Nap Campaign: Battle of Grazzbenn 2nd April 1808 - Introduction

Battle of Grazzbenn

Table Size = 6'9" x 4'6"

Figures = Baccus 6mm

Rules = General de Brigade

Start time 0900 hours = 32 turns

The Battlefield

                                      13A10                   13A9                                 13A8

                                      13A5                     13A4                                 13A3

Note: Each square = 3' square on the table top.

Terrain:

13A10 – Firm grazing land, hedgerows, fences, river deep.

13A9 – Town of Grazzbenn, extensive army barracks, training area around Grazzbenn Castle on hill. The town contains many workshops. River to north bordering square is deep with stone bridge.

13A8 – Bleak rocky terrain around hill (difficult terrain), softening off towards town.

13A5 – Firm grazing land, hedgerows, fences, river deep, stone bridge.

13A4 – Broken rocky terrain with many gullies. Craggy hills. (Difficult terrain - steep slopes).

13A3 – Firm open scrubland. Sunken roads (cover - 8' deep).

Rule Amendments:

For difficult rocky terrain, movement half speed but artillery may deploy. Cavalry formed when standing but unformed when moving. May charge but unformed.

Sunken road - represented by hedgerows. Equivalent to in buildings for receiving artillery fire. Cannot be fired at by muskets or fire out of unless adjacent to them or on the road with clear line of sight.

Army breakpoint being discarded for this battle. 

Note:

The castle on the tabletop is rather larger than that on the map. This is primarily due to the fact that I currently have no smaller option and I wanted to make use of Total Battle Miniatures walled town set. 

Prussian 1st Corps reinforcements:

They are scheduled to arrive on turn 17. However, to introduce a little uncertainty, they will dice for arrival beginning turn 15 and will arrive no later than turn 19. 

Continued -

Nap Campaign: Battle of Grazzbenn 2nd April 1808 - Prequel

With lighting installed in the garage its time to return to wargaming on the tabletop. In advance I provide a recap of the events leading up to the next game to be played in the Napoleonic campaign - the critical battle of Grazzbenn:

On 24th March, Napoleon decisively captured the Prussian capital Grissburg. 

Grissburg

Grissburg

Continued -

Wargaming - The Return!

With the finishing touches all that remains in the new home, wargaming is on the verge of resumption. Moving house certainly gets no easier as age takes its toll! 

The first to complete towards the hobby was my new painting/study room. This enabled figure painting to resume but it has been far too long since the last wargame leading to serious withdrawal symptoms!

At the time of writing this, the garage modifications have mostly been completed with just new lighting to be installed. There are restrictions where I live on garage conversions. It must be capable of parking a car within and therefore the main garage door must remain. I therefore sealed it as much as possible with draught excluder and gaffer tape around the mechanism. An insulated ceiling was added with a rubberised tile floor. The breeze block walls and ceiling were painted white. 

The garage is left open plan with the half nearest the main door given over to household storage and the rest becoming a wargaming area. The lighting immediately above the wargames section are 5 spots on a single bar housing adjustable daylight bulbs. It will allow me to have a playing area of 4'6" in width and up to 10' in length although I doubt if I will ever exceed 9'. More table supports would be needed! 

All being well, the lighting will be installed within a few days and wargaming can resume. I will shortly be introducing the first game in my new retreat!