Lobositz part 2

A couple of weeks ago I began a report on our recent Lobositz game and the first evenings gaming came to an end with the Prussian infantry massing before Lobositz and their cavalry threatening the Austrian centre.  The Austrians were desperately trying to redeploy their infantry to shore up their centre following the destruction of two thirds of their heavy cavalry.  Meanwhile on the Lobosch the Austrian light troops were being driven back by the Prussian grenadiers.

 

Bevern was watching the progress of his grenadiers with some satisfaction.  The front units had almost reached the summit of the Lobosch and although they had suffered some casualties, the Austrian musketry seemed to be slackening.  As the grenadiers approached the wall manned by the Grenzers they fired a volley and prepared to charge.  The Grenzers' reply was supplemented by canister from a light gun which temporarily stalled the grenadiers.  Before they could fully recover they were fired on from their right flank.  Some Grenzers had moved down the slopes to assist the defenders of the wall.   With casualties amongst the officers mounting, command began to falter and having suffered 50% losses the first line of grenadiers reluctantly retraced their steps back to the open ground at the foot of the Lobosch.  The first attack had been held and to Bevern's dismay he could see that the reinforcements sent by Lacy had now arrived strengthening the defence even more.

Lacy's attention was by now fully focused on the defence of Lobositz.  One of his flanking batteries had been lost to the Guards attack and the infantry holding the line between Lobositz and the Lobosch were coming under increasing pressure as they became targets for the Prussian howitzers.  Behind the howitzers a brigade of Prussian infantry was moving up in support and Lacy moved quickly to rally battalions which had fallen back out of the line.

Lobositz itself seemed secure as the original garrison of two battalions had been augmented by two more of grenadiers.

Browne's main concern was his centre.  His grenadiers would hold to the end, but they were faced by heavy cavalry, jaegers and artillery.  The former were waiting for the latter to whittle down his strength before charging.  All he had to cover the vital bridge over which his reserve infantry were marching was a unit of converged elite companies from his mounted dragoon regiments.  This was the unit which the Buddenbrock Cuirassier, victors over the Austrian cuirassiers now attacked.  Buddenbrock had to run the gauntlet of fire from the village of Sullowitz which had a garrison of Austrian light troops and also the fire of batteries on the far bank of the Model Bach.  They suffered losses, but charged home.  The crucial melee swung back and forth, but eventually the Austrians prevailed and the Prussians were driven back.

Frederick now directed Winterfeldt to capture Sullowitz and four battalions of line infantry advanced on the village.  Marching through artillery fire and the musketry from the village the first line stopped to fire a volley, and the attack stalled.  Reinforced by the second line the attack went in and the light troops were driven back across the Model Bach.  Having removed this irritant attention now returned to Lobostiz.

The second Austrian battery defending the village had been inflicting heavy casualties on the  Prussian infantry even as they were forming up.  As the infantry approached, their losses increased.  However, by broadening the attack the battery was outflanked and a vigorous charge drove off the gunners.  This increased pressure on the Austrian grenadiers as the Prussian jaeger could advance closer and inflict more casualties.  Lobositz would now have to rely on the volleys of its garrison to keep out the Prussian infantry, which continued to advance.

This is where affairs ended on the second evening of gaming.  The Prussians had made progress, but had concerns about their left flank.  For their part, the Austrians had managed to reinforce their centre but had had most of their guns over run.  Unfortunately it also where we had to end the game as Alasdair, our host is moving house shortly and his armies need to be carefully packed away pending the arrival of the removal men.  So this will be the last appearance  of his magnificent SYW collection along with the Schleswig-Holstein collection and many others.  Alasdair will be beginning his own blog once he settles into his new home and I will provide a link at that time.  Over the next few weeks I will add a page to the Gallery with photos from the SYW battles we have had over the years.

Here is a photo of the three of us prior to that final nights gaming.