Monday 7 July 2008

Mollwitz. The 2nd game.



So here we were again. The game set up exactly as before. Surely this time the impetus would be balanced.

Römer, having maneuvered his cavalry out to the left of the Austrian line (see deployment map) launched his attack into the flank of the tardy Prussians. The charge was devastating. Before the Prussians could react Schulenburg’s command was in flight to the rear. Meanwhile, on the Austrian right, Berlichengen’s cavalry advanced to do combat with Posadowsky.


However, the Prussian infantry under Frederick and Schwerin were undaunted. Turning the rear units of their box they slowly, but deliberately, advanced towards the Austrian centre. Whilst the cavalry wings engaged in a one sided contest, with the Austrians always holding the upper hand, the infantry came to grips.

On the Prussian right Posadowsky attached himself to his dragoons. Here he hoped to turn the tide. He advanced his cavalry very aggressively, but it was to no avail, his troopers melting before the Austrians whilst he stood, captured by an Austrian dragoon, pistol to his head. The shame of it (D12 Vs D10, result 1 Vs 10).
At this point, with both flanks routed and the infantry alone, Schwerin whispered to his King “Sire it is time for you to leave.” He did so without a second thought.

Schwerin cast all doubts to the wind. It must be death or glory. His infantry steadfastly advanced firing volley after volley into the Austrian infantry, all the time taking care to secure his flanks against the encircling Austrian cavalry, which, as it happened, refused to close. The Austrian infantry was no match for the superbly trained Prussians; they began to melt away under the well timed Prussian volleys.

The Austrians launched their cavalry against the Prussian infantry in a desperate last ditch attempt to save their hard pressed foot. It was, as well as too late, fruitless. As evening loomed the Prussians broke their tight formation and, with a sweeping right hook, scattered what was left of the Austrian infantry. The last Austrians before Mollwitz withdrew in considerable disorder. The Prussians, without cavalry, were unable to press any pursuit. But they held the field and their infantry was intact.

4 comments:

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Hello James,

Another great battle report! You armies and table look really good. I especially like the "dead trooper and horse in the pond" vignette. GOod work there!

Best Regards,

Stokes

Peter said...

Much better result wise! And very pretty too.

Salute
von Peter himself

Bluebear Jeff said...

Sort of like the historical result this time.

In your game, what would Frederick's feelings toward Schwerin be?


-- Jeff

JAMES ROACH said...

Hi Jeff,

He probably felt as he did historically, ashamed and embarrassed. He swore to himself that he would never leave the field again before the outcome was beyond doubt. Frederick always held his own council and his grudges, it was probably never openly spoken of in his presence again.

Personally I have a fondness for Frederick (it is my son's second name, his first name being Alexander - fortunately both were also the names of his great grandparents) though I would not like to have been one of his subjects.

This is the man who, for his maimed soldiers, had clothes made with sleeves and trouser legs already missing to save on cloth, sacked most of the palace servants on his accession to the throne and lived in small appartments (to make room for more soldiers barracks) and had his own wife and children do the cleaning. He also famously said "Men are like lemons - too be squeezed."

When Napoleon took Berlin and visited Frederick's tomb, he ordered his Marshals to doff their hats in respect of him. Considering that he had not been dead that long, and his name had not yet become the legend it is now, that is pretty cool.

James