SYW Campaign Day One

Today we began a week of fighting out a fictional SYW campaign pitting Austrians and French against Prussians and Hanoverians.  Both sides have seven players, each commanding a brigade.  There are four fields, eight built up areas and two bridges on each side.  These are the objectives of the campaign.  Points are also awarded for destroying enemy brigades.  The rule set we are using is Die Kriegskunst, a variation of the General de Brigaade rules.

After briefing the players we got right to the action.  We were able to get through four and a third turns.

The Franco/Austrian center with several objective points in view.

An overview of the table.  Prussians to the left, Austrians to the right.

The Prussian left flank

Turn One- The Austrians set out aggressively to attack into Prussian territory.  In the center, a brigade of Austrian cavalry was able to move swiftly to attack a vital bridge in the Prussian center.

Turn Two- Our first action of the game came quickly as a Hanoverian cavalry brigade attempted to defend the contested bridge.  The result was a severe punishing of the Hanoverian horse as they were outnumbered.  One regiment was eliminated from play and the other two were driven back across the bridge as a result of a brigade morale test.

The first action of the game, a cavalry charge!

Turn Three- The victorious Austrian cavalry try to regroup after their success while a brigade of grenadiers comes up to offer support.  Two other Austrian infantry brigades advance on the left to attack a town worth 100 points.  But a brigade of Prussians arrive at the town first and organize a defense.

On the Austrian right, another cavalry fight is looming as Hakik's Austrian cavalry maneuvers to attack Von Spaen's elite Prussians.

Turn Four-  Reinforcements are rolled for each turn and if they arrive, a second die is tossed to see where they enter.  On turn four a Hessian brigade arrives on the Prussian left flank.  Though they are very poor quality, there are a lot of them and they have both infantry and cavalry.

Hadik's cavalry are successful driving back a Prussian cuirassier regiment, mostly due to  superior numbers.  Other units moved into position to enter the action on turn 5.

Austrian cavalry successful a second time.

Turn Five- The day was drawing to a close, but in the waning minutes we were able to get through the movement phase of the turn.  No reinforcements entered for either side.  Von Spaen and Hadik were locked in a tremendous clash on the Austrian right.  In the center, the remnants of the Hanoverian cavalry brigade crossed the bridge to attack a strategic hill in the center of the table which is being defended by Ortzen's Austrian horse.  Two Austrian brigades, those of Puebla and Andlau, are preparing to attack the town on the Prussian right center.  As action begins tomorrow there will be a lot at stake.

Hessian deploying at day's end.

Prussian battalion secures a strategic farm

Hanoverian cavalry attacking a strategic hill, hoping for better results this time.

While the Austrians had enjoyed significant success, the Prussians actually held the advantage in points as they had taken the time to split off units to garrison various built up areas and fields.  The Austrians bypassed many of the objectives on their side of the table, leaving them for reinforcing brigades to secure so they could be more aggressive overall.  Their strategy appears to be working.