Saltanovka Battle or Bataille de Mogilev (1812) – Black powder July 27, 2019

Last Saturday my club mates played a scenario included into the supplement “A clash of Eagles”: the battle of Saltanovka.

It was a battle between Russian and French troops fought during the 1812 invasion of Russia.

It is a multiplayer scenario that involved seven of our members and friends.

Below an imagine of the table prepared by Ezio with the French troops just deployed and ready for the battle

But every battle has to have his protagonists … so the French commanders ...

and their avversaries ... the Russian noblemen

... but now we have to come back to the real subject of this post ... the battle

A detail of the 85th Line infantry that covers the French left wing

… while on the right the 108th and the 61st Line infantry controls the village of Fatova

The 26th Russian division of Paskervich moves onto the battlefield …

… and after some minutes the 12th division arrives too

The French’s reply did not await

So the Russian CiC, General-lieutenant Nikolay Raeyvsky, is forced to explain again to his sub commanders the strategy: “Go straight and break them!!”

… for 4 turns Russians try to enter into the village of Saltanovka and force a part of the 85th to break

On the French right wing the Russian movement is slower but at the end of the 5th turn they arrive close to the bridge

At the halftime the arrive of the reinforcements help French to block a potential breakthrough at the right of Saltanovka village

The Russian 26th division arrives at the rivers engaging the 61st de ligne

After 6 turns of hard fighting the situation on the table is below

French commanders decide to split the Cuirassier Division “Valence” between the village of Fatova

and Satlanovka

while the battery of cannons are continuing to hammer the Russian lines

On contrary the Russian commanders decided to launch their entire reverse of cavalry at the conquest of Fatova

At the end of 10th turn the Russian tide permits them to cross the bridge of Saltanovka

And the river near to Fatova village

Even if the French troops continue to have the control of both villages

Below a rare photo of exultant Russian commanders