Pages

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

BatRep: Kunersdorf

With preparations finished, time to let the combatants take to the field for a refight of Kunersdorf.  The Kunersdorf battlefield is huge and the number of units staggering.  Still, a two-player game seemed accessible.  I took command of the Prussian Army under Frederick the Great while Jake led the combined Russo-Austrian Army under Saltykov.  For scenario information, please see Battle of Kunersdorf: A Scenario.

As a battlefield reminder, the Russian Observation Corps upon the Muhlberg finds itself nearly encircled by the Prussian army when the battle begins.  The battle begins with a Prussian artillery bombardment of the earthworks prior to launching its attack.  For much of this battle report, I will provide commentary from the perspective of Frederick the Great.  After all, that is whose boots I stepped into for this replay. 
Terrain features of Kunersdorf
Unfortunately for the Prussians, little damage was done against the Russian defenders.  Hopefully, the defenses can be softened up as the attack advances toward the heights.  More damage is accomplished by the Russian guns in counter-battery against Prussian guns on the Kleiner Spitzberg than the Prussians, themselves, can execute against the Muhlberg.
Prussian Army steps off on the attack
Russian counter battery proves effective
One feature of the Kunersdorf battle that becomes apparent almost immediately for the Prussian attacker is that the battlefield, while HUGE, is quite constricting.  On first glance, the Muhlberg position, indeed, sticks out like a sore thumb and seems ripe for the taking.  On closer inspection, moving toward the Grosser Spitzberg is extremely challenging.  Kunersdorf is burning and impassable.  The lakes and marshes along the road to Kunersdorf are either impassable or difficult.  How do the Prussians bring their forces to bear in this tight space?  If they choose to break out into the small plain, what next? 
Prussian cavalry tip-toe through the marsh
On the north face of the ridge, the water meadow presents an obstacle as well.  How does the Prussian army come to grips with the main allied line on the backside of the ridge even if the Muhlberg falls?  This difficult topographical challenge is magnified by being heavily outnumbered by the defenders.
Prussians close in on the Muhlberg
As the Prussians plod forward negotiating the difficult ground along the Hubner stream, Villebois' command decides to take the fight to the Prussians. Scrambling over the embankments, Villebois' Russians descend the heights.  On the extreme end of the Russian position on the Muhlberg, Galytsin's Observation Corps awaits the inevitable attack.
Villebois descends from the heights
Observation Corps looks on
Having crossed through the difficult terrain, Prussian brigades ready themselves for assaults upon the Muhlberg.  Casualties mount as the Prussians close within long range.
Keeping up a covering fire from Prussian batteries firing from the high ground surrounding the Muhlberg, the Prussians advance.  Elements of the Observation Corps begin to crack.  First, one of the batteries is driven back from the ramparts.  Then, the Russian grenadiers retreat back from the defenses after having taken much punishment from both muskets and cannon. 
Russian gun falls back
Russian grenadiers retreat
Before the Russian grenadiers abandon their position against the earthworks, they put torch to the abatis.  This action has a couple of important consequences.  First, it prevents the Prussians from overwhelming the northeast end of the Muhlberg since the attackers cannot move through the burning abatis.  Second, the smoke from the fires block line of sight for about one-third of the attacking Prussians and the guns targeting that end of the earthworks.  The Russians have bought themselves some time.
Abatis is put to the torch
Assault on the Muhlberg stalls as the abatis burns
While the attack on the Muhlberg heats up (literally!), cavalry clashes occur on both shoulders of the Muhlberg.  Finck sets his wing into motion, crosses the stream, and reorders his troops for an advance.  The huge cavalry wing under Schorlemmer meets Jeropkin's cavalry wing near the Water Meadow.
Schorlemmer vs Jeropkin
The clash
In the clash, destruction is widespread.  Schorlemmer loses three cavalry regiments with a loss of two regiments to Jeropkin.  Being outnumbered, Jeropkin can ill afford an attritional battle and he breaks off seeking cover in the relative safety of the Water Meadow.
Widespread destruction of cavalry
Survivors
On the other side of the ridge, Prussian cavalry formations make their way through the marshy ground to deploy out on the plain.  Met by Demiku's Russian cavalry wing, the forces collide.  Outnumbered and outclassed, the Russian cavalry wing at first gives ground allowing Villebois' infantry time to come up and cover his left.
Prussian cavalry advance on the left
as the Russian defense forms
In a series of charges and counter-charges, the fighting is fierce.  While the Russian cavalry is driven back, Demiku has bought enough time for Villebois' infantry to successfully plug the gap.  Prussian thoughts of pursuit are cut short by a wall of musketeers.  In one impetuous moment, Platen's Prussian dragoons charge into the waiting Russian lines of musketeers.  Faced by disciplined musketeers in good order, the dragoons are sent reeling back toward the bridgehead.  
Cavalry clash on the left
High watermark of Prussian cavalry on the left
Impetuous dragoons charge well-ordered infantry
Victorious in the cavalry clash on the right and stymied in the cavalry clash on the left, the Prussians settle in for another attack on the Muhlberg.
Battlefield overview
With Russian reinforcements prevented from relieving the Muhlberg by the presence of Schorlemmer's cavalry on the right, the Observation Corps prepares for the impending assaults.  Having nearly completed encircling the Muhlberg, the Russians face a difficult decision.  Do they defend in place for honor or try to break out before being over-run?
Fighting for the Muhlberg
As the noose closes around the Muhlberg position, the abatis has burned itself out on the northeast face of the defenses.  The Muhlberg is attacked from both the neck and northeast face.  Casualties to the defenders increase as pressure mounts.  With the Observation Corps wavering and the gaming session drawing to a close, we halt the action.
The noose tightens on the Muhlberg defenders
Situation at the end of the session
After calling the game due to time, we discussed the possibilities for both combatants if play continued in a follow-up session.  Consensus was that the Muhlberg position would be lost.  The main Russian positions could not be breached as reinforcements arrived from farther down the ridge to counter any threats from the outnumbered Prussians.  Cavalry casualties were extremely high in this battle.  Infantry casualties, in comparison, were relatively light.

The plan was to continue the game after the holidays fighting the battle to conclusion.  That did not happen.  In the interim, more discussion led to the decision to reset the game and begin the battle anew.  The way in which the battle was headed, we agreed the historical outcome was the most likely.  That is, the Prussians would take the Muhlberg but that would be the extent of the ground gained.  We both learned valuable lessons in the first battle especially with respect to time and space trade-offs over this large battlefield.  Maneuvering troops over such a large expanse takes time.  Given those considerations, we felt play could be improved upon if the battle was started again.  Would the same battle plans prove appropriate in a second game or would alternate plans be brought to the table?  The battle provides challenges to both players.  We shall see when we return to Kunersdorf again.

56 comments:

  1. Beautiful looking game and great batrep. Just what I would have expected!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good to see the battle report met your expectations!
      Thank you!

      Delete
  2. Finally we have it! And how it could be different. That report is looking excellent. It's clearly one of your most impressive looking battles and such a lot of research!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement on my battles and battle reports, Andre!

      Delete
    2. By the way, I made the same experience with some other battles, which are just too difficult to swift victory to the historical loser. Melle 1745 would be such an example. Question is, if you would like to change the victory conditions to make a Prussian victory more likely. Minor victory for example if the Russians and Austrians would be counted seperately, which would create a new situation. The Prussians would have a chance to win, if the Russian units would be not replaced by fresh Austrian units or the colapse of the defenders of the Mühlberg would lead to some morale tests of 2 or 3 units nearby or at least one hit on every bn. of them(?).

      Delete
    3. Those are good options to consider. Since the historical result was a Prussian defeat, we managed to replicate history. I am fine fighting a difficult battle and ending up fighting a losing cause if I can gain insight from the contest.

      I gave the Muhlberg three Objective Points for its capture by the Prussians. Perhaps increase the point award for its capture of give the Prussians added points by capturing it ahead of schedule?

      Could the Prussian Army in HoW better the historical result? I don't know but it seems unlikely.

      In Game #2 (yet to be chronicled) when the Muhlberg fell, retreating Observation Corps units did cause hits on other units as it made good its escape. That equates to your thoughts on morale hits on nearby units, I think.

      Thank you for your continuing thoughts on this battle!

      Delete
    4. I think these are good ideas to increase the Prussian chance to win and make the game as a game more interesting for one player.

      Delete
  3. Great looking game and an excellent report Jonathan. It will be interesting to see how your refight goes and whether either general will be able to come up with a strategy to achieve a decision

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Keith! Battle #2 is in the books. The second action saw similarities and divergences from #1 with different plans attempted by both commanders.

      Delete
  4. Spectacular battle report, Jonathan! A tough fight for the Prussians. Villebois' troops must have been confident of victory to sally forth from the works like they did. The terrain certainly prohibited the Prussians from developing their attack the way they would have liked. Im sure that's no coincidence that those defensive positions were selected in real life. Your game wonderfully brought all of those tough challenges to life! More, please!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Steve!

      Kunersdorf is an extremely difficultg fight for the Prussians. For me, these battlefield challenges and time/space relationships are never fully realized until the table is laid out and the battle refought.

      I have trouble relating accounts and battle maps in books until the battle has been fought on the table. Only then do the true challenges of the battle materialize in my mind. I guess I am a visual and tactile learner?

      Delete
    2. As the guy pushing Viillebois I can say it is not about confidence in victory. If the Russians stay in their positions they risk defeat in detail. In the initial rounds of play the Observation Corps is outnumbered by more than 4 to 1, while the rest of the army is essentially unopposed.

      Delete
  5. Great looking game and AAR. Nice to read your thoughts on the difficulties faced by both sides, especially the Prussians. It will be interesting to see how it plays second time around, given the experiences of both sides in this game.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Steve, and glad you enjoyed the battle report presentation.

      Replaying a battle, for me, provides greater insight into a battle and why it may have concluded in the historical manner it did. Kunersdorf was no exception to this rule.

      Delete
  6. Great looking game and lots of see saw action!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Iain! Yes, there was a lot of give and take in this one! Kunersdorf was hard-fought and fun.

      Delete
  7. A true wargame fest, really nice to be able to explore the full vista of the battlefield. It was interesting to note the realisation of the difficult ground that the Prussians had to negotiate, yet despite that, I thought they did rather well to isolate the Muhlberg and for its future to be in little doubt

    The variables of a replay will likely be influenced by what happens on the cavalry flanks - if one side can win on both flanks, would it become a lost cause to the other side?

    Anyway, a spectacular to open the year with.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed the battle report, Norm!

      When the entire battle is considered rather than focusing on a portion of the battle, then the situation of both commanders becomes more clear.

      The salient represented by the Muhlberg begins the battle almost encircled but the remainder of the Russian positions are well protected and almost out of reach. The difficulty for the Prussians is get a foothold beyond the Muhlberg.

      Delete
  8. Kunersdorf is a real toughie for the Russians. I havent fought it using HOW but with Black Powder the Prussians simply overwhelmed the Observation Corps which wasnt well trained. Using HOW,I wouldnt like to imagine how the artillery performed given the number of pieces the Russians carried to the battlefield. But a beautiful game and really well reported Johnathan so well done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robbie! "Toughie for the RUSSIANS?" What battle were you fighting? Perhaps you concentrated on only the action on the Muhlberg. Then, I agree that it is difficult for the Russian Observation Corps to stand up to the tremendous might of the whole Prussian army. For the entire battle, I don't see Frederick making it a tough battle for the Russians.

      I appreciate your comments and pleased you enjoyed both the display and battle report. Thank you!

      Delete
  9. A cracking looking game and interesting that you were headed towards a historical outcome. Great!

    Christopher

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Christopher! Yes, a historical result was the call of the day.

      Delete
  10. A great read and a stirring battle, ta.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Really enjoyed this! The Prussians really had an uphill fight from the start (Pun intended).

    Super cool to see the pics of the action and very easy to follow. Well done Jon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very pleased to see you enjoyed the battle report and that it was easy to follow! You are so right; the Prussians had an uphill battle throughout!

      Thank you!

      Delete
  12. A wonderful looking tabletop with all the units. The overhead photos were most useful in understanding the game. It is always enjoyable when the games follow the historical outcomes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Peter! Without an occasional overhead photo to get my bearings, I can get confused in relating the trees back to the forest.

      Delete
  13. Refight! Clearly, the Russians will triumph this time.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Jonathan. I can only echo the comments above in that you have presented a great looking table and a gripping AAR. I believe Villebois’ sally was the clincher in this game as it prevented the Prussian cavalry from securing dominance of the entire field below the fortifications.

    I am curious to understand the mechanics used for setting the abatis alight. I am not familiar with HOW; is this a rulebook feature or was it an impromptu decision? And if the latter, how did you settle to resolve it?

    Congratulations once again and looking forward to game # 2.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike! Glad you enjoyed the Kunersdorf battle presentation! Having Villebois' formation descend into the plain made life more difficult for the Prussians trying to outflank the Grosser Spitzberg.

      The mechanism for setting the abatis on fire was inspired bt Grant's Wargaming in History Vol 5 in which Kunersdorf was included. Essentially, when a Russian unit retreats from the earthworks there is a 1/3 chance of setting the abatis on fire before it falls back. In this battle, the Russians were successful on the first attempt.

      Thanks for your support and encouragement!

      Delete
  15. Great write up! A historical result is usually a sign that you got the historical set up right. I was surprised at how much rough ground there was, and by setting fire to the abatis, did NOT see that coming and really added something special. After that the scenario can be tweeked here and there to make it more of a ‘game scenario’.
    Looking forward to the refight. 😀

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks a lot, Stew!

      When I researched the battle and battlefield, I was surprised at the amount of rough ground present too. In addition to the 'purely' rough ground and earthworks, the lake, town, stream, marsh, and water meadow all contribute to constricting any attack and channeling most avenues of approach. A real mess for an attacker.

      As for a making a game of it, replaying the historical scenario to gain insight is almost always a primary objective for me. This battle satisfies that goal. Luckily for me, my opponent is of the same mindset.

      In this battle iteration, the Prussians accomplished their historical result but no more than that. I suppose doing as well as Frederick might be considered a victory in itself?

      Delete
  16. This reminds me of one of the players in our group who seems to set fire to something in every other game, be it a house or wood, depending upon the prevailing weather conditions. It can be a very useful tactic if also very annoying and, in one or two games over the years has had a major influence on the outcome as it has here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lawrence. While the burning abatis slowed down the attack from the northeast, it did nothing to slow down the attack on the neck of the Muhlberg. I would claim it did not have a major influence on the outcome in that respect.

      What may have been an indirect result of the torching of the abatis was that the Russians did not evacuate the Muhlberg more quickly and more of them would have surrendered when the noose was closed and they were trapped.

      Delete
  17. I echo the comments already made about the grand spectacle of this game. Kunersdorf was an ambitious scenario to undertake. Thanks for the excellent report. I, too, was most curious about the setting fire to the abatis as a game mechanic (interesting to hear that it was not something improvised on the spot but part of the system).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ed, glad you enjoyed the battle report and you are welcome!
      The torching of the abated is not from Honors of War rules but a scenario specific rule in the Grant Wargaming in History book for Kunersdorf.

      Delete
  18. A splendid looking and sounding game Jonathan.
    All the best. Aly

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a great looking game, awesome batrep Jonathan!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Excellent presentation, both scenario and game report. Great to see these photos both close ups and overviews that let you really understand what's happening alongside the text. Looking forward to the refight! That is a dreadful looking position to try and take! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark, thank you for your flattering critique of the battle report! When I read compliments such as yours, you provide incentive to continue.

      The earthworks lined ridge certainly is a dreadful place to take. We will see if Frederick has better luck in Game 2.

      Delete
  21. Great game Jonathan and an excellent report. I guess like many it is hard to see an alternative conclusion with the historical set up have you considered allowing some Prussian redeployment an assault in strength all along the ridge at once might provide more effective ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Matt!

      I have not considered an alternative to the historical deployment yet. I like to start from the historical situation faced by the commanders and then fight the historical battle. An alt-historical deployment may give the Prussians a chance but then what latitudes should the Russo-Austrians be given to counter the time it would take to get the Prussians into a different position! Would it still be Kunersdorf?

      Delete
    2. And if it were a general assault, would it stil be Frederick?

      Delete
  22. What a fabulous looking game Jonathan, interesting raport and pictures, your photos illustrate perfectly the mass effect and the bloody fights around Muhlberg position...SUoerb!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phil, you are very kind! Glad to see the battle report made sense.

      Delete
  23. Took too long to comment onbthis one! This was a beautifully laid out table, with a very complex tactical puzzle for the Prussians, They are basically in a race to break the muhlberg before the numerically superior Russians can bring their outmanuevered forces to bear. It makes it easy to see how Frederick shattered his army by committing to this battle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much, Jake! Glad you enjoyed the spectacle. The visual aspects are a big part of wargaming.

      You boiled down the essence of the battle perfectly. Through the recreation, we understand how Frederick nearly knocked himself out at Kunersdorf.

      Delete
  24. Late to the p[arty, but a great looking game and an unusual situation. I think this one almost has to be played one on one (two on two at most). Despite the huge number of troops, because of the situation, many of them will see little action until late in the game.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter! You are never too late. Always appreciate your comments and support. I think you are correct. Although huge, this makes for a good two player game. I can see two on two as a reasonable division of force too.

      Delete