by Paul LaFontaine, 24 May 2026
Three players participated in this scenario. We played the battle of Borodino, the major engagement near Moscow during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. Player AtaWe and Tiberghien commanded the French, Lewis++ commanded the Russians.
All players and the umpires had physical sets at their locations and the umpire reports were pointers via Discord allowing players to keep the situation on their own maps. Sadly, Discord crashed very hard toward the last turns of the game though we were able to navigate to a conclusion.
Lewis++ was able to hold on long enough to be considered the victor. AtaWe and Tiberghien took the northern position and had enough combat power to assault the final Russian position, but it would have been a great cost. The ability to continue on to Moscow and prevail would have been compromised.
The Problem
The French Army is larger in size and must defeat the Russians without gutting a large portion of its combat power. To prevail against Russia it has to maintain some combat power as it is so far from home. The Russians have two fortified positions that strengthen their defense and make this a difficult challenge. The Russians have to use those positions skillfully to not be cut off from the capital, Moscow.
Western (Blue) Briefing
This is the Napoleonic period. Cavalry can charge infantry and have impact, artillery can savage infantry in square, infantry in square is strong against cavalry. The blocks are broken out:
- Infantry block – A Division of 10,000 soldiers
- Cavalry block – A Regiment of 2400 saddles
- Artillery block – A Battalion of 168 guns
The frontage of a piece 2KM
Your Order of Battle
(can be reorganized)
In addition to the shown you have two divisions of elite infantry in reserve you can deploy in the extreme case. They should be do or die deployments, and will be represented by blank blue counters.
most images can click to enlarge
The Battle Area:
This is another of a series of Kriegsspiel AARs very similar to the events in our Wargame HQ at the Origins Game Fair. You can find the original article here.
Rivers are not fordable and must be crossed at bridges.
You are marching in from the east and have reports of enemy columns crossing at Steinhafen and Haupthof. Your forces are distributed on the line between Weisen and Altbruck. You outnumber the enemy by a small margin.
MISSION: You have invaded the enemy’s country and must significantly destroy the enemy army to ensure you are able to control the region.
East (Red) Briefing
This is the Napoleonic period. Cavalry can charge infantry and have impact, artillery can savage infantry in square, infantry in square is strong against cavalry. The blocks are broken out:
- Infantry block – A Division of 10,000 soldiers
- Cavalry block – A Regiment of 2400 saddles
- Artillery block – A Battalion of 168 guns
The frontage of a piece 2KM
Your Order of Battle
(can be reorganized)
The Battle Area:
NOTE: Kleindorf and Bergenthal have additional defensive power as the walls of the villages are solidly built. Defenses there will convey an advantage to you.
Rivers are not fordable and must be crossed at bridges.
Your columns have just recently cleared the bridges and are reorganizing into formation awaiting your orders. You are east of the red line on the map above. The enemy outnumbers you by a small margin.
MISSION: The enemy has invaded your country and a defeat here would force him to retreat back along his lines of supply. A defeat here is critical to the freedom of your people.
Turn 1 – 0630
The French forces are concentrated in the north (1), as AtaWe and Tiberghien have committed to advancing along a single road. The route passes through dense woods, slowing movement, impeding movement of a large force. This is similar to the woods that hindered the French advance at the historical Battle of Borodino. Lewis++ dispatches four divisions on the northern route (2) while retaining the main body of his army in the south (3). He intends to concentrate strength against the crossroads in the southeast.
Turn 2 – 0730
The French continue their advance along the road, pushing cavalry forward (1) in an effort to clear the route, but the bottleneck to the east constrains movement and slows deployment. This delay gives the main force under Lewis++ time to move toward its defensive position before major contact develops. Two Russian cavalry regiments head northeast toward Kleindorf (2) to screen the infantry forces as they move to their positions.
Turn 3 – 0830
AtaWe divides the cavalry into two separate wings (1), sending two regiments west and two south to widen his reconnaissance and secure the approach of the infantry. Tiberghien’s infantry assume the lead (2) and continue marching west, but heavy congestion persists in the wooded rear areas, slowing the movement of follow-on forces. The northern Russian column emerges from the tree line (3) and is spotted by French cavalry, confirming its presence. To the south, Lewis++ continues concentrating his main body around the southern crossroads (4), anchoring the position on a prepared redoubt that offers a strong defensive center.
Turn 4 – 0930
French and Russian cavalry make first contact on the northern edge of Kleindorf (1). Both commanders have ordered their mounted forces to avoid becoming decisively engaged, so the opposing screens exchange skirmishing fire before withdrawing in good order. The encounter establishes the first clear line of contact between the armies.
In the north, AtaWe pulls his cavalry back (2) after observing Lewis++’s column moving southeast toward Kleindorf. In the south, the Russian main body (3) strengthens its position further by fortifying the redoubt, creating a strong defensive anchor capable of dominating the surrounding road network.
Turn 5 – 1030
Tiberghien begins deploying his forces in the north (1), but the narrow road and congested approach continue to constrain movement. Infantry columns are still marching forward from the wooded rear, while the artillery remains pinned in the far eastern portion of the line, unable to deploy effectively or support the advance with concentrated fire.
Both the French and Russian cavalry now spread outward across the front, conducting wide screening operations for the infantry (3). In the south, Lewis++ continues strengthening the defense around the redoubt (3), transforming the crossroads position into a heavily anchored strongpoint prepared to resist a direct assault.
Turn 6 – 1130
Both AtaWe and Lewis++ push their cavalry westward (1) in an effort to extend their screening lines and secure visibility over the open ground between the advancing forces. The opposing cavalry detachments engage in a sharp action that ends with the French cavalry being driven off, though the Russian horsemen suffer noticeable casualties in the fighting. One Russian cavalry regiment remains combat-capable and continues to provide some reconnaissance and flank security.
Tiberghien’s remaining infantry emerges from the wood line (2) and begins bringing strength to the French line. Lewis++’s infantry complete their movement into Kleindorf (3), creating the Russian defense posture centered on two fortified positions.
Turn 7 – 1230
The French cavalry continue screening the flank (1) as Tiberghien deploys his forces into assault positions north of the Kleindorf. The French now prepare to assault the town, concentrating infantry while attempting to establish flank screens. The French artillery, however, remains trapped deep in the rear of the congested column and will not be in position to support the infantry assault for several more hours, forcing the attack to proceed initially without substantial gun support.
Lewis++, by contrast, has completed the concentration of his main body within the redoubts (3), giving the Russians a fully established defensive position with prepared fields of fire and unit cohesion before the main French assault begins.
Turn 8 – 1330
Tiberghien completes the deployment of his infantry into assault positions and uses his single remaining combat-capable cavalry regiment to screen the advance and protect the exposed northern flank (1). The line is now formed, though still lacking artillery support due to the continuing congestion in the rear.
Lewis++, meanwhile, has consolidated all of his forces into defensive positions centered on the fortified town of Kleindorf and the southern redoubts, creating two mutually supporting strongpoints anchored on prepared ground. To reduce the risk of separation between these positions, he shifts his cavalry into the center (2), maintaining a mobile link between the two positions.
Turn 9 – 1430
Tiberghien launches the main assault against Kleindorf with five infantry divisions advancing on the fortified town (1). The attack goes forward without artillery support, as the guns were not brought forward in time through the congested roads and wooded approaches. Lacking supporting fire, the assault columns are forced into direct combat against prepared French positions and suffer severe losses without breaking the defense.
AtaWe commits two additional divisions in support (2), but they too attack without artillery support and are driven back with heavy casualties after intense fighting around the town. Lewis++’s forces also sustain significant damage during the engagement, as the combat is prolonged and violent at close range, but the fortified position at Kleindorf holds through the turn. The failed assault extracts a high price from the attacking French formations. However, the French guns are now arriving (3) and the full force is now on the battlefield.
Turn 10 – 1530
Tiberghien brings his artillery forward (1) and renews the assault during the second hour of fighting, this time coordinating infantry attacks with sustained gun support against the Russian positions in Kleindorf. Under the pressure of artillery fire and repeated infantry assaults, the defenders are finally driven from the town.
AtaWe supports the attack from the east (2), adding additional pressure against the French line and contributing to the eventual capture of the position. The victory, however, comes at severe cost. The prolonged fighting in and around Kleindorf inflicts heavy casualties on both armies, with entire formations becoming disordered or exhausted in the struggle for the fortified town. To the west, both sides continue dispatching cavalry screens (3) to guard against possible flanking maneuvers, but neither commander commits to a wide turning movement.
Turn 1630 – END OF SCENARIO
The scenario came to an early conclusion after a severe technical failure with Discord prevented further communication and stopped the upload of maps, text, and orders. Despite the interruption, the operational situation at the close of play made the likely outcome of the battle clear.
Tiberghien’s forces had exhausted themselves in the seizure of Kleindorf (1). The decision to launch the initial assault without artillery support imposed severe casualties on the attacking formations and left them incapable of sustaining further offensive action after taking the town. AtaWe shifted his forces westward in an effort to continue the attack from the west (2), but two of his divisions had lost combat effectiveness, leaving only four divisions still capable of coordinated offensive operations.
In the south, Lewis++ retained five combat-capable infantry divisions (3) supported by four fully operational artillery battalions entrenched within the redoubts. The attacking French forces no longer possess the strength necessary to storm those positions without destroying their remaining combat power in the process.
As a result, the battle concluded with the French holding the northern portion of the field but too weakened to achieve a decisive strategic victory. Lewis++’s defense had succeeded operationally by absorbing the assault, preserving the southern strongpoint, and denying the attackers the ability to complete the destruction of the French position.
Historical Outcome
The Battle of Borodino unfolded in distinct stages that revealed both the strength and weakness of the opposing armies. The opening phase centered on the Russian defensive system established west of Moscow, where Kutuzov anchored his line around disconnected earthworks stretching from the Moskva River to Utitsa. The French quickly identified the Russian left as the vulnerable point. At dawn, Napoleon opened the battle with a massive artillery bombardment and directed Davout and Ney against the Bagration flèches. These arrow-shaped earthworks became the focal point of savage combat as repeated French assaults collided with determined Russian counterattacks. The struggle rapidly descended into close-range fighting amid smoke, shattered formations, and mounting casualties. Bagration himself repeatedly led counterattacks until he was mortally wounded, an event that badly damaged Russian morale and command cohesion.
The second stage shifted toward the Raevsky Redoubt in the Russian center, where the battle became a contest of artillery concentration and attrition. Beauharnais and the French center advanced across the Kolocha while Russian defenders repeatedly counterattacked to reclaim lost ground. The redoubt changed hands several times in brutal fighting. The battlefield conditions described in the account demonstrate the near-total breakdown of visibility and maneuver control, with units advancing through smoke into devastating cannon and musket fire. During this phase the French artillery achieved increasing dominance, while the Russians suffered from poor deployment of their own guns and ineffective centralized command. Kutuzov increasingly delegated tactical control to subordinates while Barclay and Yermolov improvised local responses to crises. The battle evolved from maneuver into a grinding contest of endurance.
A third stage emerged through flank actions and localized struggles around Utitsa and the northern flank raid by Platov and Uvarov. Around Utitsa, Polish troops under Poniatowski fought through forests and marshland against stubborn Russian resistance led by Tuchkov. Although the fighting there never achieved decisive results, it tied down forces and threatened the Russian flank. Simultaneously, the Cossack cavalry raid against the French rear caused disproportionate operational effects. Although tactically minor, the raid delayed the French assault on the Raevsky Redoubt by roughly two critical hours. That pause allowed the Russians to reinforce collapsing sectors and regroup shattered formations. The episode illustrates how uncertainty and disruption on a battlefield can produce consequences greater than the direct physical damage inflicted.
The final stage came with the renewed French assault on the Raevsky Redoubt and Napoleon’s controversial refusal to commit the Imperial Guard. By midafternoon, French cavalry and infantry finally overwhelmed the redoubt after fierce close combat, and the Russian line was badly shaken. Several senior French commanders urged Napoleon to release the Guard for a decisive final blow, arguing the Russian army was near collapse. Napoleon refused, unwilling to risk his last reserve so deep inside Russia. The battle therefore ended not with annihilation but exhaustion. The Russians withdrew in relatively good order the next day, preserving their army while abandoning Moscow. Borodino thus stands as a paradoxical battle: a bloody French tactical victory that failed to achieve strategic destruction of the Russian army. The immense casualties, logistical strain, and inability to force a decisive conclusion marked the beginning of Napoleon’s strategic unraveling in Russia.
Conclusion
This was a longer session with three great players who embraced the complexity and difficulty of the problem embedded in the Battle of Borodino. Tiberghien and AtaWe did a good job maintaining concentration of their forces. Lewis++ was smart in how he used the defensive positions available to him to augment his defensive combat power.
The game being used is Battle Decisions: Kriegsspiel from Catastrophe Games.
During the after-action review, one point of discussion was the artillery placement and march order of the French. Tiberghien and AtaWe had to wait too long for their artillery support to come up. This created additional casualties, and led to their inability to unseat Lewis++ and secure the win. The infantry attacks were forced to advance directly against fortified positions without preparatory fire support, leading to severe and ultimately exhausting casualties.
Lewis++ concept of defense forced the attackers into costly frontal assaults and bought time for the Russian force to maintain cohesion despite sustained pressure.
By presenting units sizes and the period more clearly in the initial brief, there were no misunderstandings among the players on the divisions, regiments, and battalions they were commanding or opposing. This was a lesson learned from prior games, where ambiguity in unit descriptions occasionally distorted the player’s views.
The primary playtesting hypothesis for this session was the use of a second counter beneath the primary counter to track unit strength directly on the board, rather than maintaining strengths on an off-board tally sheet. The weakness of the tally-sheet method is that players frequently reorganize formations during play, causing the written org structures to be superceded. The tracker and what is on the board starts to diverge. This creates friction for the umpire and slows adjudication as units must continually be reconciled between the board and the written records.
The on-board tracking method improved accuracy considerably, particularly in the northern sector where Tiberghien and AtaWe intermixed their forces. However, the solution introduced a different inefficiency. In these live Kriegsspiels, nearly every counter is moved every turn, and the use of stacked counters proved too physically cumbersome during the repeated movements. Overall turn times remained essentially unchanged, averaging roughly nine to ten minutes per turn, comparable to prior tally-sheet sessions. The experiment does not appear promising enough to pursue further in its current form.
Thanks to Lewis++, AtaWe and Tiberghien for playing. Come join us next time as we continue to play the great battles of history using this unique format. We’ll see you out there.
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