Lessons Learned

3 Fights and...

Where had it got me? Well the charge sequence was proving its worth, that was for certain. Instead of a lot of melees taking place I had one. I was told by David from the 200-ers that things were at such a state lines were seemingly incapable of stopping columns and if we did not do something about it soon the British would all be defending in column at Vimeiro. Given what happened at the last French/Austrian game a reverse-sloped and screened British line will shoot charging French units to bits all things being equal. It will force the French to prise the Brits out of their positions if they are going to make any headway.

But there are other things too. The overwhelming power of artillery has had some members concerned. The only answer to this has been to use Cuirassier as panzer divisions (again, totally a-historical) and gamesmanship to attack when they are out of ammunition. So here is what I have slid into my set of AOC.

1. All guns can fire if charged no matter their ammunition state. This gets rid of the option that was, quite frankly, gamesmanship, of standing a unit in front of a battery to commit suicide whilst others waited until the guns were out of ammo and then piled in. This would happily nip that particular farce in the bud.



2. Instead of looking at what units in the game could deal with guns I went back to first principles and thought about what guns were neutralised by. Other than counter-battery the option of using skirmish troops was always good. In this light I have reduced artillery effectiveness against skirmishers (the latter would just lay down or take cover) and make batteries take a morale test if they come under small arms fire. A negative result would reflect a battery commanders desire to move his guns to a place of greater safety. In terms of skirmsh cavalry, the Wargames Holiday Centre have skirmish cavalry take half casualties from artillery. So maybe I should try this as well as make it easier for skirmish-order troops to charge artillery in any formation.

3. Adding a band for 6lb guns reduces their effectiveness. It seemed odd that a 6lb had as much punch as a 9lb, so I created a new band. In return 6lb guns, 7lb howitzers and smaller are much more mobile, which makes them more useful being prolonged with the infantry.

4. Formation changes. I think batteries with more than 8 guns should have to double the time they take to change formation. This is particularly aimed at the Russians, of course.


Past the Guns

There have been other things. The ADC/Staff Officer rule is a handy one. Often units were detailed off under a staff officer for a particular task, and this option allows for that. The staff officer himself is unlikely to give any benefits other than command range, or maybe allow minor benefits unless it is a significant staff character like Mouton, for example. Force Chiefs of Staff may be a little better, and I am also toying with the Artillery Commander, if there was one, acting as a second brigade commander for artillery assets only, so he can command the reserve guns and set up a grand battery somewhere. These are not AOC ideas for our large games, but to add interest to corps or division-level actions.

Then there is the hoary issue of National Characteristics. Now some years ago this went a bit too far and I have also been a bit hostile to the '+1 to British in Line' rule that still seems to appear everywhere. That said there is no doubt that nations, sometimes in certain periods, had quirks that should be reflected. But, where possible, I want to try and balance these out. So, Russian infantry may be incredibly stubborn, but all Russians shoot worse than would normally be the case. British and KGL infantry shoot better, but British cavalry is almost impossible to control. There are tactical limits too. Some countries should be barred from using attack columns (like the 1806 Prussians) whereas other units are incapable of forming anything other than a column (Opolchenie, Landwehr and so on) whereas others are just limited to skirmish order (Spanish Guerillas, Vendeans and Tyrolean insurgents come quickly to mind)



While I am dealing with formations I also introduced a difference between an attack column and a march column. Bizarrely, there wasn't one. I also have found it hard to explain that an attack column is still longer than it is deeper. I think this is an issue of English, everyone assuming 'column' as a term means something deeper than it is long. So I have introduced the idea that lines are 1 casting deep, attack columns 2 or 3 deep and anything deeper is a march column. The latter are the only formations that can strategically move, but suffer whacking great penalties if caught in combat.

And the Cuirassier/Panzers?

This is a hard one in a way. One player who adopted this tactic said: 'but they're a shock arm'. True, but only effective against already worn and uncertain troops. Against fresh, confident infantry the results would be D'Espagne at Wagram or Milhaud at Waterloo rather than Murat at Jena. Currently this is my next area of interest, as heavies were more of a one-shot weapon to break an already worn enemy, not a battering ram to take on 12lb position batteries with equanimity. Maybe one answer is to double disorder from charges in heavies to reflect their horses getting winded easier than lights? This would mean they would be worn quicker. A rule already exists to limit the frequency of their charges (not twice in a row) but if we are talking 6 minute turns it is hardly a major stumbling block to incessant offensives.


I also think that the rule that lights cannot charge formed heavies is silly. The current 'work around' is that units can charge if they are 2 morale grades higher, but this seems overly complex and silly. Lights did charge heavies and sometimes won (Austrian Hussars v Carabinier at Leipzig?) without a vast morale difference. As we only have 4 morale bands anyway it just makes it even more silly. As Major Tom, another 200-er commented: 'I do not see that it matters, if the lights are penalised in combat enough the player will judge'.

Anyhow, I am getting this out of the way as my next post will be a write-up of a French-Prussian game using many of these changes against an old chum from the Guildford club. 'Till then....

K

Games #3

Intro

For my third game I spent a week painting to increase the number of French. So by the time this game took place there were 3 btns of Legere, 5 Ligne, a foot battery of 8 8lb/How and a horse battery of 4 4lb. I also managed to paint up the 5e Hussards which balanced out the cavalry. In terms of staff I had not made much headway, there was still only GdeD Friant, GdeB Gilly and two staff officers.

I elected to have a very simple battle between these French and whatever Austrians I could muster. This amounted to 3 battalions of IR3, one battalion of IR8, a Landwehr battalion, the 2^nd Moravian Freiwillige btn and the 1er Jagerbattalion. In terms of cavalry there were two units of 12 UlR2 and 6 HusR10, and in terms of guns a foot battery, a horse battery and a small section of two howitzers. In terms of staff FML Klenau was in overall command with one ADC, with the force split into three brigades: the Uhlans, cavalry battery and Jager under Oberst Hardegg, the 3 battalions of IR3 and the howitzers under Oberst Steininger and the remaining infantry and guns under GM Grill. Klenau had the hussars with himself as a mobile reserve. Oh, and I took no pics of this so I can only illustrate it with pics from other games.

The Battle

The Austrians were deployed on a slight rise, with Grill on the left, Steininger in the centre and Hardegg on the right. The French, again attacking, elected for a heavy punch on their right launching their 3 Legere battalions and 2 battalions of the 48e Ligne and the horse battery under Gilly against Grill. The 3 battalions of the 33e Ligne to hold the centre with the foot battery under one staff officer, whilst another held the left with the two cavalry regiments.

The French right hook got off to a good start, the 5 battalions deployed into attack column and gave each other good support. One of the Legere battalions formed a screen for the other four and the horse battery accompanied.

Then it all went wrong. The French horse battery was small. It soon got into a duel with Grill’s foot battery and was driven off in disorder. This meant the Austrian guns switched their attention to the attacking infantry, and loosed off a fearful cannonade against 2/33e Ligne, not only stopping it but driving it back too. That left 3 attacking battalions. The French screen was unable to penetrate the Austrian screen formed by the Moravians but Gilly needed to launch his attack before the Austrian guns turned their attention on other units. So he launched his 3 battalions at Grill’s line.

French attack repulsed

As the skirmishers on both sides evaded out of the way the two Legere and single Ligne battalion ploughed forward, with Gilly himself attached himself to one of the Legere battalions. The Ligne battalion was aimed at the end of the Lieb/IR8 and the foot battery, the 2/15e Legere smack in the middle of Lieb/IR8 whilst 1/15e Legere plus Gilly were charging the end of Lieb/IR8 and a small Masse of the Moravians. The Austrians were fresh and undisrupted, and the results were almost a foregone conclusion.

The Ligne battalion charged, got canistered by the Austrian battery and lost 5 figures. This routed them. The 2/15e Legere was volleyed at point blank range by four companies of IR8 which blew away 4 figures. Carrying a level of disorder already they rolled poorly and routed as well. That left 1/15e Legere. With Gilly attached it had a slight morale bonus (he is not a great General) and attacking where they did they could only be brought under fire by one company of IR8 and one company of Moravians. So they lost 2 casualties, and although they had lost some previously from the howitzers and skirmishers plus some disorder the remnants made their morale (being B class and with Gilly attached) and actually breezed through the volley. IR8 was not particularly phased by this so a melee developed.

It turned out to be a draw, both sides taking one casting casualty each. The Austrians took theirs as a disorder putting them at ‘shaken’. The French, knowing a morale check was coming due to friendly routers, took the casting casualty. The morale check was a catastrophe, having two friendly routers in the same brigade, no supports, casualties and disorder the French dissolved into rout.

The rest of the battle was effectively an Austrian gradual ‘pursuit’ by Grill. Klenau waved his hat and the Austrians rolled ponderously forward in line. The truth was that the French were going backwards faster than the Austrians could go forward, even despatching his 6 hussars under his ADC they were unable to get forward fast enough before the French fled the table.

Conclusion

The Austrians lost virtually nothing. The French lost 5 battalions plus some from 33e Ligne that were shot up by the Jager screening an advancing IR3 at the end of the game. It was a good example of how not to attack. The Austrians were fresh, undisturbed and in a strong position. Any attack was going to struggle, and in this case the total Austrian casualties it inflicted was one casting and a bit of disorder. But, again, it was a quick and realistic result. In the Peninsular with more aggressive British leaders a bayonet charge after the French attack would have been the norm: indeed the French collapse was so total that and charge would not have caught them. But, if they had simply halted with disorder a charge by the defenders the next turn would have seen them off anyway.

Games #2

Intro

After the French-Prussian game I moved the clock on to 1809 and set up a similar scenario, although less of a meeting engagement. The French were all reduced to Seasoned and many of the Austrians were too, excepting the 3^rd btn of IR3, the Landwehr battalion and the Moravian Volunteer battalion. Also these 3 units were considered Untrained (as were all of the French Ligne) whilst the remaining three Austrian battalions were considered trained.

Sankt Polten

I used the same battlefield as I used for Rexdorf, with the plan again to use the French as the attackers. This time it was going to be a harder situation, with them being of lower quality than in 1806 with the Austrians being of better quality. The battle quickly developed into 3 distinct combats.

On the French left two battalions under an ADC was detailed to take the southerly part of Sankt Polten which was garrisoned by 3/IR3.



This was less a sensible attack but rather a ‘try it and see’ to work out how the changes worked on a BUA. 3/IR3 was raw and untrained but when 1eme 48e Ligne went in it was shot to pieces and withdrew. The damage was so great that it was unable to support the 2^nd battalion’s attempt so it never even made the charge effort. The upshot was that the two French battalions were pinned down by 3/IR3 and effectively neutralised.

On the French right the Austrians needed to cover the road leading to the table edge where their second brigade under GM Grill would enter. This would comprise 3 battalions, two squadrons and a foot battery. To do this Oberst Hardegg covered the road with his Uhlans and Jager. The French, unwilling to push here, balanced things with their Chasseur a Cheval and a battalion of Legere.

That left the centre. Here the 33e Ligne Drew up in attack columns screened by the second battalion of the 15e Legere and marched towards the two remaining battalions of IR3.



1/IR3 threw out its schutzen and the French took several moves trying to rip away the screen. Once they had done so they attacked the slightly debilitated 1/IR3 and threw it back through 2/IR3.



This was also attacked and its volley failed to stop the two charging battalions and it to fell back, this time into the northern part of Sankt Polten.

The 3e bn of the 33e Ligne had another issue, the cavalry battery to the left of IR3. Although the voltigeurs of 3e bn eventually compelled it to withdraw (a player rather than morale decision) the battalion itself had huge holes torn in it and was very disordered.

Grill’s men were arriving, and the Austrians prepared to use them for a counterattack. Hardegg launched 4 squadrons of lancers at the 33e Ligne and it pretty much collapsed. Grill directed his troops off the road and the Moravian Freiwillige and two squadrons of the HusR10 ‘Stipiscz’ continued the pursuit.

Conclusions

This game merely illustrated again the need for attackers to have reserves and superiority of combined arms. Although pushed back IR3 was not really damaged. The French were not too badly damaged either but disordered. The 3/33e Ligne was the weak sister as it had been battered by the cavalry battery enough so as to be very vulnerable to the lancers. Once it had disintegrated the morale effect on its sister battalions saw them go too, along with 1/15e Legere. The game also proved the real effect of stationary rifles, the tussle between JgBn1 and 2/15e Legere proving unequal and allowing rifle fire to drive off the French horse artillery too. In a stationary or predictable situation the Austrians are a very unpleasant opponent for the French, although given the command radius of their generals and the number of available ADC’s I would not want to try anything too dynamic.

K

Games #1

Playing1: Rexdorf

Intro

Although as gamers we like to focus on the game, we do spend most of our time painting, unless you can afford professional painters or are prepared to pack it all off to Sri Lanka. But, every so often, we get to play with those little men into whom we have poured so much time and effort. I got a chance a few weeks ago when the other half was back home visiting the family (and returned with numerous horror stories, as usual) to set up a decent sized table in the living room. I had been painting like mad to have a meaningful French force in particular so I could have some solo games.

Art of Command

This was also related to play testing some ideas I wanted to suggest for the 200-ers rule set ‘Art of Command’. Now despite having thought up the title, imposed some sort of C2 system and having an identifiable picture of my ample stomach on the cover I am still having ideas about them. The basic issue is to drag a rules system that has a strong whiff of the Seventies about it kicking and screaming into the 1990’s. The whole thing is designed by committee, which has the usual strengths and weaknesses of anything thought up in that sort of atmosphere, and as I have been ill I have missed the last two games and rules meetings. Another thing about this process is intensely personal. By comparison with the other members I am relatively young. I am also pretty impatient with the grinding nature of this type of debate. I also have a very clear approach to any rules set; it has to allow things that happened in reality happen on the tabletop. This means I am keener on an evidence-based approach to form the basis of rules than the ‘game’ approach that emphasises the ‘fun’ aspect of things at the expense of historical constraints. With characteristic arrogance I feel that these people would be better going off and playing fantasy games.

What is important is that my views are tempered by playability. I do have a tendency to overcomplicate anything that is put in front of me. Any rules set designed by me would read wonderfully, be totally grounded in evidence and research and allow for a wide range of circumstances. It would also take 4 hours to play a turn. So the ideas of David, in particular, are very useful in grounding me in the need for playability. Professionally I never thought I would be complimentary about anyone from the Defence Procurement Agency but I may have found the exception that proves the rule.

Play testing

So, the key thing to test was my suggested Charge Sequence. I have mentioned in other posts my worries about both the number of infantry v infantry melees in the open and their inconclusivity and had worked on a way of making things flow better. I had done some small-scale tests back in October but here was a chance to test them at divisional level.

Other things tested were a new artillery band for 6lb guns with mobility for 3lb-4lb and 6lb guns set out. I also gave Generals at certain levels ADCs to give them a bit more flexibility when it came to command radius. It allows the French in particular greater flexibility when it comes to apportioning units.

French-Prussian game: Rexdorf 1806

The first solo game I set up was a French-Prussian game from 1806. The French at this stage only had one cavalry unit ready (a significant issue in the battle) and I set up a scenario that tried to take account of this. The French were all Veteran, the Prussians were all Raw and I laid down pre-set objectives for both sides to allow me to act in a solo context.



What became clear during this battle was that the new charge sequence worked insofar as not a single infantry v infantry combat took place in the whole game. The French launched virtually all their infantry at the Prussian centre which was drawn up in two lines with the Grenadiers in reserve. They were able to wear down the Prussians with skirmisher fire and the initial charges, pepped up by attached leaders, and forced the Prussians back.

What also was clear was that although they could knock them back there were not enough battalions to break through. The attacking French were worn down by volleys and disorder, allowing the Prussians to stitch together a new defensive line.

Although I gamely tried to break this one the Prussians charged up the French flank with one Hussar unit, the French Chasseur a Cheval having been thrown away by yours truly in a ‘try it and see’ charge early in the game.


The conclusion was that, taking into account the cavalry imbalance, the charge sequence had produced realistic and quick results. The worn Prussians had been bounced back but the French did not have the reserves to exploit. This made sense, as the attackers should need a superiority in numbers to make a convincing breakthrough. There were two more lessons. Firstly, the veteran French, bunched together with good leaders were pretty much unstoppable by the raw Prussian lines. The second was that, after initial attacks, the French were disordered and debilitated which left them open to a counterattack, in this case by light cavalry.

There were personal things too. I am a pretty well-honed Austrian player so I was less aggressive with my artillery than I should have been.


A player more ‘French-focussed’ would have been more direct in their use of the guns.

K

Getting back to the Game

Apologia

To start with I am sorry for my absence over the past few months. To give the short story I have been unwell, for want of a better phrase, which put a halt to both gaming and painting. I’m happy to say that over the past six weeks I have managed a lot of painting and a couple of solo games plus a game against an old chum from the Guildford club. So this is by way of a catchup post, with pics of the most recent stuff off the workbench. I’ll try and get round to looking at some of the things in greater depth in later posts.

Painting

I have always found painting a therapeutic activity, and a great way of passing the time too. At the end of last month the other half went back home for Passover, so I took up the brush a few weeks earlier to get as much done as possible. With the place to myself I intended to colonise the living room and have a few games.

My 1806 Prussians are pretty much done. What I really needed to do was get my Frogs sorted out, or at least get enough done so I could have some realistic games. The ‘French Plan’ is to get a division completed plus a brigade of light cavalry and the supporting artillery. The result is that I now have 5 battalions of Ligne, 3 of Legere, a regiment of Hussars and one of Chasseur a Cheval plus a foot and a horse battery finished. Along with this I have figures to represent Friant, Gilly, Barbanegre and two ADC/Staff officers painted up. This was enough to evenly match the 1806 Prussians, and the 1809 Austrians I have done. Anyhow, here are some pics…..

Artillerie a Cheval and 5e Hussards

11e Chasseur a Cheval

1st Bn 15e Legere

5e Hussards

Arguably I should be focussing on the Austrians. Those who know me well will be totally unsurprised to find out that this is going to be my main army. The plan is ambitious, true. There is already enough lead to do the whole of IV Kolonne and this is well underway. I hope to do V Kolonne too; I already have six squadrons and three battalions of this force and will keep adding bits. The aim is to get all of this done for the 200-ers re-fight of Aspern-Essling next year. Yes, there is the issue of snowblindness. I am trying to do six German infantry and then six of something else; Gunners, Grenz, Cavalry or whatever. It helps things become less of a grind than they would be otherwise. Pullinger’s Art shop here in Kingston has been a good source of Acrylic colours, and their ‘Parchment’ Heavy Body paint has proved to be a great basecoat for off-white wool and pure white leatherwork. OK, pics time….

HusR10 'Stipiscz'

Lieb btn, IR8 'Erzherzog Ludwig' in Battalion Mass

There are other things. I am painting up some unpainted Flintloque stuff and some other bits and pieces in order to generate space and cash from ebay sales. These will all go into making more little men that I can use (more bits of V Kolonne). My one 28mm Marlburian Dutch unit has already gone to a mate. Also there are the Napoleonic Spanish and the WAS Italian period plus a 3lb battery for the 1806 Prussians. I have found, after a lot of looking, the Crusader 3lb guns ideal for this and as guns for the WAS Piedmontese infantry. As they are both mid-light blue they can double up. The figures that come with the Crusader guns become Spanish. Although you have seen the battalion before here is the Piedmontese Regiment ‘Diesbach’ with their newly painted battalion gun section…



Games, well, as this post is long lets leave them and the playtesting of suggestions for Art of Command to a later post.

K

For TMP Purposes

Thought I had better put a post down to dump photos for TMP.

The battle of Tauberbischofsheim 28 June 1750

Opening shots

The allied line

The battle began with shots fired from the Franconian Bombardiercorps batteries at 8am at Kneidl’s farm. The Bamberg Dragoons and the Nassau Grenadiers (the former serving dismounted) had already been badly mauled at Hardheim some two weeks before and this experience was to do nothing for their nerves. The Bombardment lasted for exactly one hour under the direction of Prinz Friedrich himself, who, as Inspector-General of Artillery took a personal interest in the performance of the guns.

The Franconian battery bombards Kniedl's farm
(Friedrich is to the lower right)

So, for sixty minutes, the farm and environs were treated to a heavy dose of shells and round shot but failed to catch fire. But, for the defenders the noise and whizzing stones were more than enough to contend with. There was some reply from Redoubt number 5 near Kneidl’s farm but this only had the effect of tiring the crew.

As abruptly as the bombardment started, at 9am it stopped. This was the appointed time for the Franconian attack to begin. On the left the brigade of Prinz Furstemberg started in a timely way preceded by Businelli and his Neapolitans and accompanied by Wiesenstein. So fixated was he on advancing upon the redoubt that he had overlooked sending orders to Hamilton in the second line meaning he just sat there for a good fifteen minutes. Prinz Friedrich, from his vantage point in the gun line, saw this stationary force and eventually decided that something was wrong. He rode up to Hamilton who, on being questioned by Friedrich replied in his mangled Scots-German that ‘Mi'lord Wiesenstein has not seen fit to yet order me forward, Your Highness.’ Friedrich gave him a personal instruction to follow up as second treffen to Prinz Furstemberg and within 10 minutes the brigade was underway.

Lundquist's Guard Division approaches the allied centre

Looking along the length of his line with his spyglass Friedrich saw to his satisfaction that the Guard Division of Lundquist was advancing on the allied centre in good order with colours flying and drums playing. The smile of pride was soon wiped off his face, however, when he looked along the line further. Instead of attacking first of all with the Household Brigade of Erffa-Wernburg it seemed that General Hausen was passing the Ritter von Salmannsweiler’s Dragoons ahead of them to attack with that Brigade first. Not only was this costing valuable time it was also not spearheading the attack with the best available troops. Looking around further he could just make out a large knot of staff officers to the rear. Feeling the need for personal intervention he began to ride over to Hausen, but it would take him a good fifteen or twenty minutes to reach him.

The Battle becomes general; Kniedl’s farm and the breastwork

By the time Friedrich reached Hausen certain developments had taken place at either end of the battlefield. On the Franconian left the brigade of HRH Prinz Furstemburg had reached the breastwork and the Neapolitan infantry of Businelli were busily engaged in peppering that, and the farm, with shots. Bamberg had no light infantry to speak of and the men in the farm, already in some shock, were shaken even more. Then, out of the smoke came the close order infantry of IR19 ‘Hohenlohe’ and IR8 ‘Wurzburg’ who launched a furious charge against Bamberg’s position. The second battalion of IR19 plunged through the ragged canister from the Luneberg and Nassau guns and overwhelmed their positions. The first battalion of IR8 charged against the Nassau Grenadiers in the farm and pushed them away from the wall, continuing the fighting in the farmyard. The Bamberg Dragoons were totally overwhelmed by the second battalion IR8 and took to their heels.

The breastwork falls

The Duke of Bamberg’s position was clearly crumbling fast and he sent off to Hessenstein for assistance. By 10.10 the first battalion IR19 had charged over the breastwork and had ejected the first battalion of Grand Duke Maurice’s regiment from their position. Exhausted, they were volleyed back by the second battalion of Nassau infantry but they, in turn, were engaged by 2/IR19 and a fire fight developed. IR8, meanwhile, garrisoned the farm and Weisenstein began to wonder where Hamilton was.

The Battle becomes general; the Guards assault the centre

The 2er Garde Grenadiere: they would never reach the redoubts

Hessenstein got Bamberg’s despatch just as things reached a climax in the centre. By 10.30 Lundquist’s first line under Wilhelmini was in a position to attack the redoubts. The results were mixed. Redoubts 1 and 4 fell to the 1st battalion of Garde Grenadiere and 2nd battalion Garde Musketiere but Redoubt 2 stopped the 1st battalion Garde Musketiere in its tracks whilst the guns in Redoubt 3 drove the 2nd battalion Garde Grenadiere to retire. A second blast of canister turned the retire into a rout and they were only stopped by the personal intervention of Prinz Friedrich riding back from his ‘conversations’ with Hausen and Scheer (see below).

The fall of Redoubts 2 and 3

The breaches made, though, became death traps too for the attackers as they attempted to move beyond the line of redoubts. The Graf von Zedlitz-Truchsler's men tore the Franconian guardsmen apart with a series of good volleys. Wilhelmini, with the casualties mounting and one battalion already routing, appealed to Lundquist for support whilst the battalions took shelter behind the ruins of the redoubts that had just fallen. Lundquist was already live to the idea and had already ordered general Appengau to continue the assault by passing through Wilhelmina’s shattered battalions. He had also ordered Volkmann to bring up his cannon. Appengau was not a man to lead from the rear and, although feverish from a previous illness, he placed himself at the head of the 2nd battalion Garde Fusiliere to assault the redoubt that had inflicted such losses on the Grenadiers. This attack too failed, and GfwM Appengau fell leading it, his body and horse shredded by cannister.

Reluctantly Lundquist ordered a halt to the attacks and ordered Wilhelmini to withdraw all of his battalions to the rear, their place to be taken by those of Appengau, now under his direct command. He also had in his hand a despatch from Friedrich telling him to expect support from Scheer.

The Battle becomes general; the cavalry action and the flank march

By the time Friedrich had arrived to join Hausen and Scheer several things had already happened. Hausen had decided to attack first with Salmannsweiler’s Dragoons, which were deployed behind the Household Brigade. These had, predictable, overwhelmed the Margravine Dragoner but were now blown. He had then ordered up von Zahringen’s mixed brigade to batter his way through the Nassau Dragoons. It was at this point that Friedrich arrived. Hausen’s staff was in something approaching chaos. It was being besieged by Scheer and Erffa-Wernburg and had dissolved into clumps of argument. Scheer had, apparently, attempted to pull rank on Hausen as he had become exasperated with his constant fumblings and redeployments whilst Erffa-Wernburg pleaded to be allowed to attack as ‘the honour of the Guard’ demanded it. Into all of this rode Friedrich. Taking Scheer to one side he discussed with him a way forward. It was clear that Hausen was going to take an age to clear the allied cavalry out of the way, and so he directed Scheer to send his first brigade off to support Lundquist. Then he gave a verbal, direct order to Hausen: the Household Brigade was to attack at the first possible opportunity.

Turning his back on a red faced Hausen he remounted his horse and rode off back into the centre .

Von und Zu Scheer's infantry bypass Hausen's cavalry

Meanwhile, in the woods, the crackle of musketry fire had announced the arrival of Prinz Moritz’ men, or rather the troops of Prinz Kliuchevski. Despite his advancing years Kliuchevski was thin, spry and wiry. He ordered his troops forward into the woods against the rear of the Hessenstein Jagercorps but the latter, alert as always, were unsurprised by the noisy Ukrainians and began picking them off with accurate rifle fire.

1er Kliuchevski Legion arrives

After ten minutes of bearing the brunt of this and suffering over 150 casualties the second Kliuchevski battalion broke and ran. Their place in the line was taken by von Giessenburg’s Jager, but these part-time soldiers also proved no match for the skilled professionals of the Hessenstein Jagercorps and lost nearly 200 men in a prolonged fire fight, finally breaking and many were found wandering the woods asking the best way to the Schwarzwald.

The end

Although the Franconian plan on the right was failing, due to Hausen’s incompetence and the staunchness of the Hessenstein light infantry, and the attack in the centre had seemingly stalled, on the left Wiesenstein had broken through. The timely arrival of Hamilton (Thanks to Friedrich’s earlier intervention) gave him the reserves he needed to stem the allied counterattack. Hessenstein had ordered forward his three battalions of guards in an attempt to retake Bamberg’s position which had finally crumbled as the second battalion of Grand Duke Maurice’s regiment finally disintegrated: the weight of shot from the 2/IR19 and 1/IR8 in the farmhouse and buildings finally told. Meanwhile 2/IR8 had lined the walls and had started volleying the left-hand battalions of Cassel’s line, forcing them to turn to meet them and the harassing fire of Businelli’s men. The approach of 1/IR26 ‘Augsburg Fusiliere’ from an acute angle meant the withdrawal of the cannon from Redoubt 5 was inevitable and soon 1/IR26 was trading shots with the first battalion of the Graf von Cassel’s regiment.

Wiesenstein exploits his breach:
Only the 2nd Bamberg battalion is left to the Duke of Bamberg's command

Meanwhile Hamilton’s other battalions, accompanied by the batteries of Major Kirchwath, allowed Wiesenstein to put together a credible line against the Hessenstein guard whilst he returned both IR19 battalions to the rear. The Hessenstein Garde-Grenadiere traded shots with 2/IR8 in the farmyard whilst the two Garde battalions began opening volleys against Hamilton’s regiment and the supporting guns. Although the Prinz von Solm-Braunfels tried to make headway he failed and Kirchwath’s guns tore huge holes in the Hessenstein Garde battalions.

The Hessenstein Garde begin their counterattack

In the centre it had become a similar story. The combined Grenadier battalions of Von Frankenfeld and Von Reisinger plus the 1er Garde Fusiliere had begun trading shots with the Midachten regiment. Under the cover of this fire fight the guns of Major Volkmann were manhandled into position and began to bombard the Luneberg positions. Coming up behind Lundquist was von Scheer, with seven relatively untouched battalions and his artillery was sent on ahead to add to the line started by Volkmann.

As Lundquist holds the centre, von und zu Scheer moves up in support

Hausen, though, was still making heavy weather of the cavalry action. Von Zahringen’s men had managed to overwhelm the Nassau Dragoons but had also been winded and recalled to rest. Now Erffa-Wernburg was given his chance. Doyenne of the cavalry in earlier years he was now 76, almost blind and had lost much of his touch. But it was his moment. His brigade charged in against the enemy, he himself at the head of the Garde Karabinier and it is here that he fell, mortally wounded and trampled underfoot. His brigade, though victorious, retired leaderless.

With von und zu Scheer in position and the guns moving up, the allies retreat

In light of the defeat of his cavalry and Wiesenstein’s breakthrough on his right Hessenstein saw nothing for it but retreat. Cassel had already started losing men to The Augsburg Fusiliere and 2/IR8 in the farmyard and the news that one of his Guard battalions had crumpled was the last straw. He ordered a retreat at 12.20 to be covered by Knack. Hausen, seizing the opportunity of Erffa-Wernburg’s death, took personal command of his men and ordered the Household troopers forward to pursue. The Ritter von Weingarten, Obrist of the Garde Karabinier refused; his men were too battered and exhausted, and they had many losses. The Obrist of the Garde du Corps, and cousin of the King, the Waldgraf von Baden-Baden readily acceded and the tired troopers and horses cantered forward. Baden-Baden soon regretted his bluster as the fresh and fierce Bamberg Hussars tore into them. The tired horses were barely able to canter, never mind charge, and the proud regiment was torn to shreds and ran for the rear.

The allied retreat, Bamberg Hussars and Hessenstein Jager at the bottom of the picture

Hausen was horrified. How was he going to explain this to the King? Meanwhile he totally overlooked his fourth cavalry brigade, some 12 Kurassier squadrons under GfwM Helldorf-Bedra the 41 year-old protégé of Erffa-Wernburg. He had been reduced to tears of frustration at his lack of orders, tears of passion on hearing of the death of Erffa-Wernburg and now tears of shame as the Garde du Corps streamed past him.

By 12.50 much of the allied army was convincingly away and the shock of the Garde du Corps routing convinced Hausen to abandon any further pursuit. Prinz Moritz’ light troops were still trapped in the woods and by the time they were in a position to do so the opportunity had slipped away. Prinz Friedrich had stumbled to a bloody victory; Hessenstein had tasted the bitterness of defeat.

(Next entry, casualties and aftermath)

K