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Saturday, August 10, 2019

29 September 1813 – Battle of Dahre


Tactical map of battle area
Blucher must relieve the pressure on Salzwedel and Kladen
The only corps available is 1st corps
They still require battle replacements
Despite this Blucher orders them to attack Dahre

3rd French corps are still recovering from battle of Schenga
The have been ordered to reorganise and resupply
When they receive notice of the attack they “march to the sound of the guns”
It will take four moves to concentrate before they can do so
They will arrive on the table at the start of move 5

French – 13600 infantry, 900 cavalry, 30 guns
Russian – 14400 infantry, 900 cavalry, 27 guns
Table at start of battle
1st Prussian corps (centre top) are ready to advance
3rd French corps (centre bottom) will arrive at the start of move 5
16 French brigade are the garrison of Dahre
All of them are in the right hand section of the town


Move 1 : 0800-0900
1st Prussian corps advance both sides of the woods
16 brigade extend to occupy both sections of Dahre

Each town section requires a brigade to defend it
So a town would need two brigades
One brigade can extend to cover both sections
But if attacked they are minus 1 on their combat dice roll
Move 2 : 0900-1000
1st Prussian corps continue to advance
16 brigade continues to extend to occupy both town sections
Move 3 : 1000-1100
1st Prussian corps now in position
They are in column of march and must deploy to attack the town
16 brigade has completed their occupation of both town sections
Move 4 : 1100-1200
Prussians move first
Infantry deploy in column of attack and advance to skirmish range of the town
Artillery unlimber within short range of the town

French move second
Garrison fire on infantry, but no casualties
Move 5 : 1200-1300
Prussians move first
Artillery fire on garrison at short range, no casualties
Two infantry brigades skirmish with garrison, no asualties

French move second
Garrison do not fire, with smoke from previous move they cannot hit anything
3rd French corps arrive on table
Cavalry advance to engage Prussian hussars
Move 6 : 1300-1400
Prussians move first
Artillery fire on garrison, no casualties again.
Two leading infantry brigades charge garrison
The garrison hold, and all three brigades lose 10% casualties

French move second
Cavalry advance into charge range of Prussian hussars
Infantry move up ready to reinforce the garrison
Move 7 : 1400-1500
Prussians move first
Artillery masked by infantry melee and unable to fire
Prussians win melee, garrison rout with 30% casualties
Cavalry charge cuirassiers, melee is a draw and both lose 10% casualties

French move second
Two infantry brigades at edge of town must test morale for rout of garrison
Both fail and are shaken
Move 8 : 1500-1600
French move first
Cavalry must return to command range (8”) to rally from disordered
Garrison continues to rout to edge of town
Supporting brigades, which are both shaken, fail morale test and remain shaken

Prussians move second
Cavalry also return to command range to rally from disordered
Infantry in attack have both suffered heavy casualties, 20% and 30%
They retreat to regroup and allow reserve brigade to replace them
Move 9 : 1600-1700
Prussians move first
Cavalry rally but with 20% casualties are no longer operational
Artillery do not have any target to fire on
Reserve infantry brigade move into lower half of town

French move second
Artillery advance to fire on Prussian reserve
Cavalry support, despite 20% casualties
Infantry move into top half of town
One of the shaken brigades lose their morale test and rout
Nearby brigade must test morale, remain shaken
Brigade entering town musts test morale, fail and are shaken


Conclusion
Both sides have lost heavy casualties, particularly in town fighting
At nightfall the Prussians occupy half of the town
They can claim victory

Two French brigades are in rout, two more are shaken
The remaining brigade has 20% casualties, as do the cavalry

The French accept defeat and retreat


The French have lost 2500 casualties and two brigades in rout
The Prussians have lost 1700 casualties

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