The 200th anniversary of the great events of the Napoleonic Wars affords wargamers the opportunity to track events with real time elapses between events and battles. In this vein:
It has been announced in the capitals of Europe that Marshal Davout's mighty First Corps has now occupied Minsk, the ancient Captial of Belarus, recently annexed from Poland to the Russian Empire. The Grande Armee has made full use of the extensive stores found in the hastily evacuated depots.
Paris watchers are speculating that the fact that this event is attributed to a 'mere' Marshal, rather than to Napoleon himself, gives weight to rumours that the French campaign is not unfolding as planned. Military pundits believe that a plan to encircle Prince Bagration's army was foiled by Prince Jerome's lack of urgency…
In St Petersburg, political tensions are rising as the invader is poised on the very borders of Old Russia, as yet without meeting serious opposition. Is the Czar still in thrall to Napoleon? Why does he still entrust the command of the army to a pack of foreigners? Will the invader be free to march to the very gates of Smolensk before something is done?
