Borodino (Village of Borodino & Raevski Redoubt) - "La Grande Battle"
5 September 1812

Historical Background
On the morning of the 7th, Prince Eugene’s corps advanced against the village of Borodino. After a hard fight, the village was captured from the Russian Guard Jager defenders. However, the disorganized French attackers failed to advance any further against the Russians that occupied the heights above Borodino.
General Delzons took up the defense of Borodino to prevent the Russians retaking it, while the remainder of Eugene’s forces crossed the Kolocha to the south, placing them on the same side of the stream as the Russians and the Raevski redoubt.
On the morning of the battle on the northern flank, Cossack patrols saw that the ground in front of them was clear of the enemy and a plan to flank the French and attack the French rear was put into action. As the cavalry force, which included General Uvarov’s 1st Cavalry Corps, moved south it eventually arrived in the rear of Eugene’s Corps. The sudden appearance of enemy cavalry so close to the army’s supply train prompted Eugene to immediately cancel his attack on the Raevski redoubt and pull back his entire Corps to deal with this alarming situation.
Despite Marshal Davout’s suggestion of a maneuver to outflank the weak Russian left, Napoleon instead ordered Davout to move forward toward the Russian fleches (small redoubts), while the flanking maneuver was left to Prince Poniatowski.
Three Russian Corps met Davout’s initial advance and even when part of Ney’s and Junot’s Corps were sent to his aid, the Russians refused to give ground. By late morning the fight for the fleches and Semyanovskaya had become a grinding struggle of attrition. A second French assault was being turned back, until Murat’s cavalry charged forward and took the fleches. The Russian right flank commander, Barclay, sent his reserves on his own initiative to retrieve the situation. A full-scale attack against the Raevski (Grand) redoubt was also launched around 2:00 PM, after Eugene had stabilized his right flank. The Russians squandered their advantage in artillery with fully half of their guns unengaged. The French, however, formed a grand battery that rained destruction upon massed Russian formations. Accounts by Russians advancing to counterattack spoke of walking into hell. The French infantry moved to engage the redoubt from the front, while the cavalry swung around to its rear. Kutusov counterattacked with his Guard reserves to stabilize the line, but they in turn were decimated. The Russians were spent, but Napoleon would not release the Imperial Guard infantry and cavalry to destroy the disorganized Russian left wing. With no fresh troops committed to decide the issue, both sides ceased fighting out of mutual exhaustion. In spite of losing some areas in the battlefield, the battered Russian army did not collapse. During the night, Kutusov ordered a retreat.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

Set-Up Order

22	29	3	2	1	11	1	1	1	1	19	4

Battle Notes

Russian Army
• Commander: Dokhturov
• 5 Command Cards

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

13	7	2	4	2	6	1	2	2	1	1	6	5

French Army
• Commander: Eugene
• 6 Command Cards
• Move First

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

19	8	1	2	5	4	1	1	5	6

Victory
16 Banners

Special Rules
• The two hexes of Borodino form a Temporary Majority Victory Banner worth one banner for the side that occupies
the absolute majority of these hexes at the start of its turn (Temporary Majority Victory Banner Turn Start)

• Semyanovskaya is a Temporary Victory Banner worth one banner for the side that occupies it at the start of its turn (Temporary Victory Banner Turn Start)

• The French gains one Victory Banner at the start of the turn, for each French unit occupying a hill hex (with blue border) on Russian river side (Temporary Victory Banner Turn Start)

• The French gain one Temporary Victory Banner for each field works hex (with blue border) that the Russians do not occupied at the start of the French turn (Temporary Victory Banner Turn Start)

• The Russians gain a Victory Banner for each Russian cavalry unit that exits the battlefield from a French baseline hex.

• The Kalatsha River is a fordable river. The shallow fords do not stop movement.

• The Semenovka Stream is fordable stream. The stream does not stop infantry movement nor does it cause any battle
restrictions for infantry units.

• Pre-Battle Mother Russia Roll rule is in effect. Saber and cavalry rolls have no effect.