Minsonda(2) - Wittenberg Main Body arrives ....

The Wittenberg main body is now in view,  so the Uhlans move off to cross the river ...

General Waldebeck & staff in the lead...

as the troops march towards Minsonda...

Minsonda(1) - Wittenberg Forces start to cross the river ....

 Artillery cross the stronger wooden bridge...

as the rest slowly cross over ...

More artillery with the Hussars

Watching the road, the Uhlans...

They can see the main body of the army approaching....

Lower Rutenia - Campaign Movements (3)...

Movements on the map ...

Wittenberg (invading Lower Rutenia) GREEN

• After the Battle of Mintano, the Wittenberg forces had withdrawn during the night and made their was to Chondak.

• The Rutenian light horse and Hofler's pandours left the town of Fardok and joined the rest of the army at Chondak.
• The army then marched towards Minsonda where they would cross the river to home territory.
• It would take time to get the army across the river; they would have to be prepared to fight a delaying action against the Begovians who were try to catch up with them.

Begovia (defending Lower Rutenia). RED

• The Begovians took back control of Skantanz and Fardok, stationing a small garrison in each.
• After they realised the Wittenberg forces had withdrawn, they broke camp and set off in pursuit, reaching Chondak. Where an advance party of light horse skirmished with the Wittenberg rearguard cavalry.
• The main body of the army reached Chondak and then moved on towards Minsonda.

So have a rearguard/delaying game scenario to play out at Minsonda as Wittenberg forces cross the river ...

At Minsonda

While Wittenberg forces are fighting the Begovians, the Wittenberg Land Militia have taken control of the border town of Minsonda. Engineers have rebuilt the damaged bridge with a wooden one and also built a pontoon bridge; this will be where the Wittenberg army plans to cross back into safe territory...

The gun covering the approach road...

The bridges ...

Battle of Mintano(3) - The Begovians 2nd Attack...

 continued form the previous post...

The Begovian infantry formed up as their artillery bombarded the squares. Then they started their advance with light cavalry support on each flank

and two units of spahi behind their centre in support...

The Begovian infantry advanced, exchanging fire with one of the squares...

A stiff volley from the square and cannister from the cannon cut them up and they rout back through the supporting unit.

In the centre the Begovian infantry move up to attack the side of the squares....

On the flanks the Begovian light cavalry had moved around the squares and were met by the Wittenberg light cavalry (hussars & uhlans)...

The Uhlans routed their opposition but pursued them (off the table..)

The Hussars routed their opponents, but didn't pursue and wheeled round to attack the Begovian infantry in front of the square...

The other square was struggling to hold off attacks by the Begovian infantry, at this point the Wittenberg the heavy cavalry regiments moved up ...

The attack on the front of the square was re-buffed, but the attack on the side was succeeding and the square was slowly being pushed in - it was just holding on.

The square on the other flank now came under attack as two Begovian janissary regiments advanced on the centre square.

The attack on the square was driven off....

the Hussars carried on with their charge through the routing Begovian infantry and were met by a a regiment of Begovian spahi...

The Dragoons charged the lead Begovian jannissary regiment, after they had received cannister fire from the centre square battery...

riding and cutting through them into the regiment behind which only just held their ground ...

The Wittenberg Uhlans having re-grouped, return to the battle; just in time to attack the Begovian infantry advancing on the square riding them through ...

The Begovian infantry attacking the right hand square fell-back under threat from the Wittenberg Kurassiers. As the janissaries fought steadily to hold back the Witteberg dragoons in the centre, the Hussars beat the Begovian spahi which routed ....

The Begovian attack had fallen apart; the Wittenberg squares had survived although they had taken casualties.  The remaining Begovian spahi cavalry unit covered the withdrawal of the janissaries and other infantry which were still in good order.  As the Begovians withdrew the Wittenberg cavalry re-grouped.

The second Begovian attack had failed

A tactical victory for Wittenberg

---oXo---

As the light faded General Waldbeck ordered his troops to fall back. With three infantry units taking 30% casualties and the hussar & uhlans 40% he decided against staying in position. 

Routing and fleeing troops blocked the organisation of any further Begovian attack. The Ottoman Camp was kept in order - they still had 10 infantry units, 5 cavalry units and also their Tatar allies might join with them. Osram Pasha decided to prepare to attack again at dawn the next day.

General Waldebeck held a staff meeting, they decided to withdraw. Camp fires were lit, the men rested for three hours, then leaving the camp fires burning slipped away in the darkness; they would head back to the safety of Wittenberg territory - hopefully they could evade the Begovian forces ....

to be continued

---oXo---

Notes

1. Battle duration

the battle had started nominally at 1pm; and included the following moves ...

• 3 moves: Wittenberg deployment.
• 4 moves: Begovian bombardment as their cavalry formed up 
• 7 moves: 1st attack 
• 4 moves: Begovian infantry & cavalry deployment with bombardment  
• 9 moves: 2nd attack.

A total of ~27 moves at a nominal 15 minutes each, gives approximately a duration of 7hrs.  So having reached ~8pm in the evening and with the light failing and the Begovian army in some disorder I decided that action had ended for the day.

2. Overall Result

If the Begovian light cavalry had disposed of the Wittenberg Hussars and Uhlans, the attack would have unfolded very differently.

If the Wittenberg Uhlans had not returned to the battle, the Begovians would probably been able to break the square that was under pressure using cavalry and infantry.

With so many Begovian units routed and disordered, they had obviously failed to win a victory. Wittenberg had managed to hold their position, and had the option to attack Ottoman camp. So a tactical victory for Wittenberg and they could withdraw to return to home territory.

3. Casualties for each side...

• Wittenberg. 
• Hussars 40%
• Uhlans 40% 
• 3 Infantry Regiments 30%
• the other units casualties 5-10%.

• Begovia
• 1st Attack 40% casualties (36 out of 88 figs) and all 5 of the attacking cavalry units routed.
• 2nd Attack
• Cavalry: 30% casualties (22 out of 64 figs) & 3 of the 4 of the attacking units routed.
• Infantry:  40% casualties (66 out of 160 figs) & 7 of the 8 of the attacking units routed.

The Battle of Mintano (2) - The Begovians 1st attack....

Continued from the previous post....

Begovian artillery opens up with a long range somewhat ineffective bombardment...

Begovian cavalry form up and move forward to attack the Wittenberg infantry squares...

As the Begovian cavalry advanced they took casualties from musket and cannon fire from the squares, as they surged forward none of the attacking units fancied closing in to attack the squares and started to go round them ....

A unit of Begovian heavy cavalry actually charged home on the centre square, but were beaten off..

The Wittenberg light cavalry moved forward to engage the attackers....

On one flank the hussars struggled to hold their ground, while on the other the Uhlans beat and routed one lot of Begovian cavalry ...

while the other half of the regiment engaged more cavalry in the centre pushing back some spahis...

The other half of the Uhlan regiment having re-grouped, turned and joined in the cavalry melee in the centre...

Slowly pushing the opposition back......

The Hussars finally beat their spahi opponents who routed joining those units who'd been defeated by the Uhlans, beating a hasty retreat back towards the Begovian camp.

On the far side the other half of the hussar regiment eventually managed to get the better of their opponents who turned tail ....

The first Begovian attack had failed...

to be continued...

Battle of Mintano (1) - Wittenberg Deployment ..

The Begovian army was moving fast to intercept the Wittenebrg froces. General Waldebeck decide to hold position and keeps his troops rested. The Begovian cavalry drove the Wittenberg pickets out of Silanok, the rest of Begovain army followed; they cleared the narrows through the woods and setup camp on a low hill by the the edge of the plain in front of Mintano.

Wittenberg started to move up to a position to deploy, with woods protecting both of their flanks. It was nearly midday before the Begovians started to form up.

---oXo---

Planning the battle....

The game scenario is loosely based on the Battle of Kagul in 1770 (during Russo-Turkish wars 1768-74). Large Russian squares supported by cavalry advance, fend off attacks and ultimately attack the Turkish camp.

I decided on a scenario, where Wittenberg troops would advance and hold position to fend off at least two attacks from the Begovians main force with the chance arrival of Begovian allies the Tatars arriving sometime during the battle. Wittenberg have the option to attack the Begovian camp if deemed feasible.

My gaming table being two small, I would set the attack zone to be the actual table (between the two red lines on the layout image above) with off table positions & movement.

Wittenberg has a gun battery in their central square and battalion guns in the other two squares. The squares are supported by light cavalry, with jagers in the edges of the woods to the sides. In reserve behind the central square are two regiments of heavy cavalry.

Begovians have two off table artillery batteries, who can fire at long range; once troops enter the real table zone they have to stop firing. Units will be re-cyled between attacks to represent the larger army coming in 'waves'. The first two attacks will be

• cavalry only (as per initial attack by the Turks on the Russians at the Battle of Kagul)
• infantry + cavalry in support

---oXo---

Wittenberg On Table Troop Deployment

With the Begovians forming up across the plain to the west of Mintano, General Waldebeck issued orders for the army to take their battle positions.

The Kings Jagers took up positions on the flanks where there was scrub and woodland...

The massed Wittenberg infantry start to advance ...

The jagers take up their position....

The two brigade squares marched forward, with a third square in the centre holding position ...

The centre square, with General Waldebeck and von Tiddenheim inside,  is fronted by artillery and formed with fusiliers and grenadiers....

The marching squares halt and face outwards, ready for action. Each is supported by light cavalry...

The rest of the light cavalry and the heavy cavalry are further back hidden by a dip in the ground...

to be continued...