Dennewitz 1813

 

 

Starting positions. 

DENNEWITZ. 6^th September 1813.

 

Background. 

After Napoleon’s success at Dresden in late August 1813, he was keen to pursue the Prussians and knock them out of the war by taking Berlin. Ney was given the task of commanding the Army of Berlin and Napoleon implied to Ney that he (Ney) would receive close support from the Emperor in person and the Imperial Guard, in that effort. Napoleon, however, became distracted by Marshals Macdonald and Oudinot who had suffered defeats at The Katzbach (26^th August) and Grossbereen (27^th August) respectively, with Vandamme’s detached I Corps being almost totally destroyed at Kulm (29^th – 30^th August). News filtered back to the Emperor slowly and it was not until the 6^th September that Napoleon resumed his march north to support Ney. That same day Ney’s forward units, along a narrow line of advance, were checked by Prussian units at Dennewitz, 40 km south-west of Berlin. 

 

Command and Control.

Oudinot did not take kindly to being ordered around by Ney while each of Ney’s Corps were 2 hours marching distance apart.

 

The following will apply: 

1/ French units must continue their march towards Dennewitz until fresh Prussian units are visible beyond Golsdorf and Wolmsdorf. 

2/ French units at Dennewitz and beyond may manoeuvre as they wish. (Bertrand’s Corps)

3/ Oudinot, Reynier and Bertrand will act independently of Ney. If Ney wishes them to carry out an order, then an ADC (3 available) from Ney has to be sent to those commanders with written orders handed to the umpire. Those orders can then be executed when the ADC arrives at the Corps commanders’ location. Cavalry commanders do as they wish.

4/ When the first of Oudinot’s Divisions arrive on the table, Oudinot must declare where each Div is due to move to (either Dennewitz or Rohrbeck). Once declared, these Divisions are duty bound to follow this order, unless an ADC from Ney orders otherwise. 

5/ French units leaving the table towards Rohrbeck will take 4 moves to reach Rohrbeck. (double movement n/a)

6/ Only Oudinot’s Corps can use the double movement allowance when entering the table.

7/ The umpire will dictate how long it takes the engineers (attached to Franquemont’s Wurttemberg Div in Bertrand’s Corps) to build a pontoon bridge.

 8/ Bulow has overall command of the Prussians and all sub commanders may follow his orders. No ADCs required.

 

 

 Victory Points: These will be concealed and made known only to the relevant team. They vary from side to side. Must take the majority of buildings in a village to claim it.

 

Points	Ney	Points	Bulow
+6	To clear the two roads to the north of Dennewitz and Rohrbeck.	+4	Hold both roads north of Dennewitz and towards Juteborg. (2 points for each road)
+2	Hold Dennewitz	+4	Take Dennewitz
+2	Hold Rohrbeck	+2	Take Golsdorf
-2	Per Brig removed.	-2	Per Brig removed.
-1	Per unit removed.	-1	Per unit removed.

Dennewitz 1813. French and Allied OOB.

 

CORPS	Commander	Division	Nationality	Div commander	Code	Bde and Personal rating.	Strength on Sept 5th 1813	Dep- loyed? Arrive turn?	Translates to numbers of actual figs / bns/ batteries of artillery. 40:1 2S= two 3 man skirmisher stands.	No of units
C-in-C	NEY + 3x ADCs			Player 1 (P1) Rob Wingrave
IV Corps	Bertrand			Player 2  Philip Marshall
		12th Div	French	Morand P2  Philip Marshall	INF 2	0/+2	7,000	D	175/7 bns + 1 FT batt (8th legere bn, 2 conscript, 4 line bns) (13th and 23rd regts) 2S	8
		15th Div	Italian	Fontanelli P3 Tony Dalton	INF 3	0/0	7,300	D	182/8 bns + 1 FT batt (3 bns line, 2  legere bns, 1 Milan Guard, 2 conscript) (1st, 4th and 7th Regts) 2S	9
		38th Div	Wurttemberg	Franquemont P4 Dan Tomlinson	INF 4	+1/0	5,200	D	130/ 5 bns (5 line) (1st (yellow facings) 2nd(orange facings) 4th (pink facings) + Wurtt FT batt (12lbs) + French engineer train. 2S	8
		Cav	Wurttemberg	Jett. P4 Dan Tomlinson			800	D	20/ 1 regt (Cheveux leger/Prinz Adam or Chasseur a ch/Herzog Louis)	Added to above.
							64 guns
VII Corps	Reynier			Player 5  Patrick Lees
		24th Div	Saxon	Lecoq  P5 Patrick Lees	INF 5	-1/+2	5,000	D	125 / 5 bns + 1 FT batt (1 jager, 2 line, 2 conscript) 1S. Von Rechten, von Steindel (green and yellow facings)	6
		25th Div	Saxon	von Sahr. P5 Patrick Lees	INF 6	-1/0	3,600	D	81 / 4 bns (1 jager, 1 line, 2 conscript) 1S Niesemerschel, Prinz Anton (red and blue facings)	4
	Ney deploys with this Div	32nd Div	French	Durette P1 Rob Wingrave	INF 7	0/+1	6,550	D	163 / 7 bns + 1 FT batt (3 line,1 legere, 2 conscript, 1 Wurzburg bn) 1S (Polish element omitted)	8
		Cav	Saxon	De Lindenhau P1 Rob Wingrave	C 1	0/0	1,500	D	27/2 regts (Saxon Prinz Clemens uhlans and Saxon hussars) + Saxon HA batt	3
							41 guns
XII Corps	Oudinot			Player 6 Nick Goddard
		13th Div	French	Pacthod P7 NOC	INF 8	0/-1	3,800	M 6.  Entry A	95 / 4 bns + 1 FT batt (1 light, 2 line, 1 conscript) 1S	5
	Oud deploys with this Div	14th Div	French	Guilleminot P6 NOC	INF 9	0/+1	6,200	M 5  A	155 / 6 bns+ 1 FT batt (1 light, 3 line, 2 conscript) 1S	7
		29th Div	Bavarian	Raglovich P8 Nick Goddard	INF 10	-1/0	4,200	M 7  A	105 / 5 bns + 1 FT batt (1 jaeger, 3 line, 1 conscript) 1S	6
		Cav		Beaumont P8 Nick Goddard	C7	0/0	990	M 7  A	25 (1 regt Bavarian cheveuxleger and Bavarian Hussars)	2
							66 guns
III Corps Res C	Arrighi
		5th Lt	French	Lorge (P4)			2,600		65 / 4 regts
				Merlin P2 Philip Marshall	C 2	0/0		D	2 regts Chass a chev. (15th, 21st, 23rd)	2
				Jacquinot P3 Tony Dalton	C3	0/0		D	2 regts Chass a chev (5th, 10th and 13th) (amalgamated with Polish cavalry)	2
		6th Lt	French	Fournier P7 NOC	C4	0/0	2,200	M 6 with XII Corps  A	55 / 3 regts (1 regt Chass a chev. 2 regts Hussars (1st and 2ndregts)	3
		4thHeavy	French	Defrance (P8) Nick Goddard			2,400	VII Corps.  A	60 / 4 regts
				Axamitowski. P8 Nick Goddard	C5	+1/0		D	2 regts Dragoons + 1 HA batt	3
				Quinette P8 Nick Goddard	C6	+1/0		D	2 regt Dragoons.	2
									TOTAL 51 bns. 15 regts Cav. 8 FT batts. 2 HA batts. (75 units) 1,682 figs. Excl command (?) and skirmishers (36) 15 Conscript battalions all classified as -1. Same as the Allies.
ALLIES
C-in-C	Von Bulow. Deploys with H-H			Player 6 Bill Scott
	Hessen-Homberg			Player 6 Bill Scott
	Hessen- Homberg.  Player 1	3rd Bde	Prussian	Von Hessen- Homberg Bill Scott			(11,096)		(277 / 12 bns. )
				Von Sjoholm P6 Bill Scott	INF 1	0/+2	3,397	M 5.  Entry F	85 / 4 bns. 1 bn Grenadiers. 3 bns reserve (3rd east Prussian). 1 Prussian FT batt.(12lb) 1S	5
				Von Uttenhofen P6 Bill Scott	INF 2	0/0	3,860	M 5  G	96 / 4 bns. 2 bns Colberg line. 2 reserve bns.(4threserve regt) 1 Russian FT batt. 1S	5
				Von Klinkowstrohm P6 Bill Scott	INF 3	0/-1	3,839	M 5  H	96 / 4 bns. 4 bns Landwehr. (3rd East Prussian Landwehr)	4
		4th Bde	Prussian	Von Thumen P4 Neil Harper	INF 4	0/+1	6,786	M 3  D	169 / 7 bns.  East Prussian line infantry + 1 jaeger bn + 5th Reserve infantry.+ 1 Russian FT battery. 2S	8
				Major von Sandrart.  P2 Tim Cull	C 1	+1/0	1,340	M 3 C	33 / 2 regts.1st Lieb hussars and Brandenberg Dragoons.	2
		6th Bde	Prussian	Von Kraft. P5 Mike Irvin	INF 5	0/+2	5,050	M 4  E	126 / 5 bns.  2 bns 9threserve and  3 bns Neumark landwehr. 1stPomeranian Landwehr cavalry. 1 Russian FT batt.(12lb) 1S	7
		Reserve cavalry	Prussian	Von Oppen (P7) Mike Baker			1,983		50 / 3 regts. 1st Konigin Dragoon regt. 2nd  Pom regt. 1 East Prussian National cav.  +1 HA batt.
				Von Treskow P 7  Mike Baker	C2	0/0		M 6  M	1st Konigin Dragoons East Prussian National Cavalry	2
				Von Malzahn P 7 Mike Baker	C3	0/0		M 7  M	2nd Pomeranian Landwehr Cav 1 HA batt	2
	Von Borstell			Player 8 Paul Hays
		5thBrigade	Prussian	Von Borstell		+1/0	8,584	M 8  I	214 / 9 bns.
				Von Schon P8 Paul Hays	INF 6	0 /0		M 8     H	1 bn Grenadiers, 3 bns Pomeranian line. 1S	4
				Von Knobloch P8 Paul Hays	INF 7	0 / 0		M8      I	2 bns reserve. + FT battery. 1S	3
				Von Sydow P8 Paul Hays	INF 8	0 / 0		M 8   J	3 bns Kurmark Landwehr + FT battery	4
				Von Hobe. NOC	C 4	+1/0	1,316	M 8  J	32 / 2 regts. (Pomeranian Hussars and Uhlans +? As Morner Hussars) + 1 HA batt	4
			Swedish	Von Cederstrom	C 4	0/0	642	As above	16/ 1 regt Morner Hussars. (now amalgamated with the units above)	n/a
		Att Borstell	Prussian	Von Wobeser NOC	INF 9	0/0	3,665	D 2  M 1  L	91 / 5 bns. All Landwehr. 1 FT batt.	6
							544		14 / 1 regt Landwehr cav. With above.
			Russian	Pahlen Richard Poynter	C 5	0/0		D 2  M 2   I	1 Russian jaeger bn and 1 regt of Izium Hussars  and 1 regt Finland Dragoons. 1 regt Cossacks+ Artillery reserve (1 Russian FT batt 12lb and 1 Prussian HA batt) 1S	6
	General Tauentzien		Prussian	Gen Tauentzien Player 1 Juan Amador			7,153 + 1,756 cav		178 / 8 bns.
				Von Dobschutz P1 Juan Amador	INF 10	-1/+1		D	4 bns Kurmark and Neumark Landwehr + 1 reserve bn.(3rd Reserve regt) 1 Prussian Landwehr regt + 1 regt Lithuanian Dragoons. + FT batt.(12lb) 2S	8
				Von Lindenau P2  Tim Cull	INF 11	0/0		D	2 bns Kurmark Landwehr. 1 bn Silesian Landwehr. 1 regt Pomerarian Dragoons. 2S	4
			Russian	Ilowaisky P3 Richard Poynter	C 6	-1/0		D	1 regts of Don Cossacks + Cossack horse artillery batt+ 2nd regt Neumark Landwehr cav. +  1 bn Prussian Landwehr.	4
									Total 47 bns. 19 regts cavalry. 8 FT batts. 4 HA batts. (78 units) 1,584 figs excl command (?) and skirmishers (36) NB 21 bns Landwehr infantry of which 15 bns should be classified as -1. (rest are 0)

Looking east, with Neider Gorsdorf in the foreground. 

Italian troops push on from Dennewitz.

Ilowaisky Prussian and Russian units near Juteborg.

Lorge's light cavalry.

Engineers attached to Franquemont's Wurtembergers. 

Dennewitz on the left. Prussian Landwehr
lurk to the right of the woods.

Morand's troops push on from Dennewitz.

Italian conscripts picking daisies in
the orchards of Dennewitz.

General Tauentzien Prussian troops.

The Landwehr cavalry pictured pushed into the gap
between the woods and stalled the French advance.

Wurttemberg foot artillery.

Reynier's Corps. DeFrance's dragoons in the foreground. 

    

Dennewitz 1813. 

An enjoyable game, using over 3,000 20mm Napoleonics largely from Art Miniaturen and Newline Designs. The table layout was chosen with two key elements in mind: one was to illustrate the importance of the two roads leading to Berlin, via Dennewitz and Rohrbeck. Second was to show the distance and time lag between each of Ney's Corps. Whilst this meant some hanging around by French commanders, to have not illustrated this, would be deviating from the battle by too wide a margin. 

Moves 1-3. Day 1.

     Neither side knew what forces would be coming onto the table, neither did they know on what move. This element of the unknown was only known by the umpires.

    At the sharp end, in and around Dennewitz itself, Bertrand needed to make ground before Prussian re-enforcements could be used effectively to help the under pressure Landwehr units commanded by Gen Tauentzien. Prussian cavalry were more evenly spread though fewer in number, but their presence in the centre opposite Fontanelli and Morand, effectively stopped Bertrand’s infantry from moving forward. To make progress the cavalry under Lorge needed to be re-deployed from the right flank. Merlin crossed in front of the Italian infantry while Jacquinot dropped south of the stream and approached by going back into Dennewitz and crossed the bridge there in order to help Morand. But while all four chasseur regiments helped their own supporting infantry out of square and get moving, this left their right flank exposed to the lurking Ilowaisky and his Prussian Landwehr and Cossacks who had come down from Juteborg.  This made life very difficult for the Italian commander who skilfully managed to hold his own for so long. The cossacks were small in number but a threat all the same. French and Italian light infantry and skirmishers succeeded in ousting the Prussian skirmishers from the woods. 

    Franquemont’s Wurttembergers decided to move left towards Neider-Gorsdorf, and crossed the stream, in order to take the village. The engineers began building a pontoon just to the west of Dennewitz. No one was quite sure if this new bridge would be used to get troops forward, or nursing battle weary units falling back. 

    Reynier’s Corps moved up the road in support, led by the Saxon light cavalry brigade of Von Lindenhau and attached horse artillery. Defrance’s Dragoon brigades moved up in support. Oudinot was still on his way. 

    Von Thumen and Von Sandrart were the first Prussian units to come to the aid of General Tauentzien's Landwehr, arriving on move 3. Von Dobschutz and Von Lindenau were doing ok facing Morand and Fontanelli, but they needed their help urgently. 

Allied movement.

French movement.

Moves 4-8. 

    Von Kraft arrived to support von Thumen’s advance on Morand’s beleaguered infantry on move 4. Hessen-Homberg’s three brigades (Von Sjoholm, Von Uttenhofen, and von Klinkowstrohm) arrived on move 5 and immediately advanced on the waiting Wurtembergers who had recently arrived in Neider-Gorsdorf. Morand’s isolated battery was taken by two Prussian battalions storming the hill but Morand succeeded in throwing back the initial attack of Von Thumen’s Prussians, though his casualties were beginning to mount up. While the French desperately tried to make progress with their infantry, successive cavalry units were expended including the Wurtemberg light cavalry. The same problem faced Fontanelli, whose exposed right flank, was now being threatened by Cossacks and Prussian Landwehr cavalry. The single Silesian Landwehr battalion possessed by Ilowaisky ambled its way towards Rohrbeck unopposed. 

    Reynier continued his advance towards Dennewitz. Defrance’s dragoons crossed the road to cover the more vulnerable left flank towards Gohlsdorf. But still no sign of Prussians on the left, so the advance continued, as it had to under the rules, towards Dennewitz. On move 6 and 7 von Oppen’s reserve cavalry appeared just south-west of Gohlsdorf, immediately causing part of Axamitowski’s dragoons (Defrance) to wheel left to cover this threat. Quinette’s Dragoons had already moved past Gohlsdorf, so they wheeled left to cover the gap between Gohlsdorf and the hill. The presence of Von Oppen forced the French to deploy their Saxon infantry brigades. Le Coq moved to secure Gohlsdorf while von Sahr moved to occupy the hill to the south. Ney decided early on that Oudinot should move to Rohrbeck with all his infantry and Fournier’s hussars, which Oudinot had already determined to do, so an ADC was not required. However, it was decided that Beaumont’s Bavarian light cavalry (Hussars and cheveux-leger) would support von Sahr south of Gohlsdorf.

Le Coq's Saxons occupy Gohlsdorf.

Von Kraft's Prussians.

Prussian infantry apply the screw on the Wurtembergers.

Durette's troops arrive. The Wurzburg battalion (red tab)
 visible near the head of the column.

These Lithuanian Dragoons excelled
 on Tauentzien's left flank.

Expertly handled, the Don Cossacks under Ilowaisky's
command proved a real pain for the French.

Wurttemberg artillery with the
7th infantry regiment in front.

Some of Morand's troops in square formation.

Von Sahr's Saxons and Beaumont's
Bavarian cavalry on the left.

Pahlen arrives.

Moves 8-12. 

    While the fighting began to subside immediately to the north of Dennewitz, it was becoming clear that Morand and Fontanelli were both spent. Italian troops had held on well, including the Milan Guard who still occupied a forward position between the woods by move 12. The Italian foot battery was still operational which meant that a Prussian advance through the woods could not at this stage be realistically attempted. Prussian infantry, under Von Kraft, supported by a reinvigorated von Thumen stormed the hill to the east of Neider-Gorsdorf and took the solitary foot battery belonging to Morand’s troops. But Morand held. Fighting to the west of Dennewitz was intensifying. Hessen-Homberg delegated von Sjoholm and von Uttenhofen to assault Neider-Gorsdorf. An initial assault by Prussian infantry had been successfully repulsed but by move 12, two of the outlying buildings had been taken, but the Wurtembergers still held the strong point. The Wurtemberger 12lb foot battery caused significant damage on advancing Prussians. 

    Cavalry losses were mounting on both sides. Newly arrived Von Hobe (including the Morner Hussars) ceased to exist by move 12, as were both the Saxon hussars and Prinz Clemens Regiment belonging to Von Lindenhau’s Saxon brigade who got shot to pieces by Prussian artillery. Their attached horse artillery limped away, unable to pass its command test. By now most of the Prussian infantry were now present on the battlefield, though the French still feared more arrivals. Numbers were beginning to tell as they poured into the gap east of Wolmsdorf, though progress was hampered by French cavalry dragoons under the command of Quinette, forcing the Prussians into square. Lecoq held Gohlsdorf and faced the newly arrived Wobeser while the threat from Von Oppen was effectively over bar the shouting. 

    Durette’s troops, the lead troops under Reynier, were now approaching the newly built pontoon bridge. They had stuck to the road towards Dennewitz. Guilleminot, at the head of Oudinot’s Corps, had arrived in Rohrbeck.

Situation by move 12.

French losses by move 12.

Allied losses by move 12.

Moves 12-16. Day 2.

Decisions….decisions.

     The French needed to decide what to do with Durette’s troops, the lead units from Reynier’s Corps, newly arrived to support Bertrand. After a quick debate, three battalions would move into Dennewitz while the rest and the foot battery would deploy into a line facing west towards Neider-Gorsdorf and Wolmsdorf. Higher French command also pondered what to do with the Wurtembergers as they beacame more and more isolated in Neider-Gorsdorf. Should they withdraw or stand and fight. The opportunity to escape via a narrow corridor was fading. They decided to fight on. 

    The Saxons would try to hold Gohlsdorf while Oudinot would break out from Rohrbeck and fan out as quickly as possible to secure the road to Juteborg, while hitting the Allies in the flank, north of Dennewitz. 

    The Allies meanwhile saw an opportunity to exploit the gaping hole between Gohlsdorf and Dennewitz. Surely Pahlen would be despatched with his fresh cavalry and effectively cut off Durette and Dennewitz? Ilowaisky would continue his delaying tactics against Oudinot. Wobeser would do his best to take Gohlsdorf. 

    The surprise early on is that both the Italians and Wurtembergers crumbled very quickly. Within 2-3 moves the Wurtembergers ceased to exist. At least they had had the sanctuary of Neider-Gorsdorf to hide in, but the Italians were more exposed. The great, great nephew of Fontanelli had nothing left to command, such were the successive fatalities of the previous commanders!  The Italians retired what remained of their infantry but said goodbye to the colourful Milan Guard. Morand’s troops were there, but unable to play a part. They were destined for the bin also. But the shattered remnants of Tauentzien’s units were also unable to take advantage, deciding to hang around the woods rather than assault Dennewitz. They simply could not pass the command test required. 

    The solitary Silesian battalion in the strongpoint in Rohrbeck held up the advancing Guilleminot for about 2 moves before, on the second attempt, being ousted by a combined force of three French battalions. The way was now clear. The Cossacks were no match for Fournier’s Hussars and chasseurs and Ilowaisky’s brave efforts to delay Oudinot were over. The way was now open for Oudinot to attack. Durette held while von Sahr’s Saxons made progress attacking Gohlsdorf from the south, relieving the pressure on Le Coq who, with a series of very unlucky throws, was under pressure to quit Gohlsdorf. 

Durette's battalions including the
Wurzburg battalion hang on.

Fighting to the south-west of Gohlsdorf.

Tauentzien's foot battery remained in situ for all 20 moves.

Bavarian infantry cross the stream.

Oudinot's Corps fans out into open country.

Moves 17-20. 

The final push.

     Pahlen’s opportunity to exploit the centre vanished as he was asked to move his cavalry to support Wobeser in the south. The southern Allied sector held, but Von Sahr held onto Gohlsdorf before his Saxon compatriot Le Coq fell apart. With no Saxon artillery to cover the area between Gohlsdorf and Dennewitz, the Allies could once again put pressure on Durette’s left flank. Towards the end Durette lost two units in quick succession as Hessen-Homburg and von Bosrtell’s troops and superior artillery began to tell. It was a matter of time before Durette too would follow Bertrand’s Corps into immortality. But the Wurzburg battalion hung on!

    Oudinot’s fresh Corps fanned out, with Fournier’s light cavalry contesting the wood with what was left of Tauentzien’s troops. Guilleminot pushed on towards Juteborg. Pathod followed and Raglovich crossed the stream and followed Fournier. The losses on both sides were high. Bertrand’s Corps was annihilated. Reynier’s Corps held but Oudinot’s Corps was largely still fresh. Bertrand had stood up to two-thirds of the Allied army and held on long enough for Reynier to make an impact. Ney and Bertrand should take credit in this endeavour especially Bertrand's sub commanders, Morand, Fontanelli and Franquemont did so well for so long. Had New both gone for the easier option and played for victory points based on casualties, then the French would have won. 

    As it was the Allies won (technical victory) by only two points. (-51 vs - 49) Had the umpire placed more emphasis on strategic victory points (eg 20 points for clearing a road or 12 points for holding Dennewitz) then the French would have won comfortably. As it was the French held both Dennewitz and Gohlsdorf, as well as Rohrbeck. The Allies failed to take any of these objectives but succeeded in routing more complete brigades (aka divisions) than the French. Bulow’s strength lay in the centre and by the end Dennewitz would probably have fallen before the Bavarian’s could intervene. General Tauentzien did well to stay on the battlefield. Very few Prussian brigades were destroyed, Von Hobe and Von Treskow being early fatalities. Bar Fournier, the French cavalry ceased to be. So any pursuit by French forces even using Oudinot’s fresh troops would have been impossible. On the wider scale Oudinot could have pressed on to Berlin, but at the expense of abandoning Reynier. Bulow, together with Von Borstell and Hessen-Homberg would have crushed Durette and the Saxons would have been forced to withdraw south. 

    Great game, played in an excellent convivial atmosphere. There were times when, as umpire, (thanks to James A for umpiring too), one could sense a degree of pressure on certain commanders. But that is half the fun of it. The role of the umpire, in settling disputes (which were rare) but more importantly allowing a fog of war, in not revealing where and when reinforcements would arrive, thereby creating an uneasiness amongst commanders deep in conversation of what do to next, was highly entertaining. 

Thank you to all who made the sacrifice of “family time” to attend the two days.

Final positions.