Bohemian Blitzkrieg: Turn 4. The Battle of Niemes - the set up

Bevern having advanced south from Zittau, ran into Macquire at Niemes. Instead of falling back, Macquire decided to make a stand. 

Pre- Battle initiative rolls: 

• Mcquire rolls 5 +2 +1 = 8. 
• Bevern rolls 4 +4 = 8. 

The result is equal indicating an automatic encounter battle without any pre-battle manoeuvring. 

The random battlefield roll is 59, 10 is added for Niemes being a rough terrain dot (generally speaking the higher the roll the rougher the terrain), indicating battlefield 69.

The battlefield comprises the squares either side of the number 69. Again, I must point out that this map will be transferred to the table as best I can. The map should be seen as one drawn by an ADC not the Ordnance Survey.

Rule Note on Terrain: As we are using our home spun set of Piquet rules to fight the battles it might be best to define the terrain features given in the battlefield maps.

Hills: Hills are defined by height and by 'hatch lines'. One contour hills are type i; two and three contour hills are type ii. If a slope is 'hatched' the difficulty is increased by one level from the bottom of that slope up. In the map above, picture a village with buildings terraced up a steep slope (type iii - a two contour hill is type ii but the hatch lines increase the difficulty by one level from the bottom of the second contour) with more gentle slopes (type ii - because the hill is two contours high) below.

Woods: Woods are defined as light or dense. Both are type iii terrain affording type iii cover. However, cavalry cannot be rallied from disorder caused by moving through light woods and cannot enter dense woods. Close order infantry cannot be rallied from disorder caused by moving through dense woods.

Boggy ground is type iii to infantry and type iv to cavalry. It affords no cover. Close order infantry and cavalry cannot be rallied from disorder caused by moving through bog. 

Water features: There are four kinds of water feature. Narrow rivers are type ii streams. Thick rivers are fordable type iii rivers. Wave patterned rivers are type IV rivers. Wave patterned lakes are impassible type V. Usual modifiers apply.

Villages: All villages are type iii. Usual modifiers apply.

Fields and heavily cultivated ground: These will be represented by walled or hedged enclosures with standing crops, orchards and the like. They are all type ii and afford type ii cover.

Here is a shot of the table laid out. Macquire, as defender, has chosen to set up on the left side. As defender with 13 SPs, he gets enough earthworks to cover the front of two units. The armies have been put out but not deployed.

Here is the same picture with the top contours, not that clearly visible in the photo (and much clearer in the flesh), drawn on. 

The hill shapes are as close to the map as I could manage.

Macquire's force (13 SPs):

1 Regiment of Hussars
1 Regiment of Dragoons

4 Regiments (8 battalions) of German Musketeers
3 Battalions of Grenzers

1 Heavy gun
1 Medium gun

2 unit's frontage of type iii earthworks.

Bevern's Force (24 SPs):

1 Regiment of Hussars

2 Regiments of Dragoons

3 Regiments of Cuirassier

2 units (4 battalions) of Combined Grenadiers 

6 Regiments (12 battalions) of Musketeers

1 Regiment (2 battalions) of Fusiliers.

2 Heavy guns

1 Medium Howitzer