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.