The Battle of Gross Jagersdorf 30 August 1757

" Field Marshal Apraxin spending a little too much time at the local inn unaware of what lies in wait"

The snow didn't materialise on my lieu day so my Dad and I headed up to Collins house for a Seven Years War game using Blackpowder. Colin had set up a re fight of the battle of Gross Jagersdorf fought between the Russian and Prussian armies. 

After rolling for sides I found myself in charge of the Russians alongside Collin as my dad was tasked with leading the attacking Prussian army. The Russian army had the numerical advantage, almost 2-1 but the Prussians had caught the Russian army unprepared and out of position.I have uploaded plenty of photos of the game here on this post but For a more detailed account of the game you can read this at Collins blogg at the following link:

http://carryingsonupthedale.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-battle-of-gross-jagersdorf-300.html

Lt Gen Lehwaldt's Prussian forces ready to attack the surprised Russians.

One of my Russian Brigades on the March away from the wood.

The early morning fog rises and the battle begins with the sound of cannon fire

Russian troops desperately try to fall into formation, true to Blackpowder rules with out a great deal of sucess

My Brigade pushes through the wood, with the Grenadiers eager to charge the Prussian elite infantry who were suffering in a fire fight.

With a follow me order lead by the 'Druken' Russian C-C Field Marshal Apraxin ,they charged home, although they won the pursuing combat the Prusians held firm.

The Prussians fight their way into the wood pushing the Russian forces back.

After chasing tne Russian Currasiers away the Prussian Dragoons and Hussairs sweep into the unexpecting Russian infantry who crumble under such an onslaught 

The Prussians advancing into the wood

The Prussian Cavalry brigade rallies itself after a couple of skirmishes with the Russian Dragoons

The Prussian Grenadiers are shaken and finally broken

After taking Heavy casualties to the Russian guns the Prussian line infantry final close to combat range.

More Russian Grenadiers fight hard to hold back the Prussian line infantry as the game hangs in the balance.

Behind the river my Currasiers blunder their command roll and charge 3moves straight into the Black Huuasirs. The following melee sees the Hussairs and supporting Dragoons routed breaking the Prussian cavalry command. On the other side of the river With the Prussian Grenadiers broken the victorious Russians grenadiers high on adrenaline find themselves at the mercy of the Prussian heavy guns, so with one last cry they charge forward to the inevitable outcome.

Which is deverstsing canister fire, heavy casualties,a morale fail and a dead C-C too!

With the Russian brigade on the right flank broken the Prussian a Hussars and Dragoons flank the Russian grenadiers. Aided with some superb morale saving by Collin the Grenadiers not only held their ground over the first round but also managed to rout the Hussars in the second round of combat! However that was not to be the last of their troubles........

.....As a unit of Prussian grenadiers with a follow me order charged into the flank of the Battered Russian Grenadiers who by some kind of Devine  fate managed once again to hold their ground, Valiant indeed 

The last attack of the game saw the Prussian Garrison troops in a cruel twist of fate shaken and breaking the brigade. The troops were untested wich means you have to roll a D6 when you suffer your first casualty to determine their stanima, my Dad choose a bad time to roll a one!

All though my Dad had lost 3 out of his 4 brigades which resulted in the army been broken, the scenario was to inflict as much damage as possible onto each other's forces. In actuall fact my Dads Prussians had shaken or destroyed more Russians over the course of the game than the Russians had  inflicted on them so had come out on top as far as the scenario objective was concerned. With this in mind Collin determined that the outcome should be called a draw.

It was a interesting game to fight, my Dad with the Prussians, been heavly out numbered, was always going to find it tough to break the Russians but with abit more luck later in the game when he flanked the Grenadiers Twice to no avail, had he broken them their was a real danger of the Russian line been rolled up. As for me and Colin we suffered from some seriously poor command rolls as most of our generals were rated 5's and 6's and found moving our army a real problem. when we did have sucess we were unable to really capitalise on this, especially after I broke my dads cavalry brigade across the river. Had I been sucessful im moving my brigade I would have been attacking the Prussian rear unposed with Currasiers and two full strength line infantry which would have destroyed the Prussian army who were still fighting to their front. 

All in all though it was a good game and afternoon.