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Saturday 8 August 2020

A good day to be Frei

Today, I finally got back to my club (who restarted last week) to play a game with Phil. We started with the same game we last played back in March, 7 Years war!
As ever, Phil was using my Russian army, and I stayed with my Prussians.
I got the initiative, and was therefore the Attacker, this also allowed me to deploy in one of the flank sectors of the table.


The Russian army left wing had a lot of infantry, though I noted the numbers were inflated by poorer quality Corps of Observation troops.
The Russian right had cavalry behind a good quality infantry force. 
My left, outflanking the Russian right. I had Von Seylitz (Brave, Competent) in charge of my horse, supported by Grenadiers and most of my artillery. 
My right, with Hussars and Frei Korps supporting a weaker infantry force. 
I was, yet again, encumbered with 2 incompetent brigadiers, at least one was Brave, as well as stupid! 
 The Russian army had one Brave Incompetent the rest were Average.
Unfortunately, my initial order phase only allowed Kuirassier regiment 3 to advance on my left wing. 
The front line of Grenadiers advanced too, the rest failed to act! 
At least my guns advanced in their support. 
 On my right, it was no better, only Frei battalion Mayr advanced on the steep hill to their front.
The entire cavalry wing just stood there! 
The Russian right was a hive of action. 
Once again, they managed to set up on a low hill in front of my Grenadiers. 
 Their centre advanced at a steady pace, in good order.
That steep hill looked ripe for my Frei Korps and Hussars to exploit. 
 The Russian left wing cavalry got into action.
 My Grenadiers reached the low hill, but made no impression on the Russian defenders.
 But at least the rest of my left wing horse were now active.
In my centre, I decided to leave my two brigades with Incompetent brigadiers as a reserve. 
My right wing was now reinforced with the Hussars and a Kuirassier regiment. 
The Russian infantry (note the 1 on the D6) - fired over the heads of my Grenadiers. 
On my left, KR3 was racing to attack the still deploying Russian Cuirassiers. 
My Kuirassiers smashed the Russian regiment, and pursued it off table.
 The Russian right looked in disorder, with units getting in each others way as they tried to reinforce their force on the low hill.
The Russian left wing infantry halted to fend off my Prussian foot. 
On their left, the second wing infantry moved to extend their line on the steep hill. 
My Prussian Grenadiers began to wear away the Russian infantry, at last. 
The Russian musketeers fired back, disordering one of my battalions. 
On the Russian right, the big Grenadier brigade managed to sort itself out, and 'closed the door' on my left wing horse supporting KR3. 
Von Seydlitz was peeved! - his cavalry wing had missed their chance to outflank the Russian right.
On my right, my Fusiliers were outshooting their Russian opponents. 
My Hussars moved round the Russian right, but the Russian cavalry were in position to counter them. 
The Russian infantry around the low hill were taking casualties... 
...my artillery had opened up. 
Frederick trotted up to see why my heavy gun battery was being so ineffective... 
 ...so inspired the artillerymen destroyed the Russian guns opposite them!
The brave Russian infantry continued to fire at my Grenadiers, who took casualties. 
The Russian gun, finally deployed, swept most of a battalion away! 
My Fusiliers were slowly working through the Russians on the steep hill. 
Suddenly, behind the Russian right, KR3 returned and charged a second Russian Cuirassier regiment! 
The Routing Russians burst through their dragoons, and KR3 pursued towards these too! 
Unfortunately, the dragoons retreated in haste, outrunning my pursuing Kuirassiers, who halted, blown. 
My Kurassiers made a final attack on the dragoons, and won, but the Russian dragoons stood. Their failure to rout doomed KR3!
The Russian left wing Horse Grenadiers, nonetheless turned to face the potential threat from Von Seylitz!
The Russian right wing cavalry commander moved past the Prussian Kuirassiers, making room for the second line Russian infantry to move in.
A single volley sufficed to destroy the remnants of the superb KR3.
My fusiliers were still winning, but the Russians were not for moving!
On my right, only my Frei Korps were free to act, skirmishing with the Russian infantry. 
On my left, my Grenadiers had a good turn, but the Russians again stood their ground. 
My fusiliers and heavy gun were still killing Russians. 
 My Grenadiers finally drove most of the Russian infantry off the low hill...
...but the Russians brought more infantry to engage my second line.  
My Prussian infantry now tried to counter attack..
The Russian gun on the hill finally drove my brave grenadiers back off the hill they had taken at such cost. 
With no infantry in the way, my artillery now pounded the Russian gun to destruction. 
My rallied Grenadiers destroyed the last Russian gun battery facing them.
The guns now began to harass the Russian infantry in the centre.
On the Prussian right the Frei Korps, to everyone's surprise, caused casualties on a Russian battalion! ...
...and then another! 
The surviving Russians fired back, but only managed to disorder the dispersed Prussians. 
My left wing infantry tried to break through the Russian right...
...but the Russians fired back a terrible volley! 
 Amazingly, my Prussians only halted, rather than being swept away, surrounded by their dead and wounded comrades, they kept on firing.
My fusiliers, too, were now taking casualties. 
At this point, we had to declare the game ended as the sun fell. 

The final situation on my left... 
...in the centre... 
...and the right. 
The Russians had taken greater losses than the Prussians, but they had more to lose!

We enjoyed the game though (and KR3 will rise again!)

2 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks Ray! I always like the look of Horse and Musket games for sheer spectacle!

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