Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Age of the Big Battalions => Topic started by: DintheDin on January 06, 2024, 11:55:24 AM
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Save the Saxons!
This fictional scenario has to do with the Prussian invasion in Saxony 1756 and the blockade of Pirna
A small part of the Saxon Army has escaped the Prussian noose and is on the verge to link with the approaching Austrians.
It is almost dawn and this is the situation on the table
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The Saxons in march columns must try to escape from the other northwestern end of the road. But behind the hills north, the Prussians are ambushing behind the two hills to the north and they have also concealed two batteries on the hills dominating the whole area. The Austrians are coming from the southeast and we see already the Austrian Avantgarde heading towards the wooded area.
The Saxon-Austrian winning condition will depend on how many Saxon units may exit from northwest. The Austrian have to intervene, put themselves between the Prussians and the Saxons to let the Saxons escape. The Prussians must destroy as many enemy units as possible. The picture shows the first move of the game.
Friend Miltiades and I, played this scenario in October with Honours of War rules. We diced and I took the Saxon-Austrians. Miltiades got his beloved Prussians.
Here is the Saxon column of march: Four line infantry, the Saxon foot Guard, two batteries, one forage and one ammunition wagon. On their left are escorted by a regiment of Saxon Chevaulegers and the Saxon Guard Cavalry.
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At the moment the Saxon column has arrived near the middle hill, the Prussian columns start moving!
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The Saxons react by wheeling to the right, trying to form line and take positions as close as possible to the central hill
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A unit of Prussian Jäger is lurking in the central woods...
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...they appear at the edge of the wood, shooting at long range against the Saxon Cavalry.
The cavalry must stay prudently at some distance, so, for the moment, they cannot help their foot comrades.
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The Austrian Avantgarde arrives with the order to clear the woods from the Prussians
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Miltiades sends a Prussian brigade to charge the Rochow Fusiliers who are supported by the Saxon Garde zu Fuss
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Another Prussian brigade is attacking the Saxons defending the hill, who manage to deploy one of their batteries
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It is a pity we had no umpire for the game, as my scenario had some tricks which I had to play against myself :)
Here are the Loudon Grenadiers. Approaching the woods in order to attack the Jäger. They must throw two dice...
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...with a sum of 2 or 3, they desert en masse! And I brought it outright!
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The Saxon Cavalry veer to the right, keeping a distance from the cheeky Jägers
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At the same time, the Prussian cavalry appears on table!
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The Saxon Cavalry galloping behind the infantry, parallel to the road, to cover the threatened right flank...
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And the sassy Jägers, come out of the woods, to shoot at their backs! Fortunately with no serious damage.
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Up to this point, it seems that in the infantry fight the Saxons got the upper hand...
One Prussian battalion destroyed and one must retreat to reform.
They had significant casualties themselves, but they still hold their line.
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With more Prussian infantry reinforcements yet to come, Miltiades' dice failed to bring them on table. Worse than this, my dice showed that the Austrian main force is coming!
With his two brigades already on table shaking, Miltiades started complaining that the scenario was not well balanced...
Then I asked him: Your artillery is always shooting against the infantry. Did you try to shoot at the wagons?
With two hits each, the wagons will be out of the game, and especially the ammunition wagon with a sum of 11-12, has a chance to explode!
Magic! Miltiades scores a hit on the ammunition wagon and then brings six and five!
Kaboom!
The ammunition wagon explodes and every unit in 10cm radius will be diced as having received canister!
These are the results!
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One more Saxon infantry retreats to reform! The Saxon line is shattered!
The Austrian cavalry rushing to cover the right flank!
Two Prussian Grenadier battalions entering the table (background, left)
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The general situation from above. Havoc for both belligerents!
There is a great hole in the Saxon infantry line, as their left wing is nonexistent!
The remaining Saxon infantry wheel backwards to anticipate the advancing Prussian cavalry
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Five Austrian battalions entering the table. The two grenadier battalions in the front, form line
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With the Loudon Grenadiers having unexpectedly defected so early, the rest of the Austrian Avantgarde, as if shocked, had failed to move for a couple of rounds.
Finally, Grenzers appear in the woods to deal with the Prussian light infantry.
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Now that the Austrians are covering them, it is time for the Saxons to stop fighting, form march columns and leave the battlefield
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The Austrian main infantry force, marching in good order determined to fight
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In the woods, the Grenzers, supported by the Deutsches Feldjägerkorps charge the Prussian jäger.
Miltiades, seeing that they have no room to fall back, lets them stand and fight. They got four hits and must retreat to reform.
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Austrian Grenadiers, pushing back a Prussian battalion
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A general view of the situation
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While the Saxons are making a fighting retreat, and indecisive cavalry battle takes place between Prussians and Austrians.
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Time to call it a day.
For the Saxons the way to escape was opened, but with a heavy toll. They lost two battalions, one battery and all their wagons.
After counting the Saxon losses: The Prussians had won, having lost only three units.
For the Prussians to win, the scenario provided that they had to cripple the Saxons and withdraw before being overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the Austrians.
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Yet another inspiring report replete with beautiful photos! The miniatures are gorgeous!
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Yet another inspiring report replete with beautiful photos! The miniatures are gorgeous!
Thank you, dear friend!
I am very glad you enjoyed it!
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Well that escalated! :D
Excellent stuff once again, Din!
I'm just about to start painting my Saxon infantry for Minden, but I was just reading up on Kesselsdorf and Hohenfriedberg and now have the urge to do a much bigger Saxon army than just the post-1756 survivors.
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Well that escalated! :D
Excellent stuff once again, Din!
I'm just about to start painting my Saxon infantry for Minden, but I was just reading up on Kesselsdorf and Hohenfriedberg and now have the urge to do a much bigger Saxon army than just the post-1756 survivors.
Thank you, dear colleague!
My Saxons are limited to this number of infantry units,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/142494696@N04/albums/72177720302014117/
just enough for my version of Minden.
Ah... Kesselsdorf... is one of my future scenarios and games!
But I'm sure you'll be the first and we will enjoy a well played game with an excellent presentation!
Eager to see you playing Kesselsdorf! Cheers!
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Thank you, dear colleague!
My Saxons are limited to this number of infantry units,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/142494696@N04/albums/72177720302014117/
just enough for my version of Minden.
Ah... Kesselsdorf... is one of my future scenarios and games!
But I'm sure you'll be the first and we will enjoy a well played game with an excellent presentation!
Eager to see you playing Kesselsdorf! Cheers!
It'll be a while! lol
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A unit of Prussian Jäger is lurking in the central woods...
what a fantastic picture!
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With more Prussian infantry reinforcements yet to come, Miltiades' dice failed to bring them on table. Worse than this, my dice showed that the Austrian main force is coming!
With his two brigades already on table shaking, Miltiades started complaining that the scenario was not well balanced...
Then I asked him: Your artillery is always shooting against the infantry. Did you try to shoot at the wagons?
With two hits each, the wagons will be out of the game, and especially the ammunition wagon with a sum of 11-12, has a chance to explode!
Magic! Miltiades scores a hit on the ammunition wagon and then brings six and five!
Kaboom!
The ammunition wagon explodes and every unit in 10cm radius will be diced as having received canister!
These are the results!
Oh ! I am sorry my dear friend !
(well ... not really!) :D
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what a fantastic picture!
Usually yours are better! But it happened...
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Why sorry? This is war :)
And I think you liked the scenario in the end!