Details: Written by: GMT Games; Category: Fourth Coalition (1806-1807); Published: 07 November 2014; Last Updated: 12 September 2019; Hits: 16607

Victory Results:

35 %

65 %

Total plays 116 - Last reported by Pevans on 2026-03-11 17:34:17

Jena - 14 October 1806
(Early Morning)

Historical Background
After defeating Ferdinand at Saalfeld, Lannes had continued his advance toward Jena. When he discovered what he believed to be the main Prussian army near Jena, he sent word to Napoleon.
During the night of the 13th, Napoleon’s army closed on Jena, and by dint of great exertion concentrated over 46,000 men and 72 guns on the plateau above Jena, with over 60,000 more close behind. Napoleon felt he was facing the entire main Prussian army, but was actually facing a 38,000 man rear guard with another 15,000 troops close by. Still, the battle would be hard fought because the French would be advancing out of a confined area to attack into the converging fire of a longer Prussian line.
The battle opened with Lannes V Corps moving forward in the morning fog on Closewitz, but the advance drifted to the left and became engaged with Tauentzien’s command in and between the villages Closewitz and Lützeroda. The fighting was intense and when Tauentzien received word that Cospeda had been taken by Gazan’s French, he decided to fall back, yielding the ground Napoleon needed to fully deploy. Meanwhile Soult’s IV Corps had become engaged with Holzendorf’s Prussians in the Closewitz and Zwatzen Woods on the French right. However, around 10 a.m. the Prussian launched a strong counter-attack against both Lannes and Soult. Lannes was driven back to a line between the two villages and Soult retired back to Closewitz Woods, but the Prussians were soon withdrawing as fresh French troops, another of Soult’s divisions and Augereau’s VII Corps, bent back both Prussian flanks.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

Set-Up Order

	13
	2
	4

Battle Notes

Prussian Army
• Commander: Hohenlohe
• 4 Command Cards & 3 Iron Will Counters
• Optional 3 Tactician Cards


7	2	2	2	1	1	2	1	4

French Army
• Commander: Napoleon
• 6 Command Cards
• Optional 6 Tactician Cards
• Move First


7	3	1	4	1	1	1	1	1	5

Victory
8 Banners

Special Rules
• The town hexes form a Temporary Majority Victory Banner Objective worth 1 Victory Banner for the side that occupies the absolute majority of these hexes at the start of the turn.
The Prussians start the battle occupying the majority of towns and start the battle with 1 Victory Banner (Temporary Majority Victory Banner Turn Start)

Posts in discussion: 403 Jena - Early Morning (14 October 1806)

Pevans replied the topic:

#14363

1 month 3 days ago

Evert's and my re-match is my turn to attack with the French. I wasted no time, deploying a "Bayonet Charge" on the first turn for French Line infantry (with the Young Guard in support) to storm Closewitz village in the centre. The result was the destruction of a Prussian Line infantry and the French holding half the village. This was not enough to deprive Evert of the banner for the majority of the town hexes, so the score's 1:1.

The Prussians had an immediate come-back, though, pushing the French back out of the village and taking out a French Line infantry: 1:2 to Evert. General Suchet escaped to join the Guard cavalry at the rear.

Fighting continued around Closewitz with Evert able to move in fresh units as the defenders took casualties. Battered French infantry retired as well.

Then the French cavalry attacked on the right, taking out the Horse artillery followed by the Prussian Cuirassiers with General Holtzendorff fleeing the field. The Prussian Lancers then fell, along with some of the defenders in Closewitz, targets of the Young Guard's muskets. And the score's suddenly 5:2 to me.

The remaining Prussian cavalry then "Gave Them the Cold Steel", eliminating two French Light cavalry. (The dice are strong with this one!) That's 5:4.

French infantry (including the Young Guard) followed up their cavalry on the right. Attacking into the woods, they took out a Prussian Light infantry for 6:4. However, this left the Young Guard under the muzzles of the Prussian artillery and they were blown away! Napoleon will not be happy. And the score's 6:5.

The battle was over almost immediately as the French infantry stormed out of the woods to eliminate Prussian Grenadiers and then that pesky artillery: 8:5.

This was another fast game. 21 turns is just two more than our first game and it took just a few minutes over the hour. Another French victory means honours are even for this scenario as we both won 8:5 for an aggregate of 13:13.

I have also posted this report on my BGG blog (with pictures!): boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/184193

Pevans replied the topic:

#14362

1 month 3 days ago

Evert played the French first while I took the Prussians. This gave Evert the first move. He infiltrated French infantry through the woods right of centre while I brought Prussian troops forward to reinforce the front line. Attacking from the woods brought the French first blood as Prussian Grenadiers fell outside Closewitz village, while the French Light cavalry attacked the Prussian Cuirassiers on the right. That's 1:1 as the Prussians still have the majority of the town hexes.

While the cavalry skirmished on the right, Prussian muskets in Closewitz eliminated a French Line infantry in the centre, taking General Suchet as well. So that's 3:1 to me.

Evert hit back immediately with a better cavalry attack on the right. This removed the bulk of the Prussian cavalry (Light and Cuirassiers) and the Horse artillery. Some lucky dice rolls take the score to 3:4.

The Prussian cavalry fought back, but the Lancers fell as well to take the score to 3:5. However, a French Line infantry had been damaged and forced into square on the left flank. Prussian Light infantry promptly eliminated them, along with Gen Gazan. It was clearly my day for killing Generals and the score's 5:5.

In response, the French took out the final Prussian cavalry (left of centre): 5:6. Finally, the French infantry assaulted Closewitz village in the centre. The battle went back and forth a bit. The battered French artillery left of centre fell to the Prussian guns (6:6), before the French took Closewitz (removing a banner from the Prussians), eliminating Prussian infantry and Gen Grawert for a final score of 5:8.

That was a good fight and pretty fast, too, lasting 19 turns and taking just over an hour.

I have also posted this report on my BGG blog (with pictures!): boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/183990

utl94 replied the topic:

#13630

1 year 2 weeks ago

8:6 to the French including a banner for the towns for the Prussians. Very even battle and victory could have gone to either side during several rounds in the end. Only misfortune stopped two rounds with really good chances for Prussians to snatch two banners in one go for the win. The Prussians got a fairly good start with double Cavalry Charge together with an Élan but after the mid time of the battle, the French manage to hit where it hurt the most and with no usable guns, the Prussians became hampered. The game was all but over when one of the front line Prussian grenadier units was eliminated by heavy artillery fire. With both flanks rather depleted on both sided, advancing French units in the center could capture the final banner needed for a hard fought victory.

Warboard replied the topic:

#13061

1 year 1 month ago

8:4 for Prussia, this includes the temporary town ownership banner. Napoleon was ill, and did not bring forward artillery, cavalry and the Guard until it was too late, the Prussians conducting skillful local counterattacks, even at one point seriously endangering the French right flank, with aggressive combined attacks of cavalry and horse artillery.

White Knight replied the topic:

#7134

5 years 6 days ago

An early French infantry assault on Closewitz was able to establish a feeble foothold on the town, but a Prussian counter-attack evicted the French in short order. This infantry fight was costly to the infantry on both sides, but the Prussians got the better of it and continued to hold Closewitz after the dust cleared, and held it for the rest of the battle. After some repositioning, maneuvering and desultory artillery fire, the French cavalry on the right charged home, destroying all the Prussian cavalry on that flank and paving the way for a Grand Maneuver to bring several French Line Infantry units up that flank and deliver a Bayonet Charge into the Prussian left-rear, destroying several Prussian infantry units damaged earlier in the battle and ending the game 9-7, French victory.

LARS replied the topic:

#6859

5 years 3 months ago

The decisive moment was a cavalry charge on each flank by the Lights. This took out two units of the Prussian Artillery. The Prussians attacked the French center but were repulsed after causing and sustaining very high losses. The dice were not kind to Hohenlohe. French victory 8-5. The Prussians held all town hexes at the end of the scenario. Closewitz changed hands twice.

Hexagoon replied the topic:

#6743

5 years 5 months ago

Played twice with a victory for each side. French cavalry attacks on their right were powerful in both games but in the second game the French attacks were uncoordinated and the Prussians were able to hold them off and whittle them away.

kostas63 replied the topic:

#6657

5 years 6 months ago

Vittoria Francese 8-6. I francesi avanzano sulla destra lungo i boschi senza ottenere alcun risultato importante. Decidono allora di concentrare gli sforzi per conquistare il villaggio di Closewitz. I prussiani pero' riescono con una "Grande Manovra" formare una linea di fanteria continua in appoggio al villaggio. La mischia si fa furiosa, i prussiani perdono un generale , i francesi fanno intervenire l'artiglieria della Guardia ma il risultato non cambia, il villaggio rimane in mano prussiana. Fortunamente per i francesi un ordine di "Attacco alla Baionetta" seguito da un "Elan" ribalta le sorti e Closewitz cade in mano francese. Sulla sinistra francese i reggimenti leggeri e un'unita' di ussari conquista Cospeda costringendo i prussiani a far intervenire i propri granatieri. Dopo una lunga lotta i francesi portano a casa la vittoria proprio eliminando l'ultima unita' prussiana che ancora si trovava nei boschi di Closewitz.

LARS replied the topic:

#5939

6 years 7 months ago

Guyot and St Hilaire smashed the Purssian left for a 9-4 vp win.

Bayernkini replied the topic:

#2186

11 years 4 months ago