Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 9

1600-1700 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 9

Uelzen has been moved to the centre of the table by adding three squares to the north and three to the east. The French are in north Uelzen and the Prussians in south Uelzen. The French reserves are just off table to the left of the left centre square.

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 6CP – Attack Orders

Unlimber artillery

Change orders to Engage

Move Reynier to centre of corps

13 brigade move to east edge of north Uelzen

13 brigade skirmish with 5 Prussian

5 Prussian test and pass morale for one casualty

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 6CP – Engage Orders

7 brigade move to west edge of south Uelzen

5 brigade move to skirmish range of north Uelzen

Kleist moves to left flank

6 brigade (in square) move 2” towards cavalry, who retreat 2”

Kleist returns to Uelzen

6 brigade skirmish 13 French, no casualties

8 brigade test morale for shaken, fail and remains shaken

Notes on Game

Having driven the Prussians out of north Uelzen, Reynier changes his corps orders to Engage. If he remained on attack he would have to attack with at least one brigade each move.

Description of corps orders are covered in wargame rule 4

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 8

1500-1600 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 8

The whole battle is concentrated in the four top right squares

If not decided in this move, the table will be rearranged to bring the battle to the centre of the table for the rest of the battle.

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 8CP – Attack Orders

Artillery screened by cuirassier brigade

Artillery limber and move to reposition facing Uelzen

Cavalry charge limbered artillery

Gunners make morale to abandon guns and evade to nearby square

Cavalry halt 4” from square

Reynier moves closer to north Uelzen

13 brigade attack 8 brigade in north Uelzen

13 brigade win melee, lose one casualty and are Disordered

8 brigade lose melee, lose three casualties, withdraw 4” and are Shaken

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 5CP – Engage Orders

Infantry square moves towards cavalry to force them away from abandoned guns

Cavalry move back to maintain 4” distance

8 brigade moves out of north Uelzen to make room for counter attack

5 brigade forms column of attack in preparation for counter attack

8 brigade tests morale for Shaken, fails and remains Shaken

Notes on Game

13 French are an elite brigade with superior skirmishers

8 Prussian are a landwehr brigade with inferior skirmishers

Reynier orders an Attack rather than a Skirmish to clear the town

This means the French will charge and melee, rather than hold back and skirmish

The landwehr are pushed back, but not routed.

Fighting in build up areas are covered in wargame rule 10

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 7

1400-1500 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 7

French and Prussians both move infantry towards north Uelzen

French corps still widely separated as Reynier concentrates on Uelzen

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 5CP – Engage Orders

8 brigade moves into north Uelzen

5 brigade moves to support north and south Uelzen

Kleist moves to centre of corps

Artillery limber and move towards south Uelzen

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 7CP – Move Orders

Artillery fire on south Uelzen, no casualties

Gunners manhandle guns towards south Uelzen

Change orders to Attack

13 brigade move into north Uelzen

Cavalry move within charge range of limbered artillery

Notes on Game

Moving artillery without adequate support is always risky

Cavalry can declare an Opportunity Charge on limbered guns

Cavalry on Engage or Attack orders can declare a charge on limbered guns

Even if the Prussians move first next move, the cuirassiers can try for an Opportunity Charge

Opportunity Charges are covered in wargame rule 6

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 6

1300-1400 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 6

French and Prussians both move infantry towards north Uelzen

French corps still widely separated as Reynier concentrates on Uelzen

2nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 6CP – Engage Orders

Artillery fire on enemy guns, no casualties

Kleist moves to town

5 brigade moves towards north Uelzen

8 brigade moves into north Uelzen

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 7CP – Move Orders

Artillery fire on south Uelzen, no casualties

Manhandle guns nearer to town

13 brigade moves towards north Uelzen

Cavalry retreat out of artillery range

Notes on Game

Artillery ineffective as only difficult targets within range

French gunners require 10 for a hit on south Uelzen

Prussian gunners require 11 for a hit on enemy gunners

Artillery fire covered in wargame rule 7

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 5

1200-1300 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 5

French attack group is on the right, pin group on the left

Prussians move forward their battle line

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 7CP – Move Orders

Artillery fire on town, no casualties

Gunners manhandle guns towards Uelzen

Reynier used multiple moves to move 13 brigade towards north Uelzen

1st Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 6CP – Engage Orders

Cavalry move forward

Gunners manhandle guns towards enemy cavalry

5 brigade form column from square to support south Uelzen

Kleist moves closer to Uelzen

8 brigade moves towards north Uelzen

6 brigade forms square to protect gunners

Notes on Game

French artillery have pinned Prussian infantry in centre of south Uelzen

Both sides are moving infantry to occupy north Uelzen

Reynier is concentrating all of his CP on preparing his attack group

Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 4

1100-1200 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 4

Prussians deploy between Uelzen and the farm

French continue to advance towards Uelzen

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 7CP – Move Orders

Reynier used multiple moves to position his artillery within range of Uelzen

2nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 6CP – Engage Orders

Move 7 brigade into Uelzen

Manhandle guns towards enemy cavalry

Move Kleist to centre of corps

Cavalry form line and move towards enemy column

Move 8 brigade closer to Uelzen.

Notes on Game

Although both sides have 5 casualties each from the previous battle, the effect is different on each corps.

2^nd Prussian corps has two cavalry casualties, and their brigade is a liability. The rest of their casualties are one to each of three brigades. This is a disadvantage, but manageable.

IV French corps has two infantry brigades with two casualties and another brigade with one casualty. The former are a liability. If they receive one more casualty, or have to test morale, they are likely to fail.

Reynier is trying to bring his full strength brigades to attack the town; these are one infantry brigade, the cavalry and the artillery. He will use the remainder of the corps to pin the enemy.

His first step is to multi move his artillery within range of the town by keeping them more than 16” from the nearest enemy.

Rule 5 deals with multi movement

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 3

1000-1100 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 3

Prussians have deployed the head of the column to keep the enemy cavalry at bay

French corps move to join their cavalry

2nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 6CP – Engage Orders

Artillery fire on cavalry, who are just out of maximum range

Manhandle guns into range of cavalry

Move 8 brigade towards town

Move cavalry to protect left flank

Move Kleist to centre of corps

Move 7 brigade into Uelzen

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 6CP – Move Orders

Move corps column towards Uelzen

Move Reynier to take command of cavalry

Cavalry retire out of artillery range

Reynier returns to command corps column

Notes on Game

The French cavalry have done their job of delaying the Prussian advance, and withdraw out of artillery range.

The Prussian cavalry are kept well away from the enemy cavalry and artillery. If they have to test morale they will probably fail, as they have two casualties from the previous battle.

Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 2

0900-1000 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 2

2^nd Prussian corps have deployed their artillery to keep the enemy cavalry at bay

IV French crops is approaching from the left

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 7CP – Move Orders

Reynier moves within command range of cavalry

Cavalry advance and form line

Reynier moves back to take command of the column

Column moves forward to join 13 brigade

2nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 6CP – Engage Orders

Gunners manhandle the guns towards cavalry

Kleist moves to command column

Move 6 brigade forward and form line

Double move 7 brigade towards Uelzen

Notes on Game

Without cavalry support Kleist has to form square to protect the guns and keep the enemy cavalry away from the vulnerable column. He can then move his infantry towards the town behind the square and artillery

The Prussian cavalry is well to the rear, and already has two casualties from the previous battle.

Second Battle of Uelzen – Move 1

0800-0900 27 July 1813

Table at the start of move 1

2^nd Prussian corps is on Attack orders

IV French crops is on Engage orders

General Kleist (Average) – 5CP – Attack Orders

Change orders to Engage

Leading infantry brigade form square

Artillery move and unlimber

General Reynier (Gifted) – 6CP – Engage Orders

Change orders to Move

Double move towards town for corps column

Reynier moves towards cavalry brigade

Notes on Game

Kleist changes his orders to Engage as he is not deployed to attack

Reynier changes his orders to Move to avoid having to move his cavalry any closer to the enemy artillery and square

Orders which are suitable for the campaign are often inappropriate on the table. It is usually best to start the game on Move orders so that the corps can deploy without having to engage the enemy too soon.

Wargame Rule 4 applies and can be found at

http://napoleonicwargamerules.blogspot.com/

Second Battle of Uelzen – Set Up

0800 27 July 1813

Campaign Background

During the afternoon of 26 July Kleist marched south to support 1^st corps who had lost the battle of Steinhorst. At the same time Reynier sent his cavalry to recce Uelzen, and found it empty.

Reynier ordered his corps to move east and take Uelzen.

When Kleist received reports of enemy cavalry he immediately ordered his corps to about turn and return to Uelzen.

Kleist is well aware that if the French occupy Uelzen they will have cut his lines of supply, and he will be trapped between IV and V French corps.

Both corps start the battle with five casualties from the first battle of Uelzen.

2^nd Prussian corps start the battle on Attack orders

IV French corps start the battle on Engage orders

Tactical Map

The battle will take place in the nine squares outlined in white.

Start positions are as shown

Table at start of game

Uelzen is the town on the cross roads on the top right

2 Prussian corps is marching back to the town

French cavalry are to the left of the town, supported by an infantry brigade

The remainder of IV French corps will arrive on the far left

2^nd Prussian corps

On the march back to Uelzen

Casualties are indicated by the green dice

Their cavalry are at the rear of the corps column

Campaign Move 13 - Second Battle of Uelzen

0800-1200 27 July 1813

On 24 July Kleist defeated Reynier at the first battle of Uelzen. The French retreated to Munster and the Prussians occupied Uelzen. Both corps needed time to regroup and reorganize.

On the afternoon of 25 July the battle of Steinhorst was fought 15 miles to the south. 1^st Prussian corps lost and retreated east, pursued by V French corps.

During the afternoon of 26 July Kleist received news of the battle, and on his own initiative ordered his corps to move south to occupy Steinhorst and pin V French corps between himself and 1^st Prussian corps. At the same time Reynier ordered his cavalry to recce Uelzen

As night fell on 26 July Reynier became aware that the Prussians had vacated Uelzen and marched south, and Kleist received reports that French cavalry were approaching Uelzen. He realised that the loss of Uelzen would cut his lines of supply, and ordered his corps to about turn and march back to Uelzen.

Both corps still had casualties from their earlier battle. Both corps were badly deployed for battle. Both corps realised that possession of Uelzen would have a significant effect on the campaign.

The second battle of Uelzen opened with a race for the town, and the side that got there first and held it would win. If the Prussians failed to do so their lines of supply would be cut and attrition would quickly destroy 2^nd corps. There are no alternative lines of supply available to Kleist.

Table at 0800 27 July 1813