Russian Campaign - Part 19

(Click here or click on the Campaign 09: Russia menu item to see all the parts with the latest at the top. A Campaign using Empire Campaign System and Empire V rules and Adler 6mm Napoleonic figures of the French invading Russia in 1812.)

After leaving the field for 20 to 30 minutes to check the arrival of follow up divisions from my Italian Corps, I returned to see the situation below. Most of Murat's Cuirassiers had rallied and were returning to the fray. My Italian Cavalry had also managed to clean up a lot of the Russian Dragoon and Cuirassier regiments on their extreme left flank, making room for more of my divisions to deploy. With the Russian Grand Duke Constantine personally leading the enemy cavalry to my front, the fight is not over yet.


The situation at 1700hrs. My Italian Cav working with Murat's Cuirassiers have cleared a large area on the Russian left flank for me to deploy my Corps. The Cuirassiers have had time to recover and redeploy back onto the field to still be a major threat to the enemy.

In the meantime, the enemy Guard Infantry have moved forward a little and a Guard Light Cavalry division has deployed on their left. That is a worry. Intelligence suggests another entire Corps of Russian Guard Infantry to be marching behind the Guard currently on the field. I trust Murat has a plan to deal with them!

To the front of my cavalry, there is now a fresh brigade of Russian Cuirassiers, flanked on the right by a spent regiment of Cuirassiers, personally led by the Russian Grand Duke Constantine, and on the left another spent regiment of Cuirassiers.

No Russian guns are to be seen so I deploy my attached horse artillery regiment and start firing at the enemy cavalry with Constantine attached.

After a few dozen rounds of shot, I declare a charge and send in a whole brigade of light cavalry. To my amazement, the Duke counter charges me. This fight will see 1440 Italian Light Cavalry with their brigade commander leading them, fighting the Grand Duke Constantine with just 360 Cruirassiers.

Italian Light Cavalry come to grips with Russian Cuirassiers led by Constantine

A close up of the melee

I win! I manage to force the enemy back but they are not broken. 120 of them are lost while 60 of my troopers are dead or wounded. The Russian Duke himself almost takes a slash of a sabre but escapes due to the dashing heroics of his escort.

My Cavalry hold firm as Constantine and his remaining Cuirassiers fall back in good order

A close up of my cavalry before their contact with Constantine

With things a little more even to my front, I decide to take every metre I can. I move the rest of my cavalry lines up. I should now have some good space to deploy the rest of my Corps.


My cavalry consolidate their frontage

A spent brigade of cavalry rejoins me on the left, linking up with Murat's Cuirassiers

In the centre of the battlefield, Murat has successfully rallied his most of his Cuirassier divisions and led them back onto the field. They are currently positioned close to where they 1st made contact with the Russian Cuirassiers and Guard Cavalry, which are still there, although in smaller numbers and with a little fatigue.

Murat with some of his Cuirassiers return to the field to take a position behind and to the right of the Westphalian cavalry who hald the gap without incident

A close up of Murat and his men

Also in the centre but along the edge of the river, the Polish are still fighting with Russian Grenadiers to their front as they attempt to outflank the massed Russian guns. As the front line of Poles consolidate in columns, they are closely assaulted by 3 battalions of enemy Grenadiers who close on them and then fire at point blank range. The result of this 180 dead and wounded Poles for 60 lost enemy but the enemy line is repelled.

Russian Grenadiers fire on juicy columns of Polish infantry at close range

The enemy Grenadiers are repelled but for heavy losses to the Polish

Covering the right of the Polish, their skirmishers are screening an ever increasing amount of Russian artillery and are managing to kill many enemy gunners. They themselves are taking casualties and may not last much longer.

Polish skirmishers shooting it out with Russian guns

Russian Guard Infantry edging forward from their deployment near the northern village towards the contact between the Polish and the Russian Grenadiers

Russian Guard Light Cavalry spotted deploying behind their Cuirassiers to the left of the Guard Infantry

On the left flank of the battlefield, Russian infantry are now almost completely in control of the village. The village itself is on fire and the fire is spreading to the ajoining wheatfields. Russian infantry are pouring across the bridge and into the southern suburbs as more infantry cross the fjord to the immediate East, 1 battalion at a time. Waves of Russian Jaegers preceed the columns and begin firing up the slopes at our deployed artillery who busily return fire.

The vilage on fire with Russians now in the southern suburbs on the left of the river and crossing the bridge and fjord

Skirmishing Jaegers cross at the fjord

Waves of Russian Jaeger assault up the hill with columns of infantry in support behind them. Watching them from across the river is the massed Russian artillery.


The situation just prior to 1800hrs

... to be continued ...

(Click here or click on the Campaign 09: Russia menu item to see all the parts with the latest at the top. A Campaign using Empire Campaign System and Empire V rules and Adler 6mm Napoleonic figures of the French invading Russia in 1812.)