Zorndorf: Once More Into the Breach

Prussian Left Advancing on Russian Positions

With Jake's collection of Russians still on loan, the Zorndorf battlefield still stretching across the twelve feet of table, and a little extra time off work for the holiday, I figured an opportunity was at hand to fight the battle one more time solo.  Since the positioning of the long lines of the Russian army under Fermor lends itself to a static defense, I opted to place myself in Frederick's boots.  Fermor's Russians would be handled in the best possible manner to thwart Prussian attempts to disrupt and dislodge the enemy army. 

Prussian Initial Deployment

Having fought the battle three times at this point, my grasp of the tactical situation and the possibilities available has improved.  With each combatant taking victory honors in the two, full battle refights, this contest would represent the best two-out-of-three in series of Zorndorf recreations. 

To revisit the scenario and previous games, please see,
Zorndorf: The Scenario
Zorndorf: A Tale of Two Battles
Zorndorf: Russian Right Attacked!
Zorndorf: The Thin Red Lines

Prussian Left and Center

The Stein Busch in the center of the Russian line effectively splits the battle into two halves.  Each half is not easily supported by the other.  As witnessed in previous battles, Dohna's large, unwieldy infantry command tends to bog down in the Stein Busch when attacking through the dense woods.  To provide some flexibility, Dohna's command is split into two separate commands.  In this clash, Dohna would command the Center's First Line while de Biaix would command the Second Line of fusiliers.  That bifurcation of command may provide the center with enough flexibility to choose to bypass the bothersome Stein Busch or attack into it as judgment dicates.  The Prussian battle plan will be to attack the Russian right with Dohna in support while de Biaix and Schorlemmer's cavalry pin the Russian left.

Since Seydlitz experienced great difficulty in bringing his heavy cavalry on the Prussian left into action against the Russian right in the prior contests, Seydlitz will attempt to make his historic ride from the Prussian left flank to the right flank.  The distance to traverse the battlefield is great and the cavalry are slow unless a few Admirable Command Performances are granted.  Since attacks against the Russian right have proved futile, time to try a different approach.  If Seydlitz's grand maneuver made sense during the battle, perhaps that is reason enough to try today.  Paraphrasing a past professor, it doesn't hurt to have history on your side.  With a redeployment to the right, Seydlitz may make a difference in countering the Russian large cavalry wing cavalry and perhaps turning a flank.  With the preliminaries out of the way, time to begin.

Turn 1:
The battle begins with an opening salvo from artillery the length of the battle lines.  At long range, the Prussian massed batteries succeed in scoring two hits on Russian artillery on the Russian left and two counter battery hits on the Russian right.   The Russian guns score one hit on a battery and a hit on Schorlemmer's cavalry.

Turn 2:
Demiku's Russian cavalry and Schorlemmer's Prussian cavalry advance to close the distance on the Prussian right.  Seydlitz begins his long march toward the opposite flank of the Prussian army.  Russian artillery scores four hits against Prussian guns.

Cavalry on the Prussian right close

Turn 3:
Before the Prussian massed batteries can drive off the Russian guns on the Russian right, Manteuffel strikes off toward the Russian lines with a double move.  Doing so, causes the Prussian artillery to fall silent while the infantry pass through the gun line.  Seeing Manteuffel step off on his left,  Dohna begins his long advance toward the Russian lines.  The artillery duels continue but replies from the Prussian guns have decreased as both Manteuffel and Dohna pass through their guns.

Manteuffel Advances

Dohna Advances

Turn 4:
Demiku's cavalry, out on the Russian left, throws a double move and pitches into the lead elements of Schorlemmer's cavalry wing.  With hussars on the east bank of the grund and heavies on the left bank, the Prussians counter charge.  The two opposing forces collide.

Cavalry go All In on the Prussian right

On the east bank of the grund, the Prussian hussars drive off one of the two Russian hussars regiments but suffer heavy casualties for their sacrificial effort.  Blown from the clash, the hussars manage to avoid launching into a likely disastrous pursuit.

Hussars clash on the far end of the battle line

On the west bank of the grund, with four regiments against four, two heavy horse clashes develop.  In the first clash, the hard charging Russian 3rd Cuirassier Regiment with the Kazan Cuirassiers in support crash into the equally hard charging Leib Cuirassiers with the Preussen Cuirassiers in support.  The Prussians gain the upper hand with the 3rd Cuirassiers forced to retreat back through their support.  Battered in the initial clash, the Leib Cuirassiers will not yield and elect to pursue against their commander's desires.  The Leib Cuirassiers crash into the supporting Russian regiment and both recoil from the clash.  Both Russian regiments retreat back across the grund in search of safety and a chance to regroup.    

Eight heavy cavalry regiments clash on the right

Battered, the Preussen Cuirassiers hold their ground
while the other participants recoil.

In the second clash of heavies, the Archangel Dragoons with support from Fedorovitch Cuirassiers contact the Normann Dragoons with Brandenburg Cuirassiers in support.  In the impact, both dragoon regiments suffer heavy casualties and retreat.  As the Normann Dragoons retreat back through their support, the supporting cuirassiers suffer from disorder.  Supporting the Russian dragoons from flank, the Russian cuirassiers suffer some loss of cohesion too.  With both primary participants in retreat, no pursuit is possible.  Artillery from both sides continues harassing bombardments.

Dragoons collide!

Aftermath of first cavalry clash on the right

Turn 5:
After Dohna's command set off towards the Stein Busch, it becomes apparent that the woods are not its objective.  Veering to the right, Dohna is maneuvering to bypass the woods on the east edge.  De Biaix marches his command of fusiliers to bypass the woods on the western border. 

Dohna heads east while de Biaix heads west

Situation: Center and right

In an attempt to throw the last Russian heavy cavalry back to the grund, Schorlemmer orders the two Prussian curiassiers regiments to charge the sole Russian Cuirassier regiment in range; the Fedorovich Cuirassiers.  The Prussian get the worse of the exchange and the Pruessen Cuirassiers retreat.  The Russians do not pursue.  

Two against one

Close up: Clash of heavies

Turn 6:
While the cavalry melees on the right continue in a series of charges, counter charges, and regroupings, the Prussian left continues plodding toward the Russian First Line of Saltykov.  Dohna continues skirting the east side of the Stein Busch.

Prussian left marches on Saltykov

Having regrouped the cavalry on the right, another series of charges and counter charges is witnessed on the extreme right of the Prussian line.  Brandenburg Cuirassiers with two supporting regiments charge towards the Russian horse.  The Russian cuirassiers are supported by one regiment and the cuirassiers collide.  In the clash both the Brandenburg Cuirassiers and the Fedorovich Cuirassiers are scattered. 

Cavalry clash in the distance
while Prussians advance on the Russian right 

Brandenburg vs Fedorovich clash...

and are destroyed.

With the cavalry clashes on the right petering out as both sides find themselves spent, a good stopping point in the action has been reached.

All along the battle lines, casualties are beginning to mount from artillery fire although many units are able to recover from casualties at a rate equaling damaged sustained.  As infantry close to within long range, casualty recovery will not be so easy.  Casualties received will be kept.  No batteries have been lost thus far but many guns are damaged and showing the stress of battle.

Still the unflinching Russian lines await as the Prussians continue their march upon Russian positions.

Saltykov awaits...

as the Prussians converge

The first six turns of the battle focused on massive cavalry clashes on the Prussian right.  Only one regiment each has been lost at this point in the battle.  As the Prussian infantry approaches within musketry and canister range, casualties will likely mount quickly.  Manteuffel launched his advance before the weight of the Prussian guns could yield results.  Will Manteuffel's impetuosity haunt the success of the Prussian battle plan? 

Seydlitz is still marching on the Prussian right to support Schorlemmer.  Will Seydlitz arrive in time to tip the balance to the Prussians on the right and allow an opportunity for a sweeping flank attack?

Is Frederick's battle plan sound?  If in Frederick's boots, what approach would YOU have ordered to breach the Russian line and seal a Prussian victory?

Stay tuned to discover what is next in Part 2 of the Zorndorf battle.  Until then, back to the painting desk where units are lining up at the photo box.