My turn to command the French while Evert takes the Russians. Hence Evert's first action was the Mother Russia roll. This proved quite useful, allowing Evert to add an extra block to the Light infantry on both edges of the battlefield and the two Line infantry in the centre, while also erecting fieldworks in front of one Line infantry on the hill on the left. (For simplicity I'm using left and right as they are in the set-up diagram rather than according to the two armies' viewpoints.)

After some initial skirmishing on both flanks, General Bagration led a Russian Line infantry towards the central hills. This force was promptly charged by three French Line units commanded by Marshal Ney and obliterated. Gen Bagration escaped to the artillery behind. {A "Bayonet Charge" let the French get up close and personal and the score is 1:0 to me.}

Despite fire from the Russian artillery and Line infantry, more French Line infantry marched over the hills to eliminate a second Russian Line unit. {A "Forced March" from me brought the score to 2:0.}

In return, the Russian muskets and guns removed the most advanced French Line unit. {2:1} The French muskets finished off the French artillery - Gen Bagration fleeing again - and pushed the Russian centre back towards the town of Friedland. {3:1}

Russian Light infantry on the right moved out of the woods to engage the flank of the French centre and were promptly destroyed by a combination of French Light cavalry and Light infantry. {4:1}

The Russians re-grouped and advanced on the left, Gen Gorchakov bringing Grenadiers and artillery up to join the infantry. This force was attacked by the French infantry and cavalry led by Gen Mortier. They killed a Line and a Light infantry for the loss of a French Line, while Gen Gorchakov's Grenadiers formed square against the French Light cavalry and repulsed them. {6:2}

Gorchakov brought his men back out of square to join in finishing off the French Line under General Mortier, who trotted back to join the cavalry, while Generals Uvarov and Kollangribov attacked the French centre with their Light cavalry, forcing two units into square. {6:3}

French Light cavalry arrived to take on their Russian counterparts, with musket fire from the central French units not in square pushing the Russians back. The Russians re-deployed, bringing Heavy cavalry and the Guard Grenadiers into the fight in the centre while Gen Gorchakov's Grenadiers infiltrated on the left to take up residence in the woods behind the French. {"La Grande Manoeuvre" let Evert re-organise his troops.}

Led by Marshal Ney, more French infantry surged round the right of the central hills to join in and the Old Guard arrived on the hills. {I had another "Force March", but didn't do much damage with it.} The Russians shot back, killing off a French Line and forcing Ney's infantry to retreat. {6:4}

An artillery barrage from the right finished off the Marshal's unit, though he escaped to the safety of the French Grenadiers. {That was a "Bombard" card from Evert and it's 6:5.}

On the left, the French Light cavalry attacked the Russian cavalry under Gen Uvarov, while the Guard Heavies moved forward centre-right. Russian Light cavalry fell, but so did a French Light cavalry. {Evert used a "Show them the Cold Steel" to good effect and it's 7:6.}

Then the Guard Heavy cavalry pounced on the right, over-running the Russian guns to bring the battle to an end. {8:6}

That was a slightly faster battle than the first one with my French looking like they would carry all before them, only to lose momentum. Evert did a good job of finishing off damaged French units and the aggregate score is 12:14 in his favour. It does feel like the Russians have a chance in this scenario, though the stats say the French win 70% of the time.

Evert and I have reached the end of the 1807 campaign as we play through the Russian scenarios. As I play the Russians first, I started the game with the Mother Russia roll. This proved quite useful, allowing me to add an extra block to the Foot artillery in the centre and the Line infantry next to it, while also erecting fieldworks in front of them. My fifth die added a Cossack (or nuisance) unit on the extreme right. (For simplicity I'm using left and right as they are in the set-up picture.)

Initially skirmishing on the flanks saw a battered French Light infantry retire on the left and a battered Russian Light infantry retire on the right (where the Cossacks fell without making any impression on the enemy). At the same time, the French moved their artillery forward in the centre.

The French Heavy cavalry on the left took on Gen Gorchakov's advancing Line infantry, but the infantry formed square and the cavalry bounced off this thicket of bayonets. The infantry quickly came out of square and chased the cavalry away with a volley of musket fire.

Led by the Guard Grenadiers, the Russian infantry in the centre attacked over the hills, engaging the French infantry and destroying the Horse artillery with them. {And a "Bayonet Charge" opens the scoring, 1:0 to me.}

French muskets caused casualties in the Russian ranks in the centre, but the infantry held firm and responded, eliminating a French Light infantry unit. {2:0}

General Mortier led a French counter-attack. His Line infantry centre-left removed the Russian Light infantry in front of them. Light and Heavy cavalry attacked the Russian positions on the left, General Gorchakov's Line infantry on the hill forming square in response, but the damaged Russian Heavy cavalry fell to the enemy sabres. {2:2}

Artillery fire drove off the French cavalry on the left, allowing Gorchakov's men to come out of square, but more Russian Line infantry fell in the continuing fight in the centre. {2:3}

The remaining Russian infantry retired from the hills in the centre to lick their wounds. {"La Grande Manoeuvre" let me withdraw exposed units.}

On the left, the French cavalry attacked again, but the Russian infantry formed square. On the right, Russian infantry under Gen Bagration advanced to remove French Line infantry, only to retire under heavy fire from the remainder of the French troops. {3:3}

As French infantry advanced on the left to bring their muskets to bear on the Russian squares, the Heavy cavalry took on the Russian Light horsemen under Generals Uvarov and Kollangribov. With artillery in support, the Light cavalry made short work of the Frenchmen. {4:3}

However, French muskets then eliminated the square of Light infantry, even as Gen Gorchakov's men were able to come out of square again and drive off the remaining French cavalry. And charging up the hill enabled the French Line infantry to destroy the final Russian square. {4:5}

The next French attack saw the Guard Heavy cavalry sweep forward across the fieldworks in the centre to destroy one Russian Foot artillery, while Line infantry's muskets removed the other. At the same time, French Grenadiers occupied the woods on the right after eliminating the Russian Light infantry holding them. {An "Elan" card let Evert storm to a sudden win: 4:8.}

My Russians were holding their own there for quite a while (even when I had three infantry in square), but Evert was able to pull back damaged French units to avoid losing them. The extra attack die provided by Elan gave Evert a useful advantage in his final attack, though he also needed a bit of luck to take the win. Overall, an excellent game.

Marshal Victor wins the laurels at Friedland as Villatte and Dupont defeat Bagration in the center. The banners were 8-2 but block losses were 25 French to 28 Russian.

Played this a coup-le of times and both were a narrow French victory, but could easily have gone the other way. A great scenario and well balanced with both sides having a chance.

Played two consecutive games of this a few days ago. Russians won the first game by severely mauling the French cavalry and then destroying all the French artillery.
The Russian Heavy Cavalry in particular seemed invincible, eliminating two French artillery units and one cavalry unit. Russians had great cards when they needed them and fantastic die rolls. French had poor cards and the dice hated them. Thinking this was a fluke, I played again. It was a much closer battle, but the Russians squeezed out another victory, with the most valuable unit award going again to the Russian Heavy Cavalry, who ran wild and unstoppable again! Great map.

Agree Mark. I just played this where the Russians won, but it came down to a final turn where if the Russians hadn't eliminated a single block French LN with a 2-block infantry attack, the French would have most certainly won on their turn. Very exciting.

Despite the record, this always seems a close scenario to me. The Russians may lose often, but not by much.

Alessandro - great work as usual, have you thought of making your scenrio tool into an App for Ipads etc?

I would certainly buy it.