Impromptu Games

Will overweight horses fit the bill for heavy Calgary?

I can play today at the new, temporary usual time, 15:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. As reported, Friday's affair was a grand victory, although not for General Pino. Playing as the cavalry division commander allowed me to police the rear areas of our lines keeping them safe from enemy and contraband being smuggled in the other player's baggage wagons. Pat's way thoroughly rifled. In fact, it took an entire regiment to haul away the ill-gotten booty.

I have day 2 of Landshut ready if we can assemble the dream team to command it again. Pat - are you playing? Gird yourselves for more most gentlemanly mayhem in powdered wigs and silly hats.

I might need to keep my powdered wig in closet until Friday. I won’t be able to play today unfortunately.

I'll save it for Friday then.

I can play today at the new, temporary usual time, 15:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. The French were soundly defeated Sunday with their entire supply of soft cheeses thrown into the river. The resulting fish die-off supplemented our evening borscht nicely. Do we have a scenario for today?

I have a P v AI but its on a Lace Wars map that is a heavy load on my PC. We can try it but a back up would help.

The battle we face today gentlemen is day 2 of Landshut with the Prussians having established their bridgehead across the river, pushing out of the city to drive Davout's corps off the dominating heights and breaking out west to secure a principal road beyond.

Germany, October 1806

Situation:

Our attack across the river yesterday was partly successful. By evening we had gained a secure bridgehead and had captured much of the town. During the night our picquets reported that the French were falling back. At first light our patrols went forward to quickly discover that our enemy has given up his last fingerholds in the city and withdrawn to the high ground to the west where it appears he intends to fight on. During the small hours of the morning our positions were adjusted although broadly speaking they still occupy the sectors of the city in which they ceased fighting yesterday evening. We have made some forward movements to place our troops on the western and south-western perimeter of the major built-up area.

The men have enjoyed a hearty breakfast and during the morning supplies were replenished from the corps wagon train that remains east of the river. The regimental provosts have done a magnificent job rounding up stragglers and ensuring the walking wounded are back in their companies and squadrons. After roll call it seems our losses were heavy yesterday but by no means crippling. Work in the city by the townsfolk and a quickly-raised militia that have begun clearing the streets has noted that the French suffered losses fewer than us. t appears our units fought better and broke only after very high losses. The overall understanding is that the enemy's battalions gave ground and fell back when their losses had reached much lower levels. We need to assume therefore that like us, our enemy will have rebuilt his corps with stragglers who returned in the night and this morning.

Intelligence:

Prisoners captured yesterday have revealed that we are facing Marshal Davout's III Corps, a very powerful force that initially numbered more than 40,000 men. This was not the second-line command we were advised would be in Landshut and we should treat further intelligence reports with caution. However we now know the composition and likely locations of the enemy divisions.

Gudin's 3rd Division of about 8,000 men is to the south across a small river. Gen Kunheim's division is facing this direction. Opposite generals Wartensleben and Grawert to the west on the hills are the divisions of Leval (~9,000), Roussel (~6,000) and Desjardins (~7,000) though we cannot say which occupies which position as no doubt, like us, our enemy has adjusted his line during the night. The enemy heavy cavalry division of dragoons and cuirassiers that we unexpectedly encountered yesterday is not in evidence though it may be located in reserve on either the enemy's right or left. We have marked your maps with the suspected enemy positions accordingly. Our General Winning who suffered the heaviest losses is in reserve in the north-centre of the city.

The enemy headquarters is most likely at Perkafen and we should act on the basis that he will attempt to hold this key position.

Last night one of our junior engineering officers, working in search of more materials to strengthen the pontoon bridge, took a boat upstream and landed near the Dinglefingel Strasse. There he says he met local citizenry who spoke urgently of another French force somewhere west of the enemy main defence. Our interviews with prisoners did not reveal this force, should it even exist. The excitable citizens may have merely seen French foraging parties collecting supplies in the rear area of Davout's corps, or it could be a reserve division or even a fresh force sent east to help their III Corps. We have nothing more to back up the report of the engineer officer. However we have annoted your maps with blue query markers to suggest that further French troops may be in the area.

Note that our brigade totals are showing yesterday's figures, as our provosts and quartermasters have yet to complete a detailed count. The division and corps totals give a truer account of our present strength, but are approximations. More walking wounded and stragglers may have rejoined their units since breakfast.

Objective:

Today we must fight on! Our original plan still stands. We must secure the western heights and threaten the French north-south supply road (running beyond the western map edge) that is serving their armies pushing on Berlin. Our objectives are therefore to protect the city and the vital bridgehead, to gain the heights of Perkafen and to push on westwards and take the key road junction on the Pfaffenhoffen Strasse just east of Nandetstadt.

If the unconfirmed reports of more French to the west are true, we must secure the Nandetstadt road junction by dark and hold it with at least a brigade. The other objectives merely require to be kept clear of any enemy and of course we must make the French pay today for yesterday's loss of so many glorious and brave Prussian lives!

[Kevin] Unhäng. Korps Rüchel: Gen. der Inf. Ernst v.Rüchel (~22,000 [prev 27,710] Inf. ~3,200 [prev 4,115] Cav. 63 [prev 64] Guns)

[Mike]1 Division: Generalleutenant Julius von Grawert (~6,500 Inf. ~450 Cav. 16 Guns)
2. Brigade: Oberst Prinz Heinrich (4630 Inf. 6 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.5)
1. Brigade: Generalmajor Johann von Müffling (4186 Inf. 6 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.
Prinz Albrecht Dragonerregiment: Generalleutenant von Polenz (600 Cav. 1 regt Avg. Exp. 6.0)
17. Reitende Batterie: Hauptmann von Wegener (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)
1. Haubitzen Batterie: Hauptmann Alkier (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)

[Pat] 2. Division: Generalleutnant Christian Ludwig von Winning (~3,000 Inf. ~1,100 Cav. 15 Guns)
3. Brigade: Oberst von Kauffberg (2352 Inf. 3 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.3)
1. Brigade: berst von Vieregg (2330 Inf. 3 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.7)
von Rudorff Husarenregiment sch 1-5: Generalmajor Wilhelm von Rudorff (700 Cav. 1 regt Avg. Exp. 5.0)
Katte Dragonerregiment: Generalleutenant Rüchel (700 Cav. 1 regt Avg. Exp. 5.0)
8. Haubitzen Batterie: Hauptmann Tillmann (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)
Saxon Haubitzen Batterie: Hauptmann Kotsch (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)

[Martin] 3. Division der Reserve: Generallieutenant Graf von Kunheim (~8,000 Inf. ~700 Cav. 16 Guns)
1. Brigade: Oberst Johann von Lutzow (4630 Inf. 6 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.3)
2. Brigade: Generalmajor Dietrich von Schimonsky (4000 Inf. 5 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.
Bailliodz Kürassiere Regiment: Generalleutenant Rüchel ADC (700 Cav. 1 regt Avg. Exp. 5.0)
7. Schwere Batterie: Hauptmann Glasenapp (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
19. Reitende Batterie: Hauptmann Meerkatz (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

[Phil] 4. Division: Generallieutenant Graf von Wartensleben (~4,500 Inf. ~1,000 Cav. 16 Guns)
1. Brigade: August Wilhelm Hermann von Zenge (3185 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.5)
1. Brigade: Generalmajor von Tresckow (2397 Inf. 3 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.7)
Krafft Dragonerregiment: Oberst von Erichsen (700 Cav. 1 regt Avg. Exp. 4.0)
Heising Kürassiere Regiment: Generalmajor Karl Wilhelm von Bünting (715 Cav. 1 regt Avg. Exp. 5.0)
17. Reitende Batterie: Hauptmann Schorlemmer (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)
23. Reitende Batterie: Hauptmann Heidenreich (8 Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

[other brigade-level commands can be allocated to whomever turns up, though I'm happy to take a brigade and let someone else be von Kunheim].

I plan to be there :-)

1500EST right?

I can play today at the new, temporary usual time, 15:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Having pocketed yet another victory Weds., I am confident we shall be supping among the French baggage trains this evening.

I can play today

I have a reprise of the Eylau scenario with different AI and longer visibility Plus it actually ends at 1800. I have a new AI scenario and also a 6 minimum player versus player Unless Nobody wants to be a C in C in which case I will play whatever anybody else brings :-)

I can play today at the new, temporary usual time, 15:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Friday's debacle is better left unmentioned. Today's battle will be much better, I'm sure. It can't get worse.

Friday's debacle is better left unmentioned

That was the battle where you were in command, right? Just thought I'd mention it. Have we ever had another game where we ended up further back than we started? I can't recall one...

I only have a PvAI game set on one of the Lace Wars maps that is a bit of a hog (Almansa) but its only a 3-division fight. It is a very nice map if the game will run in MP using it. We could try I guess and if it fails, do something else. It is the, erm... Spanish again though.

See you there, guys, for my first game in many moon.

Martin (J)

Guess who's leading the attack.

I should make it today too! Now that someone else is leading the attack!

Bueller's Division of Pickles' Corps reporting for duty, Sir.  Our motto "we go where the evidence leads in harm's way"

I might be able to play today at the new, temporary usual time, 15:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. I might also be 15 minutes late. Do we have a scenario?

I'll see if I can throw one together. Mike had so much fun playing Austrians on Sunday that I think we'll play them again.

Northern Italy, May 1809

Situation:

The French have forced our hand and taken Europe to war once again. However Austria will always prevail. The Hapsburgs have been around for centuries and will remain for centuries more... as long as our secret weapon is not discovered. Cake. Viennese pastries. These world-famous delicacies keep our empire going and we use crates and shiploads of them in our diplomatic service as gifts to our allies to always get the Empire what it wants. The English stuff their faces with cake, the Germans build houses of it in their woods and the Russians boil it with cabbage to make a nutrious sugar-rich energy soup. There is no accounting for taste... However there is a weak link in this critical chain. The main supplier of our cream toppings sends his delicacies to our Vienna pastry houses via a horse drawn tramroad that runs north out of Italy and with the French invasion this critical route of essential economic material is threatened.

The wagon road must be kept secure. In the region there are four roads that cross the wagon road and all four of these crossings must be kept clear of enemy troops until nightfall when the important spring delivery of cream topping and delicious crushed sugared pistachio nuts has gone past.

Intelligence:

It seems unlikely the French are aware of the importance of the Imperial Cake Delivery Wagon Road and perhaps are unaware of its very existence, however, unfortunately two strategic towns in the region give access to crossings of the River Po and to the fortress of Mantua, about 30 miles to the east. The towns of Montebello and Casteggo might be the target of French intentions and if that is the case our wagon road will be threatened. We don't give a merchants wig about the strategic importance of these places but the cake must get through! The Empire depends on it!

Intelligence? Oh. Yes, probably some French in the area, to the north by all accounts. Maybe a corps. Who really cares? They don't eat real cake, only crepes. Disgusting.

Objective:

Hold all four road crossings of the vital Cake Route open until nightfall when the convoys of delicious foodstuffs will have passed. If the enemy occupies any of them, retake them and keep them clear of enemy at dusk.

3. Armeekorps: FML Freidrich von "Kuchen-Meister" Hohenzollern-Hechingen (35048 Inf. 9130 Cav. 52 Guns)

Division Lusignan: FML Franz Joseph "Sahnehäubchen-Mann" Lusignan (9215 Inf. 3000 Cav. 12 Guns)
Brigade Weissenwolf: Generalmajor Nikolaus Graf von Weissenwolf (4176 Inf. 7 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.1)
Brigade Bieber: Generalmajor Josef Ritter von Bieber (5039 Inf. 7 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.3)
Kavallerie Brigade Rothkirch: Oberst Leopold Rothkirch (1800 Cav. 3 Chevauleger regiments Avg. Exp. 4.3)
Kavallerie Brigade Rottermund: Generalmajor Heinrich Rottermund (1200 Cav. 2 Dragoon regiments Avg. Exp. 5.0)
9. Schwere Batterie: Hauptmann 9. Schwere Batterie positionieren (6x12pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 6.0)
3. Schwere Batterie: Hauptmann 3. Schwere Batterie positionieren (6x12pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

Division Kottulinsky: FML Freidrich Kottulinsky "Konditor" von Kottulinsky (6731 Inf. 2000 Cav. 12 Guns)
Brigade von Mesko: Generalmajor Jospeh von Mesko de Felso (2426 Inf. 5 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.0)
Brigade Neustädter: Generalmajor Johann von Neustädter (4305 Inf. 7 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.6)
Brigade Vécsey: Oberst August Vécsey (850 Cav. 2 Hussar/Uhlan regiments Avg. Exp. 4.5)
Kavallerie Brigade von Mayer: Oberst Joseph Ritter von Mayer (1150 Cav. 2 Chevauleger/Uhlan regiments Avg. Exp. 4.5)
7. Batterie positionieren: Hauptmann. 7. Batterie positionieren (6x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)
1. Batterie positionieren: Hauptmann 1. Batterie positionieren (6x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

Leichte Division von Vincent: FML Karl "Puderzucker" von Vincent (8251 Inf. 1920 Cav. 12 Guns)
Brigade Liechtenstein: Generalmajor Alois Liechtenstein (6351 Inf. 7 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.1)
Brigade Waldegg: Generalmajor Adrian von Waldegg (1900 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.0)
Kavallerie Brigade Schneller: Generalmajor Andreas von Schneller (945 Cav. 2 Kürassiere regiments Avg. Exp. 5.5)
Kavallerie Brigade Siegenthal: Generalmajor Bersina von Siegenthal (975 Cav. 2 Kürassiere regiments Avg. Exp. 5.0)
13. Wurst Batterie: Hauptmann 13. Wurst Batterie (6x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)
6. Batterie positionieren: Hauptmann 6. Batterie positionieren (6x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)

Division von Brady: FML Thomas "Nüsser" von Brady (10851 Inf. 2210 Cav. 16 Guns)
Brigade Treuenfels: Feldmarschalleutnant Franz Weber von Treuenfels (4400 Inf. 5 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.
Brigade Fölseis: Generalmajor Carl von Fölseis (6451 Inf. 7 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.1)
Kavallerie Brigade de Fielandt: Oberst Goswin de Fielandt (1160 Cav. 2 Hussar/Uhlan regiments Avg. Exp. 6.0)
Kavallerie Brigade Schmuttermayer: Oberst Carl Schmuttermayer (1050 Cav. 2 Chevauleger/Uhlan regiments Avg. Exp. 4.6)
5. Brigade Batterie: Hauptmann 5. Brigade Batterie (8x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
19. Brigade Batterie: Hauptmann 19. Brigade Batterie (8x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 4.0)

Hi Kevin

The scenario works but SoW crashes when I select the minimap, so we have some kind of error with it. Can you check the Nap_Italy_Montebello minimap please?

Thanks
M

I can play today at the new, temporary usual time, 15:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Weds. unfortunately saw the temporary halt to Austrian pastry deliveries. The good news is that the deliveries were halted very near my personal baggage train. Do we have a scenario for today?

I should be able to play today and not only will I have a -complete- set of scenario files (3 possible scenarios... 2 vs AI and one PvP) available for Kevin to download for hosting (nothing like planning for non existent battles) but my laptop won’t be updating itself for 25 minutes. I think one of the scenarios ought to be named “baggage train blues”

Sounds good Pat, but it's Mother's Day here in the UK, so I cannot make this one.

Have a great game chaps.

Martin (J)

Now that Britain has finally caught up to the colonies, I can play today at the usual, usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 BST. Friday's battle on the snowy fields outside Kutschitten saw the French breaking the Russian line and sending them on their way in some disarray. Victory was sweet. We didn't even need those over-sugared Austrian pastries.