Battle of Golymin 1806: A Polemos Ruse de Guerre Refight

 For the first battle of 2022 for the Napoleonic Miniatures Wargames Society of Toronto, the Battle of Golymin was chosen.  The battle took place on Boxing Day 1806, as French forces under Murat, Davout and Augereau clashed with a Russian rearguard under Prince Gallitzin.

As ever for these battles I am using the Polemos Ruse de Guerre rules and a scenario written by the rules' author, Glenn Pearce, adapted for my own circumstances.  I have actually played this battle before a while ago, from a scenario in the Polemos Napoleonic Companion; Glenn's scenario is quite a bit different though in terms of forces, terrain and starting positions.

The fighting at Golymin took place over quite a wide area and this, more than any lack of troops in my collection, strongly suggested to me that I should choose a portion of the action.  In fact, I have actually created two scenarios for different portions of the battle; and the actual events of the battle support this.  The French made two major infantry attacks: the first from the North West by troops under Augereau, and the second from the south from two divisions of Davout's corps.  Murat was the senior general but the separate contingents all fought quite separately: Davout makes it clear that Augereau's combat was largely completed by the time his own forces got into action.

This scenario therefore concentrates on Augereau's attack.  The overall scenario order of battle isn't quite clear which Russian contingents were in which sector historically, so I picked the contingent which seemed to most resemble the account in Petre.

The Forces:

Imperial France: 

C-in-C: Marshal Augereau

1st Division: Gen Heudelet

1st  Brigade: 3 bases of Well-Trained Light Infantry

2nd Brigade: 1 base of Well-Trained Light Infantry, 2 bases of Trained Infantry

3rd Brigade: 1 base of Well-Trained Light Infantry, 1 base of Trained Infantry

2nd Division: Gen Desjardin

1st Brigade: 2 bases of Well-Trained Light Infantry, 4 bases of Trained Infantry

2nd Brigade:  2 bases of Well-Trained Light Infantry, 3 bases of Trained Infantry

 

Light Cavalry Brigade: Gen Durosnel

2 bases of Trained Cavalry

 

Imperial Russia:

C-in-C: Prince Gallitzin

Netting's Division:

1st Brigade: 3 bases of Trained Infantry

2nd Brigade: 3 bases of Trained Infantry

3rd Brigade: 2 bases of Trained Cavalry

Army Artillery: 6 bases of Trained 6lb Foot Artillery

Army Reserve: 1 base of Well-Trained Infantry

So the French have great superiority in numbers, but the Russians have lots of guns and the French have none.

The ground was notably marshy: therefore all movement is at half-speed except on the roads.

The French must clear the entire board of Russian troops in 15 turns to win (otherwise night falls).

Durosnel's cavalry arrived late, and so must roll each turn to arrive (on a 9 or 10 on a d10).

 

The Set-Up:

The French approach from the North-West and West (West is the bottom-right corner, more-or-less); Heudelet's Division is on the baseline to the left; Desjardins' Division is around the village of Ruskow to the right. Prince Gallitzin's troops are divided between the wooded areas, with his artillery in the gaps.

A closer look from behind Heudelet's Divsion

And at Desjardins' Division

Russian troops facing Ruskow (off to the right - Golymin itself is down the road behind the Russians)

A closer look at the Russian infantry and guns blocking the road to Golymin.

The Battle:

The battle begins in inauspicious fashion for the French: a battalion of Light Infantry is quickly destroyed by Russian artillery

More Russian artillery causes casualties amongst the garrison of the village.

French voltigeurs take casualties from the Russian musketeers lining the woods.

However, the French light infantrymen prove to be both more numerous and better shots, and the Russian musketeers are killed or left to flee.

More French skirmishers push forward...

But are quickly broken by Russian musketry!

Desjardin's right-hand brigade advances, although suffering somewhat from flanking artillery fire (from the left)

The Russian artillery has its range now, and the lead French battalion is routed by accurate, deadly fire.

Heudelet's men are slowly making progress into the woods, despite suffering from musketry and round-shot.

Desjardin has been too busy rallying his troops to really get his attack going as it should have been,

More Russian musketeers advance to halt the advance of the French voltigeurs into the woods

And, seizing the moment, one of the Russian musketeer battalions puts in a quick bayonet charge against some wavering French light infantry to its front!

The French are repulsed, and their morale collapses...

The French left-hand regiment has lost two-thirds of its combat power...

But meanwhile, the French light troops in the centre assault the Russian musketeers trying to restore the line...

And they too are put to flight!

However, the remnants of the French left-hand regiment have called it a day, and left the field, exposing the entire French Left...hopefully those French Chasseurs a Cheval will arrive soon!

Another of Heudelet's battalions are routed, this one again by the massed Russian artillery fire

A very smart charge by the Russian Grenadier battalion from the reserve retakes the wood for the Russians

Meanwhile, the flank of the Russian Musketeer battalion facing the village is threatened (left)

It dissolved in panic before it can rally!

Heudelet joins his lead troops to try and push them forward again

All of a sudden the battle changes:  a maelstrom of fire destroys half of Desjardin's attacking brigade in a few wild moments

Desjardin positions his men for a flank assault, but will their morale withstand the shock?

No!  They rout and the loss of both French flanking brigades has discouraged the rest of Augereau's infantry.  The Marshal cannot persuade his men to resume their advance against the reformed Russian line

The clearance of the wood has come too late

The battle dissolves into desultory skirmishing fire as night begins to fall.

Game Notes:

Nice to get Polemos Ruse de Guerre and an interesting Napoleonic battle back to the table.  As ever, the rules give a quick and smooth game.  The Polemos structures are generally pretty simple so even though it is a while since I played Ruse de Guerre, I was quickly back into it.  

I guess that the take-away is the reminder that in these rules, firepower can sometimes - not always - lead to very quickly destroyed battalions: there can often be a roughly 10% chance of getting an instant kill; or if two units are firing against one, there might well be a 25% chance of getting a one-turn kill (by getting two shaken results in quick succession).  And with some relatively high dice rolling from both sides, it led to quite a bloody battle.  This is a very different dynamic from the Neil Thomas' games I have been playing recently, as well as very different from Polemos Napoleonics in which firepower is very little, it is all about co-ordinating the close assaults.  In essence in RdG, roll the dice often enough and you will get some kills and thus make some space.

But not much to say overall - good fun game, good scenario, good rules - nothing not to like!

Figures as ever by Baccus 6mm; the buildings here by Timecast and/or Baccus.