolstoy and Korff had appeared to the rear and Napoleon asked him to turn a portion of his Corps around to counter this threat. St Sulpice (part of Bessieres’s Guard cavalry) was sent to assist. Tolstoy would not get far, but his appearance diverted French resources.
All French troops except the Guard infantry and Montbrun were now committed. The Russians however kept back more reserves despite the doom descending on Uititsa. Vorontzov’s Grenadiers attempted to put pressure on the Westphalians but were beaten back and soon it was the Westphalians, who having taken Utitsa, were the ones creeping through the woods to threaten the fleches.
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| Westphalian grenadiers move through the woods to threaten the fleches. |
But the sole Russian force remaining there was no longer in a position to counter such a threat. Worse still if a threat materialised from the front as well, which had lay dormant for so long, the tenure of the fleches might well be curtailed.
N. Bordzin II’s 1st Cuirassier Div followed Sievers into the wasteland NE of Borodino for the meaningless cavalry scrap while Platov’s force was divided up, Vlasov followed the N.Borodzin, and the remainder, Denisov and Chechensky, dived into the woods between the fleches and Utitsa to look as threatening as possible.
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| Later stages. |
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| Elizabetgrad hussars belonging to Denisov. |
Gradually the French cavalry dominance on the far side of Borodino was beginning to tell and Tolstoy and Korffs’ foray was in danger of being driven back off the battlefield. Lecchi’s Italian Guard were now in Borodino itself having finally taken the church strongpoint and the French guns were beginning to have a real impact in the salient next to Borodino, making the Russian positions close to the Redoubt difficult to hold.
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| Italian Guard units take control of Borodino. |
Pahlen was fed into the centre to try and slow up the French advances. All three brigades which included Dyatkov’s dragoons, Kreutz’s dragoons and uhlans as well as the Mariopol and Soum Hussars of Dorokhov.
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| Pahlen's dragoons forcing French infantry into square. |
The latter launching a ferocious attack against French infantry not already in square between the Grand Redoubt and Borodino. The Soum hussars attacked the first battalion of the units belonging to Compans and wiped it out. An 8 on the 1D8 was scored which meant max breakthrough was achieve for the next battalion and again this was repeated for the 3rd unit. All three battalions were removed and this effectively stopped Compans in his tracks (those units under Davout’s command that had not been forced to do a three point turn to face the flank attack from Tolstoy and Korff.) So Compans was left with only one battalion out of 5. An unappetising -10 for the command test to look forward to. (-4 for the number of units lost and an additional -6 for losing over 75% casualties). Removal imminent.
Rosen was supported by Udom’s Guard as well and soon both succeeded in throwing Ney’s weakened troops from the Redoubt.
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| Russian Guard infantry succeed in taking back the Grand Redoubt. |
However, the French Old Guard were finally deployed and followed in Ney’s footsteps towards the Grand Redoubt in an attempt to re-take the Grand Redoubt. The Vistula Legion moved out towards the fleches and were to combine in a final assault with the Westphalians to grab what they could of the fleches.
End game…
Latour Mauborg’s flank attack ground to a halt, checked by Uvarov’s cavalry and the 2nd Lowenstein’s reserve artillery. Kutaisov 1st reserve artillery was finally able to deploy to the right of the Grand Redoubt and stabilise the Russian position. Better late than never though the scenario dictated a delay in their deployment.
Russian casualties were mounting. Tuchkov’s Corps was in full retreat, Tolstoy’s attack had failed, and yet, the Russian centre was still in tact. So much French cavalry had been committed to the north of Borodino that the opportunities that were showing up in the centre could not be properly exploited and Montbrun was released too late while supporting the Vistula Legion’s attack on the fleches. Duka was finally given an opportunity to show what his Cuirassiers were capable of and they succeeded in stopping Defrance and Walther’s carabiniers and Cuirassiers belonging to Montbrun’s Corps.
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| French Carabiniers charge their Russian counter parts. |
However, the front two fleches were in the Vistula Legion’s hands by the end.
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| Vistula legion start their approach towards the fleches. |
Interestingly the Vistula Legion had suffered zero losses in obtaining these keys points, launching their attack late, but when Russian reserves and artillery had been deployed elsewhere.
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| Duka, kept as a reserve until late, stabilises the centre. |
The remnants of the Russian cavalry north of Borodino were making their way back towards the Kolocha (some Uhlans and Cossacks) and across the battlefield the Russian cavalry had lost a total of nine cavalry brigades, the majority in this sector. The French dominated the left both to the north and south of Borodino, but many brigades had only one regiment left and so far from full strength and would struggle to pass their command test. Any hope of getting across the Kolocha was doomed to fail. Wilson noted that the steepness of the banks were such that cavalrymen would summersault and tumble backwards when trying to climb the opposite bank. Anything lining the Kolocha would prevent any progress crossing it. It hardly needed to have water in it to make it a formidable obstacle.
Kallin’s Cossacks that had stood in the woods facing off Chalbert’s Hussars turned about and promptly trotted off into the French rear concentration area and earned their team 4 points in the process. Colbert’s lancers did the same, though with a little more bravado by penetrating the Russian centre, after routing an enemy cavalry unit.
The final gallant effort of the French Imperial Guard to re-take the Grand Redoubt ultimately failed. Three battalions were lost in the process.
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| French Imperial Guard battalions attempt to take the Grand Redoubt. |
Rosen and Udom held the position. The Russian left stabilised albeit much further back than the Utitsa original line and even the militia had avoided running away at the sight of Nansouty. But would the Russian losses swing the victory in French favour?
All in all a terrific game. A few queries on the rules (streams and disorder, formed light infantry not being disordered in woods or crossing a stream for example) but overall the rules continue to be well received. One umpire on day two for 20 players illustrates the point. We slowed down yes on Day 2, but the game was fluid and produced unexpected results, rather than the dull stalemate we often witness when replaying Borodino.
I think the real Kutuzov gets a bad press for being old, lethargic and not willing to fight. But as Wilson writes, he was as “shrewd as a Greek”, and wounded twice in the head against the Turks, so not short of bravery. I think, if it had been up to Kutuzov, Borodino might never have happened. However, national pride and the need to defend Moscow overpowered the minority who believed that the French had nothing to gain by venturing ever further into Russia. Tradition went out the window. Alexander was expected to sue for peace, but didn’t. Napoleon on the other hand was not physically well, and so far from home dared not follow Davout’s advice with a long far out right flanking. What if he had, with Davout leading his Corps. I cannot think of a more able Marshall to complete the task, who is unlikely to have got himself lost. Could the Russians have bailed out and retreated further? I doubt it, but this is what Napoleon was really frightened of. The morale of the Russian army might even have collapsed if they had continued to retreat. They (both sides in fact) had to fight at that point, further retreat would have been totally unacceptable to the hot head nationalists in Russia, while for the French this was their moment.
Very tempting to play this all again in a few years time (same scenario etc), and assuming a similar group turn up, to swop sides and see if the outcome is any different.
Thanks to Art Miniaturen, Newline and Franznap for the vast majority (approx 7,000) of the 20mm figures, to Maverick models for the superb flags, to Sonja in Northern Ireland who helped paint the Russian Grenadiers, to Philip Marshall for umpiring on day 1, to James Adams who helped create the scenario, and finally to the 20+ players who came for the fun of it.
VICTORY POINTS.
TERRAIN HELD.
FRENCH | POINTS | RUSSIANS | POINTS |
Borodino | 4 | Semenoska | 3 |
Utitsa | 2 | Psarevo | 10 |
Valeyvo | 10 | Gorki | 6 |
Fleches | 4 | Grand Redoubt | 20 |
Fleches | 2 | ||
TOTAL | +20 | TOTAL | +41 |
LOSSES (2 points per brigade)
FRENCH | RUSSIANS | ||||
INF | CAV | INF | CAV | ||
3 brigades | 1 brigade | -8 | 3 brigades | 9 brigades | -24 |
*plus 3 Grd bns | -3 | ||||
TOTAL |
| -11 |
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| -24 |
SUCCESSFUL OFF TABLE INTO ENEMY REAR AREA
FRENCH | RUSSIANS | ||
Colbert’s Lancers | +4 | KALLIN’S COSSACKS | +4 |
FRENCH | 24-11 | RUSSIANS | 45-24 |
GRAND TOTAL | +13 |
| +21 |
RUSSIANS WON BY 8 POINTS!!
