Large SYW Game Using 'Die Kriegskunst'

[Fat Wally]

Well, our group has painted over 1,000 SYW figures in the last four months. I've been doing Russians and Prussians, Max Prussians and Austrians, Derek Saxons and Paul French.

Everyone wanted a large game where we could field our newly painted stuff....So here it is....

Based on Breakout or Encirclement scenario from 'Wargames For All Ages' by Grant and Asquith essentially the Prussians were trying to get off table, in good order, with Allies arriving on three different points to try and trap them.

Clive and me took command of the Prussians with Max; Austrians, Paul; French, Derek' Saxons and Chairman Kev; Russians.

To give you an idea the Prussians fielded 12 Battalions, 4 Cavalry Regiments and two batteries of guns to the Allies 23 Battalions, 9 Cavalry Regiments and three batteries.....

Game Start

Prussians deployed in the centre of the table with Max's Austrians right rear ground. Table is a nine by four. Lots of space soon to be filled with toy soldiers.



Prussian Deployment.
Intentionally so, there wasn't much room. Artillery facing the Austrians, three lines of infantry, two cavalry brigades in support.





Max's Austrians
The Austrians were the first of the Allies to deploy.



Derek's Saxons, accompanied by Paul's French



Kev's Russians
The Russians under Chairman Kev arrived in the NE corner.  We diced for entry points.  Kev got the worst area to deploy in.



Saxon's Begin to Shake Out
But there isn't much room to deploy so many eager troops



Austrian Cavalry Up The Road
I think the Hussars in particular look lovely



Prussian Artillery Engages The Austrian Cavalry
Almost too late I realised what was afoot with the Austrians. In the nick of time the battery turns and fires cannister at the massed ranks of the Kaiserliks




Chairman Kev's Russians Advancing
Kev is the player with by far the most restricted deployment area bounded by a stream and a wood. Kev chose to split the Cuirassiers from the rest of the Russian cavalry Brigade. Tellingly the Russian twelve gun batteries of 12pdrs gets time to deploy.



Prussian Guns Stop An Austrian Cavalry Charge In Its Tracks
The Austrians launch a charge at the Prussian guns but take three casualties from fire and falter.

[Fat Wally]

Clive's Prussians Head Towards The Russians

A mass of Clive's Prussians head towards the Russians, which have been chosen by the Prussian high command to be 'v'ictim of the day'. We figured it would be good to head away from the masses of Austrians, French and Saxons and pick on the outnumbered Russians. It took too long for us to get over there though and so in hindsight going all out for Max's Austrians would have been preferable.




Kev's Russians Can't Deploy Properly....yet

Unable to receive orders from the C-in-C, Chairman Kev's Wing Commander can't change his brigade's orders. As the Prussians advance, the Russians go automatically from Approach to Hold orders but don't have room to deploy, apart from guns.....ALWAYS DEPLOY GUNS.



Austrian Loveliness

....With a bit of bite. After hammering the Austrian hussars Kev's Prussian guns receive fire from Max's artillery. Max throws a double six! Kev loses ONE GUN MODEL and two casualties on the other gun. 75% casualties = disperse......BUGGER!



Clive's Prussian Infantry

Onward rush Clive's Prussians. Onward to glory....or death dealing from the Russian guns.



Paul's French, well Scottish and Irish....

Gorgeous looking!



Clive's Prussians Reach The Stream

After some hard marching Clive realises going through the Russians might not be the best option, the Prussians decide to try their luck crossing the stream.



Big Kev's Russian Artillery Opens Up!

Nasty, nasty, nasty, three model gun battery of 12pdrs



Paul's French In The Woods

Say what you like about the French, they are always impeccably turned out. Negotiating the woods caused a major deployment problem for the French



Lovely French/Saxon Cavalry Brigade

Eureka French and Old Glory Saxon cavalry




As Clive's Prussian Begin To Cross The Stream Russian Cuirassiers Watch Them Intently

Prussian Grenadiers begin to cross the stream, unformed and at half speed whilst the Russian Cuirassiers champ at the bit to get to them. As the stream causes units crossing to be unformed, and unformed units can't charge, the Cuirassiers couldn't get at them.



Death of Glory!

Kev's Deaths Head Hussars make a rash charge against Derek's Saxons, trying to buy time for the infantry to march away, but falter when many saddles are emptied. I mean I had to try something. it was a case of use them soon or lose them soon.





In Desperation, Clive's Prussian Dragoons Charge Max's Austrian Infantry

....and are smashed by the fresh infantry.



Kev's Prussians March To The Right Flank....

....Through Clive's cavalry brigade. We're getting in a right mess here trying to avoid the closing Austrians, French and Saxons.



Russian Cavalry!

Chairman Kev's Horse Grenadiers catch Clive's Garrison quality Prussian infantry before they can be fired at. OUCH. Cossacks push forward



Prussian Cavalry Forced To Retreat

Clive's Dragoons are forced to retreat unforming Kev's Prussian infantry which were marching laterally behind them. Worse still a marching column of Prussian Fusiliers (mid photo, rear) now expose their flank to Max's advancing Austrians.




Clive's Prussians

After the Horse Grenadiers assault the Prussian infantry is in no shape to do much at all. The nearest unit to the camera has suffered heavy casualties from Chairman Kev's Russian artillery. Clive is forced to take a Brigade Morale Test and fails. His command is forced to retreat back across the stream he has just crossed. To the right rearground Kev's Prussians can be seen marching to the right flank.




Clive's Prussians

Results of Clive's command being forced to retreat, lots of unformed Prussian infantry, wondering it its all worth it.




Kev's Prussians

...are about to get swamped by French. Trying desperately to hold off the enemy, Kev rolls a double one in firing. 2/Inf Regt 2 are now LOW ON AMMO too!




Max's Austrians

Catch Kev's Fusilier column in the flank....Its getting ugly.





Kev's Prussians

Have little time to halt and form and must keep moving unformed to try to escape.



Allied Cavalry

French and Saxon cavalry begin to find gaps to exploit in the fragmented Prussian line.



Saxons Advancing

After slowing down the Saxons Kev's Prussian Hussars are forced to step back with heavy casualties mounting.




Paul's French

....and this time they are French, not Scots or Paddies



Chairman Kev's Cossack Almost Moment of Glory

The Russian Horse Grenadiers have retreated after being shot up by Prussian Fusiliers. Chairman Kev's Cossacks successfully launch a charge at Kev's Prussian infantry in Column. However, they fail the test to close, miserably, and are forced to retreat. A very lucky escape for the infantry.




Clive's Cuirassiers

Wisely decide to bugger off. Actually they are ordered to engage the Russians but couldn't find a gap through their own infantry to get to grips with them.



Russian Cuirassiers

Block off another avenue of escape by lining the banks of the stream now that Clive's infantry have had to retreat back across it.



French and Saxons Advance

With French Dragoons preparing to charge Prussian Hussars, Saxon cavalry exploit a gap supported by Irish regiments of the French army.



Austrian Cavalry

...and then there is Max's Austrian cavalry, marching to the very centre to link up with the Russians



Austrian Infantry Press Forward

Clive's Cuirassiers look fucked



Russians Advance

As Chairman Kev's Cossacks depart (they subsequently rallied however) the sleeping Russian bear that is their infantry component, begins to advance toward the Prussians.



Free at Last!

With the Prussian Hussars stepping back the Saxon infantry suddenly have no opposition and advance....



Prussian Right

A small hill on the Prussian right becomes the scene of an epic clash between Russian Dragoons (on inferior horses) Vs Prussian Garrison level infantry



Russian Guns Redeploy

Why is it always those bloody Russian guns?

[Fat Wally]

The Stream

Clive prepares to force his way back over the stream he held two hours earlier.




French Dragoons Charge!

Prussian Hussars countercharge, but are defeated and forced to retreat.



Firefight!

Prussian Fusiliers and French infantry get into a meaty firefight.



On That Small Hill...

Prussian infantry fire into the ranks of the Russian Dragoons but the Russians endure.



Its All Going Tits Up!

You can see the Prussians are fucked. It's just a matter of time.



Prussian Right...and that hill...

Over on the right Kev's Prussians hold the small hill and keep blasting away at the Russian Dragoons with little effect. Clive's Grenadiers try to get to the Russian guns before they deploy, but can't. In the background, Chairman Kev's Russians continue to advance...



Clive's Cuirassiers Escape

....and move towards the stream. His 12pdr battery deploys opposite the Russian Cuirassiers who are still lining the opposite bank of the stream....but not for long....KA-BOOM!



Time To Pray

Max's artillery fires at long range and hits the Prussian infantry to the right in the rear making them falter. He also scores a double six mortally wounding the Prussian brigade commander in the risk to general test. A replacement brigadier is sent from the Prussian C-in-C, who judging from his earnest prayers, isn't terribly pleased about the idea.



Now Is the Time Boys.....CHARGE!

Chairman Kev's Russian Dragoons charge the hit-in-the-rear-by-artillery-and-so-faltering-Garrison-quality-Prussian-infantry, after passing the close to contact test. Two Prussian units failed to cause casualties firing at them on the way in.....OUCH....The Prussians are routed and lose 11 casualties!



A World of Hurt

With the Russian gunners looking very smug, Clive finds out just how nasty 12pdr cannister really is. Chairman Kev rolled a double six, plus +5 12pdr cannister.....SEVEN HITS. The Grenadiers routed. We called the game at this point. The Prussians had been on the back front since Kev's artillery were lost to Max's gunfire and Clive's command failed its Brigade Morale test and was forced back over the stream. An excellent afternoon's  fun in five hours.

[Aaron]

Wow, that is one impressive game!

[jamesmanto]

 
lovely armies!

[duc de limbourg]

Great game.
Did you use any house rules to Kriegskunst?

[duc de limbourg]

Ah, saw your answer on GdB site, thanks