Campaign Report Move 7

Campaign map at start of move 8 - 1200 3 May 1813

CAMPAIGN DIARY

Move 1 – 0800-1200 1 May 1813
Prussian and French armies reach their concentration areas

Move 2 – 1200-1600 1 May 1813
The Prussian Army nears the river Saale, and 3 corps secure the bridge at Dessau.
The French Army have reached their concentration areas around Helmstedt.

Move 3 – 1600-2000 1 May 1813
3 Prussian corps crossed the river Saale and entered Dessau.
4 and 13 French corps both try to pass through Wolfsburg, causing a traffic jam and a delay of 24 hours to 13 corps.

Move 4 – 0800-1200 2 May 1813
The Prussians have now crossed the river Saale at Parey in the north and Dessau in the south.
The French traffic jam at Wolfsburg has been sorted out, 13 Polish corps have entered the town and are being sorted out ready to move tomorrow.

Move 5 – 1200-1600 2 May 1813
The Prussians have crossed the river Saale and 2 corps is approaching Magdeburg
The French continue their advance towards Magdeburg.

Move 6 – 1600-2000 2 May 1815
The Prussians have crossed the river Saale and are moving west when they sight the French army approaching them from Seehausen.

Move 7 – 0800-1200 3 May 6 May 1813
1 Prussian and 4 French corps battle at Colbitz
2 Prussian and 5 French corps battle at Seehausen


CAMPAIGN NOTES

Campaign Map errors

If I have made an error on the campaign map you should notify me immediately, and not later than 2200 central European time the next day. I keep your daily movement emails for 24 hours, and can check to make sure the error was mine. I will then amend the map prior to the next move. After that time it is not possible to amend the map, and the error will have to be put down to the fog of war.

New Movement

It was only after the first battle of the campaign that I realized there was a problem with movement. Previously corps moved one square per day. However the wargames table is three squares and a wargames day of 12 moves could involve moving from one side of the table to the other. Therefore a campaign day would have to be three squares.

Planning three interactive moves at one time would be very difficult for the players, and create huge problems for me. So map moves will still be one every day Monday to Friday, but they will represent one third of a day. There will be three moves to each campaign day.

To make it easier for players I will keep track of what day and time the current move represents, and this will be shown on the daily blog.

You will see from above that we have just completed move 7, which equates to 0800 to 1200 on 3 May 1813.

Transition to new movement

I know that the cinc have planned their movement based on the earlier movement of one move per day. I don’t think this change will make any difference, and I will try to ensure that it does not. But if you see any problem please drop me an email.

Reminder of CinC daily strategic orders
The cinc is responsible for giving corps commander’s strategic orders, not daily movement orders. These should be to move to a named town, rather than a day by day order for which square to move to.

He is also responsible for resupply to his corps. To maintain supply he must ensure that there is a road running form the main supply road (shown in red on the map) to the town nominated. Each town can only supply one corps.

To issue orders to a corps commander he must be within three squares of the corps.

These orders should reach me no later than 2200 central European time Monday to Friday.

Reminder of corps commander daily movement orders
Each corps commander must try to follow the objective given him by his cinc.

He must also protect his supply town.

His daily movement orders should confirm whether he is on “move”, “hold” or “attack”. This is the corps commander’s decision, not the cinc. He must also confirm the square he is currently in and the one he is moving to.

There orders should reach me no later than 2200 central European time Monday to Friday. If the player is unable to send them he should ask his cinc to do so on his behalf.

If I have not received orders I will send an email to the player concerned and to his cinc. Today there were three corps commander orders missing.

Battle of Colbitz
This battle lasted four moves, which corresponds with 0800 to 1200 3 May 1813, or move 7. I will control movement for move 8. Corps commanders should send in daily movement orders for move 9.

Battle of Seehausen
The battle starts at 0800 3 May 1813.

6 French corps has been ordered to join the battle, and will arrive at the edge of the table at 1200 3 May – start of move 8.

The battle report will not be published until the wargame has ended. But I will give a very brief progress report on the blog each day.