Battle of Colbitz - Moves 3 - 4

BATTLE REPORT

Move 3 - 1000 to 1100 3 May

Move 3 - French side of table

French move first (again)

6 command pips (roll 4+2)

Artillery fire on enemy infantry and score hit

Prussian brigade test, and make, morale

French deploy cavalry on their right

Deploy infantry columns to form battle line

One infantry brigade sent up hill on left

Prussian move second

5 command pips (roll 3+2)

Artillery fire on French column and score hit

French test, and make, morale

Deploy hussars to counter French cavalry

Deploy infantry columns to form battle line

Summary

Both sides are deploying to form a battle line before advancing

French cavalry attempt to outflank enemy countered by Prussians

French are sending one brigade onto the hill to outflank Prussian artillery

Move 4 - 1100-1200 3 May

Move 4 - Prussian side of table

French move first (yet again)

7 command pips (roll 5+2)

Artillery fire on same infantry and hit again

Prussian infantry test morale, fail, and rout

Supporting brigades also test, two are shaken

French artillery manhandle forward

French infantry columns start to advance

Brigade on hill now a threat to Prussian artillery

Move 4 - Prussian side of table

Prussian move second
5 command pips (roll 3+2)
Artillery fire on guns, which are now in canister range, scoring hit
French gunners test, and make, morale
Prussian hussars move forward to protect shaken infantry
Prussian infantry deploy to avoid routing infantry
Routed infantry test morale, fail, continue to rout
Shaken infantry test morale, one fail and join rout

Summary
1 Prussian corps is on the verge of collapse, with two brigades routing and another shaken. General Yorck orders a retreat while he still can
He still has the hussars, artillery and one infantry brigade to cover the retreat.
4 French corps are not close enough to prevent the Prussian withdrawal

Effect on Campaign
The first battle of the campaign has proved an easy victory for the French.
The loss of Colbitz has exposed the Prussian right flank, and if 1st Prussian corps withdraws east of the river they will leave Magdeburg dangerously exposed.

Game Notes
Game played October 2009.
Paul commanded the Prussians
Jan commanded the French

Prussian casualties – 2 infantry, 0 cavalry, 0 gunners
French casualties – 1 infantry, 0 cavalry, 1 gunner

Campaign Notes
These battle casualties will remain until the corps can reach a supply point and rest for a full 24 hours. They will then be removed and because they are light casualties will have no further effect of the fighting ability of the two corps concerned.

A very happy looking Jan after her easy victory

Battle of Colbitz - Moves 1 - 2

BATTLE REPORT

Table at start of wargame

Move 1 - 0800 to 0900 3 May

French move first

4 command pips (roll 2+2)

Advance 3 moves out of spotting range

Extend blind two stand wide

Prussians move second

4 command pips (roll 2+2)

Advance 2 moves still out of spotting range

Extend blind two stand wide

Advance 1 move inside spotting range, not spotted

Summary

French have advanced further because they moved first and were out of spotting range.

Prussians have had to extend early for fear of being spotted in column

Both sides are still on blinds because neither have been spotted.

Both sides have expanded their front to two stands wide

Move 2 - 0900 to 1000 3 May

Move 2 - from French side of table

French move first
5 command pips (roll 3+2)
Change orders from Move to Engage
Extend blind three stands wide
Advance 2 moves not spotted
Reach automatic spotting range
Place figures on the table three brigades wide behind blinds
Unlimber artillery

Prussians move second
4 command pips (roll 2+2)
Within automatic spotting range
Place figures on table two brigade wide behind blinds
Change orders from Move to Engage
Unlimber artillery

Summary:
French moved into automatic spotting range first, and had to place figures on table.
Prussians then had to place their figures on table, but could react to French deployment. Due to higher command dice roll French have wider deployment than Prussian

Battle of Colbitz - Set Up

CAMPAIGN MAP TO WARGTAMES TABLE

Campaign background

On the morning of 3 May 1813 Marshal Reynier led his 4 French corps out of Halbeck on the road to Colbitz. He had orders to attack Colbitz, which guarded the northern bridge over the river Elbe.

At the same time General Yorck was inspecting the 1 Prussian corps in Colbitz. The previous evening he had received orders to march west and attack Halbeck. Satisfied with the condition of his corps he ordered the advance. He was unaware of the approaching French corps.

As the Prussians marched along the dusty road they spotted an approaching dust cloud. A hussar patrol from the advance guard confirmed the approach of a large body of French. The battle of Colbitz had begun.

Campaign Map

The campaign map shows the position of both armies immediately prior to the battle. The outlined area on the map will be the wargames table. It should be noted that Colbitz not only protects the northern bridge over the river Elbe, but also prevents an attack on Magdeburg from the north.

Wargames Table

The photograph of the wargames table is taken from the south. Colbitz is the village on the cross roads on the centre right of the table. The Magdeburg road enters bottom right and leads to Bismark (not on campaign map). The Prussians are in Colbitz and the French will approach on the Halbeck road, which is the one on the left.

The terrain is hilly to the north, with the Halbeck to Colbitz road running through a broad valley. There is a small hamlet on the left.

Game Setup

This is an encounter battle with both sides marching towards each other, each unaware of the other. The wargame therefore starts on “blinds”. This means that each side is represented by one skirmish stand. This represents the front of a corps in column of march one brigade wide. Each move they are allowed to extend by one base only. This indicated that the corps has started to deploy, and they are now two brigades wide and in column of attack.

When they come within 24” of each other they can be spotted. Each time a brigade moves within this range the other player rolls a D10 to see if he has spotted them, he needs 7 or better depending on range. If the enemy is spotted they must put their figures on the table, but can do so in any order they wish – providing they do not exceed the frontage of the blind.

If the other player fails to roll a high enough D10, blinds are automatically spotted when they come within 16”. The player who moves within that range puts his figures on first, then the other players (as they are both within 16”)

The player who puts his figures on first is at a disadvantage, as his opponent can then take advantage of his deployment.