A couple of weeks ago I posted my scenario for the Battle of Wittenberg, which was fought on 2nd October 1760 between Dietrich von Hülsen’s massively-outnumbered Prussian corps and the Mighty Reichsarmee, commanded by Prince Michael of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. Andy, Dave, Kirk, Al and I got together at W.A.S.P. to refight this interesting little engagement, so here’s the after-action report.
As always, it was played using Tricorn rules; our 18th Century variant of Shako Napoleonic rules. The figures are chiefly Eureka and Old Glory 15s 15/18mm models from my own collection.
Above: The view looking north from Wittenberg as Hülsen’s Prussian army re-deploys to counter the attempt by Zweibrücken’s Reichsarmee to outflank his position.
Above: The original front line of Hülsen’s camp outside Wittenberg is marked by a line of small redoubts.
[I really must get around to making a proper camp and baggage train.]
Above: The Prussian Right Wing is commanded by Oberst von Brietzke and consists of Grenadier Battalion ‘Nesse’, the 1st Battalion of Fusilier Regiment ‘Salmuth’, both battalions of Fusilier Regiment ‘Grant’ and the 2nd Battalion of Infantry Regiment ‘Markgraf Carl’.
Above: While this line of redoubts represents the planned main defensive line of Hülsen’s camp, it’s clear that Zweibrücken is not going to attack in this sector, so Hülsen has sent orders for Brietzke to pull his brigade out and march to the left flank, where Kleist’s cavalry and Linden’s light troops are starting to come under pressure. The 1st Battalion of the ‘Markgraf Carl’ Regiment (white flag with crimson Maltese cross) will remain in place under Generalmajor von Braun, to become the new right flank of the army’s main body.
Above: Hülsen’s Centre, commanded by Generalmajor von Braun, has for the most part shifted to the left and has formed a new line at 90 degrees to the first, facing north and overlooking the village of Teuchel. This position is centred on a large hilltop redoubt, with a second supporting redoubt to the rear.
Above: Hülsen’s Centre is initially deployed in front of the large redoubt; from left to right these are Grenadier Battalion ‘Lossau’, Infantry Regiment ‘Alt-Schenckendorff’ and Infantry Regiment ‘Alt-Bevern’. Out of shot to the right and at 90 degrees to this line are Grenadier Battalion ‘Heilsberg’, Grenadier Battalion ‘Beyer’ and the 1st Battalion of Infantry Regiment ‘Markgraf Carl’, who are positioned with a 12-pounder battery on Brietzke’s left.
Above: Hülsen’s main redoubt is well-armed with eighteen 12-pounders (three batteries in game terms). To the rear, the detachment from IV Garrison Regiment ‘Lettow’ has occupied the supporting redoubt.
On Braun’s left and at the edge of the woods, the recruit detachment of Fusilier Regiment ‘Hauss’ is deployed with another 12-pounder battery. These units belong to Linden’s Left Wing.
Above: Linden’s Left Wing is weak and quite dispersed. Here the Grenadier Battalion ‘Lubbath’ occupies an ancient redoubt on a hillock roughtly mid-way between Teuchel and Dobien. To their rear the 2nd Battalion of the ‘Schorlemmer’ Dragoons stands in reserve.
Above: Further left, the main body of the ‘Wunsch’ Frei-Infanterie occupy the village of Dobien while their regimental Jäger Detachment and the Feldjäger Corps zu Fuß skirmish in the woods with the Karlstädter-Szluiner and 1st Banal Grenzer.
Above: On the extreme Prussian left flank, ‘Green’ Kleist stands ready with his own hussar regiment and his Frei-Dragoner Regiment.
Above: On the other side of the battlefield, the Reichsarmee left flank rests upon the village and hill of Trajuhn and is secured by Würzburg’s Reserve Corps. This consists of two Imperial regiments (‘Pfalz-Zweibrücken’ and ‘Kurtrier’; each with two battalions), two understrength Austrian regiments (‘Macquire’ and ‘Luzarra’; each of one battalion), an Austrian grenadier battalion, the Pfalz ‘Kurfürstin’ Dragoons and a couple of batteries from the Imperial Artillery Reserve. Würzburg immediately directs the fire of his guns onto the battalions and batteries clustered around the ‘angle’ of the Prussian line.
Above: In the Imperial centre is a great mass of battalions. In the first and second lines are three batteries of Austrian and Imperial 12-pounders supported by Guasco’s Grenadier Corps, consisting of two Austrian regiments (‘Sachsen-Gotha’ and ‘Pallavicini’, each of two battalions), an Austrian grenadier battalion, three Imperial grenadier battalions and the Imperial ‘Hohenzollern’ Cuirassiers.
The third and fourth lines are formed from Luszinsky’s Corps, consisting of seven Imperial battalions (one each from the Franconian ‘Cronegk’, ‘Hohenlohe’ and ‘Varell’ Regiments, two from the Kurbayern ‘Salzburg’ Regiment, one from the Swabian ‘Baden-Durlach’ Regiment and a grenadier battalion formed from the grenadier companies of these regiments), a light infantry detachment (formed from Jäger-Corps ‘Otto’ and some companies of Grenzer) and a cavalry brigade formed from the Imperial ‘Ansbach, ‘Württemberg’ and ‘Sachsen-Gotha’ Dragoons and the ‘Slavonisch’ Grenz Hussars (these last three are very weak, so are massed for game purposes into a single unit).
Above: The fifth and sixth Lines are formed from the Prince of Baden-Durlach’s Left Wing of the Main Corps. This consists of three Swabian regiments (‘Alt-Württemberg’ with one battalion and ‘Baden-Baden’ & ‘Rodt’, each with two battalions) and two Imperial auxiliary regiments (‘Mainz-Lamberg’ and ‘Blau-Würzburg’, each with two battalions).
The seventh line consists of Kolb’s Reserve Cavalry, consisting of the Austrian ‘Brettlach’ and ‘De Ville’ Cuirassiers and the Imperial ‘Bayreuth’ and ‘Kurpfalz’ Cuirassiers.
Above: Reichsmarschall Prince Michael of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld watches from the heights as the battle begins.
Above: On Zweibrücken’s right is Rosenfeld’s Right Wing of the Main Corps, consisting of another twelve Imperial battalions; the 2nd Battalion of the Pfalz ‘Garde-Regiment zu Fuß’, the Pfalz ‘Effern’ Regiment (with two battalions), the ‘Kurmainz’ Regiment (with four battalions), the Kurköln ‘Nothaft’ and ‘Wildenstein’ Regiments (each of one battalion) and the ‘Kurbayern’ Regiment (of three battalions).
Above: On the Imperial right flank is Kleefeld’s Corps, consisting of the excellent Imperial auxiliary ‘Blau-Würzburg’ Regiment (with two battalions), a battalion each of the ‘1st Banal’ and ‘Karlstädter-Szluiner’ Grenz and two Austrian cavalry regiments; the ‘Baranyay’ Hussars and the ‘Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld’ Chevaulégers.
Above: The battle begins with a mutual exchange of heavy artillery-fire. The Prussian artillery, with most of their heavy guns dug in, are a very difficult target, so the Austro-Imperial gunners concentrate on making the infantry’s life miserable. However, the Prussians concentrate on counter-battery fire and soon knock out the Imperial Reserve 12-pounder battery. The Austrian 12-pounders keep firing, but are starting to suffer losses.
The Austro-Imperial infantry are also suffering losses from all the roundshot aimed at the artillery, but then bouncing through their ranks! Zweibrücken therefore orders Guasco and Luszinsky to advance into the valley, where an intermediate ridge will protect them from the Prussian guns.
Above: Brietzke has pulled his battalions out of the redoubts and is marching to shore up the vulnerable left flank. The heavy guns of the fortress will cover the gap, should any Imperial troops attempt to take advantage.
Above: Concerned by the weight of Imperial artillery fire, which is already causing serious casualties, Braun has pulled his infantry back to the crest of the hill. The ‘Alt-Schenckendorff’ Regiment is ordered to occupy the Great Redoubt and assist in the defence of the guns, while the other battalions form up on the flanks of the redoubt.
Above: On the Prussian left flank, ‘Green’ Kleist is gathering in his cavalry. Although Kleist hasn’t made any offensive moves, Kleefeld is concerned that his few Austrian troopers will be quickly overwhelmed by Kleist’s ‘Green Devils’.
Above: Concerned that the ‘Baryanyay’ Hussars won’t be strong enough to resist a Prussian charge, Kleefeld orders them to form up in support of the ‘Zweibrücken’ Chevaulégers. Kleefeld’s plea for support meanwhile, is acknowledged as Rosenfeld shifts the ‘Kurmainz’ Regiment and the two Kurköln battalions to the right, forming a new line in support of Kleefeld’s cavalry.
Above: Linden orders the recruit detachment of the ‘Hauss’ Fusiliers to march to the left, to support the ‘Lubath’ Grenadiers at the old redoubt. However, exposed on the hillside, they become an obvious target for Kleefeld’s battalion guns and these inexperienced troops are soon disordered by the desultory long-range fire.
Above: Although crammed into the valley, Guasco’s and Luszinsky’s Corps are temporarily safe from the Prussian guns.
Above: However, impatience soon gets the better of them and Guasco and Luszinsky, keen to get to grips with the Prussians, order their men to advance once again!
Above: Austrian 12-pounder shot continues to whistle overhead and continue to do damage to the Prussian infantry, but the Prussian guns are soon tearing great chunks out of the advancing Austro-Imperial lines!
Above: The Imperial infantry of Durlach’s Left Wing remain motionless in reserve, as do Kolb’s cuirassiers.
Above: Guasco’s Grenadier Corps crests the intermediate ridge and descends into the second valley, followed by Luszinsky’s Corps. In front of them, the village of Teuchel is going to be a considerable obstacle and will break up the order of their attack. As the whitecoats reach the second stream, the Prussian gunners switch to canister. On the right, the ‘Otto’ Jäger push forward into the woods, intending to engage an isolated Prussian 12-pounder battery.
Above: In the woods at Dobien, the skirmisher-battle is proving to be very indecisive as the Jäger and Grenzer snipe at each other to little effect.
Above: Kleefeld’s fears also seem to be unfounded, as Kleist’s cavalry remain stationary, waiting for the Imperial attack.
Above: Brietzke’s brigade continues its march to the left wing.
[NB Because I base my battalions on single bases, the MDF arrows are used to indicate battalions in column and the direction of march.]
Above: Würburg’s Reserve Corps remains in position at Trajuhn and is making no threatening moves against the Prussian right flank. The two batteries of Imperial Reserve 6-pounders are doing considerable damage to the Prussian ‘Alt-Bevern’ Regiment, while the opposing Prussian 12-pounder battery is doing very little damage in return.
Above: With the ‘Alt-Bevern’ Regiment [here represented by my ‘Alt-Braunschweig’ Regiment with yellow & red flags] taking a pasting from the Austro-Imperial artillery, Braun pulls them back into the second line and pulls in his right flank Grenadier Battalions (‘Heilsberg’ and ‘Beyer’) to form a new first line, while the 1st Battalion of the ‘Markgraf Carl’ Regiment takes post on the right flank.
However, the two grenadier battalions immediately become the target for every Austro-Imperial gun in range and suffer a storm of shot, taking heavy casualties and becoming considerably disordered. The already-battered ‘Alt-Bevern’ Regiment meanwhile, are peppered with bounce-throughs. Their 2nd Battalion can take no more and is broken, though the 1st Battalion weathers the storm and manages to withdraw to the second redoubt in good order.
Above: While Luszinsky’s Imperial dragoon regiments might be some of the worst cavalry to appear on a European battlefield since the ‘Groom of the Stool’s Own’ Regiment of Horse lost King George II’s golden field commode at Dettingen, the disordering of the Prussian grenadiers has presented them with a golden opportunity to win reputation and glory!
Above: While Guasco’s Grenadier Corps is edging past Teuchel, Luszinsky’s dragoons charge in from the flank! The ‘Ansbach’ Dragoons (in white coats with light blue facings) hit Grenadier Battalion ‘Heilsberg’ near the redoubt, while the combined unit formed by the ‘Württemberg’ and ‘Sachsen-Gotha’ Dragoons charges the ‘Lossau’ Grenadiers on the right flank.
Above: The disordered grenadiers fire a ragged volley at the approaching dragoons and luckily manage to empty a few saddles, disordering both units. Nevertheless, the Imperial dragoons charge home.
Above: Despite their disorder, the ‘Heilsberg’ Grenadiers have their flanks anchored on the redoubt and the ‘Lossau’ Grenadiers and are defending a hill, so manage to defeat the ‘Ansbach’ Grenadiers with ease. The ‘Lossau’ Grenadiers however, are at the end of the line and have their hands full! They come within a whisker of being overrun by the worst cavalry regiment in Europe and suffer casualties, but eventually manage to fight off the dragoons in a bitter melee!
Above: The ‘Ansbach’ Dragoons are destroyed outright and the survivors merrily disorder Guasco’s Corps as they flee the field. The ‘Württemberg’ and ‘Sachsen-Gotha’ Dragoons meanwhile, retreat to the safety of Würzburg’s Corps, but then refuse to rally and flee the field.
Above: With the Death-Ride of the Dragoons out of the way, Guasco resumes his advance on the Great Redoubt. The Prussian 12-pounders continue hammering away at the approaching lines, inflicting especially heavy casualties on the Austrian ‘Pallavicini’ Regiment on Guasco’s right flank. Very soon their 1st Battalion can take no more and breaks. However, vengeance is swift; the ‘Otto’ Jäger are proving very effective in the anti-artillery role and are steadily picking off Prussian gunners from the woods.
Above: At last, Guasco’s Grenadier Corps charges the Prussian line! Luszinsky’s infantry also cross the stream and follow up in support.
Above: Closest to the camera, the 2nd Battalion of the Austrian ‘Sachsen-Gotha’ Infantry Regiment (not to be confused with the recently-departed ‘Sachsen-Gotha’ Dragoons) is halted by the fire of the ‘Lossau’ Grenadiers. However, the 1st Battalion charges home on the ‘Heilsberg’ Grenadiers and the Imperial II Grenadier Battalion clambers up the redoubt to assault the gunners and the 2nd Battalion of the ‘Alt-Schenckendorff’ Regiment. On the far right, the 2nd Battalion of the ‘Pallavicini’ Regiment charges Prussian Grenadier Battalion ‘Beyer’, but is halted by fire.
Above: The view from the rear of the Great Redoubt. The ‘Heilsberg’ and ‘Lossau’ Grenadiers on the right of the line have already taken heavy casualties from the Austro-Imperial artillery. Ironically, the artillery may well have been able to clear them away without the need for a bloody assault!
Note that in the distance, Durlach’s Left Wing and Kolb’s Cavalry Reserve have still not moved, though they will shortly receive orders to join the assault. Guasco’s ‘Hohenzollern’ Cuirassiers meanwhile, are marching to join the left flank of his assault, to fill the gap left by Luszinsky’s dragoons, as they’re redundant in the wooded terrain on the right.
Above: Although they have the advantage against the disordered and depleted ‘Heilsberg’ Grenadiers, the 1st Battalion of the ‘Sachsen-Gotha’ Regiment suffers a crisis of confidence and is broken on the bayonets of the stalwart Prussian grenadiers. Similarly, the Imperial II Grenadier Battalion, consisting of the grenadier companies of the Reichsarmee’s Swabian regiments, barely makes it to the lip of the redoubt’s parapet before being irrevocably shattered.
Above: On Guasco’s right flank, Prussian 12-pounder canister-fire finally finishes off the ‘Pallavicini’ Regiment, though the ‘Otto’ Jäger finally drive off the gunners and turn their attention to the ‘Beyer’ Grenadiers. In the centre, the Franconian ‘Cronegk’ Regiment charges the Great Redoubt with the support of the ‘Salzburg’ and ‘Hohenlohe’ Regiments and the Imperial I Grenadier Battalion, but only succeeds in leaving a new high-water mark of dead and wounded on the rampart before it too is broken.
Above: All three of Braun’s grenadier battalions are on the very cusp of breaking! However, with casualties starting to mount rather catastrophically, Guasco and Luszinski decide not to throw any more battalions up the slope and instead decide to engage in a deadly close-range firefight.
However, while the Imperials do manage to break the ‘Heilsberg’ Grenadiers, this will be their high-water mark. Both Guasco’s and Luszinsky’s Corps soon suffer a crisis of confidence at their heavy casualties, becoming Demoralised in game terms.
Above: On the Imperial left flank, Kleefeld and Rosenfeld finally receive the order to attack! Kleefeld’s Grenzer have still not neutralised the Prussian Jäger, so the ‘Blau-Würzburg’ Regiment pushes forward through the woods. The Jäger doggedly fall back until the Würzburgers are finally in position to launch an assault on Dobien. Kleefeld also wisely orders his massively-outnumbered cavalry to fall back as Rosenfeld pushes forward with his infantry.
As the ‘Kurmainz’ and ‘Kurköln’ Regiments push down into the valley, the Imperial battalion guns open fire over their heads, but do little damage to Kleist’s cavalry. Not wishing to stay put under artillery fire, Kleist orders the charge!
Above: Kleist’s own regular hussar regiment gallops down into the valley to meet the ‘Kurmainz’ Regiment head-on with cold steel! The ‘Kurmainz’ infantry fire a ragged volley but to little effect. However, the regiment’s 1st Battalion stands firm and the 2nd Battalion of the ‘Kleist’ Hussars simply destroys itself on their bayonets! The 2nd Battalion of the ‘Kurmainz’ Regiment however, is not so lucky and is broken by the Hussars’ 1st Battalion.
The surviving hussars decide not to push their luck and fall back to rally. The destruction of one battalion of Imperial infantry is little comfort to Kleist, who is shocked at the loss of so many hussars. He simply can’t afford to suffer this rate of attritional losses!
Tragically and just as the game was getting really interesting, the lads, being MUCH older than me, suddenly decided that they had to go home to their Mam’s for tea! As always, I’ll wargame til the wargaming’s done, but these old buggers just don’t understand us kids and don’t have the stamina…
The Reichsarmee commanders were quite downbeat about their performance. However, they still had enormous numbers on their side and all Imperial formations were now on the move and I think they were being a little too pessimistic. Battles of attrition are never pretty, but when you’ve got the numbers and there’s no immediate threat from any other enemy army it’s a worthwhile tactic.
Braun’s continued possession of the redoubt was tenuous; he’d already lost two elite battalions (out of eight) and three more had suffered heavy casualties (one of the five 12-pounder batteries and some battalion guns had also been lost). The Imperial artillery had already caused them heavy losses and would probably continue to do so. Durlach and Würzburg were on their way with another sixteen battalions, with eight of these being very good (MR 4 or 5) and many of them being large units. There was also the potential for five cuirassier regiments and one dragoon regiment to gallop around Braun’s open right flank with little to stop them except some long-range fire from the fortress.
On the Prussian left flank, the two battalions of the ‘Blau-Würzburg’ Regiment from Kleefeld’s command had brushed aside the Prussian Jäger and had thrown themselves at Dobien, but had been halted by fire from Wunsch’s Frei-Infantry. The Würzburgers however, had only very light losses, quickly rallied and prepared to charge again as the Grenzer laid down supporting fire on the village and kept the Jäger busy.
Kleist meanwhile, simply couldn’t keep throwing his cavalry against a wall of bayonets. Rosenfeld and Kleefeld between them had sixteen battalions but had only lost one of them. Kleist had only launched one charge and had suffered the loss of 25% of his command. Hülsen’s best chance would be to establish Brietzke in a good defensive position, preserve Kleist as a reserve and hope to hold until nightfall.
This is definitely one to play again.
So what to post next…? Well aside from a couple of games of Core Space to introduce some new players to the rules, I haven’t done any wargaming since the Wittenberg game and I haven’t done any painting either! It’s been the perfect storm of embuggerances just lately… However, I do have a load of old stuff that should have been properly written up months and even years ago; the Waterloo game at Richard’s, the Franco-Prussian War campaign, the second refight of Murfreesboro, the conclusion of my series on British & Indian armour in Burma… Plenty to be getting on with, I think.
