Frederick under attack!

Today, we introduced our newest member, Rhys, to the Seven Years War rules I have developed in an Austrian/Prussian battle.

Naturally, we randomised everything, even who played with who! I got Phil to help command my Prussians, and Lawrence got Rhys for the Austrians.

I threw terrible dice for deployment, and we ended up with the Austrians attacking a half deployed Prussian force! Our random brigadiers included 2 incompetents, whereas  the Austrians were all at least average. I did get a brave and competent Cavalry commander, so that HAD to go to Seydlitz!!!

Our army, 2 lines of infantry with the 2 cavalry brigades in the rear.

We were constricted by light woods on my right, but that also served to hide some of my troops from prying Austrian eyes! 

Rhys, with Lawrence, newly back from his holidays, behind! 

Rhys had a strong Austrian cavalry wing extending beyond Phil's deployment area. 

Their centre mirrored ours, with a stronger first line. 

Lawrence had his cavalry out beyond the wood on my right. 

The game started with the Reichs infantry advancing to engage my infantry, while Lawrence failed to get his cavalry moving! 

One Reichs infantry group seemed not to have got the order to advance! 

Rhys got his Austrian infantry to advance on Phil, while the Austrian horse waited to see how things developed.

Phil was keen to engage, and his regiments trotted forwards alongside his front line infantry. 

Phil had a musketeer brigade on the left, with a Grenadier brigade towards the centre. 

I advanced my infantry, and had my Kuirassiers move through the edge of the wood to face the Austro-Reichs cavalry opposite.

My hidden Hussars and Frei battalion Mayr emerged from the wood to cover my Kuirrasiers who were vulnerable in their marching columns. 

The hussars bore down on the massed Austrians, what were they up to? 

My infantry began to engage the vaunted regiments from Hesse-Darmstadt and Blau Wurtzburg. 

Phil's first line began to trade shots with the Austrian foot. 

Phil's Prussian Kuirassiers  deployed to attack.

The previously quiescent Austrian horse began to redeploy, leaving KR Bretlach to face the two Prussian regiments. 

Rhys had withdrawn a Kuirassier regiment behind his infantry, when it became apparent they were blocking their own troops' advance. 

The Austrian Kuirassiers formed up in line with KR Trautmannsdorf.

KR Bretlach moved to the attack, but were hesitant to attack two fresh regiments!

At this point Rhys and Phil's infantry lines were only disordering each other with their fire.

My infantry and Lawrence's were also indecisively engaged! 

 Suddenly, Rhys's Austrian grenadiers drove off their Prussian opposite numbers with a crashing volley!

 Battered, but not broken, the Prussians reformed in the rear.

My hussars meanwhile, had been beaten by the Austrian kuirassiers, but also survived to rally in the rear. 

My infantry began to get the better of the firefight with the Reichs infantry, though my left hand brigade (IR5 and 9) were taking punishment. With only 4 battalions against the Austrians 6, I was lucky to survive!

Phil's musketeers, supported by a battery of heavy guns, were winning against the Austrian infantry facing them. 

 Phil's musketeers got a good volley against the weakened Austrian infantry facing them...

 ...this routed them!

Prussian KR3 charged and broke the hapless KR Bretlach and chased them off. 

The rest of the Prussian cavalry remained in reserve. 

Blau Wurtzburg was below par today, despite outnumbering their Prussian opponents, they consistently failed to hit anything! 

 My Kuirassiers meanwhile, having cleared the woods, attacked the Bayreuth Kuirassiers...

 ...the battle was confused and indecisive!...until my second Kuirassier regiment and the Frei Korps drove off the brave Reichs Kuirrasiers.

 Finally, something had to break, and it was Blau Wurtsburg and Hesse-Darmstadt!

Phil's second line grenadiers began to beat the Austrians... 

 ...and with 6 Reichs battalions fleeing, Lawrence knew it was time for the Austrians to leave the field.

That was a close and difficult battle for both sides, neither side made any glaring errors, and it was simply the Prussian luck and refusal to flee that took the day!