ESR – Battle of Brienne, January 1814 (Part 1).

We played the Battle of Brienne (29 January 1814) using the Napoleonic rules, Et Sans Resultat (ESR)Version 3.  The game required two sessions to complete; this report is Part 1.

Our scenario was drawn from the ESR V.2 Campaign Guide, “The most awful situation”, which covers the 1814 Campaign in France.  In order to fit the battle to our table at our chosen scale of 1″ = 100 yards, we trimmed 1/2 mile off the western side of the map, and 2 miles off the eastern side, leaving us with the key ground in the center of the map.  To account for the loss of space, we delayed the arrival times of the off-table reinforcements.  With those exceptions noted, we played the scenario as it was written.

Our 11′ X 5′ table was set with the long axis running north-south.  The battlefield is generally a flat, open plain, fringed by woods along the eastern and western edges.  The town and chateau of Brienne are located at the center of the table near the western woods.  The town of La Rothiere lies at the southern end of the table.  The French objective was to capture both of those towns.  The Russian objective was to control Brienne and the road through La Rothiere.

The scenario begins with the Russian army (led by Prussian Feldmarshal von Blucher) marching onto the table from the northwest.  An advanced guard brigade, Pahlen’s hussar brigade, and a cossack formation are screening the rest of the Russian army, which is arriving in two extended columns.  Olsufiev’s infantry corps is in the lead, and  Sacken’s infantry corps and the remainder of the Russian cavalry corps are following behind.  

Advanced elements of the French army are arriving from the east, led by Pire’s division of light cavalry.  Napoleon and his entourage are nearby, encouraging the rest of the army to hurry up!

Early in the game, the Russian advanced guard was charged by the French light cavalry.  The combat left both formations weakened but still in good morale.  However, a fresh division of French dragoons soon charged the weakened Russians and smashed them, forcing them to retreat.  The dragoons then paused to recover.

Although the first combats had gone against the Russian advanced guard, enough time had been gained for the two infantry divisions of Olsufiev’s corps to deploy in front of Brienne.  Sacken’s two divisions marched through Brienne, and then began to deploy in the south.  The remainder of the Russian cavalry corps also arrived and deployed to the north of Brienne.

Meanwhile, the French army continued to arrive.  Victor’s small infantry corps arrived, along with a second division of dragoons, as well as the Young Guard corps led by Marshal Ney.  With most of his army assembled, Napoleon ordered a general attack.  

The French cavalry and one of Victor’s divisions attacked the Russian cavalry, and after a series of combats, pushed the Russian cavalry back behind Brienne.  The Young Guard forced one of Olsufiev’s divisions to retreat into Brienne, leaving Olsufiev’s second division alone in front of the town, facing threats from two directions.  Sacken’s two divisions were almost fully deployed and had not yet been engaged.

At that point we ran out of time!  Although the Russians had been roughly handled, there was still a lot of fight left in them, and the game was still very much in the balance.  With half of the scenario left to play, we decided to continue the game at our next session.

Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion!

• TJ