"1805 Campaign/French Reserve Cav. Corps" Topic

Starting a new campaign. Here are some pictures of French Reserve Cav. Corps.
1805campaign.blogspot.com

Next I will post pictures of Austrians and some Russians…then more about campaign.

That's quite a few good looking mounted troops there. I'm guess 6mm?

John

Yes VonBlucher! All 1,763 of them are 6mm Adler. I am currently working on my 1806 Prussians…beautiful Army. And given my campaign rules not at that big a disadvanatage on the tabletop.

Nice paintwork

Thanks Yesthatphil!

Just beautiful isttexas. I love the massed effect, what ratio are you using?I wished I lived near you so I could be part of your campaign. What rules will you be using?

Thanks reggie88! The figure ratio is 1 to 10 and I use Bruce Quarrie's original "Napoleon's Campaigns in Miniature" for campaign rules. I have added some "coalition decision processes" to the rules. This includes the how/why the Russians are divided into 4 and the Austrians 3 armies.
And if/when/how the Prussians can get involved.

If the Prussians get involved, won't the French be outnumbered? The Saxons will be with Prussians in 1806. Hesse-Darmstad can join the French in force, but not until 1807. I think the French had one regiment, of three batallions, from Nassau, in 1806.

The Prussians were being cautious and were not mobilized in time for 1805 and had not actually declared war. Nap took out the Austrians causing the Prussians to back petal. If they acted sooner,the French were in trouble. But I know I'm telling anything both of you didn't already know.

We have campaigned this scenario back in the 80's and was great fun. We had the Prussian players picked right, as they were still discussing stategy when the French struck. The only difference is they did finally jump in, in 1805 after the urging of the Russians, and moved east to await the Russians, The rest is for another time though.

John

The French will be seriously outnumbered, but not at any one point. That is the "beauty" in campaigning. The Prussian Army will probably be about 12,000 figures, the combined Russian armies about 17,000, Austrians 15,000 and French only about 20,000. But only the French will be united. The campaign, like others I have fought, will last at least 2 "real" years and probably the same in "game" terms. The "coalition rules" will not allow the allies to simply dismiss their individual goals and combine into one huge army. The trick for the French is in conserving strength, winning "big decisive battles" and not getting bogged down into a war of attrition. That makes it a challenge for all!

Isttexas, I like the "coalition rules" that you have, but if the allied countries don't join forces, then the French can pick them off, one-by-one. If any country joins the French, the enemy countries will be squashed like a bug. Will there be players for each country?

VonBlucher, always good to see your input. I'm on the way to painting those Minifig 2nd gen Russians, that you sold me. The Austrian gunners and guns are finished. I saw some of your paint jobs. They are amazing.

Isttexas, what rules will you be using for the battles? Also, what is the address of your first blog. Where are you anyway. I'm in Kansas City. My friends, John Tyson, lepatrie88, and minieturearmies, has to see your blogs.

Reggie88,
The main French army "picked" off the allies until 1813 when the allies finally learned. In my coalition rules, the Russians and Austrians can join up if the Austrians aren't too aggressive and if they can both wait until the 3rd Russian army arrives. But the rules make that difficult because Alexander and the Austrians are compelled to defend Vienna, otherwise Austria could be "forced" out of the coalition. Very much the same is true for Prussian and Russian coalition. The hard thing for the French and it is extremely hard thing to accomplish is to not suffer heavy losses…thru battle, fatigue, sickness and etc.

There are players for Napoleon, and major generals, but the courts of Austria, Russia, and Prussia are basically the "coalition rules". IMHO, 1805-1807 offers the most challenges for each side.
below is the link for previous blogs;
link

isttexas,

Do you have players for each country?

Will you be putting up pics of the Austrians or the Prussians.

Will you also includ the Saxons?

Will the Austrians outnumber the French in artillery?

When you say "army", is it another word for corps or column?

Again, where are you?

Reggie

Reggie88,
Yes, players for each country.
Yes, I will put up more pictures..time and space permitting.
Yes Saxons- using Adler's AWI British figures, No Bavarians.
The Austrians & French are about equal in artillery..slight edge to Austrians, but they have smaller caliber guns.
Army means more than one corps or column. I can send you OBs if you reply with e-mail address.
I live in Cypress, Texas, but it would be very hard to include outsiders unless it was for "single" battles over a weekend at a hotel boardroom. I have done that in the past.

isttexas,

I hope I'm not asking too many questions.

When you have a battle, how big is your table?

I would love to see your OBs of the campaign. My e-mail address is rsampson1@att.net

That's funny that you live in Cypress. I have a friend(lepatrie88) who lives in Katy, TX., right outside of Houston. He got me into Napoleonic gaming. We are planning to do Aspern-Essling this summer, in the Los Angeles area. That's where we are both from.

By the way, we use the old GDW "Fire and Steel" rules. They are a lot like "General de Brigade" rules. Very detailed, with a 1:20 ratio.

What rules do you use for battle?

Depending on our needs we have booked a hotel conference room for weekend or game at 1 of 2 stores in Houston. But basically we have used up to 54 x 5 feet of table and 3 parallel tables. As for rules we are flexible….using R2E, Empire3, London Wargames, Napoleonic Version of Rally Round the Flag, and In the Grand Manner. It is funny but the battle rules are not as important as the campaign. Most battles are decided before we get to the table. And that is the best thing about campaigning. If you only have 1 dividion against 2 Corps and you "have" to fight…well the rules aren't going to save you.

By the way, I just posted pictures of the 2 Russian Guard Cuirassier Regts. – Chevalier and Horse Guards.
link

Reggie88,
Good to hear from you and glad you're close to completing those Minifigs, and thanks on the painting comments.

isttexas,
I totally agree with you on "on most battles are decided before we get to the tabletop" We ended up with allot of rear guard actions in our campaign & one thing most guys that haven't played a campaign game is the need to live to fight another day amd maintain a reserve. Which to me is closer to what happen on a Napoleonic Battlefield. Good luck on the campaign, it should be allot of fun.

John

isttexas, I know 6mm but at what ratio?

Fredloan,
The figure ratio is 1 figure equals 10 "real" men. 1 gun or equipment model equals 2 "real" guns or equipment items. And there must be at least 1 limber for each gun. Ground scale 1 inch equals 20 yards. 1 turn equals 15 minutes.

Massive collection! Did you paint it all yourself?

Thats a huge force, please add a "follow" feature to your blog.

Great looking figures, that 10-1 figure ratios looks very impressive.

great collection of miniatures! I am doing the an 1806-1807 project with a mixture of russians and prussians vs french. Do you have any pictures of yours prussians?

Also what are the dimensions of the your bases.

Thank you
Michael