Tuesday, July 14, 2015

SYW Mini Campaign Day Two

We began the day wrapping up turn five with a cavalry melee between Prussians and Austrians.  For the fourth time, the Austrians bested their counterparts.  With that, we were on to turn six.

The remnants of the Hanoverian cavalry in the center boldly charged across the bridge to attack Ortzen's brigade.  Once again, numbers told in favor of the Austrian horse and the Hanoverians were forced back across the bridge.  Wrecklessly, a regiment of Austrian dragoons pursued them.  On the Prussian right, Puebla and Andlau's Austrians advanced on Von Kaitz's brigade.  Musketry plus cannister from a heavy battery inflicted terrible casualties on the white-clad infantry men.  In the center, the turn saw both sides continue to blast away at each other with cannon and disciplined volleys.
Von Kanitz greets the Austrian advance with a heavy dose of cannister

Bevern's Prussians slugging it out with D'Air's Bavarians

A second bold charge by Hanoverian horsemen
On turn seven, a brigade of French entered the allied center as reinforcements.  None were to arrive for the Prussians.  On the Austrian right, Hadik's cavalry was charged by a plucky group of Hessian hussars.  The outnumbered hussars met with a swift defeat, losing 75% of their number.  In the center, the Austrian engineers were able to complete their pontoon bridge.  Unfortunately, it was built right across from a well sited Prussian battery.  The weary engineers muttered to themselves as they overheard their commanders talking about relocating the as yet unused span.

The pursuing Austrian dragoons were peppered with musketry and scores of saddles were emptied.  Despite this, they closed with the Hanoverian horsemen and succeeded in driving them from the field.  The Prussians are the first to lose a brigade.

Von Kanitz administered more punishment on the Austrians before him.  The inexperienced commanders were realizing their mistake of not deploying their artillery to aid in the attack. 
The Austrian pontoon bridge.

Rash Austrian dragoons being fired upon by a host of infantry

Von Kanitz enjoying firing at the hapless Austrian infantry
Turn eight- This turn saw the completion of the Prussian pontoon bridge.  But all the units waiting for it could not change orders from hold to assault.  Such are the fortunes of war.

Despite their heavy losses, Andlau charges a battalion at an elite battalion of Prussians.  The men in miter caps roll snake eyes on their morale check, but still pass due to their elite status and defeat the enemy.  The resulting retreat unforms the supporting battalions it has to pass through.  The Austrian left is in serious trouble.  However, General Bevern's men are repulsed by D'Air's Bavarians, which appears to balance things out.  Also on this turn, both sides receive reinforcements; Von Luckner's militia and Waldner's French brigade.
Andlau's disorganized men

The Prussian pontoon bridge.

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