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Setup is Well Underway
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Mega Game: Borodino, 1812
Our latest mega game returned to Black Powder Napoleonics, with a giant re-fight of the Battle of Borodino. This was the pivotal
battle of Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, and historically was a hard fought but marginal French victory, with a very
high casaulty count on both sides.
Our re-fight was conducted on a 26 ft long table, covering the ground from south of Utitsa to the Moscow River in the far north.
The French and Allied forces had their historical level of numerical advantage, but the Russian forces are very tough on defence,
and they were deployed on favorable ground, with streams to their front, and several earthwork fortifications covering their center
- some Fleches and the Grand Redoubt.
The fighting was fierce right from the beginning all along the line. Near Utitsa fighting went back and forth, ending in stalemate.
The Russian forces pushed forward from the fleches, but were savaged by Polish and Italian thrusts. In the north around the village
of Borodino, French cavalry managed to gain the upper hand and steadily ground down the Czar's forces. The climax came with a giant
assault on the Grand Redoubt, from multiple sides. After a heroic defence the Russian forces gave way, leaving the exhausted French
battered but in possession of the field, just as historically. An excellent game and great fun.
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