Impromptu Games

I think the Russians won the game but I am not sure I had to leave early

Due to the lag, we had to stop play. However, it seemed unlikely that the French could have captured the objective. It was a well played battle by both sides. The combined arms attack in the north was especially good. The Russians just barely held on.

Joe's, troops engaged the enemy within 5 minutes of his abandonment of them. Isn't that how it always is.

Replay: Battle Replay

From the replay that does look like a pretty intense fight. Its interesting that all our new players seem to get stuck in with cavalry early on, unlike the KS people who've been around for a long time. I wonder if this is a result of using the stock game. Does the gameplay with that reward the early aggressive use of cavalry? I very rarely find that's the case with the KS Mod.

I certainly haven't played the stock version enough to know if early usage is rewarded. But I do remember when we first started playing the SOWGB version, we tended to use cavalry early on in the fight. It was only after learning the hard way, that preservation of the cavalry for as long as possible was a major key to success. It may just be the learning curve at work.

Well I think our new players are all quite experienced; they seem to have played a lot of stock games.

This is late notice but I have a scenario we can play today involving the French and Austrians. I'll be on at the usual time of 20:00GMT, 15:00EST.

I might not be able to get there in time sorry

I'm available

I'll be there.

how did yesterdays battle go. sorry I missed it

Very well, another tough fight. The attacking French just managed to push the defending Austrians out of the town they were holding. There was another monster cavalry melee at the start

We had 9 players and the lag wasn't too bad and nobody dropped or caused hold-ups. The internet was in a good mood.

EDIT: Took some screenies and did some cropping and map scribbling today:


The red numbers are the locations and directions of the images and the blue arrows show the advance and attack of my division (Durutte). My troops were in reserve after the initial march south and then deployed to the east and attacked towards the town from it's NE side. The objective was in the very centre of the town of Alagon. Grouchy's French corps advanced from the north and I presume the Austrians came up from the south somewhere.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_05.jpg
View down the column during the march.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_06.jpg
I ride up onto a hill for a view of the enemy as we arrive N of the town of Alagon. Plenty of enemy cavalry visible on the far hills. Grouchy's chasseurs a cheval advancing on the left and part of our lead division, Broussier's, in the right foreground.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_07.jpg
A view to the immediate right of the previous picture with Broussier deploying his columns and masses of Austrians issuing out of Alagon.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_08.jpg
Another view panning right again shows Guerin's dragoon brigade on the French extreme right facing off another Austrian division.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_09.jpg
Broussier's division deploying in all its glory down the valley. On the far left hill a swirling cavalry melee has broken out which Grouchy will lose. Lines of brown and blue uniformed Grenzer regiments move towards us.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_10.jpg
On the French right Guerin's dragoon brigade has been called over to the centre and now the Italian brigade of Broussier's division faces the enemy on this flank. The Austrians here look like Landwehr.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_11.jpg
Broussier's division down in the valley bottom in a not-very-good position! Guerin's dragoons moving to the left.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_12.jpg
wreckage of the cavalry melee. The victorious Austrian squadrons occupy the steep hill that shields the NE side of the town. Some poor bugger is going to have to take that ground now. I wonder who Grouchy will choose?

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_13.jpg
Yep, that's right. Yours truely. I spent a good 20 minutes shifting my division a mile east to get room to deploy and then advanced. At first the going was very slow and difficult as the Austrian cavalry was right behind their infantry but then Grouchy sent Guerin's dragoons to aid me and we attacked. A French column charges a square of Grenzers. We were lucky that the enemy infantry on this flank was militia quality and only one brigade so we were able to push them off the hill after a stiff fight.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_14.jpg
I swing the axis of my attack due west and move my left hand brigade under AI control into the town towards the objective and leave them to get on with it. Street fighting and my blood pressure do not mix. I personally oversaw my right hand brigade as it attacked down the west slope of the hill against the northern edge of the town where some German and Hungarian infantry were defending.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_15.jpg
Mayhem in the small holdings on the edge of town.

http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/Alagon_16.jpg
The enemy crumbles in the face of French elan plus some big fat dragoon horses that hurt when they stomp on you.

Replay File.

thnx Mr Digby. looks like I messed a good fight

Assuming we have at least 5 players, tomorrow's (Monday's) game will be coop vs the AI.  All welcome.  It's somewhat different to the usual situation.  Will those of a nervous disposition please note that asolutely no attempt has been made to balance this scenario   .

Martin (J)


Background

It is 21st September 1813, and the day is fine.  Dusk is at about 18.00.

Following the destruction of his forces in Russia last year, Napoleon has created a raw new army, and is now fighting to retain control of Germany.  A month ago, Austria entered the war against France, and a large Austrian force has moved towards Napoleon's main base at Dresden.  To counter this, the Emperor has ordered most of his forces in Silesia to march rapidly SW to Dresden to reinforce the French troops already there.  They moved off this morning, and your IV Corps has been ordered to form the rearguard in case of interference from the Prussian and Russian army to the east.

The main obstacle is the River Bobr, normally a smallish stream, but now swollen due to heavy rains a few days ago.  It can only be crossed at the 3 bridges marked on the map.  The troops destined for Dresden all crossed earlier today, together with some of your own corps artillery.  But much of the baggage for the entire force remains NE of the river.  As of course does your own corps!



Special report for Prince Eugene and the French IV Corps at 15.00 hours

Your objective is to cover the 3 bridges until nightfall.  You should then be able to cross safely under cover of darkness, and rejoin the main army.

All went well until a couple of hours ago, when Russian cavalry appeared on a wide front, and you fell back gradually.  Luckily, each of your 4 infantry divisions has been reinforced by cavalry detached from other corps, but you are still likely to be outnumbered in this arm, and indeed probably in all arms!  Reports from your patrols lead your staff estimate that at least 3 enemy corps are leading the pursuit.  

You have ridden to join General Zayonchek and his 16e Division in the NE, who has been especially closely pressed.

There is high ground to your rear of your corps, along the Walburg Strasse.  But against such overwhelming numbers, you may not be able to hold such a line until nightfall.  An alternative would be to pull back to it slowly, trading space for time.  But that risks some of your divisions being overrun.....

When the Russians first appeared you called for reinforcements, and have just received word that a cavalry division has been dispatched to you from the NW.  It will be somewhere along the Braunau Strasse, but you are not sure where exactly.


Your own force

This consists mainly of the 4 divisions of your own large corps.  At the last review, a week ago, the strength returns indicated you had 30,000 men.  As mentioned the 7th Cuirassier Division has been ordered to join you.  It is unclear how many men this division has, but you will obviously discover this when it arrives:
4e Division Général de Division Dessaix. 11 bttns, 8 sqdns, 8 guns
16e Division Général de Division Zayonchek. 12 bttns, 6 sqdns, 6 guns
23e Division Général de Division Tharreau. 11 bttns. 4 sqdns, 8 guns
Vieille Garde Division Général de Division Curial. 8 bttns, 2 sqdns, 6 guns
7e Cuirassier Division Général de Division Lorge. Strength currently inknown

The Allied Army

Your staff estimates its strength at over 110,000 men, made up of 5 Corps as follows:
I Corps Gen Wartensleben. Prussian
III Corps Gen von Pirch. Prussian
IV Corps Gen Osterman-Tolstoy. Russian
VII Corps Gen Olsuviev. Russian
VIII Corps Gen Raevsky. Russian

This game will need players to own Gettysburg and the Chancellorsville add-on pack.

Martin, with the influx of Waterloo-only players we've been trying to use the free Gettysburg maps or the WL stock maps or community made free maps.

Ah... Didn't realise that. Thanks. I see the problem, but don't have time to prepare anything else today.

Have one other scenario in reserve. But that's ACW

I'm happy to play sandbox with anyone who turns up. Or perhaps replay one of Kevin's?

Martin (J)

You can see who shows up and play it for the GB owners club I guess. No reason why the non-GB owners club cannot play another game(*). It would be a shame to say goodbye to all the great GB maps. I'd like to keep playing on them now and again. There's a certain nostalgia to storming Culp's Hill with the Young Guard





























(*) or even buy GB!

And in my case I still enjoy playing GB ACW scenarios too, together with several of the mods. In fact if I had to give up one of the two games it would be Waterloo.

Martin (J)

Despite the numerous shortcomings of WL, overall I think it is a better game platform simply because the AI can be modded so much more. Modding it to play a good ACW battle would be far simpler than the modding we had to do to make it produce a passable nappy fight. After all, the stock game is not much more than SOWGB with squares and fortresses added. You just need to learn a little C programming.

Potentially that's true. Hopefully we'll get you back to ACW when you've finally OD'D on Napoleonics. GB would certainly benefit from upgrading in a number of areas, and your C programming skills can come into play .

Q. I seem to recall that Norb talked about opening up the GB code at some point. If he ever does do that, would that be an easier modding route for ACW and mid-late 19th C?

Martin (J)

I believe the easier path is for you to learn C. It would certainly be faster.

SOWGB is not constructed in the same fashion as SOWWL. There is no dll which contains just the AI code. It is probably all integrated into one file. Certainly there are significant parts of the AI code that are not available to us in WL but there is enough so that you could make all the critical changes needed.

I shall attend.

... and attend you did! Well done. The mould is truly broken.

Andrew, Tyler and Joe all did magnificently as well.

Yes indeed they did Diggers. Like veterans!

The whole team performed well, and I must also give an honourable mention to Morsey, conqueror of Vatry.

Martin (J)

Thank you thank you very very Much!  


I must dedicate this great victory to Lordjoe and his ferociousness in his first official contact with enemy in a KS game.  He just went on and took care of removing the frogs out of the creek and lead the way to Vatry.

Good Job Joe!!  Jimmy Hendrix asked the question "Hey hey Joe where you gonna go with that gun in your hand". Do do do.... Joe replied "I am going to go to Vatry before Kevin steals all the silver ware and women there".  DO do do.....


I would say that the ribbing would now stop since I had a recorded good game but I doubt it!!!!!

Nice job men!!