Hochkirch 14 October 1758 (2nd edition)

The beauty of Piquet is that it can be tailored to fit any scenario using the basic tool box of its mechanisms. To demonstrate this I have chosen to do Hochkirch, which is quite a complex battle, as a scenario. I have added some flavoursome cards to the Prussian deck, allowed for some 'what ifs' and given some latitude to Austrian arrival moves in an attempt to make the battle flow more easily and entertainingly.

The game was set up using Duffy's books (The army of Frederick the Great and The Army of Maria Therasa) as a guide; Sam Coull's book Nothing But My Sword was also useful for flavour. I received help from the Yahoo SYW Group regarding the composition of Wurtemberg's command(thanks guys). I have scaled one tabletop unit to equal two of Duffy's 'map' units; this has led to some 'rounding' of numbers and types, but the ratios between the sides are about right. I have also, due to tabletop restrictions, moved some units. This is especially true of the Prussian hussars originally positioned south west of Hochkirch - I have retreated them closer to Hochkirch.

Fought as a straight fight Hochkirch is a decidedly uneven contest. Consequently, the Prussian victory conditions can change during the game to allow a historical defeat to become a tabletop victory - like a war gamer's 'Dunkirk' if you will (see Umpire And Other Notes).

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Following the Battle of Zorndorf on 25 August 1758 Frederick marched, with 6000 troops, back into the ‘Austrian’ theatre. Here he concentrated his forces with those of Brandenburg- Schwedt. His intention, with an army now totalling somewhat over 30,000 men, was to manoeuvre an Austrian army under Daun out of south-east Saxony. Daun was not for moving and settled down to hold Frederick where he was. After five weeks of inactivity Frederick sought to break contact and cut off Daun’s lines of communication with Bohemia. The move was not carried out with Frederick’s usual vigour; he halted at Hochkirch to await supplies; confident that he would be unmolested. Daun arrived at Hochkirch on the 13 October and set up camp beyond woodlandbarely 600 yards from the Prussian’s left flank.

PRUSSIAN BRIEFING.

You [Frederick] are accustomed to sticking close to the enemy and have been unperturbed by the presence of Daun’s army so close to your lines. Although Daun outnumbers you by a significant margin you were confident that he would not attack; and if he did, your army, comprised mainly of Brandenburgers and Pomeranians, and being largely untouched by the harrowing experience of Zorndorf, would be more than a match for Daun's soldiers in quality.

However, at 5am, you were informed of skirmishing between pickets in the woods beyond the right flank of your army. At first you thought this was just enthusiastic activity from the enemy’s Croats and ordered your troops back to their tents. Howitzer shells flying over the village of Hochkirch into your centre have caused you to re-evaluate the situation. A full blown attack is now in progress and falling on the extreme right of your position - at the village of Hochkirch. It is 5.30am and it will not be light for another hour.

Victory conditions
Hold Hochkirch until turn 10. Whilst you have any troops in or in contact with a Hochkirch town section you receive a bonus of 10 morale chips to your morale chip total.

Morale Cards (see below): 1 Stratagem Card, 1 Fanatic Action card, 1 I've Gone Mad! card, 8 other cards.

Stratagem: You have a column of troops under Wurttemberg some distance away to the north-west. It may march to the sound of the guns. On every appearance of the Stratagem Card, after turn 1, you may dice for Wurttemberg’s arrival – 1 chance in 6. If you send for Wurttemberg (costs 5 morale chips) it will arrive 1 chance in 3. On arrival card the units may make a single move of up to 36" onto the table measured from the table edge. Each unit may make a single wheel of up to 45 degrees at the start and end of the move. If, at any time during the move, the unit comes within 18" of an enemy unit or contacts a type II / III terrain feature it must cease movement at that point. The move must be in a straight line and no unit may voluntarily move out of command distance.
Fanatic Action card: You may declare one unit as Heroic. The unit will ignore push back and rout results. It will fight to the death. Once a unit is designated as Heroic the card is removed from the sequence deck.

I've Gone Mad! card: On the first appearance of this card you must declare one officer to be Heroic. He will be Up 2 for all officer checks and melees involving units to which he is physically attached. Furthermore, a unit to which he is attached may use the Fanatic Action card as a ‘wild’ card as per ‘Brilliant Leader’. However, he must roll d10 for survival checks on each and every officer check card.

Officer Quality: As standard except that Frederick must be Skilled or better.

Troop Quality: All Prussians adjust their quality rolls by +1 above standard.

AUSTRIAN BRIEFING

You [Daun] plan to rid the Empire of Frederick once and for all with an audacious plan of attack (if he thought Leuthen was clever!). Your plan comprises a six pronged attack (see deployment map) which will surround and annihilate the Prussian army.

The enemy is deployed in a line extending north to south facing east. Your main attacks will fall at the southern most part of his line at Hochkirch an hour before dawn. Your aim is to draw the Prussians here whilst four further columns envelop this position (see arrivals) from the east, the west and the north. Yesterday you prepared the way by clearing passages for your artillery through the woods to the south of Frederick's position and he did not move - you presume he thought you were preparing defences. You have, now, under cover of darkness, set your plan in motion.

Following a sharp skirmish with Prussian sentries your troops are about to launch the first attack. It is 5.30am. Hochkirch, that King and victory lie before you!

Victory Conditions
You must destroy or rout at least 12 Prussian units. To aid you in this, you may force a D12 tactical morale challenge versus any enemy units within 24" of Hochkirch or Rodewitz on the appearance of the Prussian major morale card if either is in your uncontested possession.

Morale Cards (see below): 6 off table arrival cards, 9 morale cards.

Column arrivals: Each of the enveloping columns arrives on table from turn 1 as detailed below:
On turn one the off table arrival cards for #1 and #2 are added to the sequence deck.

On turn two the off table arrival cards for #3 and #4 are added to the sequence deck.

On turn three the off table arrival cards for #5 and #6 are added to the sequence deck.

On the appearance each arrival card the units of the designated column may make a single move of up to 36" onto the table measured from the table edge. Each unit may make a single wheel of up to 45 degrees at the start and end of the move. If, at any time during the move, the unit comes within 18" of an enemy unit or contacts a type II / III terrain feature it must cease movement at that point. The move must be in a straight line and no unit may voluntarily move out of command distance.

Officer Quality: As standard.

Troop Quality: As standard. One Austrian battery in the main column may be howitzers. Howitzers ignore cover modifications for woods and villages.

UMPIRE AND OTHER NOTES

Alternative Prussian Victory Conditions: As a straight fight this game is almost impossible for the Prussian player to win. Consequently, as soon as either of the northern enveloping columns appear on table, a Panic card should be randomly added to the Prussian player’s remaining sequence deck. On its appearance the following note should be handed to the Prussian C-in-C:

“You are surrounded by superior numbers. There is now no dishonour in retreat. You can choose to change your victory conditions to WITHDRAW. If this option is taken: Count the number of units in your army not currently in rout. To win you must extricate at least half of these units off the table via grid square A1. (Note: To aid you in this option, all Prussian officers may supersede command to bring ‘out of command’ units into their sphere of influence to speed movement).

Visibility: For the first turn all shooting will be subject to a Down 2 modifier. All melee dice will be adjusted Up 1. All officer checks will be subject to a Down 1 modifier.

Grand tactical movement cards: Any unit that is in type I terrain and starting more than 18" from an enemy unit may also move on Native Mobilty cards. If in march column the unit may also move on Move in Difficult Terrain cards. Any such movement must cease 12" from any enemy unit.