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Hope you enjoy this account of one of O and M's recent games.
Hagelberg 1813.
To start with I must shout out that all credits and plaudits for this game go to Orange who set up and planned all and who’s wonderful collection of figures and terrain you see below. No credit at all however should be given to him for being stupid enough to allocate me a huge superiority in enthusiastic units, Russian guns and full licence to use my best and most subtle tactical ploy……ALL OUT ASSAULT!!

ORBAT
FRENCH ARMY
CinC General de Division Baron Jean Baptiste Girard
1 Aide de Camp
Infantry Brigade Senegon
III/24th Legere (36 Line)
III/86th Legere (36 Line)
III/18th Ligne (36 2nd Line)
III/19th Ligne (36 2nd Line)
I/9th Westphalian (36 Conscript)
II/1st Croatian (36 Conscript)
Infantry Brigade Baville
III/134th Ligne (36 2nd Line)
VI/134th Ligne (36 Conscript)
III/72nd Ligne (36 2nd Line)
I/Saxon Ducal House Infantry (30 Conscript)
II/Saxon Ducal House Infantry (30 Conscript)
Cavalry BrigadeColonel Rafelis Saint-Saveur
13th Hussars (24 2nd Line Average mounts)
Escadron de Marche Cuirassiers (8 Conscript Average mounts)
Escadron de Marche Chasseurs (8 Conscript Average mounts)
Artillery Brigade
1st Co of 9th Ft Artillery (4 6pdrs Line)
16h Co of 9th Ft Artillery (4 6pdrs Line)
(All Generals and CinC rated as average)
PRUSSIAN ARMY
CinC GM Major Karl Freidrich von Hirschfield
1 Aide de Camp
Infantry Brigade Major von Langen
I/1st Reserve I.R. (32 2nd Line Enthusiastic)
II/1st Reserve I.R. (32 2nd Line)
III/1st Reserve I.R. (32 2nd Line)
Skirmishers (12 2nd Line)
Infantry Brigade GM von Puttlitz
IV/1st Reserve I.R. (32 2nd Line)
I/6th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
II/6th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
III/6th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
IV/6th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
II/7th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
Skirmishers (12 2nd Line Enthusiastic)
Infantry Brigade Oberst von Boguslavsky
II/3rd Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
II/4th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
III/4th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
Infantry Brigade Obslt. Von der Marwitz
I/3rd Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
III/3rd Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
IV/3rd Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
Infantry Oberstlt. Von Reuss
I/4th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
I/7th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
I/Elbe I.R. (40 Line)
Cavalry Brigade (detatched)
3rd Kumark Landwehr Cavalry (16 Conscript Average mounts)
Cavalry Brigade Oberstlt. von Bismark
5th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry (16 Conscript Average mounts)
6th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry (16 Conscript Average mounts)
Artillery Brigade Cpt Chamboran
Russian Ft Artillery #26 (5 6pdrs 2nd Line)
(All Generals and CinC rated as average)
This scenario is a complete nightmare for the French. They are simultaneously attacked from two fronts. They are outnumbered and they are mostly conscripts. O however had a plan…in fact he said he had two…I was impressed considering that I would have only one in this situation and that would involve evoking the ‘run away fast’ order option reserved for only the most discerning of GdeB game players. His initial deployment centred around holding the ‘grassy knoll’ with his Legere and guns

whilst using Hagelberg to cover his right flank and Hussars to cover the left.



My orders were easy and simple…STEAMROLLER before he gets a chance to counter. The advance guard on the Prussian right was ordered to advance down the road with cavalry support…..

whilst von Bogus…. (great name) and von Reuss broke through the tree line en masse…..

and von Puttlitz worried the party going on in Hagelberg itself…….

Initial clashes appeared to be going well for the French. Their guns were raking the Prussian advance and the line was looking firm. Then inexplicably (I am sure he will comment later) O put into operation Plan ‘A’. This began by pulling out his artillery from the front line!!!......


covered by the Legere battalions shuffling into the gaps and a brave bold charge by the 13th Hussars on his left who promptly and soundly dispatched the 6th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry ….

and then pummelled into the III/1st Reserve IR throwing the Prussian right flank into complete chaos.

Baville meanwhile was holding Hagelberg under some extreme pressure

and for a brief moment I thought….hang on…this could get embarrassing.
Luckily my Conscript 5th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry decided to throw high and a seemingly impossible charge came off (huzzah!) catching the now faltering 86th Legere in line and in more than a spot of bother.

Things began to go down hill fast for O, his front line was now not secure and in immement danger of being overwhelmed. His guns were not yet deployed in the fall back position. His 13th hussars had to return to lines and reform allowing the Prussian right to regain momentum and then he lost Hagelberg. In a desperate attempt to cover the repositioning the 13th Hussars formed and bravely charged again! Thundering to glory they were undone by a lucky piece of double sixing as they passed one of my squares….(Sometimes the Gods smile) then sat about faltering and sulking for the rest of the game.
A general advance by the Prussians ensued and new battle lines were drawn up for both sides.

Baville however was holding up well and with some well executed counterattacks was exhausting von Puttlitz’s brigade. A timely reinforcement by the Prussian reserve however eventually broke the back of it and the French Right recule’d towards Klein Glein.
.
The French second line was now pushed back to their previous evenings encampment…
and was set to play out a bloody dénouement when the French guns were caught in the flank by an unbelievably lucky piece of pursuing by my Conscript 5th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry.

It was all over and we retired towards a last glass of red burgundy as the French withdrew using the Saxon Ducals hiding in Klein Glein as a rearguard.


All hail O who stuck with this battle to the very end. He tells me he has a ‘New Plan’ already hatching for the next time……not sure how he could turn this one around without bringing in Hannibal Smith and the A-team.

Cheers
Maturin
Hagelberg 1813.
To start with I must shout out that all credits and plaudits for this game go to Orange who set up and planned all and who’s wonderful collection of figures and terrain you see below. No credit at all however should be given to him for being stupid enough to allocate me a huge superiority in enthusiastic units, Russian guns and full licence to use my best and most subtle tactical ploy……ALL OUT ASSAULT!!

ORBAT
FRENCH ARMY
CinC General de Division Baron Jean Baptiste Girard
1 Aide de Camp
Infantry Brigade Senegon
III/24th Legere (36 Line)
III/86th Legere (36 Line)
III/18th Ligne (36 2nd Line)
III/19th Ligne (36 2nd Line)
I/9th Westphalian (36 Conscript)
II/1st Croatian (36 Conscript)
Infantry Brigade Baville
III/134th Ligne (36 2nd Line)
VI/134th Ligne (36 Conscript)
III/72nd Ligne (36 2nd Line)
I/Saxon Ducal House Infantry (30 Conscript)
II/Saxon Ducal House Infantry (30 Conscript)
Cavalry BrigadeColonel Rafelis Saint-Saveur
13th Hussars (24 2nd Line Average mounts)
Escadron de Marche Cuirassiers (8 Conscript Average mounts)
Escadron de Marche Chasseurs (8 Conscript Average mounts)
Artillery Brigade
1st Co of 9th Ft Artillery (4 6pdrs Line)
16h Co of 9th Ft Artillery (4 6pdrs Line)
(All Generals and CinC rated as average)
PRUSSIAN ARMY
CinC GM Major Karl Freidrich von Hirschfield
1 Aide de Camp
Infantry Brigade Major von Langen
I/1st Reserve I.R. (32 2nd Line Enthusiastic)
II/1st Reserve I.R. (32 2nd Line)
III/1st Reserve I.R. (32 2nd Line)
Skirmishers (12 2nd Line)
Infantry Brigade GM von Puttlitz
IV/1st Reserve I.R. (32 2nd Line)
I/6th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
II/6th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
III/6th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
IV/6th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
II/7th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
Skirmishers (12 2nd Line Enthusiastic)
Infantry Brigade Oberst von Boguslavsky
II/3rd Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
II/4th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
III/4th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
Infantry Brigade Obslt. Von der Marwitz
I/3rd Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
III/3rd Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
IV/3rd Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
Infantry Oberstlt. Von Reuss
I/4th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript Enthusiastic)
I/7th Kumark Landwehr (32 Conscript)
I/Elbe I.R. (40 Line)
Cavalry Brigade (detatched)
3rd Kumark Landwehr Cavalry (16 Conscript Average mounts)
Cavalry Brigade Oberstlt. von Bismark
5th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry (16 Conscript Average mounts)
6th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry (16 Conscript Average mounts)
Artillery Brigade Cpt Chamboran
Russian Ft Artillery #26 (5 6pdrs 2nd Line)
(All Generals and CinC rated as average)
This scenario is a complete nightmare for the French. They are simultaneously attacked from two fronts. They are outnumbered and they are mostly conscripts. O however had a plan…in fact he said he had two…I was impressed considering that I would have only one in this situation and that would involve evoking the ‘run away fast’ order option reserved for only the most discerning of GdeB game players. His initial deployment centred around holding the ‘grassy knoll’ with his Legere and guns

whilst using Hagelberg to cover his right flank and Hussars to cover the left.



My orders were easy and simple…STEAMROLLER before he gets a chance to counter. The advance guard on the Prussian right was ordered to advance down the road with cavalry support…..

whilst von Bogus…. (great name) and von Reuss broke through the tree line en masse…..

and von Puttlitz worried the party going on in Hagelberg itself…….

Initial clashes appeared to be going well for the French. Their guns were raking the Prussian advance and the line was looking firm. Then inexplicably (I am sure he will comment later) O put into operation Plan ‘A’. This began by pulling out his artillery from the front line!!!......


covered by the Legere battalions shuffling into the gaps and a brave bold charge by the 13th Hussars on his left who promptly and soundly dispatched the 6th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry ….

and then pummelled into the III/1st Reserve IR throwing the Prussian right flank into complete chaos.

Baville meanwhile was holding Hagelberg under some extreme pressure

and for a brief moment I thought….hang on…this could get embarrassing.
Luckily my Conscript 5th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry decided to throw high and a seemingly impossible charge came off (huzzah!) catching the now faltering 86th Legere in line and in more than a spot of bother.

Things began to go down hill fast for O, his front line was now not secure and in immement danger of being overwhelmed. His guns were not yet deployed in the fall back position. His 13th hussars had to return to lines and reform allowing the Prussian right to regain momentum and then he lost Hagelberg. In a desperate attempt to cover the repositioning the 13th Hussars formed and bravely charged again! Thundering to glory they were undone by a lucky piece of double sixing as they passed one of my squares….(Sometimes the Gods smile) then sat about faltering and sulking for the rest of the game.
A general advance by the Prussians ensued and new battle lines were drawn up for both sides.

Baville however was holding up well and with some well executed counterattacks was exhausting von Puttlitz’s brigade. A timely reinforcement by the Prussian reserve however eventually broke the back of it and the French Right recule’d towards Klein Glein.
.The French second line was now pushed back to their previous evenings encampment…
and was set to play out a bloody dénouement when the French guns were caught in the flank by an unbelievably lucky piece of pursuing by my Conscript 5th Kumark Landwehr Cavalry.

It was all over and we retired towards a last glass of red burgundy as the French withdrew using the Saxon Ducals hiding in Klein Glein as a rearguard.


All hail O who stuck with this battle to the very end. He tells me he has a ‘New Plan’ already hatching for the next time……not sure how he could turn this one around without bringing in Hannibal Smith and the A-team.

Cheers
Maturin