Siege of Vienna 1683 (photo story)

[DintheDin]

It took me four years to assemble and construct all I needed for playing the second Siege of Vienna (otherwise called the battle of Kahlemberg).
In Miltiades' house, with the aid of Haris (Guldor), we set up the table, but as we spent more than two hours to put everything in place, we decided to make a diorama-like photo story of the battle as a pivot for the actual game we hope it will soon take place.
The third picture is a panoramic view of the battlefield showing some of important landmarks and army positions. 

[DintheDin]

The bombardment

Kara Mustafa, although informed that an allied army is approaching, decided to make a last effort to assault the city.
The Ottoman batteries in full action. The same moment big mines are being prepared to explode.

[DintheDin]

The Allied left and center descends Kahlemberg heights

The troops under Charles of Lorraine, commanding the Allied left, start a firefight with the Ottoman left wing.

[DintheDin]

The Allied Center

Troops under Waldeck, commanding the center, join the fight

[DintheDin]

The Turkenschanz

The Turkenschanz (Turkish redoubts) was manned by Ottoman dismounted cavalry. They put up a strong resistance against the Saxon and Franconian troops. The allied dragoons dismounted and took it with bayonets plugged in the muzzles of their muskets.
The Ottoman extreme right was covered by Moldavians and Wallachians who retreated with no much fight.
The "Turkenschanz" exists until today at the outskirts of Vienna (Turkenschanzepark).

[DintheDin]

The Polish (left allied wing)

The Polish decided not to make their way through the dense Kahlemberg woods, but they took a round path, so they appeared later. Their extreme right covered by Cossacks and dragoons, the famous winged hussars to follow...  

[DintheDin]

The Polish center, under General Jablonowski

[DintheDin]

Jan Sobieski leads the Polish right wing

[DintheDin]

The Polish infantry and artillery did not take serious part in the battle

[DintheDin]

What the Vienna defenders saw

The battle was broken in smaller battles, as all the place outside Vienna was full of hills, ravines and other obstacles.
The Vienna defenders were seeing the allied troops rising over the ondulating terrain, then disappear, then appear again...

[DintheDin]

Kara Mustapha continues to assault Vienna

The same moment the main battle rages, huge mines explode, and the Ottoman troops make their final great assault to take Vienna.
The first picture shows the network of Ottoman trenches having focused their assault between the Lowen and Burg bastions.

[DintheDin]

Ottomans rush through the wall opening. The defenders have retreated in more interior positions. Bullets, rocks, arrows and grenades fly everywhere!

[DintheDin]

A bloody battle. The Ottomans are repulsed and come back in waves!

[DintheDin]

Stahremberg stems the tide

Vienna is ready to fall! With a last heroic effort, Stahremberg, commander of the city defense manages to repulse the assault.

[DintheDin]

Kara Mustafa enters the battle

As the first Ottoman lines start to give way under the Allied pressure, Kara Mustapha enters the battle with his elite troops, Janissaries and the Kapikulu cavalry.