Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Jena-Auerstadt scenario #05h_2 the combined historical battles situation fought on the single large map.

Has any Prussian officer ever recorded a victory result level other than a defeat on this scenario?

If my play is at fault then I should have to learn the lesson the hard way. But 20 turns in I am with a growing sense of unease starting to feel that I'm out for an exercise in futility.

As far as I can tell (I take a blind approach to scenario selection so as to offer my opponent as much fog-of-war as possible) I am outnumbered quantitively in both total number of men present AND number of individual units available and qualitively to a significant margin.

I understand the inclusion of "nasty" historical scenarios for reasons of completeness in the titles selection but they have no place in any gaming confrontation other than by special arrangement or for specific training purposes.

I do not wish to be wasting my time and efforts on what Trekkies amongst you will recognise as "Kobayashi Maru" situations.

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2de Luitenant James "van der" Wilkes.
4th Dutch Light Dragoons,
1st Light Cavalry Brigade,
I Corps (Dutch-Belgian),
Anglo-Allied Army.

The history of the campaign is pretty straightforward. I am assuming you are unfamiliar with it. Otherwise I would find your comment about the play balance kind of interesting and revealing ...

Suffice it to say that anyone playing the underdog (which the Allies are in this scenario) SHOULD scout it out so that CAN determine how to win glory and honor for our Allied forces over the dreaded French serpentine legions.

Yes, the French have the numbers. However, the Allies have the numbers in artillery and their cavalry is dynamite. If you are half the player in this series as you are in the ACW series (having beaten my tail every time we played) you should be able to come up with a good combination of troop types that will at least give you tactical superiority in several situations.

There are several chokepoints where you can set up a killer defense with the Prussians. If you double stack their battalions the French will have a real time trying to dislodge your stacks (given that you use terrain to protect them from artillery fire).

There are several what-if situations you can play on the big map. In one of them I add in extra Prussians and also the Russians. That makes for a much more "balanced" battle. However, it all depends on the players too. I have seen the numerical advantage of the French player frittered away due to incompetence or impatience. Also the decisions that the French makes early on as it regards march routes is important.

If you want my two cents on strategy let me know and we can adjourn to the Allied forum and I will provide a map showing the likely routes and how to defend them. 20 turns is not a lot of time in this one. You can still adjust your troops to meet the French force. Just know that in this one you HAVE to play for the long haul and a quick decision will not be forthcoming for either side. In other words, get Louis and the Advance Guard outta there!

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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 have played both sides in this scenario - it does favour the French.

However if you withdraw at Jena skillfully using your superb cavalry to cover your retreat and attack in the north you have a chance of winning as VP's are on your side. The key is to move north away from the advancing French masses.

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Marechal Knox

Prince d'Austerlitz et Comte d'Argentan
Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur

"What is history but a fable agreed upon"

Monsieur William now that a French men told you what to do can we get on with it???

No Cliff, I will not do 10 turns a day. Sorry. No dice. If that is the pace you want to play a large battle at then find someone else to play. Now if you want a cultured game, filled with plenty of surprises and something to remember me by then by all means enjoy the 1 file/2-3 day pace. Otherwise invite a robot to play you.

I did 2 files in one day with you a couple of days back. I figured that that should keep you happy for a week!

You never stipulated a file pace in your invite. The next time you post a game you want be sure to list what file pace you would like to keep.

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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)

What is this club coming to when a French Imperial Guardsmen gives advice to a Prussian! What next we draw up sides in multi -player game and our commander tell were we are ordered to attack or it is all for one and all for none?

Cliff I merely offered some wisdom as the incessant whining of the allied players about scenarios gets rather tiresome . I don't include the Russians in this as they are formidable opponents. Actually I don't include a lot of the allied mob as they are not all whiners but this misnomer that Muddy tried to correct in Moe 4 is not correct in my view. Actually I don't know if there is that much whining at all.

You can win this scenario as both sides. It's true the French often are formidable but that is the way of history and the reason it is called the Napoleonic wars. Allied players who get sick of it should join France.

That said I often play allieds in these games as I think the challenge is excellent.

The allied army also offers an interesting and often more eclectic mix of forces. The firepower of the British at Waterloo, the Austrian big btns, the awesome Prussian cavalry in Jena or the the Russian position batteries in Borodino. There is plenty that is formidable about the allied rabble. Indeed the best records in the club are all held in the allied camp.

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Marechal Knox

Prince d'Austerlitz et Comte d'Argentan
Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur

"What is history but a fable agreed upon"

Sire am just a lowly Horse Art Col and I might have misunderstood your advice to a Prussian. I would not be worried by their winning it just goes to show how mature they are. An since i see no other French high ranking officer give any creed to them I'm at a lost why a great officer such as you would bother?

"There is plenty that is formidable about the allied rabble. Indeed the best records in the club are all held in the allied camp."

Colin Knox - French rabble member

Hey, er, yes, that IS correct! Imagine, a Frenchie getting something RIGHT!

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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)