Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Today is the anniversary of the Battles of Jena and Auerstadt.

The drink are on the French of course!

It is also the anniversary of the Battle of Liebertwolkwitz where Murat used up a lot of good horses for an attack that did not accomplish much. We Allies can always hope that there are many Murats on the French side of the club!

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.09)

Belly up to the bar boys... My purse is wide open

Can't have John paying for all of the drinks!

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Marechal d’Empire Mark Oakford
Duc de Smolensk, Comte d'Autun
Commandant
Réserve de Cavalerie, La Grande Armée

I was thinking about the accomplishments of Marechal Davout and thought why not:

The Iron Marshall Quadragame - In order from 1805:

1805 - Davout's attack at Austerlitz
1806 - Auerstaedt
1807 - Davoud's attack at Eylau
1809 - Davout at Eckmuhl (same map would offer several scenarios)

What is funny .. I could actually do this using the Austerlitz game. Put in a small map of the area of the Eylau battlefield where Davout fought (without compromising any title on Eylau) as well as the Auerstadt map from Jena (again just a portion) along with a portion of the Eckmuhl map from Eckmuhl.

But it would be a great board game design to pursue.

A toast to Marechal Davout, the greatest subordinate field officer/organizer of the Napoleonic Wars!

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.09)

Davout, unlike Ney, never swore allegiance to the Bourbons and never plotted to capture Napoleon and return him to Elba.

So, Davout was a more honorable and loyal Marshall.

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Ernie Sands
1ère Brigade of 2ème Division de Grosse Cavalerie, Réserve de Cavalerie
de la Grande Armée
President, Colonial Campaigns Club

I think loyalty to France came first to be honest. I would have NOT followed Napoleon in 1815.

In 1814 the Austrians were making peace overtones to Napoleon that were PERFECTLY acceptable. The Austrians didn't want to see the Russians and Prussians carve up Europe.

Napoleon was blind by 1813 to the realities of what was going on.

So in the end you have to stay loyal to your country and not an individual. While what Marmont did was not very loyal to Napoleon the French people had already suffered too much. He was loyal to France and frankly that was the right move.

Anyone that swore alegiance to Napoleon in 1815 was an idiot. If he could have had Austria as an ally by then maybe he could have had some clout to instigate an overthrow of the Bourbons.

Had Napoleon taken the offer from Austria in 1813 it would be interesting to see where France would be today. Napoleon should have used some common sense, rebuilt France for his son, and had him rule when he passed on. I don't see the Bourbons getting power again under a non-aggressive France.

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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz

3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps

Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie

NWC Founding Member

For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options OFF:

MDF, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.09)

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Général David Guegan

3ème Régiment de Grenadiers - Bataillon d'élite du 3ème Légère
2ème Brigade
Grenadiers de la Réserve
Réserve
La Grande Armée
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"From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step."
Napoléon Bonaparte

Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
Groucho Marx

Hubris is a harsh mistress and Napoleon was enmeshed in her coils as early as 1808 when he foolishly converted the long standing Spanish alliance into the Spanish Ulcer. He managed to win many more victories after 1808, but he never recovered his previous, deft diplomatic touch or the ability to objectively assess risk vs. gain. Launching the 1812 Campaign, his refusal to negotiate a peace in 1813, etc. all flowed from his hubris. Yes, he might have won the 1812 Campaign, or even the Battle of Leipzig, but, like a gambler that doesn't know when to walk away, he probably would have blundered into another debacle sooner rather than later.

Paco

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Maréchal M. Francisco Palomo
Prince d'Essling et Duc d'Abrantes
Commandant en Chef du 1er Corps d'Armée

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Général David Guegan

3ème Régiment de Grenadiers - Bataillon d'élite du 3ème Légère
2ème Brigade
Grenadiers de la Réserve
Réserve
La Grande Armée
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"From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step."
Napoléon Bonaparte

Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
Groucho Marx