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Saturday 4 November 2017

Frederick foiled?

Today, We randomised more than the terrain! As Phil joined us there were 3 of us, and we thought it amusing to dice for Phil being in command of the army rather than just having him take a wing!
Of course, I rolled for the Prussians being the attacker, and Phil got to be Frederick. Apart from underling advice, I left him to make the division of forces between us, and the battle plan.

How would we do?



I got the job of the 'Refused wing', so only got a single Kuirassier regiment, and the regiment of Hussars as my horse contingent.
I had 2 medium guns, 2 grenadier battalions (commanded by and incompetent brigadier) and a brigade of 4 standard musketeers with an average general.
Phil had the majority of the Prussian infantry, 2 brigades of 4 Musketeer battalions with average commanders. Frederick was able to give 2 orders rather than the standard 1 extra, being Competent! 
 (To my mind, oddly) - Phil had the majority of the horse, 2 Kuirassier and 2 Dragoon regiments deployed behind a wood on the right.
Phil was facing a French wing of a single Cuirassier and 2 Dragoon regiments...commanded by a brave, but incompetent commander!
In the centre, the french had 2 brigades of infantry... 
... also commanded by incompetents!
 On his right, he had a brigade of Swiss, with an average commander...
...supported by a strong Austrian force, 2 Kuirassier and 2 Dragoon regiments, with a good commander. 
An overview of the terrain at game start. 
 My weak cavalry wing was rather...over-matched by the Austrians, but my commander dithered, leaving his horsemen sitting targets for the enemy!
 My incompetent brigadier managed to get a battery of guns moving forward only!
 Phil got his infantry advancing with a lot less trouble!
 His horse, however, were discovering why attacking Cavalry don't deploy behind woods!
The French began an artillery bombardment... 
...nah, missed! 
Further down the line, the rest of the French guns were firing too...
...disordering a couple of battalions only at this range. 
As the Austrians advanced on my curiously quiescent horse, their supporting artillery...  
...finally got the range, disordering IR6! 
Lawrence's plan now began to unfold, as the Swiss advanced against my infantry on the hill, while the Austrian horse would sweep my horse away. 
As Phil struggled to get his horse forward, the French, despite their rubbish commander, managed to advance to try and catch the Prussian horse as they were disordered passing the wood.
 My cavalry commander woke up! Both of my regiments of horse retired behind my infantry.
 Unable to get my guns positioned well, I made the best of a bad job and just started firing to cover my Grenadiers, as they began moving back to form an angled back defensive line.
 The Swiss were not too bothered though, and continued advancing through the barrage.
The French infantry were closing fast...
in addition, the Austrians detailed 2 of their regiments to pass behind their line to fight against Phil. 
 Phil's heavy cavalry began to shake out into line just in time to face off with the Cuirassiers du Roi.
 Phil had 2 more regiments passing the wood's edge.
 I withdrew one battery to support my open wing.
 We still had a Kuirassier and a Dragoon regiment facing me, despite the detachments. 
On Phil's wing his Kuirassiers, having got past the wood, paused to redress their line, and were caught at the halt by the flamboyant French heavies! 
 The rest of the French horse covered the wood edge.
 As the infantry lines closed, the French drove the attacking Prussians back!
The Cuirassiers du Roi broke through the Prussians!(Poor Phil threw the first of a long series of '1's on his dice!)  Things were beginning to go 'Pear shaped'!!!
 Phil did get his other regiments out of the wood to face the French Cheveaux Legeres!- would this turn the tables on the French?
 The passed through Prussian Kuirassiers also joined in by attacking. (During this time, the Cuirassiers du Roi were broken by fire from the Prussian infantry)
The weakened Prussian horse were broken by the fresh French cavalry, who pursued...
...straight over the supporting artillery and into the reserve dragoons, who also fled under the fierce French onslaught.
Back on my wing, my Prussian infantry were shredding the Swiss who attacked me, but the brave Swiss continued their assault!
Not enough though, the Prussian right was in tatters, the infantry line was in disarray, and the French were attacking everywhere. 
Poor Fritz called it a day, and fell back, giving the day to the French!

Again!

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