Battle of Saltanovka

 

My father wanted something with russians in it for our next campaign, since the only thing we've got is a napoleonic army it was time for a refight of the french invasion of 1812

We begin with the battle of Saltanovka: a desperate attempt by Bagration to pierce the french lines and join with the second russian army under Barclay de Toilly

The imperials are quite well entrenched in a pair of villages behind a river

But the russians advance fearlessly into the fray

Threatened by the tsarist guns, the french center retreats

A lively firefight erupts between the garrison of Saltanovka and two russian divisions

While both cavalries stand off in the center

The bombardment convinces the napoleonics to abandon Fatova, and the russians are quick to capitalise on Davout's hasty retreat

By now the russians have routed the defenders of Saltanovka with their musketry and taken the village

The cuirassiers try to turn the tide charging a unit that falls to form square

But to the surprise of all they are pushed back by the tenacious mujiks

Then the elite french riders charge the hussars, but before a blow can be struck the cuirassiers fall to concentrated fire from Saltanovka 

With the game tiping towards the ruskis, the hussars launch an all out charge

Smashing into the french guns

The imperials form square only to be slaughtered by the advancing infantry

Even the russians in Fatova sally out and rout another division

Finally the french player fails his morale roll and the battle ends in victory for the russian army