Before I start this blog,I must mention that I promised Brian that I wouldn't mention his handing of the Elite Prussian Cuirassier brigade,big men on big horses,beautifully uniformed,with razor sharp swords,high morale and ready for a fight,led by no other than the world famous Von Seydlitz,who,at one point,were overtaken by a tortoise being chased by two snails.Yes Brian as promised I will not mention them,my lips are sealed,I will not utter a mutter,wild horses (sorry!) will not drag the truth about these potential game winners from my lips,so don't worry you're embarrassment is safe with me,and no-one will ever know about the disastrous mis-interpretation of the movement rules governing these wonderful heavy cavalry,which should have swept away the lighter Austrian cavalry facing you,and who,instead,plodded their way across the wargames table like so many Blackpool donkeys !!
So, onto the battle,we picked blank envelopes from a pile, and I was lucky enough to draw the British contingent,Paul picked the French,Graham the Austrians,and Lester Piggot,sorry, I mean Brian,picked the Prussians.
The above photo shows the scenario and map,and starting positions of the 4 armies.
Up close and personal,Brians Infantry storm the Austrian defences,and after an exchange of shots,got stuck into a melee,the Austrian cavalry can just be seen massing in the background.
From the word "go" I elected to attack the French with my whole force,this photo shows my Guards regiment attacking the village of Unterglau,being defended by a "raw" regiment,who stoutly defended the position,and actually drove me back!!
This is my "determined" cavalry,thundering into Paul's,equally determined cavalry( avoiding the well placed coffee cup,showing Napoleon turning his back on us!!) I know I promised not to mention the Prussian cavalry,but,look Brian "that's the way to do it!!
This shot shows the fighting on the Prussian-Austrian side of the board,the Prussian guards have just seen off a raw regiment of Austrians from the Hamlet,and are preparing to occupy it themselves.The French guns are firing opn my advancing infantry.In the far background you can just see those troops of Brian's which I promised I would not mention,advancing (slowly) towards their "demise"
This shot shows Brian's infantry meleeing against the barricade, and Graham's cavalry staring to move towards the "unmentionables" who are in the process of being cannistered,again !
The on-going fight at the village,with cav alry battle in full swing on the flank.I won the first two melees with my cav.then Paul reinforced his unit,and the pedulum swung the other way,and I was forced back,this coincided with a defeat at the village walls,was all lost?
This photo shows Brian's weakened (remember the cannister?) unmentionables being attacked by Graham's allied Bavarian cuirassiers,this was a prelude to a massive heavy cavalry melee,which, unfortunately, the Prussians lost.
The village is un-occupied! Paul's raw troops had had enough and their morale broke! however I had no troops near enogh to capture the position.Paul was moving his guard regiment up to retake the village, and I was reforming a couple of regiments ready torecommence the battle for this fine looking village.
Brian's guards have occupied the Hamlet of Ober-glau,and are in a position to split the Franco-Austrian armies in two,if only his cavalry can win the battle on the flank and sweep around to take the Austrians in the rear.....
This is a shot of the last of the Prussian infantry being shot to death,in the background can be seen the cavalry battle ,which,it must be said,was not going the Prussian's way!!
The final photo had to be the Prussian cavalry being "clogged" by the lighter Austrian cavalry!
We had failed to capture all of the Franco-Austrian positions so ,technically we had lost the game,however the game was played with excellent humour,and we all enjoyed it,roll on Thursday.
Phew,Brian, I think we got away with not mentioning your handling of the Prussian heavy cavalry!!!
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