The Battle of Vyazma

2 Zapadnaya Armiya
(Second Army of the West) Dispatch

I.
MEMBERSHIP

The 2 Zapadnaya Armiya is 36 members strong as of the 22nd of January. After the Summer Roll Call numerous officers retired to their estates. But a strong influx of Czech and Slovak recruits reinforced the ranks of the Tsar’s armies.
I want to bring your attention to the first Lady to ever enter the Russian Army, Praporschik Patricia Severova, determined to show to allies and foes alike that military skills are not alien to her gender.

The following recruits have completed their training and received their command assignments:

• Praporschik Vladimir Repnin, promoted to Podporuchik and assigned to the Malorosskiy Gren. Polk, 2 Grenaderskaya Div., 8 Pekhotnyi Korpus.
• Praporschik Jiri Lejnar, promoted to Podporuchik and assigned to the Odesskiy Polk, 27 Pekhotnaya Div., 8 Pekhotnyi Korpus.
• Praporschik Martin Butas, promoted to Podporuchik and assigned to the Tyazhelaya Batareya #12, 27 Pekhotnaya Div., 8 Pekhotnyi Korpus.

Opolchenie Korpus (still in training):

• Praporschik Oleg Shischkin: Opolchenie Korpus, 1 Polk Moscovskogo Opolchenie (trainer – General-leytenant Da Cruz)
• Praporschik Martin Mikulasek: Opolchenie Korpus, 2 Polk Moscovskogo Opolchenie (trainer – Shtabs-Kapitan Stafa)
• Praporschik Stepan Hervert: Opolchenie Korpus, 3 Polk Moscovskogo Opolchenie (trainer - Shtabs-Kapitan Stafa)
• Praporschik David Kopernicky: Opolchenie Korpus, 4 Polk Moscovskogo Opolchenie (trainer – Shtabs-Kapitan Stafa)
• Praporschik Patricia Severova: Opolchenie Korpus, 1 Yegerskiy Polk Moscovskogo Opolchenie (trainer – Shtabs-Kapitan Stafa)
• Praporschik Jakub Severa: Opolchenie Korpus, 2 Yegerskiy Polk Moscovskogo Opolchenie (trainer – Shtabs-Kapitan Stafa)

II.
BATTLE HONORS/DECORATIONS/PROMOTIONS

Russian arms continued to enjoy success on the battlefield. Since the last dispatch, Russian officers have posted 10 major victories.

Staff

1. General-mayor Juan Pablo Da Cruz
Promoted to General-leytenant. He’s the first Russian officer to reach this high rank.

2. Podpolkovnik Gary Hobbs
Promoted to Polkovnik.
Helped with the First Russian Korpus Tournament, preparing the pages for the tournament. Having done his task brilliantly, he leaves his post as Aide-de-Camp. Awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir of 4th class.

7 Pekhotnyi Korpus

1. Mayor Pascal Hummel
Promoted to Podpolkovnik.
Major victory in game #Z94 (PTW - The Battle of Quatre-Bras; 18 t.).

2. Mayor Alexander Voduskii
Promoted to Podpolkovnik.

3. Kapitan Andy Moss
Promoted to General-mayor.
Major victory in game #Z453 (NIR 07 - Kutusov Turns to Fight (New Settings); 30 t.).

4. Poruchik Daniel Ericsson
Promoted to Kapitan.
Major victory in game #Z561 (PTW - Ligny (unleashed); 16 t.).

5. Podporuchik Gordon Boggon
Promoted to Poruchik.

8 Pekhotnyi Korpus

1. General-mayor Karl Schneider
Assigned to the command of the 8 Pekhotnyi Korpus.

2. Poruchik Konstantin Koryakov
Promoted to Kapitan.

Major victory in game #Z543 (Gzatsk (unfixed); 15 t.). His report:
French losses:
Infantry 10.278
Cavalry 7.407
Artillery 68
Leaders 29 (338 VP: 7 GD, 14 GB, 8 colonels)
Russian losses:
Infantry 6.345
Cavalry 2.053
Artillery 16
Leaders 1 (12 VP)

Major victory in game #Z531 (Austerlitz (001b); 18 t.). His report:
French losses:
Infantry 24.625
Cavalry 7.400
Artillery 101
Leaders 37 (442 VP: army and corps commanders Lannes, Davout, Oudinot, Murat, Bessieres and also 4 Gen de Div, 20 Gen de Brig, 6 colonels)
Allies losses:
Infantry 15.575
Cavalry 3.150
Artillery 36
Leaders 10 (85 VP)

Major victory in game #Z248 (Raab (NIR-P); 15 t.).

A great string of victories for Kap. Koryakov. It is remarkable that two of them were achieved against French high-ranking officers: GdB Drew Stone in Gzatsk, and Col. Theron Lambert of La Garde in Austerlitz.

Awarded the Order of St. Anne (4th class) for his first major victory commanding Russian troops in a large battle (Austerlitz).

Assigned to the command of the 2 Grenaderskaya Diviziya.

3. Poruchik Pavel Stafa
Promoted to Shtabs-Kapitan.
Awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of 4th class for his task in recruting and training new officers for the Russian Army.
Assigned to the command of the 27 Pekhotnaya Diviziya.

4. Poruchik Vladimir Repnin.
Draw in game #Z572 (NRC; SB_Tournament; 56 t). Despite the result of draw, this is a success for Podp. Renin because of the length of the game (56 turns) and the rank of his opponent, GdB de Biscayne.

4 Kavaleriyskiy Korpus

1. Podpolkovnik Philip Chimara
Promoted to General-mayor.

Major victory in game #Z291 (NIR #06 - La Bataille de Borodino; 19 t.). He reports:

Major victory in game #Z310 (NIR #06 - La Bataille de Borodino; 19 t.). He reports:

Major victory in game #Z411 (NRC 001. Battle of Leipzig; 14 t.).

2. Poruchik Marc Vuillet
Promoted to Kapitan.

Donskiy Kozaki Korpus

1. Poruchik Emil Aerne
Promoted to Shtabs-Kapitan.

III.
ADMINISTRATIVE

Army organization:

The structure of the Army has undergone some changes. The 2 Grenaderskaya Diviziya has been reserved for Russian-speaking officers, in order to allow for a better comunication between them. Its new commander is Kapitan Koryakov. Just as well, the 27 Pekhotnaya Diviziya is reserved to Czech and Slovak officers, under the command of Shtabs-Kapitan Stafa. The 2 Kirasirskaya Diviziya is closed temporarily.

The infantry divisions of our Army have been expanded to include their artillery brigades. Following the OOB for the battle of Borodino, the 26 Div. has received three batteries (Tyazhelaya Bat. #26, Lyogkaya Bat. #47 and #48) and the 2 Gren. Div. has received three batteries (Tyazhelaya Bat. #11, Lyogkaya Bat. #20 and #21); the 27 Div. has been given two batteries from the Reserve Artillery (Tyazhelaya Bat. #12 and Lyogkaya Bat. #22).

Ranks:

After the investigation conducted by S-Kap. Stafa, the Russian ranks have been slightly changed. The rank of Kapitan has been put over the rank of Shtabs-Kapitan. Other ranks have had their name slightly changed to their more historical forms. The new ranks are as follows:

*Generalissimus would only be awarded as a special honour (in addition to the points) and there could only be one standing Generalissimus in the Russian Army at any time.
**Prince is also a special honor for those of at least the rank of Generalmajor who have contributed greatly to the NWC and the Russian Army.

(Your can see a detailed article by Pavel Stafa about the ranks of the Russian Army in this Newsletter)

IV.
TOURNAMENTS

First Russian Korpus Tournament:

The First Russian Korpus Tournament has taken place. Three teams of seven officers each were formed, one for each Korpus:

7 Pekhotniy Korpus Team, commanded by Polk. Capfer:

• Por. Duham
• Por. Rodríguez
• Por. Claude
• S-Kap. Voduskii
• Polk. White
• S-Kap. Hobbs

8 Pekhotniy Korpus Team, commanded by GM Da Cruz:

• Pod. Stafa
• Por. Vuillet
• Pod. Johnston
• Kap. Green
• Kap. Lipa
• Por. Aerne

Kavaleriyskiy Korpus Team, commanded by Polk. Ocampo:

• Por. Pérez
• Polk. Lane
• S-Kap Chimara
• Ppolk. Ayres
• Pod. Djuranic
• Prap. Sirochencko

Each officer played two matches, one against one officer of each of the other two teams. The points per victories and draws were tallied, and the result was:

8 Korpus was the winner, with 5 major victories, one minor victory and one draw, for a total of 34 points.
7 Korpus was second, with 5 major victories and one draw, for a total of 31 points.
Kav. Korpus was third, with 3 major victories and two draws, for a total of 20 points.

Points and medals were awarded to all the participants. Congratulations to the winners.

More information about the tournament in its webpage: http://www.geocities.com/nir_oob_2003/

Master of Europe 2:

Seven Russian officers entered the tournament, out of 64 officers.
GM López had to abandon it due to technical problems. From the remaining six officers, Kap. Ericsson was eliminated after winning one battle but losing the other two to two French Maréchaux (Palomo and Mitchell). Pod. Sirochencko was placed in another difficult group and was also eliminated by, among others his fellow officer S-Kap. Stafa. The other four, S-Kap Stafa, S-Kap Rodríguez, Pod. Johnston and GL Da Cruz passed to the next round and are ready to keep the Russian standard flying high.

LONG LIVE THE TSAR!

General-mayor Rubén López (PlM)
Chief of Staff
2 Zapadnaya Armiya CoA
Ego Imperatorskogo Velichestva Rossiyskaya Armiya

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