Saturday 22 September 2007

Wittenberg Corp of Observation in Place ..

To: His August Majesty Leopold IV

Your Majesty,

I am pleased to inform you that all elements of the Corp of Observation have reached Heidelheim in Upper Belgravia.

In an initial sweep of the border area by the Uhlans five highwaymen were apprehended, and a band of about 50 brigands dispersed with many of them killed, those captured have been handed over to the civil authoritites for the execution of justice.

The Corp of Observation will shortly go out on manouvres; subsequently they will take up positions for the full time monitoring of the border with Monrovia.

I have just received news that one of the brigands killed had on his person documents which originated in Monrovia; in addition letters from Stagonia were also found. We will investigate these items and I hope that they were only stolen items taken by the brigands from travellers.

signed

Field Marshall, Duke Frederick of Wittenbuffel

Wittenberg - Uhlans on the March


The Red Uhlan Pulk marches to join the corp of observation. Well thats the last unit for the observation corp - now I can get started on the Boldovian army corp.
figs: these are Front Rank prussian bosniaks on Hinchcliffe horses and Mirliton Miniatues horses. I used the lance down bosniak figs and bent the arms to get the ~45degsrees angle of the lance. Advice - buy the lancetop/pennons that Front Rank make - I didn't, it will save you a lot of work

Friday 14 September 2007

The Battle of GugenStadt 1740 - (3rd Belgravian Wars)

Further extracts from the History of Wittenberg by Brother James of Alt-Wittendorf ...

1) Early in the morning

The Duke of Escherstadt rowsed his troops early in the morning and placed them ready for action in the town defences recently completed by the corp of engineers. There was much mumbling in the ranks, not again, we got up early yesterday ...they complained.


The Wittenberg forces:
Commander - Duke of EscherStadt
Cavalry: Dragoon Regiment - Schwarze Dragoner, Uhlan Pulk - Zaprotsky
Infantry:The Wittenland Fusiliers, Grenadier Battalion - Von Purchenk, 2 Companies of Jagers
Artillery:2 Heavy Field Guns, 1 Medium Field Gun

2) The Monrovians Arrive

The Monrovians had broken camp at dawn and mmarched into sight of Gugenstadt, emerging out of the morning mist they saw their target. Their commander was bemused, its looks as if there are more troops there than I was told. Just then he heard the sound of artillery and one of the leading infantry columns took some minor casualties. This could be a tricky one thought the General and ordered his troops to deploy for the attack.

Commander - General von Stricknein
Cavalry: Regiment of Horse - von Streiber
Infantry:von Pilbner Fusiliers, 2 Battalions of Line Infantry, Grenadier Battalion - Von Stomnach, Guard Grenadier Battalion
Artillery:2 Medium Field Guns


3) The Battle commences ...

The Monrovians deploy, using their cavalry to screen the movement of the artillery.

The Wittenberg cavalry and jagers manouvre into position


The Monrovian cavalry having taken casualties from sustained artillery fire are attacked by the Wittenberg Uhlans

The Uhlans smash through the cavalry and career into the infantry columns

After a short melee the disorganised Uhlans retire. The Monrovians start to disengage.


4) Afterwards

General von Stricknein, having lost his cavalry in the melee and the Grenadier Battalion Von Stomnach routed by sustained artillery fire, decides to retire and cross the river back into Monrovia. The town of Gugenstadt is well defended and he dosen't want to risk any Wittenberg re-inforcements getting between him and the way back home.

The Duke of Escherstadt satisfied with how things went sends some Dragoons out to shadow the Monrovian withdrawal.

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Afterthoughts:

I think I made this scenario a bit too tough for the attackers by providing 2 heavy guns to the Wittenberg defenders. So the attackers got well pounded on the way to the defences, they needed some heavy artillery too. I thought that there may have been a better way to attack the town so I tried it out solo; I deployed in line rather than column for the attack.


The above looks great, textbook denied flank and attack with grenadiers leading. When they got to the defences it all went horribly wrong -- artillery fire and sharp volleys from the defending infantry forces forced the two lead battlations to rout on morale checks due to high casualties. This is about what you might expect of an attack on defences, you really need heavy artillery for the attackers and some cover for approaching troops.

Saturday 8 September 2007

1740 - GugenStadt in Danger ? (3rd Belgravian Wars) ...

[this is a preamble to a scenario for the next rules test, this time we hope to see how
attacking a defended town goes; more to follow ..]

Further extracts from the History of Wittenberg by Brother James of Alt-Wittendorf ...

GugenStadt - 1740
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After the Monrovian forces which raided the magazine at Schwenk were intercepted at the Battle of Zorfburg, the Monrovian generals held a council of war.

With Wittenberg unable to take the field with its whole army until the supplies lost at the
magazine had been replaced, the Monrovians decided to strike again to interrupt the trade and
supply routes between Wittenberg and the Duchy of Fenwick.

Spies in Upper Belgravia had informed them that the town of GugenStadt, at the confluence of the rivers Oudear and Niebemindt, which controlled the river crossing on the border to Fenwick was lightly defended. The Monrovians decided to attack in force and take the town.

Unbeknown to Monrovians the King of Wittenberg concerned about his supply lines had re-inforced the garrisson at GugenStadt, sending some engineers as well to help build some sort of defences.

Wittenberg Grenadiers on the march ...


The converged grenadiers of the Boldovian army corp march to join the Corp of Observation at Heidelheim in Upper Belgravia (figs are Irregular Miniatures prussians with a Hinchcliffe mounted officer).