Sunday 21st November 2021 kriegsspiel - The War of 1810/11

The November game at Little Gaddesden will be a large Napoleonic campaign.

Please register your interest in attending

Just complete the poll here xoyondo.com/dp/bTgk0NpDqrDO6j0

Given the Covid issue, the games must be regarded as provisional for the time-being.  We will obviously need to follow Government guidance and/or restrictions, but will only know these nearer the time.  Nevertheless we do need a better idea of numbers for the game, so can we please ask you to complete the poll on a provisional basis.

Martin J




Background to the war

Last year’s campaigning season saw Napoleon triumphant yet again.  The attempt by the allies (Russia and Prussia) to push Napoleon out of Germany failed, badly.  It left Berlin in French hands and left the Prussians trying to rebuild some form of army over the winter months.  
What it didn’t do, however, was force them out of the war.  Nor did it persuade Sweden to stay out of the war, siding as they did with the allies.

The death of the elderly Prussian commander, Feldmarshal Bluecher, seemingly after he surrendered, created shock throughout Europe.  Blame was put on an overenthusiastic French hussar, but there are dark rumours that the l’Empereur gave the order himself.
Napoleon, despite his success, now finds himself facing three enemies, Prussia, Russia and Sweden. The Russians still hold Poland and the Prussians eastern Prussia with help from the Swedes.

The war moving east has alarmed the Austrians who are still getting over their own defeat at Napoleon’s hands.  There are rumours of them mobilizing again.

Spring has come, and a new campaigning season is here.


Victory

Victory in the campaign will come from some combination of winning battles and achieving geographical and political objectives.  


Winning the battles

We are dealing with large armies of potentially 2-300,000 men per side.  You simply cannot operate with a force of that size in one sector because the road system which does not allow you to bring all of it to battle, and because geographical objectives are widely separated.

Nevertheless, the most effective way to win battles is by concentrating more men than your opponent in the right place and at the right time.

The units are corps of infantry and cavalry.

You concentrate troops by so arranging marches that you make good use of the road system and knowing when to force-march additional corps from further afield.

Players will have some input into battle itself, but this will be limited, as a battle is unlikely to involve more than 2 of the players, so must be resolved very speedily.  So, the focus is on operational skill, rather than tactical decisions involving terrain etc.

Signed up. Will be fantastic to see you all again.

Absolutely Diggers. Been too long

After half a dozen folks signed-up for this game, the poll has disappeared, for reasons I'm still trying to understand.........but will probably turn-out to be my fault.  

Here is a new poll link xoyondo.com/dp/bTgk0NpDqrDO6j0

I have also changed the link in the initial post of this thread.

Could I apologise to those of you who've already completed it, and ask you to do so again please.  If you definitely cannot make it, please also complete the poll in the negative.

Martin J

PS thanks to those who alerted me to this

I've signed the poll again. If two of me turn up you'll be sorry!

That's ok. I've got you down for both sides! Sign again and you'll be umpiring too .