More Auerstadt Photos --

Yes, I know. These are not connected to my mid-eighteenth century Saxe-Bearstein project . . . but Murdock presented such a wonderful re-creation of the Napoleonic "Battle of Auerstadt" that I thought I should post a few more photos.

The first photo gives a quick glimpse of the battlefield in the morning when the fog lifted and suddenly the French (bottom of photo) and Prussians (top of photo) discovered that they were facing each other.

Remember, you can "click" on any photos to get a close-up look at it.

The next photo is an "overhead" shot of the aftermath of some of the fighting on "the hill". Murdock uses tiny neodymium (sometimes called "rare earth") magnets on his bases, along with washers on the bottoms of his figures. This allows him to "leave the dead where they lie" as the battle progresses.

The puffs of cotton indicate fired artillery. One is added (to a maximum of three) each time a gun is fired. One is removed each turn the gun doesn't fire. When a gun has three smoke puffs in front of it, it is deemed to shoot at a -1 due to reduced visibility.

Please note that this is not in the normal SHAKO rules, but he uses it to force players to consider their choices. In my "Tricorne Wars" rules, I handle artillery very differently -- but that will be the subject of another post. (Note that I just made a Saxe-Bearstein connection!)

A further thing to note are the "pale green folders" under a pair of messengers at the bottom of the photo, as well as one under a figure on the hill and another under a Prussian at "one o'clock".

These are changes of orders. The magnetized bases allow them to be placed underneath the figure.

The next photo should please Stokes . . . yes, it is Murdock himself in his Hussar's uniform.

Please note that he not only wore it for us, but in public as well when we visited the local grocer mid-battle to get something to eat.

The observant among you might note that he's holding an "artillery stick" in his right hand.

The fourth photo is from the French right flank where Mike had to face several assaults. By the way, you can see some of the washers on the base of some "dead cavalry" if you look closely.

The final photo is near the end of the battle. It shows the opposite flank, looking down the table. Note that yet another wave of Prussians has just arrived . . . but too late, as the Prussians had failed a Division morale check that put them into retreat.

I've never been seduced by the reputed allure of this period . . . it just doesn't have the romance for me that it does for so man. Nevertheless, I will admit that this was quite a battle to participate in.


-- Jeff