(DISCLAIMER: I apologise now for the pics in this update. My digital camera had a flat battery so I decided to use the camera in my new Blackberry, thinking it may not be too bad considering my normal camera is over 10 years old. I was wrong!)
It is now 12:30pm in the battle. Ney's attack on the right has stepped up with the 1st brigade of a Cuirassier Corps now engaged. More cavalry has been committed to the immediate right of Smolensk with Guard units feeding in from behind. We are approaching the climax of the battle with some of the Russian reserves already on the field. No sign of their Guard just yet though.
Overall view of the battle from my position on the left flank. The fighting in and around Smolensk has intensified as has the massive engagements on the right ridgeline and redoubts.
A pic of the right half of the battlefield from Smolensk. More Polish have arrived to support the centre attack at the bottom of the picture around Smolensk itself while multiple divisions of Cuirassiers line up on the right of the field at the top right of the picture.
French Cuirassiers manage to get a foothold on the ridgeline and begin threatening units beyond it on the right. An Infantry brigade moves too far to the right into a storm of 12 pounder guns in earthworks but manages to pull off a brilliant push into the redoubt to capture it. For how long they will own it remains to be seen.
Ranks upon ranks of French Cuirassiers looking to exploit the hole on the ridgeline on the right of the battlefield.
The centre of the battle around Smolensk with Polish infantry meeting stiff resistance.
In the centre, the Polish get caught up in infantry on infantry fighting in the cornfields while their cavalry are held in position by combined arms of the Russians with infantry squares, deployed artillery and large cavalry formations on hand waiting for the horseman to make a mistake.
A charge by Russian cavalry connects with 2 confident squares of Polish infantry and supporting guns which manage to repel the attackers, for now.
Back to my side of the battle. The initial success with my Westphalian infantry to overrun a 36 gun battery is met with lines of solid Grenadiers that mow down masses of my troops and hold me in position. This cannot go on for long.
The 1st brigade in my leading division gets caught up in a vicious firefight with a single battalion of Grenadiers and pay heavily. Almost 1/2 of the brigade is dead, wounded or missing. The other brigade is embroiled in fighting with the other 36 gun battery on the left of the position of m attack, and also taking casualties. All I can do now is consolidate these 2 locations and bring up the next division being the 25th. This division is fresh and contains more elite Westphalian troops. Beside them, is the Westphalian Cuirassier brigade and the attached French light cavalry brigade behind it.
I do have word from one of Napoleon's aides that he intends to deploy the Vistula Legion from the Guard behind me and there is a complete Cuirassier Corps behind that.
The attack by my 1st division, the 24th, begins to falter. The 25th division and the Cuirassiers are close behind to take over.
Close up of the Cuirassiers moving up in column
to be continued ...
4 comments:
That's a really great write up, thanks, enjoyed. Pictures aren't too bad either.
Photos don't look half bad, considering.
Those massive wings of cavalry must look very scary for the Russian players!
It is just sooo cool.
Don't worry Donogh, the Russians have their fair share of cavalry as well.
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