Battle Report - Shevardino Redoubt

This past Saturday I went over to Dan Kerrick's house in San Jose to play test the Shevardino Redoubt scenario that Dan will be running at KublaCon in later May.

It was a tough slog up to the redoubt for the French and in the end we had to make some scenario adjustments.  Specifically:

• Increase all French brigades to 5 infantry units across the board.
• Add a second French artillery battery (large).
• Treat the cover save from the redoubt as a normal cover save (5+) instead of a fortified cover save (4+).

Overall though, it was an enjoyable game and very close to what the scenario needs to be.  In the end the Russians scored a victory by a significant margin - 30 to 15 VPs.  At about turn 7 it was looking like the French may pull it off due to them having broken the Russian Jager units and put a hurting of a few musketeer units, the steady and distributed hits on the French units meant that things went bad quickly in turn 8 and 9 with many broken French units.  The remaining French units didn't have the strength to carry or even contest the redoubt after being pushed back in several melees.

With the adjustments made to the scenario (updated the original post) I think we are all set to host the game at the convention.

Pictures below.  I'll note that this was both a play test - but also that Dan is furiously working to finish basing the Russian forces - so you will see that the Russian bases are incomplete.  That will be resolved shortly and certainly before the convention game.

Below are pictures of the redoubt built for the scenario.  Technically much fancier than the real one, but a little indulgence is acceptable in wargames.  The core model for this is from Grand Manner, but it was cut in two places to straighten it out.  Some green stuff and a little sculpting later the redoubt just had to be painted and finished off.

There you have it folks ... now if I can just squeeze in a play test of my Little Round Top scenario for ACW we'll be all set for the convention later this month.

Napoleonic Scenario: Shevardino Redoubt

Here is the scenario for the Shevardino Redoubt.  Dan Kerrick and I will be play testing this scenario this coming Saturday so stay tuned for pictures of that game.

Shevardino Redoubt (Borodino) - September 5, 1812

Although most like to focus on the grand redoubt at Borodino, there was also a rather involved battle around the Shevardino Redoubt.  4 brigades from the French 5th division are to push straight at the redoubt in an effort to overrun the position and silence the guns.  The Russians have Jager units deployed forward of the redoubt to slow the French advance while the core of the infantry is positioned behind the redoubt.

Map and Initial Deployments

This game is played on a 6 foot by 10 foot table.  Terrain layout and initial unit deployments are shown in the picture below.  Units located in the redoubt gain a regular cover save of 5+.  Units defending the "front" part of the redoubt count as being at a defended obstacle.  Do not apply any special modifiers if units in the redoubt are engaged from the rear (across a part of the redoubt that is not crossing the breastworks).  Units that have been pushed back and are not positioned at the breastworks will gain a cover bonus but with the normal 5+ shooting save, and do not count as defending an obstacle in melee.  All fields and roads count as open terrain.  The town counts as open terrain while the buildings are impassable.

The Russian musketeer regiments behind the redoubt cannot activate (move) until turn 3.

Russian Order of Battle

27th infantry division (C-in-C:  GM Dmitrii Neverovski).

French Order of Battle

5th infantry division (C-inC:  GdD Compans).

Special Rules and Victory Conditions

This game lasts 8 turns.  At the end of turn 8, roll 1D6.  On a result of 3+ play a 9th turn.  At the end of turn 9, roll 1D6.  On a result of 5+ play a 10th and final turn.

This scenario uses the following special rules:

• Stoic - Russian units with this rule gain +1D3 to all morale tests taken as a result of shooting casualties.  Note this bonus is only for shooting related morale tests and does not apply to morale tests taken for any other reason.

Standard victory conditions apply, with the following additions:

• The side with the majority control of the redoubt at games end gains +15 victory points.  To determine control, for each unit located (even partially) in the redoubt, add the units break value, minus current number of hits.  If one side is great by a margin of 10 or more, it has control of the redoubt.  Otherwise, the redoubt is contested and no points are awarded.

ACW Scenario: Casey's Redoubt

As I wrap up the third and final scenario and game for Gettysburg, I look beyond to other engagements in the civil war.  Alas, here is my next scenario.  I will be running this game at the PacifiCon Game Expo in Santa Clara, CA on the weekend of September 1-4, 2017.

Battle of Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) - May 31, 1862

I wanted to do an engagement that was unique.  During the battle of Fair Oaks, there was a great action around a Union position containing a redoubt.  Also known as Seven Pines, the redoubt was called Casey's Redoubt after the Union general commanding the 3rd Division of the 4th Corps.  The Confederate forces ended up storming the position and forcing the Union troops to withdraw some 15 miles beyond the position.

There are technically more units involved than are represented in the scenario (for both sides), but the units I have involved in the scenario offer game balance for a force that is assaulting a fixed position.  It also reflects the potential for a historical outcome for the engagement.

Lastly, one of the key reasons I wanted to do this battle was the presence of heavy artillery in the redoubt.  For visual purposes, I'll exaggerate these into siege guns, and not just siege guns on a normal chassis but the fixed position guns because they look cool and I've wanted to use them in a game.  I bought several models from T.A. Miniatures for this purpose.

Storming Casey's redoubt.

Very cool siege guns from T.A. Miniatures below ...

100pdr Parrott Rifled Gun

32Pdr on Barbette Carriage

I also picked up some siege guns from Perry Miniatures ...

Siege gun from Perry Miniatures.

Scenario Map and Deployment

The table used for this game is 6 foot by 8 foot.  The map below shows the table layout and initial deployments for all units involved.

The areas denoted with fallen trees are considered difficult terrain, as are the forested areas.  The black lines extending either side of the redoubt represent a shallow entrenchment (or simple breastworks) that counts as a defended obstacle.  The redoubt is a fortified position (counts as cover, with saves from shooting increased to 4+).  The field (top left) with units from Garland's brigade counts as difficult ground (the field wasn't cleared at this point).

The twin houses located behind the redoubt are famous landmarks from this battle.  Nobody sells these in 28mm so I'll have to scratch build them, but that will not be all that difficult.  Some pictures of the twin houses below.

Union Order of Battle

3rd division of the 4th corps and a fixed position battery at Casey's redoubt.

Confederate Order of Battle

D.H. Hill's Division from the Confederate left wing (Longstreet).

Special Rules and Victory Conditions

The game lasts 8 turns.

• Siege Guns:  The picture below shows the shooting stats for siege guns.  Additionally, just for this scenario, when shooting, siege guns can divide shooting dice between up to three different valid targets.  Determine all modifiers before dividing dice and divide dice across targets before rolling to hit.

• Immobile:  The Union siege artillery positioned in the redoubt cannot be moved (includes "prolonging" the guns).

Standard victory conditions apply with the following additions:

• Casey's Redoubt counts at 10 VPs for whichever side occupy's the position at the end of the game.