Napoleonic HITS Game March 28-29

After the bloody but indecisive fight around Punhete and San Luza, both armies pulled back to regroup.  After 2 weeks of relative tranquility, both Napoleon and the Allies are again in motion.  The lead elements of La Grande Armée and 2-y russkoy armii na Zapade have made contact NW of Mantua.  Guns begin to unlimber while more and more troops file into position.  The strength behind each line is not known but both armies are spoiling for a fight.  It is merely a question of who will move forward first.

The commanders of both forces, Prince Eugene and General of Infantry Dmitry Dokhturov, have met before at the Russian town of Maloyaroslavets.  That fight was won by Eugene but sealed the fate of the French army.  Now they meet again.

This 3 hour battle will be fought on the large Gettysburg map.  The usual 3 mods will be needed.  We will need a minimum of 8 players.  Of course we can accomodate many more with brigade commands.

Movement Restrictions:
No units may move south of the red line that is drawn on the map.  The road that this line runs along may be used for movement.  This restriction is in place to simulate a later era Napoleonic battle where the two armies slug it out without a lot of maneuvering.

The Fiume Tartaro is uncrossable except at the two bridges circled on the map.

Cavalry will be under the command of only one player.  Cavalry brigade commanders and squadrons may not be TC'd.  The AI must control their movement and fighting behavior.  This rule is in effect so that we may use larger infantry divisions and their commanders will have time to see a cavalry threat and react to it.  Although the AI uses cavalry quite effectively, it does so at a more deliberate pace and does not seek out unattended and thus vulnerable battalions.

The usual rule of not scouting more than 200-250 yd. beyond your troops is also in effect.

A link to the doodle sign-up is here: Doodle Sign-Up

And now for the question everyone eagerly anticipates;  who wishes to be CinC?

The Fiume Tartaro is uncrossable except at the two bridges circled on the map.

Can you clarify please? Did you mean the Fiume Oglio?

frontal assault up a hill? flags flying? drums and marching band to the front? - Vive L'empereur or "URRRÄÄÄÄÄÄH" ?

C O U N T   -  M E    -   I N

Martin wrote:Did you mean the Fiume Oglio?

Nope, the Fiume Tartaro east of Mantua. The Oglio is fordable everywhere.

Roland wrote:frontal assault up a hill? flags flying? drums and marching band to the front?

That's the spirit. Those drummer boys can soak up bullets as well as soldiers.

Kevin, the map doesn't show any circled river crossings.

Thanks, I forgot to put them on the public map. Fixed.

giving restrictions on a river far in the back says everything really

giving restrictions on a river far in the back says everything really

So which side do you wish to command?

let's see what slot remains open - if any - shall we?

Inexplicably we once again do not have any volunteers for CinC. Is there not a man among you?

indeed a bit disappointing... something I don't understand to be honest...

it's apparently so bad that even treasure hunters get to be in charge regularly...


PS: just send me the side that is more challenging - so that I have an excuse if my commanders in the field once again fail to grasp the brilliance of my plan and thus fail to secure victory!

I don't know if one side has a harder task than the other, but you'll be dining on snails with garlic butter.

yeah, just keep it up... just keep insulting me...  you always get me stuck with those French petit peu de ballets tosspots





although with this setup - one has to wonder about the lesser of two weevils..

I didn't want you to run the risk of soiling that pretty white uniform with borscht stains. Can't sell ice cream in a dirty uniform.

Based on the number of people that have signed up, we'll run the scenario on Sunday at 19:30GMT. I believe the Euros finally catch up with us tonight so that time translates to 14:30EST, 13:30CST, 12:30MST, 11:30PST. We still need a Russian CinC. It would be best if someone steps forward in advance so they have more than 2 minutes before the game to develop a strategy.

If anyone want to play today, I'll be on for a game at 20:00GMT, (16:00EST, 15:00CST, 14:00MST, 13:00PST). I'll try to throw something together based on how many show up.

We can always count on 3 or 4 of the GCM guys to show up who never fill in the Doodles.

how very true!

but either way - there better be a battle tonight - or else I have to get the local troops out of the barracks, cancel weekend leave and dress them in the proper uniforms (probably make them Russians )

Kevin wrote:... we'll run the scenario on Sunday at 19:30GMT. I believe the Euros finally catch up with us tonight so that time translates to 14:30EST, 13:30CST, 12:30MST, 11:30PST. We still need a Russian CinC. It would be best if someone steps forward in advance so they have more than 2 minutes before the game to develop a strategy.
If anyone want to play today, I'll be on for a game at 20:00GMT, (16:00EST, 15:00CST, 14:00MST, 13:00PST). I'll try to throw something together based on how many show up.

The time thing might need some more clarification. Currently in the U.S. (virtually) everyone is on Daylight Saving Time, so our time designations are e.g., EDT, PDT, etc. If Kevin is truly talking about running Sunday's battle at 19:30 GMT, that would translate to 15:30 EDT/14:30 CDT/13:30 MDT/12:30 PDT. On the other hand, if instead of GMT he really means the new Summer Time which goes into effect early Sunday morning, then the Sunday game time would translate to 14:30 EDT/13:30 CDT/12:30 MDT & 11:30 PDT.

His hour designations for today's game should be good, except for being stated as Standard Time rather than Daylight Time (e.g., 14:00MDT)

We can always count on 3 or 4 of the GCM guys to show up who never fill in the Doodles.

Until we we do, and they don't.

but either way - there better be a battle tonight - or else I have to get the local troops out of the barracks, cancel weekend leave and dress them in the proper uniforms (probably make them Russians Very Happy)

Dress whites would be more appropriate.  Von Hiller is taking the field today.



Von Hiller's vanguard 4. Korps has been assigned the duty of defending the bridge over the Rio Ebro.  The rest of the Austrian army is west of the river, rapidly marching east.  It is imperative that the crossing be completed unopposed.

Maréchal Davout has other ideas.

We will try Martin James' idea of allowing cavalry brigades being commanded by individual players, (same number on each side), but with the squadron flags removed, so they cannot be individually directed.  The brigade will be forced to move as an entire unit and not as individual squadrons.

The time thing might need some more clarification. Currently in the U.S. (virtually) everyone is on Daylight Saving Time, so our time designations are e.g., EDT, PDT, etc. If Kevin is truly talking about running Sunday's battle at 19:30 GMT, that would translate to 15:30 EDT/14:30 CDT/13:30 MDT/12:30 PDT. On the other hand, if instead of GMT he really means the new Summer Time which goes into effect early Sunday morning, then the Sunday game time would translate to 14:30 EDT/13:30 CDT/12:30 MDT & 11:30 PDT.

His hour designations for today's game should be good, except for being stated as Standard Time rather than Daylight Time (e.g., 14:00MDT) Smile

I want a lawyer.

A law school professor of mine once sagely said that it is always in one party's interest to confuse the issue. Mission accomplished.

Is the cav squadron flag setup included in the scenario file or does it require a host settings adjustment? Also, I assume this takes individual squadrons off the list of units that may be individually controlled using courier orders?

Von Hiller? the commander of the column my ancestor started out as chief of staff with?
excellent....  nevertheless we are going up against the best French Maréchal there was!

Until we we do, and they don't.

Why worry about what the future will bring until it brings it?

A main scenario can be planned but postponed at the last minute if needed, an ad-hoc one being substituted. Its harder to do the reverse.

A weekend or two ago you cancelled the main game for Saturday and we had plenty of people turn up. As you know, we have several players who never fill in the Doodle regardless, so strictly basing an event on the Doodle data is always going to be problematic. Then on Sunday because some people had got their fill of HITS on the Saturday we didn't have enough for your main scenario. Its a lose-lose situation.

as long as people don't start screaming "we don't want to play vs the AI" after they failed to sign up to doodle first... all is well

The following statement has been reviewed and approved by legal counsel. The French-Russian scenario will begin at 19:30BST, 14:30EDT, 13:30CDT, 12:30MDT, 11:30PDT incl. Arizona.