Battle of Steinhorst – Move 1

0800-0900 25 July 1813

Table at the start of move 1

Note Prussian artillery are at the front of the column

Quick to deploy, but vulnerable if their cavalry lose melee and uncover them

Note French artillery are at the rear of the column.

Safe, but will take a longer to deploy

V French corps

General Laurison (Average) – 6CP – Engage Orders

17 brigade form square

18 brigade move to right and form column of attack

Move Laurison to centre of corps

19 brigade move forward

Cuirassiers charge enemy cavalry

Prussian hussars test to counter charge, fail and receive charge at the halt

Prussians lose melee, lose one casualty and rout into artillery

Gunners test morale for rout, pass but are disordered

Cuirassiers test morale to pursue, fail and remain stationary

1st Prussian corps

General Yorck (Gifted) – 4CP – Engage Orders

1 brigade form square

2 brigade move to right and form column of attack

Move Yorck to centre of corps

3 brigade move to left and form column of attack

4 brigade move forward

Notes on Game
With both corps on Engage orders whichever side moves first would have to order their cavalry to charge. The French moved first, and ordered charge. The Prussians had to test morale to counter charge, failed and had to receive charge at the halt.

Heavy cavalry gain plus 2, hussars halted lose 2. Prussian cuirassiers rolled 2D6 for 10, plus 4 made a total of 14. Hussars lose one casualty and rout.

Because Prussian artillery were leading the column the hussars routed into them. They were lucky to make their morale. They were even luckier that the cuirassiers failed to make their morale to pursue.

We used the new cavalry v cavalry rules for this melee. Had we used the old ones the Prussians would have lost two casualties and routed.


Wargame Rule 14 applies and can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/