Napoleon's Naval Artillery Regiments

After his disastrous Russian Campaign, Napoleon looked for new sources of manpower for his new armies in Germany in 1813, including the marine artillery contingents bottled up in the various harbours by the Royal Navy.  These proved to be, by most commentaries, to be exceptional fighters and were a large part of his forces during that year's fighting.

Napoleon's Naval Artillery Regiments of the 1813 campaigns.  They would mostly fight in their dark blue greatcoats as the weather was exceptionally poor with almost constant heavy rains marking most of the summer and autumn battles.

Wearing dark blue greatcoats and trousers and black covered shakos with red fringed epaulettes they were often misidentified as Imperial Guardsmen.  Their unique carrot-shaped short red plume I modelled with a bit of epoxy putty (green stuff) on the top of the existing round pompon of spare hussar shako heads

The figures are Victrix guardsmen obtained from a gaming buddy who had glued them up but decided not to paint.  I was able to remove the original heads and replaced them with spare hussar heads. He did a good job in the posing for a convincing firing line.

Battle of Hanau edition two

Four years in.....

For our annual Summer game, Seth kindly brought his Austrians and Bavarians to have another go at the historical battle of Hanau of 1813 during the conclusion of Napoleon’s Autumn Campaign.

 We wanted to do this one again as it was an anniversary of a sort;  the first official crack at our rules was done on the 200th year of this battle. Now that we are happy with the rules, we were curious to see if the game would be different from the first going.

We are amazed that it has only been some four years from discussing about the original idea to now Organizing the boxes to find those units required for the game, I laid all I have out on the table. Almost 2200 figures…. eep. Along with Seth and all the others who have painted and based units for these rules, we have almost all the units required to do any of the big Napoleonic affairs!

The Hanau scenario is an interesting one.  You have the French army in retreat, disorganized, strangling home with only a few viable combat units; the Guard being the most potent.  Opposing them is a large but weak Bavarian force, very poorly deployed with supporting Austrians on the wrong side of a river.  Now to be honest, the extremely poor deployment was caused by uncertainty on which road Napoleon would travel but it certainly did not help the A-B effort.  But we like doing historical battles so it is up to the players to make things happen.  As it were, Seth and his Bavarians would almost do the impossible and stop the Guard! Almost.

The following are a few pictures of the game with any notes done in the captions.

The arial view of the battlefield with the French emerging from the forest (left) and the Bavarian infantry in two lines with the Austrians on the far bank of the river.  Seth's Hanau on the table edge (right) Photo by Seth.

The boys in cornflower blue

The French left of Sebastiani's and Hansouty's horse. I went with the historical deployment with both the line and Guard formations mixed up to a large degree rather than the simpler groupings. This, of course, had an adverse effect on command and movement and so took the French much longer to make their force made.

The French Imperial Guard Infantry and Artillery of the 'centre' 

The French left of "Macdonald's " (a combined formation of many smaller French commands. All were very small and, as an indication,  most battalions were well under 100 men in strength!)

The Allied army awaits Napoleon's onslaught.

Seth's Bavarian infantry are 28mm HaT figures.  A bit smaller than others, but look good altogether on the tabletop. You can sense Seth is determined to get a good effort out of them!

The horse about to clash.

The French Grenadiers-A-Cheval on their black horses about to ride down Austrian jaegers as the Austrian horse move to support.  Photo by Seth - as you can tell as it is from HIS side of the table......

The Guard was largely immobile in the early phases of this battle. The need for artillery fire and later poor command rolls. I am a bad General when it comes to dice rolls!

Seth did a good job whittling away at McDonald's French (top) who must maneuver slowly out of the woods

To represent the large line of stragglers and such which constituted much of the French army, we placed down some miscellaneous wagons which could be "captured' which would give the Allies some victory points and which the French needed to protect. As it were the French finally punched through and away to France but the Allies effort was better than the original battle.

Battle of Dennewitz game

As I had all the set up already prepared, I gave myself two concurrent sessions at the local
"Trumpeter Salute" Convention to replay the 1813 battle having the Prussians (and only Prussians for the most part) under Bulow (without much support from the Russians nor Swedes thanks to his commander Bernadotte) attacking the French and allies under Ney.  Bulow saw his opportunity as Bertrand's corps was isolated on the wrong side of the bridge at the village of Dennewitz.

Both JimF and PeterM were veterans of the first try and we were joined by Ken and interestingly by ChuckH who worked with Sam Mustafa play testing his rules Blucher. I wondered how he picked up on my rules so quickly, but apparently they are very similar to that which I and my friends have created at the same time.  The expression 'great minds think alike' comes to mind. I have listened to Sam's interviews and explanations of his rules and heck, yes, very close in concept.

Good then that I can use his campaign ideas!

Anyway,  the first go went much like the original game.  The French wisely set up all their artillery on the hills. The Prussians strength reduced by all this iron coming at them did not have the capacity to overwhelm the French line even with the artillery rules changed from the experience of the first game. To prevent "battery sniping" and, unless the player pays command points to order the concentration of fire upon but one target, the player is encouraged to 'spread the wealth' of fire upon multiple targets.  While the artillery did it's job,  the concept seemed to work and will, I think, be a benefit to the Borodino game with the huge amount of artillery available.

Looking south with the Prussians on the right and the French and their allies occupying the centre hills.  Oudinot's  corps is  in column at the far end of the table.

The game went well a just took the time available for the first session. The players moved on to the other games they signed up for so wargaming buddy ThomasM a very experienced Napoleonic player offered to take me on for the rest of the evening so I reset the scenario with him taking the Prussians and I in the role of Ney.  With the two games of failed Prussian assaults, I increased their endurance and had Oudinot's command come in later to see if that would create a more historical and even affair.  It did, along with Thomas's good generalmanship. The balance of the battle was close but being midnight (!) and having played for 10 hours (!!) we called it a night.

The French Cavalry Corps under Gen.Arrighi. Yes, the whole corps (albeit a small one) Each element is brigade/plus sized. 

still plenty of maneuver space.  we need to double the numbers then!

the Italians of Bertrand's Corps

A rare military force - Swedes in the late Napoleonic wars

Sweden had an interesting place among the Allies fighting Napoleon in 1813.  It's king and army commander Bernadotte (ex-French General under Napoleon...long story that) was very keen, it would appear, to keep the Swedes near the action but not in the action.  Thus, outside of very minor engagements,  the only Swedish units to gain action in a major engagement was the Mornerska Hussars and a small horse battery at the Battle of Dennewitz. (and please correct me if I am wrong)
Leipzig might (?) be the only other battle but I think more only of a support role.

I had still a few bits and pieces from all the boxes of Perry plastics (every nation luckily has a hussar unit or two).  While I had one horse with the pointed saddle cloth on which the distinctive 'wolfs-tooth' design could be painted, the other horses were modified to a more campaign look. The one thing I was missing was sword arms.  I simply had ran out of them.  But I thought, were not the Swedes the 'neutrals' of the world?  Going into combat without a sword in the hand would be appropriate, no?  So arms were found from other sources and scabbarded swords were collected(ex for trumpeters and at one per box I am 'lucky' to have bought three boxes! )The Swedes were a bit behind in the military sartorial department so were still wearing the old mirliton headdress, colourful as that is.

......and how is NASA's lunar program like my wargaming hobby?  Spend loads of money, countless years of research, spend lots of effort to get to the moon/ collect a unit , then never to go back/ put in a box!

Napoleonic era Neapolitans

In my continuing mania to do every d*mned unit of the Napoleonic wars... or it would seem... I had some miscellaneous Victrix leftovers in the pre-1812 uniform but only a few. These are perhaps not appropriate for the French units for the late war 1813-15 campaigns, which are my focus,  but which were still worn by some French allies, including Neapolitans.  Thus I could create the skirmishing infantry of the 4th Light Regiment which did service during the 1813 campaign.

Of interest is the flag which I hand-painted some 20+ years ago (!) which I kept, having sold the army but still liking the design ( yeah yeah wrong inscription but still ...)

  The all-light blue uniform is attractive way to fight the hordes of Allies during the autumn campaign of 1813.

Battle of Dennewitz 1813 game

I carried in two hockey equipment bags, fairly light-weight, the terrain and figures (thankfully mostly plastic!) to the club's monthly meet to set up the historical Napoleonic battle of Dennewitz.  The scenario has the French (with Napoleon away to the south) moving toward Berlin with the Prussians counterattacking.

Bertrand's corps was caught across the muddy Ahebach stream with the rest of the French strung out behind him.  I decided on placing the commands in roughly mid-battle positions with the players allowed to place their elements anywhere within the rather large command radius;  even allowing contact within the first turn should they wish. Game on.  (but the players generally followed the rather more discrete course)

'Crunch time' approaches

Even on a small 8 by 6 foot table, lots of space is still available to keep reserves out of harm's way until needed (hint, hint)

JimF's French Bertrand's Corps plunked itself on the hill north of Dennewitz and followed a cautious defensive stance while DennisC's Tauentzien's and Thumen's forces moved slowly to confront them.

The Prussian artillery concentration. A careful observation will note a Russian gun as some Prussian forces historically were aided with Russian artillery batteries.

To the south, the smaller commands of Oppen, Bulow (as Homburg-Hesse) and Krafft all under MikeB's guidance, went full tilt into the French (and their guns!)  As Dennis did in the north, the French commands of PeterM's Reynier Corps and KevinA's Oudinot's combined artillery to concentrate their fire - rather effectively from early large number of high dice rolls ! - to much weaken the Prussian assaults.   Eventually Oppen's command collapsed which allowed Oudinot to swing against the flank of Borstell.

Borstell's forces included a Swedish cavalry continent of hussars.

The battlefield looking to the north.  Dennewitz is the tudor styled house above the hand.  Bertrand's Corps in on the north side of the stream, Reynier's are being pointed to by the hand while Arrighi's small cavalry corps are in reserve behind. Gohlsdorf village is represented by the house on the left.  Oudinot is off camera to the south (left).

Poles and Wuerttembergers are among the nations which formed a large part of Napoleon's forces in 1813 

1813 Wuerttemburgers made from modified Perry Austrians and heavily altered shakos, lead Bertrand's defensive stance.

Saxons of Bertrand's Corps.  Modified French style plastics most with trimmed Prussian shakos but some with Russian forage caps or 1809 shakos which are close to the Saxon uniform at the time.

With the Prussians forces strength waining and the French still holding the strong hill positions north and south of Dennewitz; and the player's seeing that the Command Morale Chart was not to be toyed with ( grin ) the Prussians ordered their withdrawal.

Not a historical outcome of course.  It is harder for the attacker to use their artillery effectively as it takes a patient command process to allow the artillery to set up, time to soften up the enemy and finally to organize the infantry and cavalry attacks.  The players, while all experienced wargamers and all having played at least one of my games and rules, still fall to the excitement and tend to charge forthwith.

The post-game analysis had some discussion about tactics and while related to the rules of course, (taken advantage of?) these were more tactical for historical play rather than holes in the rules.

 The players seemed to like the scenario saying they still had maneuver space even if the forces were close to each other.   Not bad to have a large Napoleonic battle of 28mm on a 8 x 6' table.  I will downgrade the French forces a bit for playability.   At this point of the war, their units were understrength and tired and but find themselves in good defensive positions.

I will put on the game again at the big Salute convention mainly as I have put some effort in the organization and labelling and, more importantly,  have everything already packed!

French hussars in late war uniform

Battle of Gross-Beeren 1813 - the game

Battle of Gross-Beeren 1813 - the game   (August 1813/2015)

Peter "the Mathematician" excepted my invite for a go at our rules 'GdC' to see his new charts in action ( well, I created the charts based on his calculations of the dice variables).

Reynier's Saxons and French engaged with the Prussians of Bulow's corps 

The historic Napoleonic Battle of Gross-Beeren during the autumn campaign of 1813, was the large battle which ended the French move by Oudinot to take Berlin.  Oudinot's various corps travelled in parallel routes in a very Napoleon inspired method but failed to have each support each other, and thus, Reynier's corps of Saxons and French move toward the town of Gross-Beeren was not supported by either Oudinot himself from the west, nor Bertrand who was moving to Blankenfeltle, some 5 km ( 4 miles) to the east who emerging from forest was content to occupy the Prussians there rather than help Reynier's 'middle column'.

Bulow's corps is the three blue blocks on the upper centre of the map.  Gross-Beeren "Gr-Beeren" and the small windmill symbol forms the centre of the battle, while Dohschule's Division of Tautentzien holds Blankenfeltle aka Blankenfeld and which forms the game table

As Bertrand did little that day and the few Prussians facing him were content with that situation with all of the Prussian Bulow's large corps now able to face Reynier without interference, most scenarios often ignore that area and concentrate around Gross-Beeren itself.  However, that would mean too few elements for the afternoon, so I gave Peter and myself a bit more to play with!

The town is Gross-Beeren with the Windmill Hill off to the left off camera.  Blankenfeld is off to the right.  We see the Saxon division Sahr (left) and Durette's French division (right) initially engaging the lead Prussian elements.  

The short synopsis of the game is that it surprisingly went much like the historical battle.  While the Prussians overall had some numeric advantage - 24 elements to the French 20 - Bulow with his 17 could take on Reynier's 10 while Bertrand and his 10 element strong corps made no headway against the smaller Prussian all Landwehr force holding Blankenfeld.

I took the French side while I gave Peter the opportunity to use the larger Prussian force.  Like Bertrand, I was met with effective cannon fire ( rolling well, Peter took out my leading light horse which prompted a corps morale rolled which, I my usual style, I rolled very poorly for and forced me to halt my advance, in file, within the woods.  Again like Bertrand had facing concentrated Pussian artillery fire that day in 1813.  I furthered this poor situation by totally not realizing, until Peter suggested late in the battle as the idea then struck him, to expand into the woods to work around staggered lead brigades!  The elements in the woods would be disordered and more trouble to order about so not ideal but could in time give combat to the Prussian and earlier moves might have changed things perhaps.  However, I could now see Bertrand's issues that day in 1813.

Wurttemburger's of Bertrand's corps.  These are Perry plastics with modified Austrian shakos - they had gone to this shako from the helmet in 1813. I scraped off all the Austrian cockades and such and added a small lozenge badge.  With the distinctive Austrian roll cut off the pack and removal of the Austrian canteen, together with a couple of the bottom buttons scraped off the tunic to allow the Wurttemberg half-lapel.... the Perry plastics make great models of these German troops. 

one of Fontanelli's Italian brigades disordered in the woods

My Reynier in the meantime faced against Peter's Bulow, who was allowed to deploy very close to the town. Historically heavy rain masked his advance made easy by Reynier's thought that the day was done and allowed his Saxons and French troops to start to bivouac!

heavy action at 'Windmill Hill' located just west of Gross-Beeren

As a rules note, the new command allowance give more pips for larger commands than we have used previously, and while players will enjoy more allowed play with all their elements, sometimes a lot of 1s on the dice, can really be troublesome if they have a big command!  However, like Bulow, Peter managed his large but not overly powerful force with a lot of finesse as it had many very fragile Landwehr (militia) units.

new markers include small green flags (same construction as the white ones) which, by adding or removing, allow for a more gradual step-down of the important Command Morale modifier die with each loss of a command's elements. The small "4 d" indicator provides players a reminder of the # of dice to roll for each command {important should a player have multiple commands to play).  The wheel indicates the artillery is limbered and thus can/has moved.

Prussian Landwehr cavalry.  Calpe Miniatures with "English shakos" in the rear.  I received these in a trade. They match well with the Perrys. 

However, battles go to those with the bigger battalions as the saying goes, and the Prussian numbers came into play.  Interestingly Peter, like Bulow in this battle, thought the open left flank of Reynier was key, which Reynier - and I - had no reserves to match; and like the Saxon division holding that area, my Saxon elements were obliged -- well, OK, forced by my adverse Command Morale losses -- to fall back.  Again, like the actual battle.  Love the confirmation of the historic outcome.

The French in retreat.  Rather more organized than in reality......

My own Saxon Zastrow cuirassiers

While I could have just purchased Eureka's nice version(s) of this famous Napoleonic era heavy horse regiment,  I did not for several reasons.  Foremost that only need three. Hardly worth the expensive shipping them half way across the world.  Also they are metal; thus heavy. I like light. And most importantly I still had three left over French cuirassier horses which just ached to be employed in such a fashion.  I thought I would enjoy the challenge to create my own.

Inspiration came from a plate in the Blandford's  "Uniforms of 1812" by Philip Haythornewaite

I started with the horses, cutting down excessive rolls and protruding saddle accoutrements.  I took some of the numerous extra hussar legs the Perrys provide, glued those to the horses and added other extra torsos I had - usually trumpeters - cutting off the right arm and adding an extra heavy cavalry arm to provide the necessary straight sword.  The left arm holds the reins and I added an enlarged cuff to the hussar arm hiding the lace work and giving the illusion of the heavy gloves worn.  As the torsos were to be covered with green stuff (GS) for the cloak these did not need be accurate and all the lace and belts of these hussar bodies were not worried about.  I used the torso to get the bulk of the figure done and proportional.

The helmets were French dragoon types, one the Perry types had the horsehair just at the very end, so easy to cut off.  With the peak modified by a scraping, I could add the GS comb. Really happy about the sameness of these.  I waited a bit then used an old toothbrush to impress upon the putty to provide that 'woollen' texture. In the following photo, the middle figure shows this to good effect.

The roughly trimmed sheepskin of the French saddle was covered by a "roll" bundle.

With the glue and plastic basis of the figures set, I started with the main use of the GS.  I did start with a template for the cloak after several design tries, but these turned out to be very rough as the GS can be sticky and stretchy ruining any true consistency.  I admire the pros for that.

The main part of the cloak was first and so wrapped it around the figure trying to hide most of the bits of the French saddle which are incorrect for the Saxons and way down the hussar leg as not to show anything but the bottom of the boot.

After that had cured the next day (I am trying to learn patience....probably most sculptors will tell you that is the main trick!)  I added the cape, again with a template in mind and try to get the shape, sort of, but pinching and trimming with the differing shape of the sword arms to get around.

After the adding the lower cloak step

same figure with addition of the upper cape

I will glue on the plumes and probably add a scabbard under the cloak to finish them.  With my usual heavy,  very heavy,  coats of paint,  hopefully the imperfections will be reduced and they will look OK.  I will ignore the fact that all the other cavalry are not in THEIR cloaks.  But while I 'needed' this regiment for the accuracy of deployment for the Borodino game,  the Saxon Zastrow regiment, albeit in a lesser amount, did contribute in the very wet and cold 1813 campaign, which is really the focus of this collection.

.......Fast forward to the finished product

I wanted to explain the use of the capes, but I think I may have gone a bit too heavy with the rain soddened ground!

Leading the French Cuirassiers into battle

   Certainly after this, I am in awe of the talent with the likes of the Perrys, Hicks, Murch, Owen and all the others we know to supply us with very nicely done miniatures.  I don't sculpt all that often so I claim lack of experience but perhaps I will finally get through painting the lead pile and start doing some sculpts for fun.