Battle of Kolin with Maurice, Pre-Game

I have not hosted a game at my place in a long time so the game room needed a bit of organizing before I could host the guys on Saturday (photo of cluttered table spared...).

Saturday's game plan is twofold: field my 18mm SYW collection on the battlefield for the first time and give the rules, Maurice a first try.  This combination allows me to check off two activities on my To-Do list effectively killing to birds with one stone.

Since Maurice contains the scenario for the Battle of Kolin, that is the battle I will stage.  Taking the rules' recommendation of bathtubbing the forces down to a manageable size, each infantry maneuver unit with represent about five battalions or about 3,000 men.  If we had more players than one per side, I might consider dropping the game scale and fielding more units to create a much larger battle.  For an initial game trial, these forces should do.  Given that, the forces are:

Austrian

• 2 Grenz Irregular
• 1 Grenadier Elite Regular
• 8 Musketeer Trained Regular 
• 1 Elite Cavalry
• 6 Trained Cavalry (2 hussar, 2 dragoon, 2 cuirassier)
• 5 Artillery 

Prussian

• 2 Grenadier Elite Regular
• 5 Musketeer Trained Regular 
• 1 Elite Cavalry
• 4 Trained Cavalry (2 hussar, 1 dragoon, 1 cuirassier)
• 3 Artillery 

The battlefield setup will cover the Prussian initial attacks against the heights and be fought on the end of the game table.  Play area will only be a modest 6 feet by 4 feet.

Although outnumbered, the Prussians will enjoy an advantage in quality and maneuverability given the National Advantages of Oblique Order, Lethal Volley, Steady Lads, and Great Captain against the Austrians' only National Advantage of Skirmishers.

Scott will be commanding the Austrians while Kevin will be playing the part of Der Alte Fritz.  To give the fellas a sense of the ground they will be fighting over, following are a few snapshots of the initial dispositions.

Looking west, Austrians on heights

Looking south, Prussians in foreground

Austrian right wing, anchored in Oak Woods and Krzeczor

Prussian center with grenadiers in second line

Austrian center

Krzeczor Hill from behind Austrian lines

Austrian cavalry in reserve

Prussian cavalry on Prussian right

Austrian cavalry on Austrian left

Austrian battle line looking from left wing east

We will see what surprises tomorrow holds.