kzucker
06-17-2010, 02:44 AM
THE OSG REPORT
April 2010
PRE-ORDER "THE COMING STORM"
http://www.napoleongames.com/TCS.html
Contents:
p. 1) How OSG came to Renewal ...
p. 2) Designer's Progress Report on The Coming Storm
p. 3) Developer's Progress Report on The Coming Storm
p. 4) Library of Napoleonic Battles (proposal)
p. 5) Napoleonic Tour to Italy, May 2010
p. 6) Campaigns Q&A
Production Update on Special Study Nr. 5
We are hoping to ship these books next week. We switched printers and had a lot of delays... We hope to have the books from the printer on April 13th, so that we can start shipping that day.
The printer just wrote to say, "Right now I am printing book #5. It is my plan to ship these to you either Friday or next Monday. If there are any changes, I'll let you know. The other books will follow ASAP after #5."
We apologise for the long delay of these products. However, they will be very fine books when they finally arrive. I also hope to hear from the OSG militia as we start shipping Tuesday April 13th.
Please see attachment showing the front and back covers (.pdf)
_ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ _ .. _ . _ _ _ ... _ .
Operational Studies Group News APRIL 2010 Page One
HOW OSG CAME TO RENEWAL
Back in October, 2008 when the announcement of OSG's closing went out, we received many emails like the following two.
1. "I would like just to thank you for all the hours of enjoyment and history debates we had - and I'm sure we will still have - around your Nap. games : I just remember how fascinated I was when I first discovered my first "Kevin Zucker game" more than Twenty years ago : the Struggle of Nations. (A pure dream for a young student interested in History of the First Empire).
I modestly feel like a simple sad "grognard", in front of "les Adieux de Fontainebleau à la vieille garde". Maybe will you come back one day from "l'Ile d'Elbe" ?
2. "I do not believe in farewells or goodbyes, as I believe that we are all constantly evolving and changing the course of our lives every day. It has been a distinct pleasure to have corresponded with you, and I have looked forward every year to the next OSG design. Like others, I have enjoyed the evolvement and refinement of your system designs, and the corresponding improvements in mapsheets and components. I wish you the best in your current growth of endeavor, and I look forward to your successful evolution. Thank you for the pleasure you have given to me over the past years."
I kept a lot of these messages that said it honestly, whether in congratulations, a personal memoir of their gaming experience, a protest, or to say goodbye, or to fill me in on their own health matters. So, I'd like to acknowledge that core group. You all played a part in the "renewal" of OSG... So give us more feedback. With a game like "The Habit of Victory," I cannot tell whether the game is perfect, or if nobody has played it. I assume it is perfect :)
Aki Kaneko, Alan Player-Mason, Alberto Moggi, Alessandro Canevese, Andres Mujica, Andy Gibson, Anthony Arena, Arnaud Bouis, Pierre Borgnat, Boyd Schorzman, Chris Hall, Chris Moeller, Colin Fraser, D Rurak, Daniel Grasse, Daniel Wemhoff, Darrell Kienzle, Didier Rouy, Edgar Gallego, elian charlot, Eric Herrold, Eric M Walters, Eugene Rodek, Greg Taylor, Hugo G.M., James C. Munch, Jan Donadoni, Jeffrey Vandine, Jim Beard, Jim Campagna, Joaquín Mejía, John Bernardo, John E. Meyer, John Gill, John Kranz, John Royal, Jürgen Kasperzak, Karl Hundley, Karoly Szigetvari, Richard Lawrence, Leo Paulo, Mario Vallée, Mark Rothenberg, Marleen Spaan, Martin Dodt, Matt Kirschenbaum, Maurizio Bragaglia, Michael Dean, Michael Love, Michael Thompson, Michel Lepetit, Mike Bowen, Mike Hellyer, Mikolaj Lenczewski, Nelson Keith, Pascal Saidini, Paul Dangel, Peter Bennett, Peter Perla, Pierre Miranda, René de Weerd, Randy Heller, Riccardo Rinaldi, Robert Tunstall, Robin Alloui, Roger Pearce, Ronald Corry, Steve Bean, Terry Doherty, Walt Olawski, Will Volny, Will Volny, William Keyser.
_ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ _ .. _ . _ _ _ ... _ .
Operational Studies Group News APRIL 2010 Page Two
THE COMING STORM
DESIGNER'S PROGRESS REPORT
When I am not attending to the endless details of running a company, I am working on the counters and maps. Usually that design work has to wait until about 2 AM. The artwork for the French counters is through the first draft, but we haven't submitted a manuscript for the Russians and Prussians, though the Russian OB is in my hands now.
This is just one example of the research that is going into the counters. Dave Jones has taken my rough countermix and went through it with a flea comb. Together he and John Wladis probably know as much as any other two persons now living, about the rank and file of these armies and their changing make-up. We are fortunate to have a team of such experts willing to dedicate untold hours of labor to insure that the game plays historically ....
As Dave pointed out, my Russian Pultusk OB (Appendix VI in Special Study Nr. 2) doesn't give manpower, only the number of battalions and squadrons. That is a limitation of the original documents in Russian archives. We had to calculate the battalion manpower strength of the Russians at Pultusk.
Appendix VI gives the Russians at Pultusk 69 battalions and 52 squadrons; the Russians at Golymin 15 battalions, 40 squadrons. The question is, how many men per battalion?
While Wilson gives Bennigsen 45,000 at Pultusk, Hoepfner gives only 40,600 men. Both are reliable sources. Wilson published his memoirs before Hoepfner, who may have found some detached battalions. He gives 66 battalions instead of 69.
Petre says, "Hoepfner iii 10 gives Bennigsen's strength (allowing sick, detachments, etc.) as 40,600 men; viz 66 battalions, 55 squadrons, 7 field and 2 horse batteries, 128 guns. Sir E. Wilson p. 273 gives 45,000."
On mobilization on 23 October, Bennigsen's army totaled 47,500 infantry, 11,000 cavalry, 4,000 Cossacks and 2,700 artillerists manning 276 guns. Dividing the above totals by 4, I estimated each division had approximately 12,250 infantry, 2750 cavalry, 1000 kossacks and 675 artillerists (total of 16,675) with 69 guns and 225 pioneers. A total of 72.8% inf, 16.8% cav, 6.2% cos, and 4.2% art.
Running those percentages at a strength of 45,000 yields 32,760 infantry, 7560 cav., 2790 cossacks and 1890 art. Each battalion would thus muster 390 men, and each squadron 92. So that is my estimate of Bennigsen's strength at Pultusk. We need to locate the missing 3 battalions as well.
In November, 1806, Wilson (who was military attache to Bennigsen) estimated the total strength of the two armies at 90,000, and Dumas agrees, giving Bennigsen 55,000 and Buxhowden 36,000 (91,000). So Bennigsen's Army lost at least 10,000 men between the time it left Grodno in October and the battle of Pultusk.
Russian Infantry Division, Bennigsen's Army
Unit Type men total guns
Grenadier Rgts (2) 3 bns 500 3,000
Musketier Rgts (2) 3 bns 500 3,000
Jäger Rgts (2) 3 bns 500 3,000
Cuirassier Regt 5 sqdns 200 1,000
Dragoon Regt 5 sqdns 200 1,000
Hussar Regt 10 sqdns 200 2,000
Cossack Regt (2) 1,000
Heavy Artillery (12 lb.) 2 btys 120 240 24
Light Artillery (6 lb.) 2-3 btys 120 360 36
Horse Artillery 1 bty 90 __90 12
Total 14,690 72
Army Total 65,200* 276
The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th divisions followed this plan. (*The 3rd and 4th divisions had 21 battalions instead of 18.) In addition Bennigsen had three headquarters bns. and 900 pioneer/engineers with 100 pontoons.
Russian Infantry Division, Buxhöwden's Army
Unit Type men total guns
Musketeer Rgts (4) 3 bns 400 4,800
Jäger Rgts (2) 3 bns 400 2,400
Dragoon Regt (2) 5 sqdns 100 1,000
Hussar Regt 5 sqdns 150 750
Cossack Regt (2) 1,000
Heavy Artillery (12 lb.) 2 btys 60 120 24
Light Artillery (6 lb.) 2 btys 60 120 22
Horse Artillery 1 battery 60 60 10
Total 10,250 56
Army Total 37,200 216
The 5th, 7th, 8th and 14th divisions followed this plan (the 7th and 8th had 21 bns. instead of 18). These are lighter and less-formidable divisions, lacking the heavy grenadier and cuirassier components. Depleted after Austerlitz, the 2nd army comprised 29,000 infantry, 7,000 cavalry and 1,200 artillerists manning 216 guns.
Petre, p. 37. Gun strengths varied widely in this army. The 2nd army had to march south from its base at Tilsit.
April 2010
PRE-ORDER "THE COMING STORM"
http://www.napoleongames.com/TCS.html
Contents:
p. 1) How OSG came to Renewal ...
p. 2) Designer's Progress Report on The Coming Storm
p. 3) Developer's Progress Report on The Coming Storm
p. 4) Library of Napoleonic Battles (proposal)
p. 5) Napoleonic Tour to Italy, May 2010
p. 6) Campaigns Q&A
Production Update on Special Study Nr. 5
We are hoping to ship these books next week. We switched printers and had a lot of delays... We hope to have the books from the printer on April 13th, so that we can start shipping that day.
The printer just wrote to say, "Right now I am printing book #5. It is my plan to ship these to you either Friday or next Monday. If there are any changes, I'll let you know. The other books will follow ASAP after #5."
We apologise for the long delay of these products. However, they will be very fine books when they finally arrive. I also hope to hear from the OSG militia as we start shipping Tuesday April 13th.
Please see attachment showing the front and back covers (.pdf)
_ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ _ .. _ . _ _ _ ... _ .
Operational Studies Group News APRIL 2010 Page One
HOW OSG CAME TO RENEWAL
Back in October, 2008 when the announcement of OSG's closing went out, we received many emails like the following two.
1. "I would like just to thank you for all the hours of enjoyment and history debates we had - and I'm sure we will still have - around your Nap. games : I just remember how fascinated I was when I first discovered my first "Kevin Zucker game" more than Twenty years ago : the Struggle of Nations. (A pure dream for a young student interested in History of the First Empire).
I modestly feel like a simple sad "grognard", in front of "les Adieux de Fontainebleau à la vieille garde". Maybe will you come back one day from "l'Ile d'Elbe" ?
2. "I do not believe in farewells or goodbyes, as I believe that we are all constantly evolving and changing the course of our lives every day. It has been a distinct pleasure to have corresponded with you, and I have looked forward every year to the next OSG design. Like others, I have enjoyed the evolvement and refinement of your system designs, and the corresponding improvements in mapsheets and components. I wish you the best in your current growth of endeavor, and I look forward to your successful evolution. Thank you for the pleasure you have given to me over the past years."
I kept a lot of these messages that said it honestly, whether in congratulations, a personal memoir of their gaming experience, a protest, or to say goodbye, or to fill me in on their own health matters. So, I'd like to acknowledge that core group. You all played a part in the "renewal" of OSG... So give us more feedback. With a game like "The Habit of Victory," I cannot tell whether the game is perfect, or if nobody has played it. I assume it is perfect :)
Aki Kaneko, Alan Player-Mason, Alberto Moggi, Alessandro Canevese, Andres Mujica, Andy Gibson, Anthony Arena, Arnaud Bouis, Pierre Borgnat, Boyd Schorzman, Chris Hall, Chris Moeller, Colin Fraser, D Rurak, Daniel Grasse, Daniel Wemhoff, Darrell Kienzle, Didier Rouy, Edgar Gallego, elian charlot, Eric Herrold, Eric M Walters, Eugene Rodek, Greg Taylor, Hugo G.M., James C. Munch, Jan Donadoni, Jeffrey Vandine, Jim Beard, Jim Campagna, Joaquín Mejía, John Bernardo, John E. Meyer, John Gill, John Kranz, John Royal, Jürgen Kasperzak, Karl Hundley, Karoly Szigetvari, Richard Lawrence, Leo Paulo, Mario Vallée, Mark Rothenberg, Marleen Spaan, Martin Dodt, Matt Kirschenbaum, Maurizio Bragaglia, Michael Dean, Michael Love, Michael Thompson, Michel Lepetit, Mike Bowen, Mike Hellyer, Mikolaj Lenczewski, Nelson Keith, Pascal Saidini, Paul Dangel, Peter Bennett, Peter Perla, Pierre Miranda, René de Weerd, Randy Heller, Riccardo Rinaldi, Robert Tunstall, Robin Alloui, Roger Pearce, Ronald Corry, Steve Bean, Terry Doherty, Walt Olawski, Will Volny, Will Volny, William Keyser.
_ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ ... _ . _ _ _ _ .. _ . _ _ _ ... _ .
Operational Studies Group News APRIL 2010 Page Two
THE COMING STORM
DESIGNER'S PROGRESS REPORT
When I am not attending to the endless details of running a company, I am working on the counters and maps. Usually that design work has to wait until about 2 AM. The artwork for the French counters is through the first draft, but we haven't submitted a manuscript for the Russians and Prussians, though the Russian OB is in my hands now.
This is just one example of the research that is going into the counters. Dave Jones has taken my rough countermix and went through it with a flea comb. Together he and John Wladis probably know as much as any other two persons now living, about the rank and file of these armies and their changing make-up. We are fortunate to have a team of such experts willing to dedicate untold hours of labor to insure that the game plays historically ....
As Dave pointed out, my Russian Pultusk OB (Appendix VI in Special Study Nr. 2) doesn't give manpower, only the number of battalions and squadrons. That is a limitation of the original documents in Russian archives. We had to calculate the battalion manpower strength of the Russians at Pultusk.
Appendix VI gives the Russians at Pultusk 69 battalions and 52 squadrons; the Russians at Golymin 15 battalions, 40 squadrons. The question is, how many men per battalion?
While Wilson gives Bennigsen 45,000 at Pultusk, Hoepfner gives only 40,600 men. Both are reliable sources. Wilson published his memoirs before Hoepfner, who may have found some detached battalions. He gives 66 battalions instead of 69.
Petre says, "Hoepfner iii 10 gives Bennigsen's strength (allowing sick, detachments, etc.) as 40,600 men; viz 66 battalions, 55 squadrons, 7 field and 2 horse batteries, 128 guns. Sir E. Wilson p. 273 gives 45,000."
On mobilization on 23 October, Bennigsen's army totaled 47,500 infantry, 11,000 cavalry, 4,000 Cossacks and 2,700 artillerists manning 276 guns. Dividing the above totals by 4, I estimated each division had approximately 12,250 infantry, 2750 cavalry, 1000 kossacks and 675 artillerists (total of 16,675) with 69 guns and 225 pioneers. A total of 72.8% inf, 16.8% cav, 6.2% cos, and 4.2% art.
Running those percentages at a strength of 45,000 yields 32,760 infantry, 7560 cav., 2790 cossacks and 1890 art. Each battalion would thus muster 390 men, and each squadron 92. So that is my estimate of Bennigsen's strength at Pultusk. We need to locate the missing 3 battalions as well.
In November, 1806, Wilson (who was military attache to Bennigsen) estimated the total strength of the two armies at 90,000, and Dumas agrees, giving Bennigsen 55,000 and Buxhowden 36,000 (91,000). So Bennigsen's Army lost at least 10,000 men between the time it left Grodno in October and the battle of Pultusk.
Russian Infantry Division, Bennigsen's Army
Unit Type men total guns
Grenadier Rgts (2) 3 bns 500 3,000
Musketier Rgts (2) 3 bns 500 3,000
Jäger Rgts (2) 3 bns 500 3,000
Cuirassier Regt 5 sqdns 200 1,000
Dragoon Regt 5 sqdns 200 1,000
Hussar Regt 10 sqdns 200 2,000
Cossack Regt (2) 1,000
Heavy Artillery (12 lb.) 2 btys 120 240 24
Light Artillery (6 lb.) 2-3 btys 120 360 36
Horse Artillery 1 bty 90 __90 12
Total 14,690 72
Army Total 65,200* 276
The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th divisions followed this plan. (*The 3rd and 4th divisions had 21 battalions instead of 18.) In addition Bennigsen had three headquarters bns. and 900 pioneer/engineers with 100 pontoons.
Russian Infantry Division, Buxhöwden's Army
Unit Type men total guns
Musketeer Rgts (4) 3 bns 400 4,800
Jäger Rgts (2) 3 bns 400 2,400
Dragoon Regt (2) 5 sqdns 100 1,000
Hussar Regt 5 sqdns 150 750
Cossack Regt (2) 1,000
Heavy Artillery (12 lb.) 2 btys 60 120 24
Light Artillery (6 lb.) 2 btys 60 120 22
Horse Artillery 1 battery 60 60 10
Total 10,250 56
Army Total 37,200 216
The 5th, 7th, 8th and 14th divisions followed this plan (the 7th and 8th had 21 bns. instead of 18). These are lighter and less-formidable divisions, lacking the heavy grenadier and cuirassier components. Depleted after Austerlitz, the 2nd army comprised 29,000 infantry, 7,000 cavalry and 1,200 artillerists manning 216 guns.
Petre, p. 37. Gun strengths varied widely in this army. The 2nd army had to march south from its base at Tilsit.