Battle on the Katzbach, 1813: Scenario for Snappy Nappy

    I have been planning to run a Napoleonic game at HAVOC this year (March 2015). My original; idea was to use Die Fighting 2, which I think would still have worked well. However, on considering it,. it seemed like running a game with Snappy Nappy made more sense, as it would feed into the big "Waterloo Campaign in a Day" with those same rules that we'll be running here in Connecticut a month later. In considering possible actions, I thought it would be good to do another 1813 battle. So I chose one that I haven't done before - the Battle on the Katzbach, August 26, 2013 - perhaps the finest day of Blucher's career, if no so for his opponent, Marshal MacDonald. The forces involved were considerable close to 100,000 men on both sides, and divided among four or more Corps. In addition, the OOB has a nice variety of troops and nationalities for real Napoleonic color... although with the abysmal weather that day, my table will be far more colorful than the soggy overcoats that were doubtless the reality of the day for most!

    The game should fit well on one of  the roughly 8 x 5 foot tables available for that convention, as well as the four hour length game slots. I developed the scenario from several sources, including Nafziger's  invaluable "Napoleon at Dresden: the battles of August, 1813", and the scenarios for the battle for Napoleon's Battles (by Rafael Pardo) and Sam Mustafa's Grand Armee:

http://www.rafaelpardoalmudi.com/nbkatzbach.html

http://www.deepfriedhappymice.com/GA_Scen_Katzbach.pdf


    It actually "warmed up" to 32 degrees this past weekend, so with that, heat leak from the attached house, some direct sunlight, and the heat from the car engines after being driven, the garage was warm enough for priming... and it doesn't appear like it will be again for weeks! So I primed the entire Lancashire Games order -over 120 figures worth of Prussians. I then painted the Prussian Blue on all of their coats 2 days ago. They should keep me busy painting until Spring!

A romanticized version of Blucher at the Katzbach, his famous pipe in hand.  At least *he* had the sense to have his overcoat on before the rain starts!

French Army of the Bober, Marshal MacDonald: Reliable

III Corps, GD Souham: Reliable
6 stands Provisional Light  Conscript
4 stands Provisional Line   Conscript
10 Stands Line                   Seasoned
2 stands Light                    Veteran
2 stands Baden Line          Veteran
4 stands Hessian Line        Elite
2 stands Hussars                Elite
4 stands 6# Foot Artillery (1 Baden/Hessian)   Seasoned
1 stand 12# Foot Artillery    Seasoned
1 stand 6#  Horse Artillery   Seasoned

V Corps GD Lauriston: Weak
20 stands French Line             Seasoned
2 stands Chasseurs a Cheval   Seasoned
2 stands 6# Foot Artillery       Veteran
1 stand 12# Foot Artillery       Veteran
1 stand 6# Horse Artillery      Veteran

XI Corps, GD Gerard: Weak
6 stands French Line             Seasoned
4 stands Italian Line              Seasoned
4 stands French light             Veteran
2 stands Italian Chasseurs a Cheval    Seasoned
2 stands 6# Foot Artillery                    Veteran
2 stands 12# Foot Artillery                  Veteran
1 stand Italian Horse Artillery.             Veteran

II Cavalry Corps, GD Sebastiani: Dashing
4 stands Hussars                            Elite
4 stands Chevau-Leger Lanciers   Veteran
2 stands Chasseurs a Cheval         Elite
2 stands Carabiniers                      Elite
2 stands Cuirassiers                       Elite
2 stands 6# Horse Artillery           Elite



Allied Army of Silesia, General Blucher: Charismatic


11th (Russian) Corps, Sacken:  Reliable
6 stands Russian Line             Seasoned
4 Stands Russian Jager           Veteran
2 stands 6# Foot Artuillery    Seasoned
2 stands 12# Foot Artillery    Seasoned

3rd (Russian) Cavalry Corps, Tschaplitz:  Weak
2 stands Russian Dragoons    Seasoned
2 stands Russian Hussars       Elite
6 stands Russian Cossacks     Militia
2 stands 6# Horse Artillery    Seasoned

1st (Prussian) Korps, Yorck:  Dashing
2 stands Prussian Grenadiers    Elite
2 stands Prussian Jagers           Elite
12 stands Landwehr                 Conscript
10 stands Prussian Line           Veteran
2 stands Prussian Hussars        Elite
2 stands Prussian Dragoons     Seasoned
2 stands Prussian Uhlans         Veteran
4 stands Landwehr cavalry      Conscript
3 stands 6# Foot Artillery        Veteran
1 stand 12# Foot Artillery       Veteran
2 stands 6# Horse Artillery      Veteran

8th (Russian) Corps, St Priest:  Reliable
6 stands Russian Line             Seasoned
4 Stands Russian Jager           Veteran
2 stands 6# Foot Artillery       Seasoned
1 stands 12# Foot Artillery     Seasoned

4 stands Russian Dragoons    Seasoned

2 stands Cossacks                   Militia

Left Wing (Russian) Langeron:  Dashing
14 stands Russian Line Infantry      Seasoned
8 stands Russian Jagers                   Veteran
6 stands Russian 6# foot Artillery   Seasoned
2 stands 12# Foot Artillery              Serasoned

1st (Russian) Cavalry Corps, Korff:  Reliable
2 stands Russian Dragoons              Seasoned
4 stands Russian Mounted Jagers    Veteran
2 6# Horse Batteries                        Seasoned

Map for Katzbach game, taken from the Grand Armee scenario by Sam Mustafa

All buildings represent Towns (hard cover). All towns can hold up to 2 bases,

The Katzbach river can be forded from the north edge of the map, to the town of Schlaupe. From Schlaupe west, it is crossable only at the two bridges, counting as Rough Terrain. After 2 turns of Deluge, it will become impassable everywhere except at bridges (see below). . 

The swampy ground counts as Broken Terrain, the woods as Rough Terrain.

At the end of each turn, the Allied player rolls a D10; if the score is less than or equal to the number of the turn just completed, then Sacken's 11th Corps may enter on the next turn. Sacken may start on the North edge of the table, anywhere East of Eicholtz, but his troops must be over 12" from any French stands.

At the end of each turn, the French player rolls a D10:

1,2,3        Weather improves one level (Rain stops if raining)

4,5,6,7     Weather is unchanged

8, 9, 10    Weather worsens one level - if raining, now at Deluge

Rain - per Snappy Nappy Rules

Deluge  - NO infantry fire except from buildings, Artillery fire is at -2 (same as Rain), Infantry in melee with cavalry is -1 per stand additional. All command distances reduced 50%.. After 2 successive turns of Deluge, the ground is soaked, and all terrain counts as one level worse for movement (Open -1/3 Move, Broken - 1/2 Move, Rough - 2/3 Move).

** having played the scenario out, I'd use a 6 foot wide table, and decrease all the forces by 1/3 for more maneuvering room.