AGWA 2026 - The Battle of Weinberg...

A summary of the action from the AGWA 2026 'big game'....

(AGWA => Armchair Generals Wargaming Association).

Table setup

A view of the 30ft x 10ft game table, while troops were being setup in their start positions...

The Allied Plan

The map for the game, with allied entry points shown on the right...

I had to plan something with no idea of the French positions. I had four columns at my disposal: British/Hanoverians, British,  Hessians and Brunswick/Hessians, each column had its own cavalry brigade. In addition their were two independant cavalry brigades.  I had four commanders on my side, so each got a column to command, I looked after the independant cavalry brigades. As commander I had to place myself to best improve command action of generals, raise the moral of my troops and roll the 'all important 'move and fire initiative dice.

My 'cunning plan' of advance was a left hook, hoping to hold or push through the centre; with a blocking force on the right flank. The planned allied column movements are shown in black on the map below. Of course the French opposition had their own plan, the main lines of advance are shown in red on the map below; they too went with a left hook, centre attack and a blocking force of Duchy of Saxony troops on their right flank.

For simplicity I'll provide the highlights of the action from the allied perspective for the left flank, centre and right flank. About eight photos per section of the battle.

Allied Left Flank  - Hessians/Brunswick V Saxons

The allied troops advanced on Schlaup and Henersdorf

soon the infantry are engaged with the Saxons to their front...

The Saxon infantry suffered heavy casualties and eventually they were off the field (destroyed, routed or captured)

The second allied cavalry brigade is round the back of Henersdorf ...

The other allied cavalry brigade and the Saxons got into position....

and then charged....

After the melee, the allies had one cavalry unit left blown with the Saxons having two left but unable to reform which slowly fell back as the allied infantry moved towards them; also coming their way was more allied cavalry.

The Saxons held the allies advance and by the end of play the allied troops on the left flank were to far away to intervene in the centre.

Allied Centre - British V French

A view of the centre of the battle field as both sides closed....

The British moved on Schlauphof and tried to eject the French...

The British got a toehold in Weinberg and tried to hold their position, I positioned my commander here to provide the best command and morale points.

As the French brought up more troops, the British were slowly pushed back...

The British cavalry clashed with the French guard cavalry...

and gave them a thrashing (3 British cavalry regiments left afterwards, with 1 French regiment left, which retired)

Allied Right Flank - British/Hanoverians V French

The French advance through Gross Janowitz...

and then deployed advancing contact the British & Hanoverians to their front... who were holding a line from Weinberg ...

The British and Hanoverians infantry held on well under great pressure

but eventually the French infantry broke through the middle of the line by dint of sheer weight of numbers...

Mean while the 'juggernaut' of French cavalry started their advance ....

and one great big cavalry engagement ensued....

as time went on they slowly got the edge and gained ground.....

Who Won

The umpire adjudicated at end of play - result was a draw, so honours even. A well played game by both sides - a great two days gaming.

'Big Game' on the horizon....

This weekend (28th/29th) is AGWA 2026's 'big game' at Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovilton.  It'll be a large SYW western theatre encounter, between the Frenc/Saxons and the Allies (Brunswick, Hanover, Britain, Hessians).  I'll be commander of the Allied army. After the game I'll post some pictures.

I've finished boxing up troops I'm taking for the game - some Saxons and some Hessian cavalry.

also I'm taking my Hanoverian pontoon train

A copy of the rules, dice etc

Plus the important Allied army battle plan

Wittenberg.. Infantry Regiment Graf Bruhl...

Infantry Regiment Graf Bruhl completed and being inspected by the King...

 

A Polish army ??

 Acquired for the library, input to a possible project

Sufficient information contained within for mid 18C crown units of the polish army.

A possible project - 1730s/40s polish army, which in theory can have winged hussars and pancerni as well 😁 (most likely would be in 40mm).

More Rats....

 Rat Man has gathered more rats to his mischief; a few more giant rats and some ordinary rats who act as scouts around the town...

Action at Dinkelhof

Saxe-Jarlsberg troops with the grenadier regiment from Munkasse have taken up position in the the town of Dinkelhof in a narrrow valley sided by woods.. They are blocking the advance of the approaching Noverre army.  The Noverre commander sends a troops on ahead of the main body to take the town.

---oXo---

Early morning at Dinkelhof, troops have stood too, after scouts reported an enemy column approaching along the road....

Saxe-Jarlsberg troops in Dinkelhof stand to at the barricades....

The Munkasse grenadiers move up into position as some Saxe-Jarlsberg uhlans trot across to join the rest of their regiment...

The Noverre columns moves onwards...

and start to deploy 

they are soon in place ....

The Saxe-Jarlsberg uhlans wait for orders ...

A brief encounter, half the uhlans break up a squadron of Noverre dragoons who rout ....

The uhlans don't pursue and trot back to reform...

The Noverre commander plugs the gap in his line with some infantry... just as they get in place the Sax-Jarlsberg uhlans charge straight into the Noverre Claire regiment....

Noverre regiment Navarre steps forward and exchanges musket fire at long range with the Munkasse grenadiers - the Noverre musket fire is ineffective, but the Munkasse grenadiers' volley rips through the opposition and the Noverre troops will fall back...

The Noverre Clare infantry fire at the charging Saxe-Jarlsberg uhlans, but the volley is very ragged and has little effect, the melee goes badly for the Noverre unit which breaks and routs....

The Saxe-Jarlsberg uhlans follow through and charge into Noverre regiment Bentheim still in column of march, they get ridden through ...

they break and rout.....following the Noverre Claire regiment back down the road ... 

The Saxe-Jarlsberg uhlans trot back to reform...

With insufficient troops to carry on the fight, the Noverre commander orders a withdrawal.

a victory for Saxe-Jarlsberg ....

---oXo---

Notes:

• Scenario: based on 'The Post House' from Table Top Teasers: The Return Volume 1 by Charles S. Grant.
• Tried out 'Honours of War' rules for this game.
• At the critical moment the Noverre musketry proved to be useless; dice throws lowest (1) and minimal effect.  On the other hand the Saxe-Jarlsberg uhlans threw an almighty 6 for their melee effect and the Noverre infantry a dismal 1 - end result a ride through and straight into a Noverre regiment in column - game over !

More about RatMan.....

The Pfeifer residence, on the edge of Wittenberg.....  

The Pfeifer family are wealthy merchants (originally from Hamelin), who made their fortune from the lucrative 'Pickled Pepper' fad in the early 18th century; they have since diversified - now dealing and selling a large range of spices.

Peter Pfeifer alway had an affinity with animals; after being bitten by one of Georg Cantors experimental rats at an exhibition of the Royal Society he developed 'rat sense' and found he could communicate with rats. Having rescued the large rats from Georg Cantors laboratory - he developed his rat communication skills and became Rat Man hunting ne'er-do-wells and miscreants. Making sure the town patrol found them and placed them in jail.

Peter Pfeifer has just returned from the city by sedan chair; his loyal man servant Albert meets him and informs him all has been prepared ...

They go down to the cellar and out via a passage to the large storage room under the stables to the Rat Lair; Peter puts on his disguise as Rat Man and prepares for some crime fighting with his mischief of faithful rats...

Rat Man and the rats leave by another passage and move into the alleyways, searching for miscreants ....