The Price of Overconfidence - St. Ulrich - Part 2

 Phase 2:  "That fateful charge" and the Infantry Firefight

The CiC of the attacking force (to the left in the following photo) has observed the limbering up and movement of the enemy gun section on the hill (top right of photo). He deliberately kept his cavalry out of range of those guns. Now is the right time to charge before the gun section has repositioned [click pictures to enlarge]:

The cavalry charge is lauched (top left)

Below, the first Rodenburg squadron clashes with the Reichsbund cuirassiers. But what is the second squadron doing? Instead of backing up the first squadron and ensure, that the melee is won, they gallop right past, aiming for the bridge:

1st squadron in melee, 2nd squadron aims for the bridge

  

First Volleys are exchanged

 

Phase 3:  "The Undoing"

 

Top left: 1st squadron lost the melee and retires, canister
fire at 2nd squadron on the bridge with no effect!

 

Top center, on the bridge: Desaster and Devastation!
The first volley of the Croats wipes out the 2nd squadron

Also in the above photo at the top:  The victorious cuirassiers rally but come under fire from light infantry (Freischar Dreyer) while these themselves are under canister fire. Both take casualties. The limbered up gun tries to seek shelter with the infantry and hastens forward.

Top left: Desaster again! The cuirassiers charge and
overwelm the gun section. The infatry firefight intensifies.

Top left: The cuirassiers regroup once more. They receive new orders
from their ADC: "Charge the enemy infantry in the rear. Now!"

  

Unable to respond in time, the enemy infantry regiment is routed.

Also in the above photo at the top right:  The Reichsbund Sacher regiment has routed, too. Though overstrength, it could not withstand the continous musketry fire of two enemy units.

With the bridge still guarded by good-order infantry and a
gun section, the attacker breaks off the action and retreats

Conclusions:

A fantastic game. The light infantry firefight, the high "Price of Overconfidence" due to "That fateful charge" and its bitter consequences. That hero cuirassier squadron. Winning a melee, riding down a gun section and tipping the enemy infantry attack into the abyss.
The rules are fun to play with oders and ADC's moving about. All good stuff.

What is next?

Scouts have reported that Reichsbund reinforcements are on the way to St. Ulrich. A possible Reichsbund counteroffensive?

The Action at St. Ulrich - AAR Part 1

Having rebased  three units of infantry and added a few figures, it is time for a game. The scenario is straight out of the Honours of War rulebook named „The Combat of St. Ulrich“ [click pictures to enlarge]:

At-Start Deployment

 St. Ulrich is to the right (east) of the river Blauwasser, the ruins of Muhlhausen to the left (west).

Table Size:  5' x 4'
Figures: 28mm
Rules: The War Game (2012) plus addenda from Refighting History books (Vol. 6 and Vol. 9), at 2/3 movement and ranges
Unit size: 24+5 for infantry, 6+1 for companies and squadrons. Regiment Sacher at 32+5.

Attacker: Duchy of Rodenburg (based on Prussia). CiC: Ferdinand von Sturmschuh
Defender: Reichsbund (based on Austria). CiC: Baron Goldegg

Attacker Mission:  Secure a crossing over the river Blauwasser

The Rodenburg force advances

Attacker's Plan: Infantry forms line to the right and advances. Artillery moves forward, unlimbers and opens fire. Cavalry kept back out of enemy artillery range.

Defender's Plan:  Baron von Goldegg has discussed his options with his staff (my daughter and son) what he should do if his confident „show of force“ with his back to the river should fail to deter an attacker.
His staff, after evaluating alternatives, unanimously advocated the following course of action:

(a)  Immediately withdraw behind the river. The unit next to the bridge (Regiment Sacher, 32+5) first. Cavalry last as it covers the retreat.
(b)  First regiment to cross takes up position south of the bridge (bottom of photo), the other (Plekdy-Gladz Infantry, 18+3, loose order) in front of the village.
(c) Gun section is to reposition IMMEDIATELY next to and to the north side of the bridge. (No one remembered who placed them that far from the action !)

[Game Mechanics:  The order for the infantry to withdraw is considered given at game start, i.e. Move 0. The gun section does require an order to be delivered by the ADC.]

The view from the Reichsbund gun section

Phase 1:  The attacker approach and the Light Infantry firefight

Approach and first blood

The attacker (Rodenberg) is in the process of forming line. The cacavalry is kept out of enemy artillery range. The light infantry (Freischar Dreyer) successfully engages the enemy croats (2 to1 casualties).
The defender is seen starting the withdrawl. The Reichsbund ADC, a certain Graf Kinsky, is seen on his way to the gun section to deliver the new orders to reposition.

Reichsbund Plekzy-Gladz lights („Croats“) retire !

Freischar Dreyer wins the firefight. the Croats retire. The Reichsbund gun section on the hill fired on the two enemy Dragoons squadrons with no effect. The ADC has just arrived there with new orders. The wirhdrawl makes good progress as the attacker gun section is still on the move.

The Rodenburg gun section finally unlimbers.
Freischar Dreyer now engages the withdrawing enemy.

This could hurt …

[Part 2 to follow]