Scenario NBIV: The Battle of Montmirail (Malcolm McCallum)

The Battle of Montmirail, 11 February 1814:  Striking rapidly from the South at Champaubert, Napoleon tore into the center of Blucher’s strung out column as it was pushing west to Paris in pursuit of MacDonald. From the central position, the French then drove west with the only available troops, the Old Guard and a division of the "Marie Louise", in hopes of smashing Blucher’s leading elements (Sacken and Yorck) in isolation and with their backs to the French held bridges over the Marne. Sacken turned in response to the French maneuver, seeing so few French behind him, and sought to cut his way back to Blucher through Montmirail while Yorck advocated fleeing north through Chateau Thierry. Seeing that he could not dissuade the Russian from his aggression, Yorck marched to his aid.

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MAP NOTES:
1: All buildings have a "+1" combat modifier except Rozoy Bellavalle which has "+3"
2: Sacken is supreme commander. In the event that he is removed from the game, Yorck becomes supreme commander and gains a response number of "10".
3: Allied units may only exit the table through the I1 road.
4: Mortier is not on the table at game start.
5: French on-table forces are setup first, followed by the Allies.
6: Due to the extreme mud conditions, all artillery is reduced to � movement. Artillery may always limber or unlimber as their full turn.
7: The Petit Morin river is unfordable.

MONTMIRAIL ORDERS OF BATTLE:

(3) GRANDE ARMEE (F) Napoleon 28"E(10)+3D [5M until Mortier arrives, then 6M]. Lefebvre 9"E(5)+1D and Ney 8"E(4)+3 are wing commanders who may command any troops in the army. Drouot may be used to command any artillery units in the army. (3) ALLIED FORCES (AF): Sacken 9"A(10)+1 [7M until the arrival of Horn and Pirch and then 10M]
(2) GUARD RESERVE CORPS (OG): Mortier 8"G(6)+1 [4F] (2)  VI CORPS (VI): Tscherbatov 7"A(4)+0 [2F]
(1)  FIRST GUARD DIVISION (1/OG): Friant 5"E(8)+2 (1)  7th DIVISION (7/VI): Tallitzen 3"A(4)+0
1B/1/OG: 24 FrOGD [7D] 1B/7/VI: 16 RsLN [8D]
2B/1/OG: 24 FrOGD [7D] 2B/7/VI: 16 RsJG [8D]
(1)  SECOND GUARD DIVISION (2/OG): Michel 3"G(6)+1 (1)  24th DIVISION (24/VI): Bernodossov 3"A(4)+0
1B/2/OG: 24 FrOGD [7D] 1B/24/VI: 16 RsLN [8D]
2B/2/OG: 24 FrOGD [7D] 2B/24/VI: 16 RsLN [8D]
(1)  GUARD ARTILLERY (OG): Drouot 4"G(8)+1 CORPS ARTILLERY:
OG: FrG12# VI: Rs12#
OG: FrG12# VI: Rs12#
OG: FrG12# VI: Rs12#
OG: FrG6# VI: Rs6#
VI: Rs6#
GUARD CAVALRY CORPS (GC): Nansouty 5"G(7)+1 [3F] VI: Rs6#
(1)  FIRST DIVISION (1/GC): Colbert 3"A(6)+0 (2)  XI CORPS (XI): Lieven 8"A(4)+0 [2F]
1B/1/GC: 16 FrGLC [5D] (1)  10th DIVISION (10/XI): Sass 4"A(5)+0
2B/1/GC: 12 FrVGLC [4D] 1B/10/XI: 16 RsLN [8D]
2B/10/XI: 16 RsJG [8D]
(1)  SECOND DIVISION (2/GC): Guyot 4"G(7)+1
1B/2/GC: 16 FrGHC [5D] (1)  27th DIVISION (27/XI): Stawitzky 3"G(5)+0
1B/27/XI: 20 RsLN
CORPS ARTILLERY:
GC: FrG6# CORPS ARTILLERY:
GC: FrG6# XI: Rs12#
XI: Rs12#
(1)  INDEPENDENT CAVALRY DIVISION (IC): Defrance 4"G(6)+1 [1F] XI: Rs6#
1B/IC: 12 FrYGC [5D] XI: Rs6#
XI: Rs6#
(1)  YOUNG GUARD ATTACHED DIVISION (A): Ricard 3"G(7)+1
1B/A: 16 FrLN [8D] (2)  III CAVALRY CORPS (IIIC): Vasilchikov 5"A(5)+0 [1F]
2B/A: 16 FrLN [8D] (1)  FIRST DIVISION (1/IIIC): Lanskoi 3"P(5)+0
1/IIIC: 12 RsLC [6D]
YOUNG GUARD ARTILLERY:
A: Fr6# (1)  SECOND DIVISION (2/IIIC): Panksulisev 4"A(5)+1
A: Fr6# 2/IIIC: 12 RsLC [6D]
CORPS ARTILLERY:
IIIC: Rs6#
IIIC: Rs6#
(1)  COSSACK DIVISION (CSK): Karpow 4"G(8)+1 [1F]
CSK: 16 CLC [11D]
(2)   PRUSSIAN I CORPS (IP): Yorck 10" E(7)+1 [3F]
(1)  7th BRIGADE (7/IP): Horn 3"A(6)+0
1B/7/IP: 24 PrLN [12D]
2B/7/IP: 24 PrLN [12D]
(1) 2nd BRIGADE (2/IP): Pirch 4"G(5)+1
1B/2/IP: 24 PrLN [12D]
2B/2/IP: 24 PrLN [12D]
(1) CAVALRY BRIGADE (C/IP): Katzler 3"A(4)+0
1B/C/IP: 16 PrLC [8D]
2B/C/IP: 16 PrLC [8D]
CORPS ARTILLERY:
IP: Pr6#
IP: Pr6#
SPECIAL RULES FOR MONTMIRAIL:
Game Length: 1000-1800 (17 turns). The Allies are the First Side.
Arrival Times: Allied:  7/IP and 2/IP: 1400 hours. In march column at I1
French: OG: 1200 hours. In march column at C5
 
Napoleon. The Napoleon rule is in effect.
 
Weather: Turns 1730-1800 are night turns.
 
Options: The Allies start with the initiative. The French get 5 rerolls and the Allies 4.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The French player may only win by destroying the Allied army morale. Likewise, the Allied player may only win by destroying the French army morale. If neither side wins, it is considered to be a draw. As an optional rule, the Prussian units of Horn and Pirch do not count toward army morale until they cross the bridge at G2.

HISTORICAL MONTMIRAIL: Refusing to heed the warnings of Yorck, Sacken attacked in an effort to brush aside the few french units before him. Pressing forward aggressively, Tallitzen got into the villages about Marchais, only to have Napoleon commit his reserves. Ney launched a counterattack at the head of the Old Guard to La Haute Epine and beyond, turning the Russian position and isolating them from their Prussian reinforcements. The "Marie Louise" infantry, straight up from Paris, earned the respect of the Old Guard as they too counterattacked and drove the Czar’s infantry from Marchais. Hardly a Russian escaped and nightfall saw Napoleon’s Grumblers pursuing Yorck back the way he had come.

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