Impromptu Games

I can throw something evil together if no-one else has one ready.

Russia, September 1812

Situation:

We have advanced deep into the heartland of our implacable enemy but all he does is fall back before us, refusing battle. Frustration is building up daily, almost as much as the losses of our horses from eating green grass. Ney's III Corps is advancing on the south flank of the army when his cavalry screen brings in news of a Russian corps that has been tardy in withdrawing and is currently encamped around Gesna. Ney has decided to attack southwards at once and prevent these Russians, at least, from running away further east.

Intelligence:

Our cavalry have begun to struggle vs the enemy Cossacks to deliver good intelligence on the enemy and although it is clear an enemy corps lies SSW of us we cannot determine where it is exactly, nor of how many divisions it comprises. We do know, from intercepted mails that the enemy commander, Nikolay Rayevsky has his headquarters at Gesna.

We should also operate on the basis that the enemy has a more numerous cavalry arm.

Objective:

Attack towards Gesna, locate the enemy and destroy him.

III Corps: Marechal à l'Empire Michel Ney (21618 Inf. 8164 Cav. 56 Guns)

 Vieille Garde: Général de Division Philibert Jean-Baptiste Curial (4425 Inf. 1720 Cav. 12 Guns)
   Brigade Paszkowski : Général de Brigade Paszkowski  (2121 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.7)
   Brigade Joubert: Général de brigade Joubert (2304 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.
   Brigade Lourde de Lagrange: Général de brigade de Lagrange (620 Cav. 1 Cuirassier regiment Avg. Exp. 8.0)
   Brigade Thielmann: Generalmajor Thielmann (1100 Cav. 2 Saxon Cuirassier regiments Avg. Exp. 8.0)
   1er Garde batterie à cheval: Capit. 1er Garde batterie à cheval (6x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 7.0)
   6e/5e Artillerie à cheval: Capit. 6e/5e batterie à cheval (6x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

 2e Division: Général de Division Louis Friant (4050 Inf. 2404 Cav. 14 Guns)
   2e Brigade Vistula Legion: Général de brigade Bronikowski (1300 Inf. 2 battalions Avg. Exp. 7.0)
   Brigade d'Alton: Général de brigade d'Alton (2750 Inf. 5 battalions Avg. Exp. 6.4)
   3e Brigade de cavalerie: Général de brigade Jacquinot (1260 Cav. 2 Hussar/Lancer regts Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   14e Brigade de cavalerie: Général de brigade Beurman (1144 Cav. 4 Chasseur/Chevauleger regts Avg. Exp. 5.6)
   9e/2e Artillerie à pied: Capit. 9e/2e batterie à pied (8x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 6.0)
   14 Polska Bateria Stóp: Kapitan 14 Polska Bateria Stóp (6x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

 16e Division: Général de Division Józef Zayonchek (6298 Inf. 2090 Cav. 14 Guns)
   Brigade Lonchan: Général de brigade Lonchan (1800 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 6.0)
   Brigade Alméras: Général de brigade Louis Alméras (4498 Inf. 9 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.7)
   7e Brigade de cavalerie: Général de brigade Desirad (870 Cav. 2 Chasseur regiments Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   21e Bavarian cavalerie légère: Colonel von Herchberg (1220 Cav. 2 Chevauleger regts Avg. Exp. 6.0)
   1er/5e Artillerie à cheval: Capit. 1er batterie à cheval (6x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 6.0)
   18e/5e Artillerie à pied: Capit. 18e batterie à pied (8x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

 3e Division: Général de Division Charles Étienne Gudin (6845 Inf. 1950 Cav. 16 Guns)
   Brigade Pototzki: Général de Brigade Pototzki (2165 Inf. 4 battalions Avg. Exp. 4.7)
   Brigade Huard: Général de brigade Huard à St. Aubin (4680 Inf. 8 battalions Avg. Exp. 5.6)
   Chasseurs à Cheval de la Garde: Général de brigade Claude Etienne Guyot (750 Cav. 1 Guard Chasseur regiment Avg. Exp. 9.0)
   Italiano Guardia Cavalleria: Général de brigade Triaire (1200 Cav. 2 Italian Dragoon regts Avg. Exp. 7.0)
   16e/1er Artillerie à pied: Capit. 16e batterie à pied (8x12pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 6.0)
   14e/9e Artillerie à pied: Capit. 14e batterie à pied (8x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Weds. game saw the French army advancing and attacking like a well oiled machine.  The Russians were put into a pocket and squeezed.  Only the scenario designer suffered an embarrassing result.  Karma. Do we have a scenario for today?

I was well-oiled anyhow. Did I lose some men? I didn't notice.

Yes, today the tables are turned, we are the Russians this time facing hordes of deranged garlic-eaters. It looks grim.

Poland, November 1807

Situation:

We have moved west to support our allies the Prussians but their army has collapsed, so we begin a long retreat east to our homeland. However we will never claim we were defeated and our Cossack patrols have identified an enemy to our south-east. A decision has been taken to strike at these Frenchmen and make them pay for Prussia's defeat.

Intelligence:

Our Cossacks have penetrated the enemy cavalry screens and identified a corps based around the small town of Ehnya. In addition the enemy is reported to be guarding the bridges at Smolensk, probably with a division. We have moved east (from off map) to the bridge at Ljubiwiczi which gives us options of attacking at Smolensk or crossing the river further west. Our cavalry also report enemy at Lobkowo as well as on the heights north-west of Ehnya.

Objective:

Secure the town of Ehnya. Do as much damage to the enemy as possible.

Armiya Moldavii: General'nyy leutenant Ivan Essen (28662 Inf. 8441 Cav. 48 Guns)

 5-y Diviziya: General'nyy leutenant Nikolay Tuchkov I (7350 Inf. 1500 Cav. 12 Guns)
   Brigada Baggovut: General-Mayor Karl Baggovut (4140 Inf. 6 Jager/Musketeer btns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   Brigada Zapolski: General-Mayor Andrei Zapolski (3210 Inf. 6 Grenadier/Musketeer btns Avg. Exp. 5.8 )
   General-Mayor 9 Diviziya tyazhelaya kavaleriya (900 Cav. 2 Dragoon/Cuirassier regts Avg. Exp. 7.0)
   9-y diviziya kazak Polk: Polk polkovnik kazach'yego (600 Cav. 2 Kazak regts Avg. Exp. 2.5)
   Podpolkovnik 13 tyazhelaya artilleriya batarei (12x12pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 6.0)

 2-y Diviziya: General'nyy leutenant Alexander Osterman-Tolstoy (6300 Inf. 3510 Cav. 12 Guns)
   Brigada Engelhardt: General-Mayor Grigori Engelhardt (3165 Inf. 6 Musketeer btns Avg. Exp. 6.0)
   Brigada Liaponov: General-Mayor Liaponov (3135 Inf. 6 Musketeer btns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   Litva ulan polk: General Prints Piter Golitsyn (1870 Cav. 2 Uhlan regts Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   Aleksandr gusar polk: General-Mayor Comte de Lambert (1640 Cav. 2 Gusar regts Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   22-y  Batareya Truppa: Kapitan 22 svet artilleriyskaya batareya (12x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

 8-y Diviziya: General'nyy leutenant Petr Essen (8817 Inf. 1656 Cav. 12 Guns)
   Brigada Markov: General-Mayor Evgeni Markov (4764 Inf. 9 Jager/Musketeer btns Avg. Exp. 4.9)
   Brigada Rachmanov: General-Mayor Rachmanov (4053 Inf. 6 Musketeer btns Avg. Exp. 5.2)
   8-y diviziya kazak Polk: Polkovnik Kieselev (921 Cav. 2 Kazak regts Avg. Exp. 2.5)
   4-y divizii legkoy kavalerii brigady: General Graf Kakhovsky (735 Cav. 2 Uhlan regts Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   47-y Batareya Truppa: Kapitan 47 svet artilleriyskaya batareya (12x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)

 3-y Diviziya: General'nyy leutenant Baron Fabian Osten-Sacken (6195 Inf. 1775 Cav. 12 Guns)
   Brigada Gersdorff: General-Mayor Baron Gersdorff (3135 Inf. 6 Musketeer btns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   Brigada Leonteva: General-Major Ivan Leonteva (3060 Inf. 6 Musketeer btns Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   7-y divizii legkoy kavalerii brigady: General-Mayor Efim Tschaplitz (875 Cav. 2 Gusar regts Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   9-ya Diviziya gusary: General-Mayor 9-ya Diviziya gusary (900 Cav. 2 Gusar regts Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   3-y Konnaya Artilleriya: Polkovnik Yermalov (12x6pdr Guns Avg. Exp. 5.0)



BTW Kevin - can you please check the Poland 1807 OOB file. Artillery crew POL07_RUS_660 has an experience of 55 and the line above it POL07_RUS_659 has an experience of 4. It looks like both should be 5s in line with the rest of that battery.

Can you also issue a Poland 1807 OOB that does not include the Prussian corps? I had to spend a good while today weeding Prussian brigades and commanders out of the scenario. Thanks.

That battery was very, very, good. Done and done. I'll have the new oobs for you on discord.

Yes, in the OOB text document that is generated with the scenario it came out as an average exp of 9.1 so I had to look at the scenario file to find out what it was. My first guess was guards but then the truth dawned. We all know of course that when you design scenarios that battery would always end up in your division, presumably that is the gun commanded by 2nd Lt Bare-Chested Putin.

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Yes that was Putin's gun. He'll be very annoyed at its downgrade.

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Sunday's battle was a lamentable loss. The French defended Ehnya in depth. It was like an onion. Peel one layer away and another appears. Do we have a scenario for today's game?

If we get 4 players we can replay Ehnya with the new player as C-in-C. I can put together something in the Peninsular if we don't want to cry over onions again.

I can play tonight

You can have it hot or cold then Grog, your choice.

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Second time was the charm as the Russians were able to take Ehnya and defeat the French. Superior generalship at work this time? Probably not, as one of ours couldn't master the skill of getting his division across the river via a bridge. Today's game will be on a new map, (Kelheim). It's not completely finished, (not all the fortresses have been placed), but it will allow us to check it out for any marching problems.

"Check out marching problems " good luck Diggers!
I can play tonight

If you need to find marching problems on any map, I'm your man. I can make a perfectly able division go back and forth over a simple stone bridge in a way that would put the Grand old Duke of York to shame.

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Friday's battle saw the French successfully crossing the  Altmuhl and capturing Kelheim.  The AI dog pile at the beginning of the fight on yours truly was breathtaking.  My back was against the river.  I now know how Bennigsen felt at Friedland.  We'll continue the fight as the French as they try to expand their hold around Kelheim.


With the successful crossing of the Altmuhl and the capture of Kelheim, the Austrian army is in some disarray.  Cutoff
from the Danube bridges, the enemy is being forced to withdraw in order to reestablish its lines of communication with
Austria.  The Emperor has ordered the army to pursue and run the Austrians to ground.

Intelligence:
The civilians in the region report large columns of Austrians streaming east along the Abendsburg Stasse.  Bavarian
cavalry patrols, scouting to the north have encountered a strong enemy screen just north of the Altmuhl confirming
these reports.  The civilians also report that the villages of Grospershagen and Heiligendorf along with the town
of Abendsburg have been garrisoned. We have not been able to confirm this detail ourselves.

The staff's conclusion is that the Austrian army is using the Abendsburg road as the principle route back to Austria.

Objective:
The Emperor has ordered Maréchal Bessières to move north with his corps and secure the Abendsburg road.  Specifically,
he and his men are to remove the Austrian garrisons at Grospershagen, Heiligendorf and Abendsburg.  For this purpose,
Bessières' command has been augmented with a large division from the cavalry reserve, comprising of three brigades of
heavy cavalry and one of light.


Garde Impériale: Maréchal d'Empire Jean-Baptiste Bessières (17925 Inf.  8146 Cav.  52 Guns))

 5e Division: Général de div. Michel Marie Pacthod (8570 Inf.  936 Cav.  12 Guns)
   Brigade Boyer: Général de brig. Pierre Boyer (2329 Inf. 3 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.7)
   Brigade l'Huillier: Général de brig. Francois l'Huillier de Hoff (4147 Inf. 7 battalions  Avg. Exp. 4.4)
   Brigade Jarry: Général de brig. Antoine Anatole Jarry (2094 Inf. 4 battalions  Avg. Exp. 3.
   Sächsische Leichte Kavallerie Brigade: Generalmajor Baron von Gutschmidt (936 Cav. 3 regiments  Avg.Exp. 6.3)
   2e Co/6e Artillerie à cheval: Capit. 2e Co/6e Artillerie à cheval (6 Guns   Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   1er Artillerie à pied: Capit. 1er Artillerie à pied (6 Guns   Avg. Exp. 5.0)

 2e Division: Général de Division Jean Baptiste Broussier (4197 Inf.  1072 Cav.  12 Guns)
   2° Brigade: Generale di Brig. Joseph Bénigne Julhien (2497 Inf. 7 battalions  Avg. Exp. 3.
   Brigade Pastol: Général de Brig. Yves Marie Pastol (1700 Inf. 4 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.4)
   Brigade von Zandt: Generalmajor Friedrich von Zandt (1072 Cav. 3 regiments  Avg.Exp. 5.0)
   3e Garde batterie à cheval: Capit. 3e Garde batterie à cheval (6 Guns   Avg. Exp. 8.0)
   9e Artillerie à pied: Capit. 9e Artillerie à pied (6 Guns   Avg. Exp. 5.0)

 2e Division: Général de div. Bernard Frére (5158 Inf.  776 Cav.  16 Guns)
   Brigade Bertrand: Général de brig. Antoine Joseph Bertrand (2460 Inf. 5 battalions  Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   2. Brigade: Generalmajor von Steindel (2698 Inf. 7 battalions  Avg. Exp. 4.7)
   2. Brigade: Generalmajor von Stettner (776 Cav. 2 regiments  Avg.Exp. 5.0)
   2/1 Sächsische Fußbatterie: Capit 2/1 Sächsische Fußbatterie (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 4.0)
   1er Garde batterie à pied: Capit. 1er Garde batterie a Pied (8 Guns   Avg. Exp. 8.0)

 Württembergische Kavalleriedivision: Generalmajor Wollwarth (  5362 Cav.  12 Guns)
   Brigade Sahuc: Général de brig. Sahuc ADC (1433 Cav. 3 regiments  Avg.Exp. 5.0)
   Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde: Colonel Louis Aime Chastel (1267 Cav. 3 regiments  Avg.Exp. 9.0)
   Cuirassier Brigade Saint-Germain: Général de brig. Antoine de Saint-Germain (1188 Cav. 2 regiments  Avg.Exp. 5.0)
   Brigade de Bordesoulle: Général de brig. Étienne de Bordesoulle (1474 Cav. 2 regiments  Avg.Exp. 5.5)
   5e Co/5e Artillerie à cheval: Capit. 5e Co/5e Artillerie à cheval (6 Guns   Avg. Exp. 5.0)
   2e Co/4e Artillerie à cheval: Capit. 2e Co/4e Artillerie à cheval (6 Guns   Avg. Exp. 6.0)

I hope we get 4 players, looks to be an interesting scenario.

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Sunday's battle saw a French victory against the British in the last seconds of the battle in spite of their artillery and heavy cavalry being dominating. We'll try to play the Kelheim scenario today.

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Sadly the French were unable to wrest full control of the Abendsburg Road from Austrian control. Only Heiligendorf was captured and held. This has thrown the French plans into disarray and have sent recriminations flying in all directions. Perhaps by Sunday, they will have sorted out this mess and can continue the war. In the meantime, do we have a scenario for today?

I was thinking of doing a scenario following on from Wednesday but from the Austrian POV. I could do 2 versions, 1 with 3 divs and 1 with 4.

Sounds good. I have updated the map, more fortresses, bridge repairs, etc.

Got two scenarios ready to go, one for minimum of 3 players, one for 4.

I have used the previous two battles on this map as the backstory and this one fits into the story but is played from the Austrian side. If these battles go well we can take turns, Kevin, devising further scenarios on this map around the same sequence of events but from different sides played... until we've been all over the map and stamped flat every blasted sunflower!

I can play today at the usual time, 14:00 EST, 19:00 GMT. Friday's battle saw the Austrians crossing the Danube, capturing Reissing and entering Pullach and Irsing. It wasn't quite enough to achieve a clear victory though. Today will be different, I'm sure. Do we have a scenario?

Do you have one Kevin? I haven't created one as I was aware you'd got one stashed away for today but I can cobble something together as insurance.

I have one with 3 player divisions.

I won't have my "mini-campaign" follow-up scenario done in time. Looks like we are relying on you.