Battle of Rosche – Move 8

1500-1600 30 July 1813

Table at the start of move 8

The French have been unable to inflict any casualties by artillery fire

They have also lost the initial cavalry melee

Despite this they must attack if they are to win the battle

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 7CP – Hold

Artillery fire close range (10) and hit shaken 15 brigade

15 brigade test (2) and fail morale and rout

French artillery test (6) and pass morale for nearby (-4”) rout

16 brigade test (6) and pass morale for nearby (-4”) rout

Kleist moves to command range of cavalry

Cavalry charge shaken French cavalry

French unable to counter charge and must accept charge at the halt

Prussian cavalry choose Skirmish melee rather than Attack melee

Prussian win melee (10 plus)

French cavalry lose one casualty and rout

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 5CP – Engage

Artillery fire (8) and hit Prussian cavalry

Cavalry test (2) and fail morale and are shaken

Remaining two infantry brigade advance and skirmish with weak 7 Prussian

13 French skirmish (2) and fail to inflict casualties

16 French skirmish (4) and fail to inflict casualties

7 Prussian skirmish (2) and fail to inflict casualties

Notes on Game

The Prussian cavalry are on Hold orders

When they charge they can choose either skirmish or attack melee

They choose skirmish, which is less risk if they lose

With a total of 10 they inflicted one casualty and routed the French cavalry

If they had chosen attack they would have inflicted 2 casualties and rout

Cavalry melee is covered by Rule 14

The French infantry require a total of 6 for a hit when skirmishing.

Both concentrated on the Prussian brigade with three casualties already

Due to poor dice they failed to inflict a hit, which would probably have resulted in rout

Skirmish combat is covered by Rule 11

Due to bad luck (or poor dice) the battle is going badly for the French

They could abandon the attack and accept the casualties

Or hope that by pressing on they will break the fragile Prussian infantry

Battle of Rosche – Move 7

1400-1500 30 July 1813

Table at the start of move 7

Both corps are now fully deployed and within artillery range

The French must now take the initiative to avoid unnecessary casualties

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 5CP – Engage

Artillery fire on cavalry (6) and miss (again)

Large infantry column advance towards enemy

French cavalry charge enemy cavalry

Prussian cavalry pass test to counter charge (4)

French roll 2D6 (5) and lose melee

French cavalry retire 8” shaken

Prussian cavalry disordered

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 6CP – Hold

Artillery fire at short range (10) on 15 brigade and inflict a second casualty

15 brigade test and fail morale (3) become shaken

Prussians wait for French attack.

Notes on Game

Artillery firing on cavalry or infantry at long range require 8 or more with 2D6

Rule 7 covers artillery fire

When cavalry melee with equal combat points the attacker rolls 2D6

If they roll less than 6 they have lost the melee

Rule 14 covers cavalry melee

Battle of Rosche – Move 6

1300-1400 30 July 1813

Table at the start of move 6

French infantry ready to advance

French artillery in range to support them

Prussians in position and ready for attack

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 6CP – Hold

Artillery fire on infantry (4) and miss

7 brigade move 2” to the left

6 brigade form line

Kleist moves to command range (8”) of 7 brigade

7 brigade form line

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 5CP – Move

Artillery fire on cavalry (7) and miss

Manhandle gun (2”) forward

Change orders from Move to Engage

Reynier moves to command range (8”) of cavalry

Cavalry advance (6”)

Notes on Game

Reynier now ready to advance and change corps orders to Engage

French cavalry move into charge range of enemy cavalry

Kleist forms line with his left hand brigades to meet the enemy infantry columns

Battle of Rosche – Move 5

1200-1300 30 July 1813

Table at the start of move 5

French are fully deployed

Artillery moving forward into range of enemy infantry and cavalry

Prussians completing their redeployment

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 7CP – Hold

Move 7 brigade into line on the left

Move 5 brigade (2”) to the right

Change 8 brigade from square to column of attack

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 6CP - Move

Move artillery (4”) and unlimber

Move 14 brigade (3”) and form square

Move Reynier to centre of infantry

Massed infantry column advance (6”)

Notes on Game

Prussian corps is now redeployed

French artillery now in range and infantry advance

Battle of Rosche – Move 4

1100-1200 30 July 1813

Table at the start of move 4

French still waiting for 13 brigade to join main corps

Prussians completing their redeployment

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 7CP – Hold

Artillery is out of range of French

Kleist moves within command range of cavalry (8”)

Cavalry withdraw (6”) out of artillery range facing enemy

Kleist returns to centre of corps

7 brigade advance and form column of attack

6 brigade advance beside artillery

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 7CP - Move

Artillery limber and move

13 brigade join main corps and form column of attack

Reynier moves to centre of corps

Cavalry advance 6”

Notes on Game

Prussian cavalry withdraw out of range of enemy artillery

Prussian redeployment now complete

French artillery limber and advance into range of enemy

French cavalry advance to cover artillery redeployment

French infantry are now ready to advance

Battle of Rosche – Move 3

1000-1100 30 July 1813

Table at the start of move 3

French are fully deployed, but waiting for garrison to join them

Prussians have adjusted their battle line to meet the new threat

IV French corps

General Reynier - (Gifted) – 6CP - Move

Cavalry advance 6”

Artillery move and unlimber

14 infantry advance to protect gunners

General moves to command range (8”) of town

Garrison leave town to join main corps

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 7CP – Hold

6 brigade form column of attack and move to support artillery

5 brigade (square) move to right

8 brigade move next to artillery and form square

Artillery manhandle (2”) forward

7 brigade moves towards left flank

Notes on Game

French move cuirassiers towards enemy cavalry

Artillery move within range of enemy cavalry and unlimber

Prussians redeploy to meet enemy deployment

Battle of Rosche – Move 2

0900-1000 30 July 1813

Table at the start of move 2

French are deploying in the open ground to the left of the main road

The garrison of Rosche has been ordered to join the main corps

Prussians now have to redeploy to meet this threat

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 8CP - Move

Corps deploy to left of road in column of attack

Garrison move to edge of town

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 4CP – Hold

Artillery limber, move and unlimber to face French deployment

On the right 5 infantry brigade form square

Notes on Game

French have taken advantage of good dice to deploy and change to column of attack

Prussian artillery redeploy to cover the French approach area

Infantry on right flank forms square to protect the artillery

Battle of Rosche – Move 1

0800-0900 30 July 1813

Table at the start of move 1

Kliest has deployed his corps either side of the Rosche-Domitz road

He has his two best infantry brigades in the front rank

The remaining two, who have the majority of casualties, are in reserve

He has placed his cavalry on his right flank

2^nd Prussian corps

General Kleist (Average) – 7CP – Hold

Artillery man handle (2”) forwards

Cavalry advance (4”) and angle towards road

Two reserve infantry move forward within supporting distance (4”) of front line

IV French corps

General Reynier (Gifted) – 7CP - Move

Corps column double move (16”) towards Prussians

13 infantry brigade prepare to leave Rosche

Cavalry advance and form line to cover corps deployment

Notes on Game

Prussians moved first and did some minor adjustment to battle line

French remained outside of 16” from the Prussians so that they could make maximum use of corps movement

Battle of Rosche – Set Up

Campaign Background

This is the third battle to be fought on the northern flank, and both corps start the battle with casualties. IV French corps have 2 casualties. 2^nd Prussian corps have 6 casualties.

Both corps are a long way from their respective CinC, and both are operating as independent commands. Any orders they receive from their CinC will be at least 24 hours out of date. Both would be unaware of the fighting around Helmstedt, or of the current intentions of Davout or Blucher.

The Prussians have taken up position just east of Rosche. By offering battle with so many casualties they run the risk of a crushing defeat. However they also deny IV French corps the opportunity to move south and join the critical battles taking part around Helmstedt.

The French have rested to recover from their battle casualties. For 24 hours they have held Rosche with a strong garrison, and are now ready to push east.

Tactical Map

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

Start positions are as show

Table at start of game

Rosche is the town on the left of the table

13^th French infantry brigade is in the right hand section of the town

The remainder of IV French corps will enter from the left on move one

2^nd Prussian corps is deployed across the Dominz road

2nd Prussian corps

Kleist has deployed his corps with the two strongest brigades in the front line

The two brigades with most casualties are held in reserve

The cavalry brigade is on the far right, the best cavalry ground

Game Note

Both corps are deployed and ready for battle

13^th brigade has been placed in Rosche by the campaign corps commander

The French order of march is in accordance with the latest campaign orders

No Prussian deployment has not been specified and has been left to us to decided

Campaign Move 22 – Rosche and Wolfsburg

0800-1200 30 July 1813

In the north Kleist has taken up a defensive position just east of Rosche, where he is attacked by Reynier. This is the third battle of the campaign to be fought by these two commanders.

Both corps still have casualties from the previous battles, but 2^nd Prussian corps has considerably more than IV French corps.

Further south Marmont is moving north following the French defeat at Helmstedt. As he nears Wolfsburg he finds 1^st Prussian corps approaching the town from the north. The French declare an immediate attack.

This is the second time that these two corps have fought around this town.

If the French are unable to take Wolfsburg their lines of supply will be cut, and they will be caught between 4^th corps from the south and 1^st corps from the north. This would result in the surrender of the French corps.

Campaign Move 21 – Battle of Helmstedt

1600- 2000 29 July 1813

Davout’s tactic of deploying XIII corps east of Helmstedt to force the Prussian army to deploy well short of the town, and then withdrawing slowly towards the town, has worked very well.

Both 3^rd and 4^th Prussian corps have spent the early afternoon deploying and starting to move towards Helmstedt. XIII corps have caused casualties on the Prussian brigade holding the farm, but have withdrawn and avoided any casualties themselves.

At 1600 VI French corps started to arrive along the Wolfsburg road, and joined the left flank of XIII corps.

However the Prussian attack was against the right flank of XIII corps, and VI corps were unable to play much part in the battle.

Due to the constant withdrawal of XIII corps, 4^th Prussian corps also contributed little. But their cavalry did support 3^rd corps and had a very successful charge against the enemy gunners.

The battle was won by a determined attack by three Prussian infantry brigades in column of attack. They advanced against the centre of XIII corps and finally broke them just as night was falling.

Table at 2000 29 July 1813