The Battle of Vyazma 1812 - A Napoleonic batrep

This weekend Postie put on a mega Napoleonic game for the Rejects and a new Honoury Reject!!

The game day has been set for a few months after I was contacted by our mystery guest, saying he's on holiday in the UK, any chance of a game?

How could we say no?

The Battle of Vyazma 31st August 1812
Napoleon and his Grand Armee are advancing towards Moscow, chasing the Russian. In a change of history, de Tolly has decided to try and halt the French advance, he set up his army to delay the French by the small town Vyazma and waited for the French.

Russians
John - de Tolly
Ray - Tuchkov
Richard - Strogonov
French
Surj - Davout
Mystery Man - Eugene
Ian - Montbrun
     

This was the largest Napoleonic game we've ever played!

Before the game, myself and John (Richard turned up a little later) worked out what the French plan would be, attack the centre, hold their left and try and hold off our Horse. We got it spot on!

The Russian left flank

9 Horse units

Verses the French 10 units

The Mystery Man in the burgundy t-shirt, played the centre, attacking my and John's defensive lines.

My troops are on the hill in front of Vyazma. while John's are on the hill to my left.

My troops are facing 18 French units, I should be worried??

While John is facing Eugene's Italian's, in the distance.

On our right wing . on the hill were 12 regts of Russian Grenadiers!

That's why I knew they wouldn't attack our right!!

We started to move the back 4 Grenadiers, to the weak looking gap between the hills.

The French advance all along their lines

Apart from their extreme left!!

The Battle would be won and lost here!

The first casualty of the day went on my Heavy artillery piece, losing a figure and knocking their firing effect down for the rest of the game.

Surj's slow advance on our right.

While the mystery man, charges forward................very quickly!

On our left John set up, to take on the French Cavalry, unfortunately, for us, we were caught still deploying. Because the French had Davout as their CnC, he gave them a +2 for the initiative roll, which the French won in all but 1 turn during the game. This meant, not only did the French move first, but they fired first as well. With any casualties coming off before we fired back!!

I did warn the Mystery Man, that if he left leaders within 2 inches of a unit, he could become a casualty. So the first of many French leaders fell after a shot at 1st/8th Leger.

The unhappy at losing his leader Mystery Man is revealed

to be none other than fellow Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenger

Chris from Bunker Hill blog

He says he paints slow, but who cares when his figures look like they do???

Oh Dear......Chris loses another Brigade leader!! He he!

Chris's Italian's can be seen skulking by the woods, while te French centre attack.

On our left a mass Cavalry battle is about to ensue.

Now John is well renowned at Reject HQ as being a real lucky bugger with the dice when it comes to Cavalry, so we were both quite confident!

Holy fecking crap!

WTF happened there!!!

Out of the 6 Cavalry melee's John only won 1, he drew 2 but more importantly was absolutely mauled with the rest. John's dice were ok, but Ian's were tremendous!!

After only 1 turn of melee our left was in extreme danger of collapsing!

The pic's a bit blurry, but you get the gist, here come the French attacking the centre hill. I've lost my heavy artillery that was on the left of the hill, leaving a lone Light peashooter!

Can I hold the hill?

Simple answer.....No I bloody well can't!!!

In what can be termed as the worse dice rolls on the planet, all four of Russia's finest fail there morale check when charged by the French and flee off the hill, straight through the 4 reserve units, disordering them all!!!

Utter Utter Disaster!!!

I should have stayed home and done some decorating!!

Now we ARE in series trouble!

By now Richard had turned up and taken over our right.

He now has to send me some help, Grenadier style!

I tried to reorganize my lines, which was rather difficult, as everything was in the way

 of each other and disorganized.

Meanwhile, John rather wisely, moved some Russian Jagers into square.....just in case??

The rot carried on for John and the Cavalry.

But he did get another win, knocking back an attack, but losing others.

The mess on the hill...

Groan..............!

Was made even messier, when the French carried on with their charges, pushing me 

back even more.

Poor Ian had to go at this point, he was ordered home by SWMBO!

Chris was getting very excited as he crushed my centre, I thought I better get a pic of that face!

I managed to rally troops on the right of the hill and Richard's Grenadiers also stepped into the fray.

Attach that leader quick, it should (please God) help?

Their first time on the table top, the 1st/1st and 2nd/1st Provincial Croatian regt, step up

 to the edge of the hill.

Richard moved off the hill, to try and tempt Surj forward

But it was all too late.

Richard takes back part of the centre hill with a double attack on a French line.

Our Cossack units, who stayed hidden for nearly the whole of the game came out of hiding, the French didn't fall into the trap!

And that's where the game ended, we through in the towl, that was one hell of a sound

 thrashing for the Russians!!

The Russian army did there job, delaying the French but were outfought, so they headed off back towards Moscow, to a little place called Borodine, you may of heard of it?

At the end of the game, Postie presented Chris, with a memento of the day.

Chris a Honourary Reject US/German Chapter

Still all looking fresh after a 9 hour game!!

Rich, me, Postie, Chris, John & Surj

A great day was had by all, especially the French players, this is one of those games that me and John would rather forget, dice Gods I curse thee!!!!!