The Battle of Leipzig - 16-19 October 1813. 203 years ago over 500k men fought for the destiny of Europe. Leipzig did for the Emperor's foreign interests what Paris did for his home rule control in 1814. After Leipzig, Napoleon lost his empire for good. King Napoleon would have been a better title!
It still amazes me that the Allies could actually gather that many men at one place. A lot of people forget that doing so is almost impossible on the supply trains ability to sustain an army in one area for that many days. Not to mention the ability to feed the horses. Its why there should always be some sort of rule in wargames on an operational level that says they must disperse after battle.
In the 1814 campaign the one reason why the Allies could not attack Napoleon was because there was a belt of the countryside that was on the eastern and southern sides of the "Brie Plateau" where the battles of the French and Silesian armies took place. It was desolate of farms and thus there was no wood, grazing feed or food to be had. Thus one of the armies at best could make a stab at Napoleon while the other had to wait. It was impossible to sustain any size force in this area for two days. They would march swiftly to the Brie Plateau and then do battle with the French forces.
Napoleon knew this and was able to parry the attack of one army while holding off the other with minimal forces.
I will always be thankful for the opportunity to work on the 1813-1814 games. I read Petre's works on both as a young guy in the military but I did not really understand them until I had to delve in and study the campaigns again for these titles.
Huzzah for the Allies!!!
