Six Days in October - The Consolidated Dispatches of Marshal Lannes

[panzerde]

Re: DISPATCH from CONTROL, 0630, 15th October

Dusty though none the worse for the wear, Marshals Davout and Lannes have arrived in sufficient proximity one to another to speak directly and without reference to the umpire.

Please let me know should you wish to move OUT from this proximity.

If unclear, consider yourself to be at the southern portion of Erfurt at ca. 0900, 15th October.

The guns to the North of the City have gone silent.

I am available for questions.



On Tue, Jun 6, 2017 at 8:21 AM, James Sterrett <james.sterrett@gmail.com> wrote:
Lannes is Doug, yes?

So if he and I move our HQs into contact, are we allowed to talk
freely (no messengers, just direct comms)?

This is common in Kriegsspiel.  *However* you might want to say NO...
because....

1) In a typical Kriegsspiel the players don't get a week to jabber to
each other.

2) It is less fun for you when you don't get to listen in on all the
conversations.



On Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 10:15 PM, James Sterrett
<james.sterrett@gmail.com> wrote:
> :)
>
>
>
> On Jun 4, 2017 10:13 PM, "Jim Owczarski" <jenacampaign@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> And the blind marshal keeps it classy...
>>
>> Were it not for your performance at Auerstadt...OK, at Austerlitz too...
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 10:12 PM, James Sterrett <james.sterrett@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Davout to Lannes, 0630, 15 October
>>>
>>> Yo, bro, I'm, like, in Erfurt.  Sweet, eh?  They even have this wine
>>> stuff here.  Yeaaaah.  No more goddamn beer.  >belch<
>>>
>>> Ahem.
>>>
>>> In the absence of coordination, we have embarked on a day of recovery.
>>> If we can move quickly against nearby enemies I'm delighted to do
>>> that.
>>>
>>> Otherwise, I hope we can move our three corps as a concentrated for
>>> either to finish off Rachel or to plough into Brunswick, who is in the
>>> vicinity of Weimar.
>>>
>>> If you come visit me in Erfurt I'd be happy to share the wine.
>>>
>>> - Davout
>>>
>>> On Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 10:01 PM, Jim Owczarski <jenacampaign@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> > Marshal Davout,
>>> >
>>> > A messenger has arrived from Marshal Lannes indicating he is only a few
>>> > kilometers West of Erfurt.
>>> >
>>> > He sends greetings and warm regards and bids you reply.
>>> >
>>> > S!
>>>

[panzerde]

Davout to Lannes

Excellent! Do you know anything of the engagement to the north? I have set my corps in motion to join that battle, whatever it may be.

I've had direct contact with Brunswick's corps - both Scharnhorst's cavalry, and Arnim's infantry - on the road to Weimar. Arnim was moving eastward, and Scharnhorst beat up my cavalry when it went scouting eastwards. I suspect Brunswick is concentrating at Weimar. Bernadotte was considering moving north from Saalfeld but I do not know to what end.

I've no clue where the rest of our army might be.

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Lannes to Davout

All that I know is that I can hear the guns. I was waiting to join up with you before moving north. My guess is that this is either Murat engaging some unknown enemy, or my cavalry & your detached division engaging Saxe.

Unless you think differently, I will order V Corps to march to the sound of the guns. As noted above, most of my cavalry is already in that direction, so it may be advisable to continue to have your cavalry maintain cautious contact with Brunswick's forces. I would hate to have Erfurt seized behind us by a sudden attack.

I haven't the faintest where the rest of our army is. I gathered from Murat's last dispatch that the bulk of it may still be loitering around the Hof Gap. That concerns me, in that I'm wary of engaging what may be the whole remaining Prussian army with our two corps and the rest of the army far out of supporting distance.

[panzerde]

Davout to Lannes

I share your disquiet regarding plunging into Brunswick.

We began with some 44000 men and 4000 cavalry; my cavalry has been
savaged and has probably lost 1000 men.  With Murat's cavalry we have
24000 (23000 with my losses.)

Brunswick musters, in theory, some 54000 men and 22000 cavalry.

I can see heading into Brunswick with all 3 of our corps, but without
Murat we will have no eyes and if Brunswick is competent we will find
ourselves outflanked by his cavalry and infantry.

Our morale, once recovered, is superior to Brunswick's, but we have
been fighting.  I ill include this in a message to Murat and invite
him to our conference.

[panzerde]

To: Marshal Murat & Marshal Bernadotte
From: Marshall Davout  (composed as Marshal Lannes reads over my
shoulder and perhaps offers his own commentary to boot but hopefuly
does not slop any wine on the note)
Time:  0900 15 October
Location: South Erfurt

Marshal Lannes asked about my contacts with Brunswick yesterday.

Reviewing my messages:

I'm not entirely certain where my cavalry was.

They spotted Von Arnim's division marching towards Weimar and reported
it at 1300 (time sent).

At 1930 they reported "We have been engaged by troops of Scharnhorst's
cavalry Southwest of Weimar who fell on us without warning.  Their
numbers -- entirely cavalry -- were at least two times our own."

Scharnhorst has, in theory, around 4000 cavalry, which would be about
twice the size of Vialannes' division.

This reads, to me, as Brunswick concentrating around, or east, of
Weimar.  It also suggests he may have been leaving Ruchel hanging out
to die.

I have no clue where Hohenlohe's corps might be; I presume it is
somewhere vaguely to the east of Brunswick, though if northeast, east,
or southeast, I have no idea.


- Marshal Davout

[panzerde]

Gentlemen --  It would be, at this point, too cute by half to cut you off from the association of the fine Marshal Murat.  Muddied, bloodied, and one expects, tired, his men have seen off Saxe's division only a few moments ago.

He is, however, now sufficiently proximate to the two of you for you to converse directly.

I will otherwise transmit the below missive to Bernadotte.

S!

Control

[panzerde]

Davout to Murat and Lannes

So, the TL;DR version is:

Our three corps, combined, should move towards Weimar tomorrow and
attack Brunswick there on the following day.

If you object to this, please speak up.

(The obvious objection is that it changes Murat's initial orders.  I
believe those orders are no longer valid due to changing
circumstances, and that we should act now rather than waiting a week
for a courier to get the Emperor's approval for the change in plan.)

[panzerde]

Lannes to Davout and Murat

Completely agreed. There is a window of opportunity and we should exploit it. I don't think it makes sense to simply follow the existing orders.

[panzerde]

Murat to Davout and Lannes

Gentlemen -
I concur that the Emperor's earlier vision for the employment of my cavalry after Erfurt is taken seems to have been overtaken by events. Advancing on Weimar together as a group will be a much more effective strategy.

However, given that our current command relationships are a tad amibuous (what with Marshall Davout now being technically in command of this wing) I would feel more comfortable if he would couch his "request" in the form of an order for me to abandon the previously directed northward sweep towards Halle and instead screen the advance of our three corps on Weimar.

I also wish to point out that both of Ruchel's divisions which recently fled the field did so in a north-easterly direction, rather than in the direction of Weimar. This strikes me as a bit odd, since if Brunswick is actually in Weimar it would make far more sense (and be much safer) for the remnants of Ruchel's corps to have retreated in that direction. I think it prudent that we maintain a strong screen of picquets in that direction as we march east to ensure we are not taken unawares by an enemy flanking force.

- Murat

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Davout to Murat and Lannes

Good point regarding Ruchel's move to the northeast.

So...  an order.  Here goes.

To: Western Wing, Marshal Bernadotte, The Emperor
From: Marshal Davout
Time: 1000 15 October

[I'm working to practice this format, so bear with me on that.]

Commander's Intent:

Purpose:  The Western Wing, having cleared the R-O-Y passes and the
town of Erfurt, and having shattered Ruchel's Corps, continues to fix
and destroy Prussian forces in order to ensure the main body can clear
the B-V passes and attack.  The Western Wing will do this by engaging
and defeating Brunswick's Corps, believed to be in the vicinity of
Weimar.

Key Tasks:

* Destroy elements of Brunswick's corps west of the river in the
vicinity of Weimar

In order to accomplish this task:

* Rest and reassemble forces in the vicinity of Erfurt
* Attack to secure Weimar
* Maintain reconnaissance on Ruchel
* Coordinate with main body if possible

End State:

At the conclusion of this operation, the Western Wing will have
destroyed Brunswick's forces west of Weimar, and will be positioned
and capable of continuing offensive action, expected to be generally
eastward.


Concept of the operation:

This offensive will unfold over the next three days.  We will advance,
secure Weimar in order to split Brunswick's forces, and destroy those
on the western side of the river.

15 October:  Western Wing corps will rest and reassemble.
16 October:  Western Wing corps will move eastwards, crossing the
river between Erfurt and Weimar, establishing a cavalry screen and
probing to discern enemy dispositions.
17 October: Western Wing forces advance eastwards to destroy
Brunswick's corps.  Lannes will be north of the road, Davout will be
south of the road, Murat will seek to destroy the enemy cavalry.

At this time, I envision Lannes rolling up Brunswick's projected
positions on the ridgeline NW of Weimar while Davout secures Weimar
itself.  Murat ensures security and destroys enemy cavalry forces.
The specifics will change based on actual enemy dispositions.

Orders:

Murat will take the lead in the march on the 16th.  Murat will screen
our forces as they move into position.  On the 17th Murat screens and
destroys enemy cavalry in order to ensure we can concentrate our
forces against a dispersed enemy.  Murat detaches the minimum
necessary force to maintain contact with Ruchel's forces in order to
ensure we are not surprised from that direction.

Davout moves second on the 16th, moving to an assembly area south of
the road once past the intermediate river.  On the 17th, Davout will
advance and secure Weimar in order to split Brunswick's corps and
isolate those forces west of Weimar.  Davout will then maneuver in
order to assist in the destruction of Brunswick's forces west of the
river.

Lannes advances third on the 16th, moving to an assembly area north of
the road once past the intermediate river.  On the 17th, Lannes
advances north of the road, seeking to destroy Brunswick's forces.

- Marshal Davout


-----------------
Out of character:

I will not have any communication during the first two weeks of July,
and may not have much during the third.  I will again likely be in
weak comms during the first week of August.  During this time, I
propose to turn my corps & the Western Wing over to whichever of you
will have solid communications.

[panzerde]

Murat to Davout and Lannes

Marshall Davout,
Allow me to suggest one minor change to your proposed orders: have my cavalry advance to the north of the Erfurt - Weimar road while Lannes' corps advances directly up the road. That will facilitate his slower moving infantry reaching the objective area faster and should afford my cavalry more maneuver room to try and compromise the Prussian positions at Weimar by circling around to the north and impeding their options to withdraw in that direction (thereby compelling them to fall back to the east, presumably onto the Emperor as he advances north from Hof with our main body).

- Murat

[panzerde]

Davout to Murat and Lannes

You are welcome to that maneuver space, and I like the idea of
speeding both aspects of the move.

At the moment, I envision Lannes attacking north of the road, while
Davout attacks the city itself.  Thus, to get the speed you envision,
we should have Davout move on the road, and part of Murat's corps
could move south of it.

You (Murat) have been given a hydra-headed task, in that I see you as
both screening and also providing a concentrated punch to deal with
the Prussian cavalry.  I'm assuming - perhaps incorrectly - that your
large number of elements will make that possible.

On a different note - I will be at Origins this week.  I expect to see
Jim and Doug there as well (we are all cheerfully entrapped in the
flypaper of the Grogheads booth.  :)  ).  Lancer, are you going to be
there as well?

[panzerde]

Command of Davout's Corps

Gentlemen,

Starting this coming Sunday (2 July), I will be completely out of contact until 13 July; and will be too busy to pay attention to the game until 22 July.   I will also be on the road with questionable contact from 30 July through 5 August.

I suggest that one of you take over my Corps during this time.

I'd like to be kept in the loop - or gracious umpire can perhaps decide what is appropriate for me to know? - commands to the corps and reports concerning it - but it should be placed in one of your hands until I am reliably in contact again.

I suspect it may make more sense to hand it to Murat, since there will be some distance between my corps and Lannes' during our planned attack for two days hence; but it is your call, gentlemen.

- Davout/James

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Command of Davout's Corps

From Lannes

Agreed that it may make more sense for Davout's corps to be under Murat's control. I'm happy to handle it if Lancer doesn't want to, but my corps probably will be the farthest afield.

[panzerde]

Command of Davout's Corps

From Murat

I'm happy to assume temporary command of Davout's corps with two stipulations:
1) the moderator approves of my doing so, and
2) I get a current breakdown of where his divisions are and what (roughly) their current status is in terms of numbers and morale

Assuming those two requirements can be met, I'm happy to help out.

- Lance/Murat