Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Tomorrow is the anniversary of one of the most important battles in Napoleonic History - Borodino.

I loved to play the NIR game out of all of the Battleground game. I loved the colorful map. My fav. side was the Russians.

If I had more time I would start up a NRC Borodino battle scenario.

Is anyone playing Borodino (NRC or NIR) and if so how is your battle going?

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)

Yes both myself and Greg Hanbuch are playing Battleground Napoleon in Russia, Kutusov turns to fight. We are over half way but instead of points we are using casualty losses and objectives to determine who wins the battle. 80000 losses and the army would retire from the field as the looser. I have 60000 losses to Gregs 50000 but I hold over half the objectives. The bridge at Borodino has been finally crossed but with heavy casualties to the French. I have managed to get units up to the Raievski Redoubt but struggling to get inside. I committed the Old Guard a bit early but they made big headway and half of them are still fighting. The French and Russian centre is becoming an artillery duel with both sides making very little headway in the valley below Semenovskoye village. Some of my French troops have reached the Russian artillery but again are struggling to take them and breach the Russian line and roll it up. On my flank at Utitza, the village is taken and so is the mound but massed Russian cavalry has formed my infantry who are supported by artillery into square, but I am also facing massed Russian guns. Hopefully I can reduce his cavalry with my guns before his guns take a toll on my infantry. I have over a full Corps sitting behind Borodino and now I am across the bridge time for these to cut off the redoubt from reinforcements and let those attacking mop up. all in all a lot of ground has been made by my French troops now I need to consolidate on various positions with few casualty losses to enable a French victory. Will give a full run down of the battle once it is finished.

Thanks for the recap of your game so far. Sure love good ole NIR!

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)

I agree with you completely. For us in Russia 1812 is very significant in our history. This battle is the most ambiguous and controversial.
The Emperor later recalled "Of all my 50 battles, the most terrible was the one I fought at Moscow (Borodino)".
I think we should not have to carry out this fight and just continue to recede. The war would still have ended in our favor.

NRC is my favorite as well as the title of Waterloo, Jena, Peninsular War and 1814.
I believe these games have the most detailed and beautiful maps.
In other games have issues with some detail maps. Not all of them are good and beautiful.

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From Russia with Love

Shtabs-Kapitan Evgeniy Gudkov
Moscow Grenadier Regiment
2nd Grenadier Division
Russian Corps

the last victory but also the last time where Davout was present.....

Napoleon won at Lutzen and Bautzen as well as Ligny ... and battles in 1814 too. Just saying ....

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)

but not decisive battle as Leipzig and waterloo....

Many years ago I took part in an MP game (as Barclay I think). There were quite a few of us, each with a campaign map upon which we plotted move. The GM then produced scenarios for each player!! Maps for scenario/s were excellent - I even remember seeing camp fires in the distance!

Unfortunately age (well I am 85 today ), much real ale and red has left me forgetting the GM's name. What a sterling effort it was on his part.

Alas, we did not finish as some players lost patience. Ah well...

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Brigadier Sellick Davies,
III (Peninsular Corps),
6th. Div.,
10th. Br. Bde.,
40th.(2nd. Somersetshire) Regt. of Foot

Borodino was not a decisive victory. One could easily argue that Wagram was the last victory for Napoleon where it regards concluding a campaign.

By the time the Grand army reached Borodino it had sustained too many losses in men but mainly in horses. Thus the lack of a pursuit.

Some have argued that Napoleon was right not to use the Guard. Later in the campaign they were able to help with the retreat.

To me that is a defeatist attitude. You have to commit your reserves to win battles. And winning big at Borodino and utterly mauling and scattering the 1st and 2nd Armies of the West would have ended the campaign.

If I am not mistaken there was 54k in the Guard. That is a huge force to leave in reserve.

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)

I too find this battle fascinating.Alexander Mikaberidze recent book on the battle is fantastic. But, I have gotten to the point where I prefer the 10 minute turn based games and struggle to enjoy the older ones with the 15 minute turns. But I do have this on my list of scenarios I want to play again. And yes, the Battleground game looked amazing!

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Loved NIR played it for endless hours and NRC I enjoy very much as well, but have not played as much with others as I have wanted to. A lot of fun though.

The Russian officer class was a very, very good one all around in this campaign & battle!

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Generalfeldmarschall Scott Kronprinz "Vorwärts" Ludwig von Preußen
Kommandeur des Königlich-Preußischen Armee-Korps
Chief of Staff (CoS) of the Allied Coalition
Allied Coalition Webmaster & Club Website Support