Monday, May 23, 2016

Scenario for Liebertwolkwitz, 1813

The "big game" that I am running at Historicon this July is "The Great Cavalry Action of Liebertwolkwitz". While the existence of this action, fought on October 14, 1813, just before the the Battle of Leipzig, and said to be the largest cavalry engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, is fairly well known to wargamers, it turned out to be relatively difficult to find good sources on it. I have listed my on line references at the end of this post.

The Orders of Battle that I have developed below are for use with Field of Battle, 2nd edition, by Brent Oman. For the purposes of this scenario, I have used 1 Infantry unit = about 900 men, one Cavalry Unit = about 600 men, and 1 Artillery unit = about 12 guns. I have done some minor fudging as needed to accommodate my collection and for play balancing.


"French" Army, Marechal Murat, KIng of Naples
Skilled, LD         
33 Infantry, 16 Cavalry, 12 Artillery = 61Units              MP


IV Cavalry Corps - GD Kelllerman  Skilled, LD

 7th Light cavalry Division - Sokolnicki  Skilled, LD
 2 Polish Uhlans  DD 8, CD 12

8th Light cavalry Division - Sulkowski  Average, LD
2 Polish Uhlans  DD 8, CD 12
1 Polish Chasseur  DD6  CD10
1 Polish Horse Artillery  DD6  CD 12


V Cavalry Corps - GD Pajol  Skilled, LD

6th Heavy Cavalry Division - Milhaud  Skilled, LD
2 French Dragoons  DD6  CD 12

5th Heavy cavalry Division - L'Hertier  Average, LD
3 French Dragoons  DD6  CD 12

Light Cavalry Division - Klicky  Average, LD
2 French Hussars  DD 8, CD 10 
1 French Chasseurs a Cheval  DD6  CD10
1 French Horse Artillery  DD8  CD 12

Combined Light Cavalry Division - Berkheim  Average, LD
2 French Chevau-Leger Lanciers  DD6  CD 12


VIII Corps - Prince Poniatowski  Skilled, LD

27th Division - Dabrowski  Skilled, LD
2 Vistula Legion Infantry  DD 8, CD 12
1 Polish Foot Battery  DD6  CD 12

26th Division - Kaminiecki  Average, LD
4 Polish Line Infantry  DD6  CD10
1 Polish Foot Artillery  DD6  CD 12

27th Light Cavalry Brigade - Uminski  Average, LD
1 Polish Hussar  DD 8, CD 10
1 Polish Horse Artillery  DD6  CD 12


II Corps - Marshal Victor  Skilled, LD

5th Division - Dufours  Average, LD
1 French Legere  DD 8  CD 10
3 French Ligne  DD6  CD10
1 French 6# Foot Artillery  DD6  CD 12

4th Division - Dubreton  Average, LD
1 French Legere  DD 8  CD 10
4 French Ligne  DD6  CD10
1 French 6# Foot Artillery  DD6  CD 12 

 6th Division - Vial  Average, LD
2 French Legere  DD 8  CD 10
4 French Ligne  DD6  CD10
1 French 6# Foot Artillery  DD6  CD 12

1 French 12# Foot Battery  DD6  CD 12+1


 V Corps - Lauriston  Skilled, LD

16th Infantry Division - Maison  Average, LD
4 French Ligne  DD6  CD10
1 French 6# Foot Artillery  DD6  CD 12

10th Infantry Division - Albert  Average, LD
4 French Ligne  DD6  CD10
1 French 6# Foot Artillery  DD6  CD 12

10th Infantry Division - Compte Rochambeau  Skilled, LD
4 French Ligne  DD6  CD10
1 French 6# Foot Artillery  DD6  CD 12



ALLIES - Count Wittgenstein
Average     LD
34 Infantry, 18 Cavalry, 12 Artillery = 64 Units,     MP

Vanguard - Count Pahlen III  Skilled, LD
2 Russian Hussars  DD8  CD10
1 Russian Uhlan  DD6  CD 10
1 Prussian Dragoon  DD 6  CD 12
1 Prussian Uhlan  DD 5  CD 10
1 Cosssack  DD4  CD 8
1 Prussian HA  DD 6  CD 12

14th Russian Division - von Helfreich  Average, LD
1 Russian Jager  DD 8  CD 10
2 Russian Line  DD 8  CD 8
1 Russian HA  DD 6  CD 12

Prussian Reserve Cavalry - von Roder  Skilled, LD
 2 Prussian Cuirassier  DD 8  CD 12
1 Prussian HA  DD 6  CD 12

Militia Cavalry Brigade - von Mutius  Average, LD
2 Prussian Landwehr cavalry  DD 4  CD 8


Russian II Corps - Prince Eugene of Wurttemburg  Skilled, LD
4 Russian Line  DD 8  CD 8
2 Russian Jager  DD 8  CD 10
1 Russian 6# FA  DD 6  CD 12
1 Russian 12# FA  DD 6  CD 12+1


Russian I Corps - Prince Gortschakow II  Average, LD

3d Infantry Division - Prince Schahoskoj  Average, LD
2 Russian Line  DD 8  CD 8
1 Russian Jager  DD8  CD10
1 Russian 6# FA  DD 6  CD 12

5th Infantry Division - Messenzow  Average, LD
2 Russian Line  DD 8  CD 8
1 Russian Jager  DD 8  CD 10
1 Russian 12# FA  DD 6  CD 12+1

3rd Cuirassier Division - Count Duka  Average, LD
3 Russian Cuirassiers  DD 8  CD 12+1
 1 Russian 6# HA  DD 6  CD 12


Austrian 4th Corps - Count Klenau  Average, LD

Advanced Guard Division - Mohr (commanding Cav Brigade of his Division, below)

Brigade Baumgarten  Average, LD
3 Grenzer  DD 6  CD 10

Brigade  Mohr  Average, LD
1 Chevau-Legers  DD 6  CD 10
2 Hussars  DD 8  CD 10
1 6# Cavalry Battery  DD 6  CD 12

1st Division - Prince Hohenlohe  Average, LD
6 German Line  DD 6  CD 12
2 Landwehr  DD 4  CD 10
1 6# Foot Battery  DD 6  CD 12

2nd Division - Mayer  Skilled, LD
6 Hungarian Line  DD 6  CD 10
2 Landwehr (Insurrectio figures used)  DD 4  CD 8
1 6# Foot Battery  DD 6  CD 12

Cavalry Brigade - Desfours  Average, LD
1 Austrian Cuirassier  DD 8  CD 12+1
1 Austrian Uhlan  DD 6  Cd 10

Artillery Reserve
2 12# Foot Battery  DD 6  CD 12+1




Terrain map for the 18 x 6 foot table

Deployment map

Objectives, Victory and Defeat
(adapted from those in the PushingTin blog scenario, cited below)

Each of the following objectives is worth 2 points:
Liebertwolkwitz Galgenberg Hill Kromberg Hill Wachau Dolitz Guldengossa

Each of the following objectives is worth1 point
Markleeberg
Dosen
Stormthal
Gohren
Walkalla
Grossposna
Crobern
In order to count as occupying an objective there must be no enemy on or within that 
objective, and at least one of your units must occupy it or, if a village, it must have been 
garrisoned by you.
 
Whoever has the most objective points at the end of the game wins a Tactical Victory as
 follows:
If you have over twice as many objective points as your opponent then you have won a
stunning tactical victory!
If you have more objective points than your opponent then you have won a 
marginal tactical victory.


Regardless of the tactical winner, an army can win win a Moral Victory as follows:
If you opponent failed Army morale and you have half or more of your starting Morale Points, 
then you have won a decisive moral victory
If you opponent failed Army morale and you have at least one quarter of your starting Morale Points, then you have won a major moral victory

If you opponent failed Army morale and you have less than one quarter of your starting Morale 
 Points, then you have won a minor moral victory

If you have more objective points than your opponent but have failed Army Morale, then you
 have won a Pyrrhic tactical victory

Re-enactors at Liebertwolkwitz, 2014
SOURCES:
Peter Hofschroer's articles of Liebertwolkwitz:

http://www.warfare.altervista.org/19C/Liebertwolkwitz-ByHofschroer.htm

http://greatestbattles.iblogger.org/GB/Liebertwolkwitz/LiebertwolkwitzPartIIb-ByHofschroer.htm?ckattempt=1


I also made use of the scenarios in both of these excellent blog posts:

http://pushingtinwargames.blogspot.com/p/liebertwolkwitz-1813.html

http://www.rafaelpardoalmudi.com/NBlieber_1.html

10 comments:

  1. A battle never tried, Peter. I recall seeing a scenario for this one in an old EEL magazine. Maybe Hofschroer was the author? A pure cavalry action for a convention seems (to me) a perilous act. Cavalry clashes tend to be much less attritional in nature than infantry or combined arms battles and fortunes could swing away from the mean outcome quickly. Certainly will be exciting regardless of outcome.

    How is your painting coming along for this one?

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    1. Well, as you can see, there is actually twice as much infantry as Cavalry present, and plenty of Artillery as well, Still, the % of cavalry is roughly 30%, well higher than usual for a large battle.
      I agree that the potential for extreme results is higher with more cavalry, but it also has the potential to make for a memorable day!

      My original thought was to do Raab, actually. They came out with the Historicon Theme quite late this time ("Mounted Warfare through the Ages"), and with the 2 units of Murawski Polish Uhlans having been purchased shortly before that, Liebertwolkwitz seemed an obvious choice. With those done, there is no other painting I need to do for this one. I could use some Polish Horse Artillery - If I had known I was doing this battle when I placed the Murawski order last Fall, I would have gotten at least one, but as it is they will be proxied with Saxons and Italians = green coats, close enough! Other than that, I already have everything I need for this battle, although I will likely ask Barry to bring the bulk of the Russians.

      What I *am* painting is more Hussites (finals stages on 40 Kingmaker infantry with another batch of 36 to go) and Egyptians (the 4 BTD Chariots) for the two games that I am running on Thursday with "To the Strongest!" I should be able to complete that comfortably in the 8 weeks remaining (and I can run both games just fine without the extra troops if needed anyway).

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    2. Of course! I should have read the OB more closely. I do see included more than just the cavalry struggle. My apologies.

      Very good to see that your painting in on track Historicon. I would expect nothing less from you!

      I would have enjoyed seeing your take on Raab, though...

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    3. I've done Raab twice in the past, most recently and very successfully in 2009:
      http://blundersonthedanube.blogspot.com/2011/10/battle-of-raab-june-14-1809-and-ellis.html
      Just as with your recent series, it's a good one to come back to again, and I doubtless will!

      Interestingly, Raab was fought on the anniversary of Marengo and Friedland.... and Liebertwolkwitz on the anniversary of Jena-Auerstadt!

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  2. Fascinating! Really looking forward to this one, thanks Peter!

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  3. Thanks, Mark. I'mm looking forward to it as well.

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  4. I loved reading about this in Michael Leggiere's book Napoleon in Berlin "Napoleon and Berlin", so it will be great to see this come to life.

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    Replies
    1. Great! Leggiere's books are some other's I'd like to add to my library...

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  5. Great info. for the rest of us Peter, thanks.
    Joining the line up of most interested 'observers'!!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, James. I am looking forward to running the game and seeing it play out as well!

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