1813 Key Points - Mukest & Marshalls Napoleonic Camapign

Our newest campaign is set in Germany during 1813 and is a chance for folks to field some of the Napoleonic's they've been collecting. The campaign rules are below and a few shots of the practice game. We're once again using M&M from Hinton Hunt.

The Key Points Campaign Rules

Introduction

Some military campaigns involved grand sweeps across large tracks of open country, but much more typical was seeking to dominate several key strategic features connected by a barely usable road network. This campaign depicts the later and pits French vs Allies in 1813.      

Victory and Defeat

The aim of the campaign is to capture the enemy’s regional capital with a force of at least 3 brigades.

Maps and Movement

Both sides write orders for 2 moves at a time and then play these through. If a battle occurs in the first turn then the orders for turn 2 may be amended. Orders are as follows:

·         Attack – Advance one node and attack any enemy you encounter.

·         Move – Advance one node but fall-back before attacking enemy.

·         Hold – Defend the current position.

·         Screen – Halt, falling back if attacked.

Where both sides would meet on a connecting node, and both are attacking, then dice to see who falls back and defends (1D6, +1 for 50% more cavalry, +2 for 100% more). A single unit may move 2 nodes on a 5,6 (D6) if you hold the cross roads, dicing after orders are written.

Moves will be emailed to the umpire by close-of-play on Friday and responses will be sent by COP on Sunday in time for the Monday game. 

Forces

Both sides have the following units available

·         7 * infantry brigades of 4*infantry, 2*skirmisher companies & 2*field batteries.

·         3 * cavalry brigades of 2*heavy cav, 1*light cav, and 1*horse battery

·         An artillery reserve of 2*heavy batteries.

·         A reserve cavalry brigade of 2*light cav, 2*heavy cav and 1*horse battery.

·         A reserve infantry brigade of 4*A class infantry

Up to 4 divisions may be formed from these units.with a division needing at least 3 brigades and a maximum of 5. Across the whole army 20% of the units may be designated as A class, so 3 cavalry and 6 infantry in addition to the reserve infantry.

Battles and Key Points

In an encounter both sides deploy behind screens or from a map. If one side is defending then they deploy first but will have advantageous terrain. There are no draws unless it was an encounter. The defender wins unless driven off or the objective captured.

·         River Crossing: There is a village with two river crossings and a chance to find a ford (D6/turn per section finding on a 6). If you defend the far-bank then the river counts as held by you. If you defend your own bank then it counts as contested and a draw allows the attacker to remain. If it's an encounter then dice to see who arrived first as they have the choice (+2 if you have more cavalry)   

·         Strategic Crossroads: Hold the crossroads and rout the enemy to count as held.

·         Fortified Position: Hold the fort to count as holding the square.

·         A strategically positioned farm complex: Hold the farms to count as the winner. Each farm counts as two BUA zones, each can be defended by a single battalion plus attached gun. Each may only be assaulted by two attackers at once. 

·         A town (acting as a supply depot): Hold the town to count as the winner. The town counts as six BUAs as above.

Post-battle Actions

Both sides roll to recover troops after the battle, so long as they hold their regional capital.

1	40% of losses replaced
2	45% -“-
3	50% -“-
4	55% -“-
5	65% -“-
6	75% -“-

  +1 if you hold a farm or the crossroads and +2 if you hold the town

The Game

I like a decent sized game so we went for 15 units a side on a 10 foot table.

Early honours went to the French, whose cavalry routed a goodly chunk of the German forces on the table.  

The Russian infantry fought back strongly though and made some good dents into the French lines.

The late game was pretty even with the Hanoverian forces largely disinterested on-lookers.