French Napoleonic personalities

 

Continuing the (temporary) switch back to Napoleonics,  I had a bevy of French command figures from two prior Piano Wargames Kickstarters, so I will lead off with those.

The three figures on the left are French Infantry Colonels; to the far right is an ADC to a General de Division, identified by the red brassard on his left arm  Aides to a General de Brigade had light blue brassards, and aides to a Marshal (while not technically a rank) wore white one. 

On the left a Colonel of a Ligne regiment in covered shako, then another one in great coat and chapeau.

Middle right is a Colonel (or Chef de Battalion) of a Legere regiment.

A couple of prominent French generals form the 1809 Campaign on the Danube. 

To the left, of course, is Antoine Charles Louis de Lassalle, brandishing his pipe!

On the right is General de Division Louis-Vincent-Joseph Le Blond de St. Hilaire. 

Supposedly Napoleon promised St Hilaire his Marshal's baton after the battle of Eggmuhl; unfortunately, he was wounded at the Battle of Aspern-Essling and died from infection of his wounds several weeks later. Lassalle unfortunately suffered a similar fate, being killed during a charge late in the day at the Battle of Wagram. Both were sorely missed thereafter.  

Who's that unassuming figure in the grey overcoat?

Why the Emperor, himself, of course!

He's receiving an urgent message from an ADC to a Brigadier General,

accompanied by Marshal Berthier and an officer of the line Chasseurs a cheval. 

It seems that I am always needing a commander for a French Cavalry Corps composed mostly of Dragoons!

I used 2 spare Dragoon figures from Piano Wargames, and this general in overcoat; being in command of Dragoons, I gave him a green one suitable to them. 

His dog accompanies him in the filed!

A fine looking bunch!

Guess the Marshal..

I'm sure most of you had little doubt this is one other the "Iron Marshal" himself, Louis Nicolas Davout, Duc d' Auerstadt and Prince d' Eckmuhl. 

He is accompanied by an infantry colonel, an ADC, and a line Chasseur. 

Already having no less than 3 Davout figures, I gifted this group to my freind, Mark. Both Mark and I share with Davout membership in the League of Bald Headed Gentlemen!  :-)

Another set of Commanders...

To the left, Marshal Bessieres with one of his guides.

In the center is General de Division Nicolas Charles Oudinot, who would be awarded his Marshal's baton at the conclusion of the 1809 campaign in Austria. 

Finally, on the left we have Marshal Jean Lannes, one of Napoleon's ablest commanders, and one of his few true friends. Lannes of course was wounded at the Battle of Aspern-Essling, and died of complications of his wounds later that month, a grievous loss for the Emperor, the Army, and France.  

Springtime for Nappy: Poland 1807 Campaign in a Day, part 2 - Deployment and opening moves

Once again we were graciously hosted by The Portal game store, in Manchester, CT, and once again the staff  kindly opened the store an hour early for us, at 9 AM. 

First, the empty tables with their respective Table Maps

Table N - Neiderburg; mark did the terrain for this one.

Table D - Friedland; I dd the terrain for this table. 

Note the Millstream dividing the field, and the Sortlack woods.

Table F - Braunsberg, with a bit of the Baltic Sea showing in the corner. Another of Mark's tables. 

Table M - Morag and Bischofsburg, by Mark. 

Table S, Eylau, another of mine. 

Table R - Rastenburg, by Mike

Table T - Tayiau, also by Mike

Table B - Bartenstein, another of mine

Table G, Angerburg and Gumbinnem, by Mark

Table E, Marienburg and Elbing, by me.

Table H, Heilsburg, by me

Table K,  Konigsberg, by Russ (with Star Fort by Eric, flown in for the game [both Eric and the Fort]; Eric was a huge help setting up tables Friday afternoon/evening)

Table I - Insterburg, by James

The Transit Tables Table, with maps down...

and maps up!

Potential Floating Table #1

Potential Floating Table #2

The Transit Table Maps:

Table W - Augustow

Table U - Kwedina

Table L -Labiau

Table J - Gradjewo

Table V - Kovno

Table Y - Maryampole

Table O - Ostrau

Table Q - Suwalken

Table X - Tilsit

Table A - Vikmerge

Tables P, C, and Z led to nowhere, wasting 5 minutes to explore.

James conducts the quick review of the Snappy Nappy rules.

Russian players huddle for last minute pregame planning, the doughnuts forgotten for the moment. The Emperor was more evasive when it came to communicating his plans to his Generals and Marshals,  saying something like, "We are French; of course we will win!". 

A number of French and Allied commands started on Transit tables - Grouchy Table O (Ostrau), Lannes Table U (Kwedna),  Tolstoy Table V (Kovno)

Snappy Nappy rules author Russ Lockwood (right) was rejoined this year by his freind Dan Burkley (who probably knows the rules better than Russ or any of us, LOL!). Photo courtesy of Arthur Kaye. 

Russ is playing Dockturov, while Dan is playing Uvarov. 

Gortchakov at Tayiau on Table T

Soult's Corps at Morag

Prince Golitsyn's Cavalry Corps at Goldap, Table R

L'Estoq at Konigsberg

Murat at Marienburg and Bernadotte at Elbing 

Uvarov's Cavalry and  Dockturov's Infantry Corps at Eylau

Marshal Davout at Niederburg

Marshal Ney's rather isolated Corps at Bartenstein

Dockturov arrives at at Friedland

Prince Essen at Heilsburg; the player could emplace 6" of earthworks anywhere on this table, except not on a road or bridge. 

The Transit tables again, with labels. James prints these for us, and we tape them to the wall above Permanent tables to make it easier to find the right tables when needed. 

Prince Bagratian's men moving out from Angerburg

Uvarov's Cavalry Corps on the move from Eylau

Prince Golitsyn's cavalry Corps advances upon Rasterburg

All quiet at Tayiau

Bagratian's Advanced Guard Corps arrives at Bartenstein to find Ney already gone. 

Somehow the Cossacks missed this doughnut at Angerburg!

Lannes arrives near Marienburg, whilst Murat heads out. 

L'Estoq prepares to leave Konigsburg, while scouting other areas and leaving a garrison to hold the vital supply center. 

Ney arrives at Helsburg, and finds Essen waiting for him. 

Bernadotte's French and  L'Estoq's Prussians both arriving at Braunsberg. 

Gortchakov's Russians leaving Friedland area. 

Grouchy and Davout near Niederburg. 

Marshal Soult at Bischofsburg

Here's the GM's Master Table Map again to track the moves...

At this point in the Campaign (after 2 moves), action is no longer simultaneous; each table proceeds at its own pace.