Mollwitz, A Near Run Thing

Romer's cavalry wing

Hot on the heels of the 10 April remote battle recounted in Mollwitz, A Battle Report, the table was reset and my Austrian opponent replaced.  Rather than having Chris at the helm of the Austrian Army, David (Not by Appointment) would pick up the reins in an 11 April contest. 

Would Chris' decisive Austrian victory on the field of Mollwitz represent a harbinger of things to come or was Chris' victory a fluke?  Is an Austrian victory at Mollwitz a repeatable event or a singular outcome?  We would put both of hypotheses to the test.

As a reminder, the armies were deployed as in the photo below:

Initial deployments

With a reminder of troop attributes and victory conditions, the two armies poised for battle step off in their attempt to secure a victory.

View of battle from the south

Overhead view of battlefield from Prussian line. 

Prussian lines

Prussian lines

At the sound of the cannon, both armies lurch into motion.  With great briskness, Austrian cavalry enjoy double moves across the battlefield.  While Romer advances smartly upon the Austrian left, Berlichingen in command of the Austrian right cavalry wing crosses the stream and engages the Prussian left cavalry wing.  The Prussian infantry in the center advances toward the enemy and Mollwitz at a measured pace.  Neither dithering Prussian cavalry commander moves.  

Early maneuvers

Prussian emerge from the woods

Unable to respond in a timely fashion, enemy cavalry are upon the Prussian hussars.  Outnumbered in both quantity and quality, the hussars are sent packing back toward the village. 

Prussian hussars are driven off.

This early success prompts Berlichingen to spur his horsemen on.  They collide with the rest of the Prussian left wing.  The Left Wing is overwhelmed but not without loss to Berlichingen's command.

Collision on the Prussian left

while the Prussian infantry march slowly forward.

On the Prussian right, Romer and his large cavalry wing crashes into Schulenburg's cavalry wing.  Again, outclassed in all ways, Schulenburg and his Prussian horsemen are driven back in great disarray.

Cavalries collide!

Schulenburg is driven back.

Not aware of the Austrian cavalry success on the wings and seeing Prussian infantry bear down, Neipperg orders his infantry to retrograde back.  Forward and back.  At least they are getting some exercise before the fight!

Neipperg orders infantry back to Mollwitz

where they await the Prussians.

Situation as Prussian cavalry wings reel back.

Having dispatched the Prussian left wing, Berlichingen crosses the stream to make his way toward the Prussian soft underbelly.  In the far distance, he sees Prussian cavalry being driven back by Romer.  The battle looks well in hand!  Frederick disagrees!  The battle looks lost and he abandons his army.  Schwerin takes over in command.

Berlichingen crosses back over the stream.

Schulenburg narrowly escapes capture.

Perhaps the battle is not yet lost?

As the Austrian cavalry wings meet with encouraging success, the real strength of the Prussian army marches on.  The objective?  Mollwitz and the destruction of the Austrian infantry.  Firefights erupt as the distance between the two forces decreases.  

The Prussians close upon Mollwitz.

Long-range firefight develops.

As the distance closes, casualties mount.  Neipperg orders Harrach to skirt the village and try to get onto the Prussian flank.  The poorly trained Austrian infantry positioned in front of Mollwitz are being battered.  They begin to waver and retire.

Harrach attempts to outflank the Prussians at Mollwitz.

Prussian grenadiers storm Mollwitz.

Fighting at Mollwitz.

Seeing the Austrians being shoved out of Mollwitz, Schwerin redoubles his efforts to take the village and destroy the white coated infantry.  Austrian regiments are fleeing the battlefield by the handfuls.  Mollwitz is within grasp. 

Prussians converge upon Mollwitz.

While success looks assured at Molllwitz, the concern that Schwerin faces is that his army is nearing a breaking point.  With Prussian cavalry having abandoned the field, only token resistance faces the Austrian cavalry as they turn back to the battlefield.

The race to win the battle is on.  Can Neipperg mop up the units lingering in the Prussian rear while inflicting enough damage upon the Prussian infantry at Mollwitz before the defenders are overwhelmed?

Austrians cling to Mollwitz.

Romer threatens Prussian guns

Berlichingen threatens Prussian guns.

The answer is yes!

While David may look more relieved (in the screenshot below) than joyous, both Prussian guns are lost and another Prussian infantry regiment is scattered in the attack upon Mollwitz.   

David and his Austrians are victorious!

The Austrians just cling onto Mollwitz long enough to see the Prussian army break and claim a close victory.

As David, said, "it was a near run thing."

Another fun and exciting contest on the fields of Mollwitz.  Again, the strategy boils down to whether the Austrian cavalry can defeat the Prussian cavalry before the Prussian infantry can reach Mollwitz.  For the second game in a row, the Austrian army does just that.

Thanks, David!  

Oh, David proved that Chris' earlier victory was no fluke.