Rotzenplatz - The Battle

for deployment of the armies, see the previous post..

---oXo---

The Duchy of Noverre infantry advance...

The Munkasse artillery battery sight their guns...

The Saxe-Jarlsberg Volontaires grenadiers prepare to welcome the Noverre infantry passing through the small wood to their front....

The Noverre infantry continue their advance...

The Saxe-Jarlsberg Volontaires grenadiers exchange fire with the Noverre infantry, who keep advancing...

The Saxe-Jarlsberg cavalry position themselves ready for action....

The Saxe-Jarlsberg artillery open fire on the lead Noverre infantry unit

having received a stiff volley from a Saxe-Jarlsberg infantry regiment and being sprayed with cannister, the lead Noverre infantry unit being much discomforted fall back and try to reform...

While the infantry and artillery slog it out , the cavalry action starts - both sides have formed up and are moving forward at the trot...

and then in they go on the charge/counter-charge

The Noverre cavalry come of worst, two units have been beaten soundly and are blown, they are retiring from the field; one Saxe-Jarlsberg cavalry unit has retired back to reform.  The Saxe-Jarlsberg Garde De Corps follows up the retreating Noverre cavalry...

Can the remaining Noverre Hussars and horse regiment turn the tide.....

The Saxe-Jarlsberg uhlans trounce the hussars,  and the other horse regiment has to retreat being beaten by the Saxe-Jarleberg Hussars.  The Saxe-Jarlsberg Garde De Corps continues its rampage going after any remaining retreating Noverre cavalry.

Meanwhile the infantry slog is reaching it climax...Saxe-Jarlsberg Volontaires grenadiers  have seen off the lead Noverre infantry regiment

Two Noverre regiments have broken under fire and are on the run.....

A second Noverre regiment makes it through the wood and the Saxe-Jarlsberg Volontaires grenadier will give them a fiery welcome ...

The Saxe-Jarlsberg reserve infantry has been order up (two battalions of grenadiers), in preparation for an advance...

Saxe-Jarlsberg Volontaires grenadiers have seen off the second Noverre infantry regiment, who are retreating

The Noverre infantry has setup a rather fragile defensive line, with half the remaining regiments the worst for wear...

The Saxe-Jarlsberg infantry advance and after an exchange of vollies the Noverre infantry to their  front falter and start to fall back.....

The Saxe-Jarlsberg infantry advance in force and will drive the Noverre forces off the battlefield...

With the cavalry beaten and infantry retreating (and some routing), 

the Noverre army has been defeated

a victory for Saxe-Jarlsberg

---oXo---

Notes:

Getting the firing initiative more often was the key to the Saxe-Jarlsberg victory; the cavalry had the edge in the melees, better luck with the dice.

Rotzenplatz - The armies deployed ....

Overview of the game table....

The Duchy of Noverre deployment.....

The Saxe-Jarlsberg and Munkasse troops deployment.....

let battle commence ....

Near Rotzenplatz....

 The open heath near the the small town of Rotzenplatz... a quiet day for the moment....

A beekeeper check on his hives....

A coach is on its way along the road....

A shepherd tending his flock can hear the sound of drums in the distance and hurriedly drives his flock back home...

The sound of fife & drums slowly gets louder as the armies of Saxe-Jarlsberg and the Duchy of Noverre approach the heath; amongst the troops are the Saxe-Jarslberg Leib-Grenadier Garde

---oXo---

I've got around to clearing the game table and set it up for the main battle in the Noverre V Saxe-Jarlsberg campaign.  Troops are being placed on the table..... more to come....

On the march from Dungolfing....

 With the light troops in the lead the Saxe-Jarlsberg army is on the march to intercept the Duchy of Noverre forces...

Count Pottsendorf pauses for a while as the infantry pass by him....

Wittenberg.. Cavalry Regiment Leib-Kurassier (no1)...

 The Leib-Kurassiers have joined the Wittenberg army; the figures are my own home-casts..

Here they are with the rest of the "heavy's" - Kurasssier No2,  Leib-Carabinier Gardes and Garde Du Corps.

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.