OFFICIAL: REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE WEEKENDER OCTOBER 2010

Questions, chat, feedback and developments relating to REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE... Wargaming the wars of Napoleon Bonaparte.
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Post by obriendavid » Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:37 am

We had a terrific weekend which ended up the the armies fighting over five 12x6 tables with masses of lovely painted troops on fantastic scenery.
I don't know if Barry actually knows how many figures actually took part in the action but I sure I remember him saying that the Brits and Dutch Belgians had used at least 350 cavalry on the first day and the French had even more.

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Dave
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Post by barr7430 » Mon Oct 18, 2010 10:32 am

On the first Allied table the following brigades fought:
Vandeleur's 11,12, 16 Light Dragoons
Somerset's 1st, 2nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards, 1st Dragoon Guards
Grants(composite) : 13th Light Dragoons, 8th? Hussars & 4th Belgian Light Dragoons
Brunswick Hussars & Uhlans

258 Cavalry representing approx 5,200 sabres & 3 batteries

Detachments from Saxe Weimar's 2nd Brigade, 2nd Netherland's Infantry Division & Ompteda's Brigade from the 5th(I think) British Division.

French on this table Jerome Bonaparte's entire 6th Infantry Division and half of Bachelu's 5th from II Corps. Wathiez Cavalry Brigade later supported by Cuirassiers.

Ferocious resistance from the Allied cavalry was not enough to hold Jerome and after about 2.5 - 3 hours battle time Perponcher decided to abandon the position and withdraw towards his infantry reinforcment 2-3 miles north...

then it all started again!
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Post by CoffinDodger » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm

Jerome Bonaparte's Tour of Belgium

Breaking News...Breaking News...Breaking News...Breaking News...Breaking News...

Image

General's Alan "Scourge of the Cavalry" and Bill "Scourge of Pierrepoint" look suitably pleased with themselves as they are awarded the Légion D'Honneur for services rendered during Ney's stroll through Belgium that eventually chucked the much vaunted British Guards out of their billet in Quatre Bras (admittedly only after throwing in the Battalion Commander, the Brigade Commander, the Divisional Commander and Ney himself) which gave 14 attack dice - six for the actual troops and eight for the brass.

Jim "Are you with me?" O'Neill :lol:

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Post by obriendavid » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:16 pm

[quote="CoffinDodger General's Alan "Scourge of the Cavalry" and Bill "Scourge of Pierrepoint" are awarded the Legion D'Honneur for services rendered during Ney's stroll through Belgium that eventually chucked the much vaunted British Guards out of their billet in Quatre Bras. [/quote]

Only part of their billet, you still had the other two thirds to capture and there's no way the Guards were giving up the pub :lol:
I hope your tour of Belgum didn't tire you too much?
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Dave
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Post by CoffinDodger » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:24 pm

Gentlefolk,

I am not going to single anyone out when I say thanks to everyone who was there for making a memorable weekend.

I caught up with old friends and made many new ones and that's what these weekends are all about.*

Many thanks,

Jim

*As well as kicking the Allies up the Arse. :P
“I can assure you, Gentlefolk, they look better from a distance."
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Post by CoffinDodger » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:27 pm

obriendavid wrote: there's no way the Guards were giving up the pub :lol:
Dave,

We had more sense than to attempt the impossible. :D

Jim
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Post by obriendavid » Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:53 pm

CoffinDodger wrote: I caught up with old friends and made many new ones and that's what these weekends are all about
Apart from the wargaming which is important, I enjoy the social aspects of the weekends and meeting like minded individuals.
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Dave
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Post by barr7430 » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:01 am

The Anglo Allied second position saw the Household Brigade engage heavily with French Cuirassiers and although victorious, diminish to a non viable level. Vandeleur's Brigade was unable to hold back Wathiez's Lancers and Husson's Infantry and the position was again abandoned under cover of a heavy downpour which lasted several hours.
The only infantry present was Saxe Weimar's Brigade from the 2nd Netherlands Division. Although powerful, it was outnumbered in battalion strength 4:1. At that point the French fielded 27 battalions from the 1st, 5th & 6th Divisions...
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October 2010 R2E Weekender

Post by Churchill » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:48 am

Ray.
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Post by barr7430 » Wed Oct 20, 2010 11:41 am

Spoken like a true partizan British cavalry commander Ray :wink:
Of course the odds were tough for the Allies.. the campaing was in Wellington';s own words.. a near run thing
That was reflected in our game during the part 3 of which saw the remnant of Uxbridge's Cavalry Corps rally on a road crossing south of Genappe. At this point Saxe Weimar's brigade were already heading back south to defend the ridge near Gemioncourt Farm when 25,000 Frenchmen hove into view. They fell back on the crossroads to find themselves reinforced by Maitland's 1st Brigade of Guards. Laterally they were supported by Bijlandt's brigade on their right and the Duke of Brunswick's light brigade on their forward left. Behind the village of Quatre Bras stood Brunswick's 2nd Brigade and Pack's Brigade newly arrived.

The French cleared Gemioncourt and threw Jerome's and Bachelu's divisions at the crossroads in a furious assault which saw the 1er & 2e Leger temporarily control part of the ridge before being decimated by close range musketry and canister fire. A final assault by Campi's brigade made progress against the Guards but was stopped at nightfall allowing the allies to fall back in good order to a little place known as... eh Waterloo I think!
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

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Re: October 2010 R2E Weekender

Post by obriendavid » Wed Oct 20, 2010 1:42 pm

[quote="Churchill I'm sure Peter, Neil and David would agree with all this and Mr.O'Brien was definitely Pro-French so much so that he's just received his marshal's baton from Jim. [/quote]

Ray, if I was going to be pro anyone it would have been for the Prussians especially as Adrian had offered me the Iron Cross 1st class with Oak Leaves, much more appealing than a French stick. :lol:
You need to stop acting like a light cavalry commander and giving attack orders to everyone, especially when the enemy have formed square in front of you. You learnt the lesson the hard way.

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Post by toggy » Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:26 pm

Hi guys,

Just to reiterate what the rest of the gang have said, another great weekends gaming.As ever the figures and terrain were top notch, as was the planning that went into making the games so interesting and varied, not just another line up and move in a straight line battle.

Seems to be a lot of comment from the allied high command regarding their rearguard actions, but personally I think it was Jim's new ultra aggressive blitzkrieg (shock & awe 1815 style) that took them by surprise, it certainly did me.

Doesn't seem to be as much reporting on Bluchers Prussians getting their 1st competative drubbing, the French steamrolling into Gilly and pushing them all the way back to Denmark during Sundays game.Now did Mr. Howe say this result was a keeper?

As ever many thanks to Barry/ DoB/ Dave Imrie and all who contributed to a great weekend.


Next stop Borodino.

Bob
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Post by obriendavid » Wed Oct 20, 2010 11:09 pm

toggy wrote: Doesn't seem to be as much reporting on Bluchers Prussians getting their 1st competative drubbing, the French steamrolling into Gilly and pushing them all the way back to Denmark during Sundays game.Now did Mr. Howe say this result was a keeper?
I notice you have conveniently forgotten to mention that it took the Old and Middle Guard to do it and that you had an OG battalion that was virtually destroyed. :wink: I'm sure Blucher will certainly have something to say.

All the guys on your tables put up a great fight and kept it up right till the end.
Cheers
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Post by barr7430 » Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:18 am

As you probably deduced Monsieur Le Toggy :roll: , my posts are episodic and now we must turn to the dilemma facing Jagow's Brigade of the Prussian I Corps under the commande of Zieten. Their initial force of 9 battalions and a few cavalry detachments were tasked with covering a wide front east oif Charleroi and anchored on the village of Gilly. The garrison was around 1,000 men and 4 guns.
Facing them initially were elements of Gerard's III Corps in the forms of the 10th Infantry Division supported by a Division of cavalry from III Cavalry Corps. The Prussians, and particularly their artillery, seemed top make a fight of it for the first 2 hours until the lead battaLions of the Garde Imperiale arrived on the field. It was clear that in this battle, the Guard would not stand and watch as often happens in Naps games where they are landscape window dressing. They were fully intended tpo play a fighting part in the scenario...
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

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Post by valleyboy » Thu Oct 21, 2010 9:47 am

Gents this discussion would be so much easier to follow with a pictorial reference

hint hint :lol:
no

OI YOU LOT, THIS IS A BIG CAPITAL HINT :roll:
We want pics :D

Why are we waiting, whuhuy are we waiting oh why are we waiting.......... :lol:
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