Mollersdorf : a Shako scenario

Once again we are in Germany in 1813.  In the aftermath of Lutzen the Prussian and Russian forces are falling back, closing on their supporting formations.  The French (and allies) are naturally moving forward quickly, hoping to turn this retrograde movement into a rout.  Close to Mollersdorf the Russian rearguard, (1 division of infantry and 1 of light cavalry), has chosen to take up a delaying position to give the main army more time to escape.  In pursuit is Vandamme's provisional corps, (3 divisions of infantry and a light cavalry brigade), with orders to give the enemy no respite.

An overview of the table.  Mollersdorf is on the left with the main road leading west passing through the villages of Klein Prim and Prim (the latter is nearest to the French deployment zone on right hand side of the table).  The Russian player can deploy anywhere in the area from Prim back to Mollersdorf.  Troops not visible from the French deployment zone can be marked on the map.  In total the Russians have 10 battalions of infantry (in two brigades of 5) and 5 skirmisher stands, 4 are with the rearguard under Markov, the most westerly brigade and one with Kamensky nearer Mollersdorf.  The cavalry under Ulanius has 4 light cavalry regiments and two small units of cossacks.  Borisov, the Russian commanders has orders to delay the French as long as possible.

Vandamme has 24 battalions in 3 divisions under Dupas, Dumonceau and Mouton.  Pully commands the cavalry brigade of 4 light cavalry 'regiments; all of which are under-strength and 2 are composed of new recruits.  The French have two divisions arriving on turn one and they can deploy anywhere within the rectangle shown on the map.  Each of the remaining divisions arrive after a delay of 2 or 3 moves, determined by a die roll.

A roll of the dice allocated command of the Russians and he  I deployed his troops on the map.  I then deployed the divisions of Pully and Dupas in the rectangular area astride the road.  Dupas was to attack Prim while Pully was to cover the area between the northern lake and the wood.  Once I had done this, Steve deployed Ulanius' division near the marsh and stream, a single battalion in Prim with a gun and skirmisher stand next to the road.

The French ready to advance

Ulanius bars the way

With the skirmishers leading the way, Dupas' division  advanced on Prim.  Some casualties were inflicted by the Russian artillery, but the first attack was made by the two battalions from the 9th legere.  As they charged home they were met by a deadly volley from 1st battalion 26th jaeger which stopped them in their tracks.  The French rallied, but to their right the 1st battalion 8th jaeger advanced round Prim to threaten their flank.  Dupas immediately ordered the battalions of the 54th line to counter this threat.  By the road, the 2nd battalion 46th, flanked by other battalions of the regiment, charged the Russian skirmish line sweeping them away.  Ignoring a discharge of canister they then charged the artillery, capturing the guns and driving off the few gunners who had survived their charge.

The attack on Prim develops

Pully was following his orders and covering the flank of Dupas' attack; however, Ulanius' division had artillery support and this was beginning to find the range.  With his raw recruits showing signs of wavering, Pully began to gradually pull back.  This encouraged the Russian cavalry to push forwards north of the lake, seeking to outflank the French force.  Vandamme ordered Pully to counter this threat and the French cavalry moved left onto the low hill to the west of the lake.  Leading the Russian advance was a unit of Don Cossacks, these were charged by the 13th Hussars, but the raw recruits were bested by the Cossacks who, jeering,  moved aside to let the mounted Eger carry on the attack.  The Eger were charged by the 4th Chasseurs a Cheval, who drove them back in disorder and then, maintaining their order, returned to the ridge to await the next Russian attack.

The cossacks drive back the French hussars

Dumonceau's division now arrived and Vandamme ordered them to advance on Mollersdorf  by the northern route, bypassing the villages.  As they advanced they came under fire from skirmishers in the woods and  some battalions veered off in an attempt to clear this irritant.  They of course became enmeshed in a messy fire fight in the woods and were lost to the main advance.  In front of Dumonceau he could see a field battery, (belonging to Kamensky) and the horse battery attached to the cavalry.  Their fire was having limited effect and so the French continued to advance.  The balance of power changed slightly when the cossacks moved right to support the artillery.  Some of the raw French recruits began to hesitate and the orderly advance broke up.  Seizing their chance the Bug Cossacks charged the nearest French unit, the 3rd battalion 10th line.  Their attempt to form square was too slow and carnage followed as the infantry were speared or cut down.  A few survivors made it back to their lines, but the majority lay on the field. Waving a captured fanion, the cossacks returned to their lines.

A field day for the cossacks

Over at Prim Dupas' attack was running into trouble.  The 46th's attack, which had captured the battery had drawn the attention of more Russian troops.  From the wood the 2nd battalion 8th jaeger fired volleys into the flank of the French battalions.  More skirmishers emerged to snipe at the officers and from behind Prim the 2nd battalion 26th jaeger emerged, to join the fray.  The 2nd battalion 46th now found itself isolated and attacked from both flanks.  Losses in the battalion mounted and the troops began to edge backwards.  This 'edging' inevitably gained speed and before long the surviving men were running back to their lines.  To the south of Prim, the 54th's attempts to cover the flank of the attacks on the village were faltering.  The 1st battalion had  had to withdraw because of high casualties and the 2nd battalion was struggling to hold its ground against the scything volleys delivered by the Russian jaeger battalion.  Attacks on Prim continued.  Four or five were made, but each one foundered against the rock solid defiance of the defenders.  Losses continued to rise, (approaching 50%) and then suddenly, the French resolve cracked and Dupas' remaining battalions retreated.  As Dupas tried to rally his men, Mouton's division arrived and Vandamme wasted no time in ordering it forward towards Prim, partly to deter the Russians from following up their success and partly to provide some shelter for Dupas' men.

On the left, Pully was still holding his ground, but again losses were approaching significant levels.  Attacks by the Vladimir and Siberian Uhlans had been repelled but at some cost.  The 4th Chasseurs a Cheval and the Lancers were both at the end of their tether and the 13th Hussars were still shaky after their earlier contact with the Cossacks.  With only the weakened 2nd Hussars in any state to fight, Pully sent a status report to Vandamme.  The commander, seeing the chaotic state of Dupas' command and the apparent strength of the Russian position decided, reluctantly, to call of the attack and request reinforcements from headquarters. 

A valiant defence by the Russians which rightly won the day.

The Battle of the Chinorro Hills,an Italian Wars scenario for Pike and Shotte

Almost 6 months ago, I posted a report on a Italian Wars game at Steve's. (link)   Following that inconclusive clash the Franco-Swiss force had fallen back across the Borgogno hills, with the Imperial force of the Duke of Tempranillo  following them.  Hoping to catch his opponent off guard Le Compte de Carignan had halted and then marched towards the approaching Imperialists.  When they were sighted, crossing the Chinorro Hills, Carignan deployed Gamay on the left, then Carignan's command, with the Swiss under Landroter next and Merlot on the right wing.

The armies deploy

For his part Tempranillo had deployed with Trebbiano's cavalry on his right, then his own command of  arquebusiers and pikemen, with Graf von Spatburgunder's landsknechts and then Count Barbera's cavalry on the left.  Tempranillo's plan was to take the low hill in the centre with his arquebusiers and hold the narrow gap between it and the wood with his pikes.  The lansdknechts were to advance and deal with the Swiss, supported by Barbera's cavalry.    Trebbiano was to hold the right against the French cavalry, covering the flank of Tempranillo's infantry.

The battle did not start well for Barbera as part of his cavalry ignored his order to advance, leaving one unit of gendarmes close to the French cavalry and unsupported.  However, Signora Fortuna seemed to be smiling on Barbera as Gamay's cavalry remained rooted to the spot.  Tempranillo had no such problems with his arquebusiers who quickly established themselves on the central hill and prepared to defend it against Carignan's crossbowmen.  However, Spatburgunder's landsknechts advanced only slowly and the two units got in each other's way passing through the gap by the wood.

Temparanillo's men advance

Carignan had his own problems; Lord Randroter was once again proving difficult.  As usual the main stumbling block was money, this month's pay was late and veiled threats had been made about the Swiss returning home.  Using his courtier's charm, Carignan at last persuaded Landroter to stay with the army for another two weeks and in the meantime his participation in the day's battle would be 'much appreciated' (ie there would be a 'bonus').  At least Merlot's cavalry were following orders and moving forward at speed against Trebbiano's force.

Barbera's gendarmes take on Gamay's men at arms

Barbera had at last got his men moving, the gendarmes in particular now keen to attack.  They first clashed with Gamay's leading unit of men at arms and quickly scattered them.  Seeing a unit of gendarmes in front of them, the Imperialists charged into them as well.  The French gendarmes provided far tougher opposition, but in the end they too gave way routing back towards their own lines.  Barbera's men, now isolated and weakened by their losses  were in a rather precarious position, not helped by the moves of a unit of Swiss halberdiers which was attempting to work round onto their flank.

The first clash between Merlot and Trebbiano

On the Imperialist right, Trebbiano was trying to hold back Merlot's men.  After some skirmishing between the opposing units of light cavalry, the men at arms joined the fray.  Initially, the Imperialists gained the upper hand, driving back their French opponents.  However, before they could recover from the melee they were hit by a unit of French gendarmes.  This proved too much and they routed.  The rot was stopped by Imperialist gendarmes who charged the victorious French gendarmes and after a fierce struggle forced them to fall back.  Harassed by the Imperialist light cavalry the gendarmes lost all order and continued to fall back.  Their destruction was completed by Trebbiano himself, who, galloping over to his reserve unit of gendarmes, led them in an unstoppable charge which drove the hapless gendarmes from the field.

The Imperialist halberdiers attack the French crossbowmen

In the centre, Carignan and Tempranillo were urging their men forward. The Imperialist arquebusiers  won the race onto the central hill and their fire halted the French crossbowmen in their tracks.  A second unit of crossbowmen attempted to force a path through the gap between the hill and a wood, but they were met by a charge from a unit of Imperialist halberdiers.  These tough fighters made short work of the crossbowmen who turned and ran for their own lines.  Carried away with their success, the halberdiers pursued the fleeing French, only to be hit by a unit of French pikemen.  The much outnumbered halberdiers were driven back with very heavy casualties and played no further part in the battle.  In their turn, the French were charged by Imperialist pikemen and a prolonged melee took place.  Eventually, the French had had enough and fell back.  Determined not to over reach himself, Tempranillo ordered his pikemen to stand and recover their order before they advanced, trusting his arquebusiers to keep the French in check.

Swiss pikemen force the Imperialist cavalry to fall back

Tempranillo prepares to lead forward his pikemen to repel the French advance

Further to the Imperialist left, the Swiss and landsknechts had eventually begun to advance.  The smaller Swiss pike block outpaced their companions and pushed back a unit of Barbera's cavalry; the cavalry unwilling to charge the phalanx of pikes.  A unit of Imperialist arquebusiers also fell back before the Swiss and a gap opened up in the Imperialist line.  Fortunately, Spatburgunder had a unit of landsknechts on hand to plug that gap.  A fierce melee followed as the two between the two opposing pike blocks pushed home.  Although the initiative swung back and forth  the decision eventually went the way of the Imperialists.  However, these now found themselves 'out on a limb'.  To their front were Gamay's cavalry and the Swiss halberdiers, the second Swiss pike block had now advanced beyond them and was heading for the remainder of Spatburgunder's command.  Their nearest friendly unit were Barbera's gendarmes who were gradually falling back to reform after their earlier exertions.  The landsknecht commander eventually decided that the best course of action was to fall back in concert with the gendarmes.  To the left of the Imperialist gendarmes had been a unit of men at arms, but they were scattered by a charge from Gamay's final unit of gendarmes which followed up this success and moved forward towards Barbera's rallying units.  Disaster was averted by confusion in the French ranks.  Gamay was far away, trying to rally the survivors of the earlier clashes.  Imperialist light cavalry were hovering on the flanks of the gendarmes, peppering them with shot.  No one seemed to be taking charge and whilst they dithered the Imperialists regrouped.

Gamay's gendarmes drive back Barbera's men at arms

Urged on by Landroter the large Swiss pike block swept forward crushing a unit of arquebusiers which happened to be in their way.  Spatburgunder ordered his last reserve to stop them and a second mighty clash of pike took place.  Losses were heavy on each side and initially the Swiss were gaining the initiative.  Summoning their last reserves of energy the landsknechts halted the Swiss push and then moved forward themselves.  Slowly, step by step, the Swiss fell back, the landsknechts keeping up the pressure.

The unstoppable Swiss?

Irresistible force and immovable object

Surveying the field, Carignan saw he had done all that he could.  On the left, Merlot's attack had stalled and his men were now in danger of being surrounded.  In the centre, his own attack had failed and the Swiss had again failed to be the battle winners they claimed to be.  Gamay's men had also taken a beating.  His best option was to fall back while he had strength remaining to deter any close pursuit.  For his part Tempranillo also was keen for the battle to die down.  All his troops needed time to reform from the heavy fighting; any pursuit would have to be undertaken on the morrow.

Merlot's command (by trees), surrounded by Trebbiano's units

Thanks once again to Steve for hosting the game.