Golymin & Pultusk "La Grande Battle"
26 December 1806

Historical Background
Acting on orders from Napoleon, Marshal Augereau’s VII Corps and Davout’s III Corps moved north from the Ukra River in Poland searching for Marshall Kamenskoi‘s retreating Russian army. The French caught up to Prince Golitsyn and Barron Sacken’s 3rd Division resting in the area of two small towns Golymin and Kaleczin. Augereau’s corps arrived first and attacked.
General Heudelet’s 2nd French Division advanced from the west while General Desjardins’ 1st Division moved through the woods to the south. On the French right, General Morand’s division of the III Corps moved forward in an attempt to cut off the Russian retreat. The Russians were outnumbered and took heavy casualties as they fought a retreating withdrawal. Their intent was to hold out until nightfall to make good their escape to the north, and they succeeded. The French noted with admiration the Russian troops obedience to orders. Their survival depended upon rapid retreat, and even when fired upon at close range, they ignored the casualties and kept marching instead of halting to return the fire.
Marshal Bennigsen disobeyed his orders and halted his retreat to give battle. He drew his divisions up in three lines between Pultusk and the Mostachin Woods. Lannes and his V Corps had orders from Napoleon to pursue and engage the Russians who were believed to be retreating. Unaware he was facing a much stronger Russian force, Lannes sent Claparede’s division forward against Pultusk, while Suchet moved against the Mostachin woods. Gazan drove the Russian cavalry force from Mosin Heights and good progress was being made on both flanks despite the weather and mud. A French foothold in Pultusk was short lived, as the Russian artillery superiority, soon forced the French back all along the line. The battle had turned against the French until the mid-afternoon arrival of a III Corps division.
General d’Aultanne, on his own initiative, had marched to the sound of the guns and arrived on the endangered French left.
The renewed French attack against the woods forced Barclay de Tolly to retire under pressure and Bennigsen ordered the Russian cavalry forward to stem the French advance. Dusk was falling and the battle died out. Both sides had suffered heavy losses. Lannes expected to renew the fighting the next day, but Bennigsen withdrew during the night.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

Set-Up Order

35	16	1	1	1	2	7

Battle Notes

Russian Army
• Commander: Golitsyn & Bennigsen
• 5 Command Cards

Russian Corps Commanders
Right Center Left
Command 2 2 3
Tactician 2 2 3
Mother Russia 2 2 2
+2 assigned by the CiC to any section

20	8	4	4	1	3	3	1	1	6	6

French Army
• Commander: Augereau & Lannes
• 5 Command Cards
• Move First

French Corps Commanders
Left Center Right
Command 3 2 3
Tactician 2 2 2

24	8	4	2	1	2	8

Victory
18 Banners

Special Rules
• The Russian player receives one Victory Banner for each Russian unit, excluding leaders, that exit the battlefield from any hex on the Russian baseline between/including the 2 Exit Marker

• The four Mostachin Woods hexes form a Temporary Majority Group Victory Banner Objective worth one banner to the side that occupies an absolute majority at the start of its turn (Temporary Majority Victory Banner Turn Start)

• The French player gains one Temporary Victory Banner for each hill hex (with blue border) occupied on the ridge behind Mosin Heights at the start of the turn (Temporary Victory Banner Turn Start)

• The French player gains one Temporary Victory Banner for each town hex  (with blue border) of Pultusk and Mosin, occupied at the start of the turn (Temporary Victory Banner Turn Start)

• The Bridge hex (with blue border) is a Permanent Victory Banner Objective worth one banner for the French player when occupied at the start of the turn (Permanent Victory Banner Turn Start)

• The Narew River is impassable.

• Pre-Battle Mother Russia Roll rule is in effect.