Well the opening shots havebeen fired and the French have stormed forward across the plains in front of the Russian positions. The French deployment has Junots Westphalians deployed North of the Kolocha River, opposite the Russian VI Corps, Ney’s III corp in front of the redoubt supported by Nansoutys I Cavalry Corp and Latour Maubourgs IV Cavalry corps. Davout linked up between the south of the Redoubt to the fleches supported by Montbruns II Cavalry Corps and Grouchys IV Cavalry Corps. South of this was Eugenes IV corp and coming into Utitsa from the south was Ponitatowski’s V corp.
A view from the southern end of the battlefield.
On the Russian side Tuchkovs III corps were defending the Utitsa area, North of them was VIII corps holding the fleches, supported by the Guard twelve pounder battery. North of this IV Corps took up position in and behind the redoubt. VI corps supported two battalions of Jaeger-Carabinier of the Guard in the Borodino village.
Volley after volley into the Borodino village finally beat the Guards holding it.
Right from the off the French poured forward, the Poles dashed toward Utitsa as the opposition dug in within the confines of the village and surrounding area. The Italians crept through the Orchard to engage the village from the front.
The new model of the village of Utitsa.
Along the whole front the Russian guns began to reap havoc among the cavalry regiments advancing across the plain. The Russian cavalry were held in reserve right up until they were needed, to maximise the casualties from the guns. The twelve Pounder battery in the redoubt blew seven casualties off a Wurzburg battalion in turn one and a further eleven in turn two.
Polish infantry stream past Utitsa to the South
As the fight wore on the French guns began picking gunners off, the French infantry managing to get up to effective range behind the cavalry screen. Once the screen was away though the guns knocked dozens of figures off! This wasn’t enough though and by turn twelve the fleches were in enemy hands, the villages of Utitsa and Borodino had fallen into French hands and the woods around Utitsa were being strongly contested.
The southern fleche finally saw it’s half battery retreat, leaving the dogged defence to the infantry.
The French III corps moved steadily on through ball, shell and canister up the slope in front of the Great Redoubt, dropping into the wolf pits to exchange shots with the battery, it was carnage.
The French III Corps assault up the slope before the Great Redoubt.
Miraculously though the Wurttemburg 25th Division managed to get around the side of the redoubt, engaging the Russian division protecting the North flank of the earthwork and driving them back. It was at this point that Junots corps finally drove back the Guard from Borodino, and began contesting the far bank of the Kolocha river with volley fire, a battle they would inevitably win.
A view from the Northern end of the battlefield.
At this point, at 17.40 and after fifteen turns it was decided that the Russians had been beaten! So we put the figures back on the trays, re-wrote the tiles and we’ll start turn two again tomorrow having changed the sides around a little bit. If it’s as much fun as today, it’ll be great!
Nansoutys I French Cavalry Corps
Another update tomorrow!