Prussians Attack French Supply Depot

Date: November 25, 2016
Genre: 28-30mm Seven Years' War
Location: Thuringia
Situation: French Supply Depot Attacked
Rules: See Photo Below

Batailles de l'Ancien Régime 1740-1763 {BAR}

Available here: http://oldregimerules.com/

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WE COMMENCE

Most armies think November is a poor campaign month. Prussia's Frederick II does not think so. In a lightning move, he formed two fast-marching columns to penetrate deep into Thuringia....

To destroy this French supply depot and on....

THE FRENCH RIGHT FLANK 

An adjacent powder magazine. Prussians appear in the hazy distance on the French right flank. BAR Version #1 uses speedy movement rates to get to grips faster. The leading regiment (Blue Hussars) started Turn 1 on the far side of the bridge. It cantered 18" adding a 24" road bonus travelling almost four feet in one turn! We like that.

In an effort to cave in the Prussians on the bridge road off image to the right, Colonel Bercheney's Hussars engaged the Prussian Black Hussars. The result at first was inconclusive. Meanwhile, the leading Prussian blue hussars swung off the road toward the depot off image to the lower left.

Next turn the Prussian Norman Dragoons erupted through a forest defile into the rear of Bercheney's horsemen. I did not see them on the Back Table because of a wooded area and because Morgan E. unintentionally blocked my view going about his duty playing the game. Had I seen them, I would have left before being overwhelmed.  Kudos to Jim P. commanding the Prussian dragoons!

Closer to the bridge another hussar action ensued trying to cave in the Prussians from another angle.

As the newly arrived Erbprinz Regiment held the extreme French right flank above.

The Erbprinz Regiment soon elected to contend the area solely within the hedged enclosure. It's Grand Division formerly on this side of the hedge was annihilated by the von Bungle Regiment.

Later von Bungle withdrew to the dry river bed because....

French and Austrian infantry from the Allied Back Table arrived west of the powder magazine and....

Advanced slowly stopping several times to engage in firefights. The Prussians lost a resolute battalion in the exchange. Meanwhile, von Bungle (not shown) struggled near the bridge due to vegetation encumbering it in the dry river bed.

French right flank stabilized.

THE FRENCH CENTER

Prussians march forward to the left of and toward the supply depot....

Closing on and soon engaging defenders.... 

 Such as a portion of Auvergne in the heavy stone enclosure.

 The stone wall reduced casualties from prodigious Prussian musketry.

When the Prussians moved closer....

 Auvergne having had enough withdrew out of harm's way --- for a while.

Then Languedoc arrived mid-afternoon directly into the compound by a series of D6 throws.

And took up a defensive position behind supply boxes.
Why? --- Prussians arriving in the upper left!

 Other Languedoc's split off to the right of the main building.

Close to 4:00pm half of Languedoc has become the new French left flank.
Why? Read about it next on....

THE FRENCH LEFT FLANK

To the left is an impassable ridge (east wall of the basement) on the French far left flank. As the French Guyenne battalion arrived, Fischer's Chasseurs a Cheval at first opposed onrushing Prussians and then shifted right....

Opposing Prussian riders heading forward in the this photo's top right.

This opened the way for opposing infantry to fire at each other. Though the Prussian Fusiliers won the initiative to fire first, the French used a Joker (fog of war) to fire first instead with deadly effect. The fusiliers with casualties removed fired next. Afterwards they withdrew to the building and fenced area in the upper right.

And shown in the upper left of this photo. 

Meanwhile, Fischer's Chasseurs charged Prussian cavalry opposite them.  

Result: The Chasseurs won on the right and lost on the left.

But---more Prussian infantry is marching forward.

 Guyenne shifted from the left side of the tower to it's right to oppose them.

 As you see here.

Back to the far left French flank again. Fischer's last light horsemen and their former opponents have rallied and reorganized as Prussian dragoons thunder down the road toward the stone building.

A few turns later surviving Fischer's Chasseurs charged into the same Prussian cavalry they had engaged earlier. The initial clash went well enough but you see newly arriving Prussian dragoons.

These fed into the melee next turn causing the end of Fischer's last light horsemen.

Here is the thing!

See that road leading out of the photo's lower left? We reasoned the Prussians would go down that road onto the French Back Table. Afterward there was nothing to stop them riding into the rear of the French Army. Nothing. Plus....

Guyenne and another French battalion (four and five photos previously) to the right of the tower ceased to function effectively.

The French left flank was lost after a robust and effective defense.

CLOSING REMARKS

1. Our players were:

Seated left to right: Jim H., Morgan E., Dan E. and Chris K. Standing left to right: Der Alte Fritz Jim P., Bob B., Bob M. and yours truly Bill P. Photo courtesy of Jim P.

The Prussian Back Table is behind our cast.

2. The powder magazine is a magnificent Herb Gundt creation; HG Walls. All other buildings and the bridge are from wonderful Miniature Building Authority. The heavy stone wall is a very well-done William Britians 54mm structure.

3. The table on the French left flank abuts the basement wall. This removes a walkway but allows the table to be larger on the French far right flank. More table space is the result. We've done it this way for years to get more table area to play on. We don't miss the walkway near the wall. We really don't. Try abutting your table against one wall in your home so you can add extra table square footage at the other end.

4. Approximate numbers:
Prussian Infantry: 510.
French/Austrian Infantry: 360 (60 more added when an extra player arrived)
Prussian Cavalry: 148
French Cavalry: 112
Prussian Arty: 2x Light 6 Pounders
Saxon Arty. in the tower: 1 Heavy 4 Pounder and 1 Light 12 Pounder.

5. Table sizes:
Main Table: 6'x 16' approximately.
Prussian Back Table: 2.5'x 16' approximately.
French Back Table: 2.5' x 14' approximately.

6. Earlier I mentioned we used BAR Version #1 for movement rates in the game.

BAR Version #2 shortens same (weapon ranges too) by 1/3. This makes it suitable for smaller tables and 15-20mm miniatures. Here is a photo of the Quick Reference Charts Version #2.

We did not consult the main rule book once in the game. 

7. Aren't uniforms of the mid-18th century splendid?

8. Your remarks are very welcome at Comments below.

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