The battle takes place at the A24 interchange
Battle Plans
As can be see on the above maps the Prussians deployed to attack the Russians which were deployed along the Dreenkrogener Road hiding in the woods and behind the drainage ditch which ran along the edge of the woods adding another layer of protection to their exposed flank. The Prussians decided to launch an attack that would hit the entire length of the Russian position at as close to the same time as they could manage.
The forces were not equal, the Prussians had the overall larger force with that advantage being in their infantry both numerically and qualitatively. The Russians had a drastic advantage in artillery and were superior to the Prussian in cavalry including out numbering the Prussian heavy cavalry 8 to 5.
The Prussians entered the map in march column and advanced to the edge or artillery range along the front of the Russian position. The Russian cavalry remained behind their infantry and artillery lines and left the Prussians to maneuver with out interruption.
The south end of the Russian position. Due to the
naval action earlier in the campaign some Russian
Infantry Battalions started the game with damage.
The north end of the position bristling with cannon
and dour Russian soldats.
The entire Russian position with Duke Aleksy's
imposing presence urging his men to do their Duty
to the Empress!
The Prussian Cavalry Brigade marches along the
drainage ditch. This ditch would help save the
Russian flank as crossing it in the face of Enemy
Horse was too dangerous to risk.
Prussian infantry columns streaming towards the
Russians.
The Russian commanders say "Bring it!"
A close up on the Russians defending the northern
woods where the action would start.
The Scissor Stepping Assault Brigade.
They would indeed "bring it" to the Russians.
Even though waiting for night to fall and end the battle, the Russians essentially held their positions for the first half of the game the Prussians were able to advance, deploy out of column, and move to the attack at their own rapid pace. The action kicked off with the above pictured Brigade deploying to assault the angle at the north end of the Russian position while the rest of the Prussian army advanced as rapidly as they were able. The attack was not quite simultaneous all along the line as the Prussians intended, the south end of the Prussian attack, delayed by the woods along their approach arrived after the rest of the army.
The view behind the Russian left as seen by the Prussian
Cavalry Bridge. The Horse Grenadiers and an Elite
Regiment of Dragoons kept the Prussians from riding
across the ditch into the rear of the Russian position.
The Assault Brigade in position, the remainder of
the Prussian army is visible in the background.
The forces enter firing range!
As can be imagined once the Assault Brigade got into position and advanced on the woods they were taken under fire by the Russian Artillery. This fire was, at long range, mostly ineffective but, once everyone was inside musket range the effectiveness rose dramatically and so did the casualties on both sides. The fighting at the north end of the map was the bloodiest of the day and both sides would have chances that were missed and unlikely events that would unfold.
The view from the south end of the Russian line. As
you can see the attack at the north end preceded the
attack along the rest of the line but only by 15 to 30 minutes.
The Prussians at the south end of the line maneuver
through the woods, delaying their attack.
Casualties mount in the Assault Brigade.
Things looked like they were going well for the Russians, then one good turn of shooting by the Prussians and one turn of poor morale rolling by the Russians turned the situation on it's head. The 12pdr battery was driven off along with the front line Russian infantry battalion. The way was nearly clear for the Prussians to collapse the Russian left and roll up the entire position.
Where have the Russians gone?
The Assault Brigade crosses the ditch and seizes half
of the woods as Russian reinforcements from the center
deploy to hold the south half and form square to help
keep the Prussian Cavalry on the other side of the ditch.
At this point the rest of the Prussian army was getting into the fight, hitting the Russians like a wave moving from north to south. In the center the Prussian infantry was suffering under withering Russian artillery fire and, in the north, the Russians responded with a devastating turn of fire which ground much of the offensive potential out of the Assault Brigade.
The Russian left sagging back, but holding!
The Prussian Center pummeled by canister as the
Prussian left advances slowly through the woods.
Undeterred by their mounting casualties the Prussian center gamely manuvered to assault the Russian center which had been reduced by both Prussian artillery fire as well as the need to pull battalions out of the line to shore up the Russian left. Though only the tatters of Battalions the charge went in and drove off or captured some of the Russian artillery which formed the bulk of the Russian center towards the end.
In go the remnants of a Fusilier Battalion!
The Russian center and the determined Prussians
attacking it.
At about this time the rest of the Prussian army was getting into action with the Russians at the south end of the line. With darkness approaching and the chance of forcing the Russians to make an Army Morale test the Prussians were indeed "all in" on the attack. At the north end, after spending hours glaring at each other across the drainage ditch the Prussian Kuirassier even attempted to charge across it, only to be driven back by the Elite Kazan Shock Dragoon Regiment.
Kuirassier driven back across the ditch. The Dragoons
elect not to follow them.
As night falls the Russians fall back in good order.
The end of the battle leaves two battered armies but
the Prussians hold the field and win the day.
The last turn of the game brought the Russian army to the point where it had to test it's army morale, this is a major point of the Rank and File rules as well as a major point of adjudicating campaign losses. Duke Aleksey, clutching his favorite d6 in his hand muttered a hopeful prayer. A one or a two and he was done for! With his eyes to heaven he rolled his die... a 1! His army would rout from the field not retreat! But wait! Fortunately he had saved his re-roll and, with a more fervent prayer the die was rerolled... a 5! Though they lost the day and some guns they Russian army would live to fight again and could look back on the casualties they inflicted on the Prussians with a feeling of pride. Both sides had definitely been in a fight!
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