A day of dice

Today, after having to miss the last 2 club weeks, I returned to pushing figures round the table!

I had hoped to do What a Tanker using my Arab Israeli variant, but couldn't guarantee to get enough tanks finished, so we did Seven Years war again. My Russians were looking for revenge after their last defeat!

I failed to be the attacker again, though my mass of Cossacks meant the Austrians had to deploy facing my Russians. 

My left was a mixed bag of heavy and light cavalry.

I had a reserve of infantry and light cavalry in difficult ground in the centre, and had another heavy horse brigade behind my right.

 

 The Austrians had mixed lines of horse and foot on their left, the mass of their infantry was under Phil on their right, together with a lot of cavalry.

 The view from the Russian centre.

 The Austrian left wing horse were quickly on the move, deploying out.

 The Reichs infantry advanced to make room for their cavalry to deploy.

 I had my reserve brigadier detach a battalion of Grenadiers and of dismounted dragoons to support my weak left infantry facing Phil.

 I had randomly got 3 Cautious Incompetent brigadiers on my right, so it was no surprise when they failed to match the Austrian deployment. 

 On my left, I only got a single cuirassier regiment, and the Kalmyks to deploy.

 The only brigadier to shine was in my centre, where he got everything advancing!

 On my right, a single regiment of cuirassiers deployed.

 My commander in Chief was able to prompt the Serbski hussars to support them.

 The Austrian horse were parading beautifully towards them.

 Phil's infantry were moving towards my line. Would my troops be as good as their brigadier?

 Phil was able to bring the rest of his horse out to support them.

 My Russian infantry caused casualties on the advancing Germans, but a crashing return volley disrupted my line.

 Phil's cavalry was now deploying...

...supported by their dragoons.

Phil had 2 brigades facing my 1.5 - and began to push one round my flank. 

Back on my right, the Russian hussars were only able to shadow the heavy Austrian Kuirassiers, falling back before them. 

 The rest of Lawrence's heavy Austrian cavalry stood in reserve.

 Phil's infantry closed with my reeling Russian foot, and shredded them with another perfect volley.

The survivors routed and fled. 

I had the detached battalions to face the full brigade threatening my flank.

Only my artillery, unsupported, faced the victorious Reichs infantry. 

 My second line had retreated, demoralised by the collapse of the front line.

 I finally had 2 cuirassier regiments to face Lawrence, but only had some Cossacks to back them up!

My Grenadiers and dismounted dragoons were holding on against their opponents. 

 On my left, my lone cuirassier regiment failed to charge!

 My right wing infantry had by now advanced to face the Austrian infantry.

 Austrian Kuirassier regiment Bretlach thundered into my 2 Russian regiments...

My 3rd cuirassiers won, but the Novotroitsk cuirassiers were routed!

The 3rd cuirassiers actually forced Bretlach to retreat, but they had lots of reserve horse to replace them!  

On the other wing, the Reichs Kuirassiers had failed, in turn, to charge my Russians!

On my left, a Reichs Kuirassier regiment charged another of my cuirassier regiments, who flinched, receiving the charge at the halt! 

No surprise, these too routed!

It was not going to be my day, so I called the game. The Russian army still had enough to ensure a safe retreat, but we were being overrun!

Another bad dice day!

Ah well --Next time...!