Iganie 1831

Iganie 1831 covers the battle of Iganie, one of the most brilliant victories of Poles over Russians during the November Uprising. It was fought between the Polish army commanded by General Ignacy Prądzyński and the Russian 6th Corps commanded by General Grigory Rosen. The battle was the final part of the Polish Spring Offensive. The goal of the operation was Russian army’s main depot in Siedlce, which supplied all Russian forces fighting in the Kingdom of Poland. After two first successful for Poles battles at Wawer and Dębe Wielkie (both on March 31st 1831) the pursuit for the defeated Russians was stopped. It allowed them to control chaos which appeared during the retreat, reorganize their units and bring reinforcements.

The battle of Iganie was the last try to broke Russian 6th Corps near Siedlce and capture the Russian main depot. Planned by General Prądzyński attack of three groups approaching from three different directions failed becaue of the lack of operational coordination and poor command of General Jan Skrzynecki. Two groups which had to cooperate with Prądzyński’s maneuver group did not appear during the battle and has come to the battlefield in the late evening or the next day. This caused that Prądzyński’s forces had to fight outnumbered by Russians. Russian forces also were divided into parts. General Rosen was bound by the orders from Field Marshal Ivan Diebitsch which urged him first of all to defend Siedlce and keep defensive position on the eastern bank of the Muchawiec river. That gave Prądzyński chance to beat the enemy situated on the western bank of the Muchawiec river before Russians combine all their units and destroy his group. The decisive moment of the battle was when Russians started to move battalions from the eastern bank of the Muchawiec river to its western bank where the battle was taking place. Prądzyński decided to seize the only bridge on the river. During terrific bayonet fight Polish 5th Line Infantry Regiment completely broke the elite Russian Jaeger Brigade (13th & 14th Jaeger Regiments), called Warna Lions (because of their fame gained in the recently finished war with Turkey), and captured the bridge. This cut off Russian units on the western bank of the river from the rest of their comrades. Finally Poles won the battle. The Russian losses are estimated between 3 600 – 4 500 soldiers, while Polish one numbered 400 – 500 soldiers. Tactical success of Poles was undoubted, however they did not decide to attack through the swampy river Muchawiec also because of the informations that the main Russian army is near and would join the Rosen’s forces the next day.

The game is an expansion for Ostrołęka 26 maja 1831. It means that Iganie 1831 uses system rules (also charts & tables) and markers which are in Ostrołęka 26 maja 1831. There are two scenarios in the game: the historical and the alternative one. The first one in more detailed way simulates the battle and all background of it,