Assyrian Archers and Slingers

Another round of entries into the Assyrian Wars project.  Off the painting desk this time are two stands of figures, both light troops.

First up is a nine-figure stand of Wargames Foundry archers from the fine Assyrian range.  The Assyrian Army can take in large numbers of archers so another stand is a welcome addition.  For Impetvs, this stand would be classified as a 'T' missile stand and may be joined with a stand of spearmen to form a large unit.  By the way Impetvs 2.0 is scheduled for release later this month or in January.

Next off the workbench is a skirmisher stand of BTD Assyrian slingers.  This time, I decided to keep the shields delivered with the figures rather than swapping out the BTD shields for Newline Designs' cone shields.  The slingers are another fine group of figures from BTD.

After having not added any reinforcements to this project for the first nine months of 2018, a total of seven stands of reinforcements have crossed the painting desk since late September.  Working on the Assyrian Wars project offered a fun distraction from all of the 15mm figures passing over the workbench throughout most of 2018.

Waiting in the wings is an Egyptian chariot stand as well as work to upgrade the 28m Napoleonic cavalry from eight figures to nine.  The final reinforcements from Front Rank are now in-house.  Another project having not seen any activity in a very long time is the 30mm ECW project.  For that project, 27 Renegade figures for forming a regiment of foote are in work.

Zorndorf: Once More Into the Breach Part II

When we last left the Zorndorf battle, Schorlemmer and Demiku's cavalry wings had fought a furious clash of steel on the Prussian right.  In the center and left, Prussians steadily advanced to within killing range of the long and seemingly solid Russian lines.

From the Prussian left to right, Manteuffel's grenadiers were poised to attack Saltykov's grenadiers while von Kanitz and de Biaix's brigades were bearing down on the Russian line in support.  Skirting the east end of Stein Busch, Dohna was approaching Browne's Observation Corps. The Phony Battle of long range cannonades and swirling and indecisive cavalry actions was about to end.  The action resumes with Turn 7.  

Dispositions Turn 7

Prussians advance on the left while the Russians wait

Battle lines looking from the west

Turn 7:

Fermor, the Russian CiC, gets the first move and Demiku's heavy cavalry fall back toward the safety of the grund.  Demiku's hussars opt to charge the isolated Prussian hussars on the east bank of the grund.  For the Prussians, Von Kanitz makes a double move to position his lead regiments to threaten a Russian battery. 

Demiku's cavalry fall back

In the Fire Phase, the Prussians draw first fire initiative.  Kanitz inflicts damage to the Russian guns to his front but return fire from the Russian gun line is brutal.  Leading Prussian infantry regiments take heavy losses with IR#3 destroyed in the exchange.

IR#3 Destroyed from heavy artillery fire

On the Prussian right, Dohna's brigade comes under heavy fire from the trio of Russian batteries as it advances into canister range.  Suffering under a terrible fire, Dohna's combined grenadiers can take no more.  Now carrying four hits, they are forced back. 

Grenadiers targeted by Russian guns

Grenadiers retreat through their supports

N.B. In HoW, the ability to get the First Fire Initiative can be an important consideration.  Since fire is by brigade, having two brigades in firing position provides positive options even when First Fire Initiative is lost.  Army deployment is important as well.  Is it better to deploy brigades abreast (Prussian deployment on the Prussian left) to improve command control or in tandem (Russian deployment) to maximize fire when activated?

In the hussar clash on the far right of the battlefield, even with support, the inferior quality of the Russian hussars is no match for the Prussians. Taking four hits in the clash, the Novoserbskiy Hussars retreat out of contact with the Prussians.  Suffering from the results of the clash, themselves, the Ruesch Hussars do not follow up in pursuit.

Russian hussars suffer in their attack on the Prussian right.

Turn 8.

Prussian left within striking distance of the Russian line

Frederick receives the Move Initiative.  With the three Russian guns facing the Prussian left all having heavy casualties (3 hits each), should the guns be assaulted or driven off through musketry volleys?  A tough choice.  If the Prussians choose to assault the guns, the guns will fire first during the approach to contact.  If the Russians receive the Fire Initiative, the guns will be able to blast the Prussian infantry before they can return fire.  Frederick decides to engage in a firefight and prays for Fire Initiative.

Situation Turn 8 before the lines erupt in fire

Fire erupts on the Prussian left as smoke belches from musket and cannon.  To Frederick's relief, the Prussians get first fire and Kanitz's lead regiment fires into the battery facing his troops.  The fire is too hot for the guns and they will be forced to retire.  The Russians counter by unleashing their guns against the advancing Prussians.  Casualties mount.  Manteuffel's brigade joins into the firefight causing more destruction among the Russian guns and grenadiers. Then, Saltykov's entire first line unleashes a massive volley.  

Casualties mount on in the firefight on the Prussian left

The combination of musketry and cannon from the Russian line breaks Kanitz's lead regiment and it will be forced to retreat.  Taking a deadly one-two punch from Russian musketry and artillery, Manteuffel's 38/43 combined grenadiers scatters as it accumulates five hits and is Done For.  Manteuffel returns the favor with his two remaining combined grenadier battalions.  The Russian grenadiers anchoring the right of the Russian line are driven back in retreat.  As units retreat, panic spreads through those supporting units passed through. 

View from behind the Russian line as casualties mount.

Formations retreat through their supports.

N.B. While the damaged Russian guns may have preferred to limber and retire voluntarily out of harms' way to avoid more casualties, they could not do so.  Interpenetration rule locks a unit in place when within 10cm (15mm scale) of an enemy unit.  No limbering and falling back voluntarily through supports or moving a support up to cover the wavering friendly unit.  The only way to retire is through forced movement having received four or five hits.  A lesson learned in having supports too close.  Sometimes, close support is necessary.  

Russian line uncovered with retreat of guns

On the Prussian right, having driven off the closest threat in the Prussian grenadiers, Russian artillery turns its attention to Dohna's other lead musketeer regiments.  Two musketeer regiments get the worst of the exchange against the three Russian batteries.  Notice Seydiltz' cavalry is finally making an appearance on the Prussian right. 

Casualties escalate on the Prussian right

Turn 9.

Prussians get Move Initiative.  Having forced two of the Russian guns to abandon their positions in front of Saltykov's line and forcing back one of the Russian grenadier regiments, the Prussians on the left advance.

Prussian left advances to close range

Frederick maintains the initiative in the Fire Phase too.  Suffering is great as volleys are exchanged at close range.  One Russian battery, one musketeer regiment, and one grenadier regiment all reach heavy casualties and must retreat while one Prussian regiment is driven back.  

Firefighting is heavy as casualties escalate

Manteuffel's grenadiers lay in a deadly fusillade into another front-line Russian grenadier regiment charged with protecting the right of the Russian line.  Taking five hits, the grenadiers scatter.

A Russian grenadier regiment is Done For

With four Russian units in retreat or rout, panic among the ranks of the adjoining and supporting units catches.  As the fleeing Russians give ground, their panic spreads.  Having taken punishment in the firefight already, these now wavering units are pushed beyond the brink.  They join in flight back toward safety.  A second Russian grenadier regiment breaks and is Done For.  The flight of a portion of Saltykov's First Line reveals a large, gaping hole.  Seeing the destruction of his First Line including many of his prized grenadier regiments, Fermor has seen enough and abandons the field. 

A large hole on the Russian line

With Fermor abandoning the field, Saltykov takes over as commander of the Russian Army.  Is Fermor's departure a blessing in disguise?  With Fermor rated as Dithering and Saltykov rated as Dashing, perhaps Saltykov can instill confidence in his troops and recover from the calamity on the Russian right?  Although the Russian First Line has been broken by Prussian attacks, Galytsin's Second Line stands firm.  The Prussians are not unscathed, however.  Many Prussians are wavering as well.

Situation end of turn 9

With the Russian First Line broken on the Russian right and a change in command at the top of the Russian Army, this seems a fitting point to break off the action for this episode in the Battle of Zorndorf.

In the next chapter, find out if Saltykov can salvage the situation on the Russian right and whether the Prussians on the other end of the battlefield can pierce the Russian left.  Stay tuned...

French Chasseurs a Cheval, the Early Years

While a recount is in the cards, my Rivoli OB checklist shows that this regiment is the last early war unit needed for a planned Rivoli game.  Finished in time for a winter game too.  These dozen figures are early war French Chasseurs a Cheval from AB Miniatures.  The unit musters out as the 22nd Chasseurs a Cheval.  

With the troops completed, time to turn attention toward the battlefield and scenario development.  While I developed and fought out the Rivoli game many years ago (2004!), notes need to be collected and pieced together to recreate the battle.  There are several good accounts of the battle but few having detailed OB information for both sides.  I recall some interpolations and extrapolations required from the game fourteen years ago.  Similar work is expected this time around too.  It will be interesting to see if any more concrete information is available now than was a decade and a half ago.

Back to the figures.  As expected from AB, the sculpts are terrific.  Chasseurs in pelisse look splendid.  Fun to paint too.  The 1799 project could use a few more regiments of these.  

Not a lot of time spent at the painting desk this past week.  Only a few short sessions were logged on a few evenings.  My main hobby distractions this week have been studying a few recent board, wargames coming in-house and working through Part 2 of my solo Zorndorf battle.  Part 1 of Zorndorf, (see Zorndorf: Once More Into the Breach), set the stage for Part 2 as the infantry approaches within long range and cavalry battles swirl.  This battle recreation shapes up differently from the previous battles and provides many an interesting decision.  A recap of that action later.    

Egyptian Spearmen from BTD

A second stand of BTD Egyptian spearmen marches off the painting desk.  As mentioned in the post where the first dozen of these figures made an appearance earlier this month (see Egyptian Spearmen), the BTD Egyptians are really quite good.  One benefit of fielding a white-clad Egyptian force is that they paint quickly given their simple garb.  I may not have many Egyptians in the collection but, perhaps, just enough to augment Jake's Egyptian/Kushite Army when these collections take to field of battle.

More works for this project are forthcoming in the following weeks but next off the painting desk will be the final unit needed for a planned Rivoli game.  That unit is the 22nd Chasseurs a Cheval.  Also under consideration is a re-org of the cavalry in the 28mm Peninsular War project whereby each cavalry BMU is increased from eight figures to nine.  I blame Mark at 1866 And All That for leading me down this path to considering a cavalry re-org.  Browse through Mark's collection of nine figure Napoleonic cavalry units.  They look grand!  More on those thoughts later. 

Assyrian Spearmen from Black Tree Design

Another round of units for the Assyrian Wars project makes its way across the painting desk.  Having returned to this project after nine months of focusing on 15mm output, I find myself looking into The Lead Pile with thoughts of pushing more Biblical lead into the painting queue.  At present, five units are in various stages of completion including an Egyptian chariot.  

Off the workbench today is a dozen Assyrians.  Spearmen are BTD Assyrian Elite Guardsmen as described on the BTD website.  While there are no photos of the Assyrian infantry on the BTD website, the sculpts are excellent and paint up rather well.  Command are Foundry.  Today's recruits are the second such unit fielded thus far in the project.  Rather than use the shields that come standard with the BTD figures, I opted to use Newline Designs' Assyrian shields.  I just like the Newline Designs shields better.  Luckily, Newline Designs sells the shields separately and accompanied a recent order.  

In addition to the large number of finished and yet-to-paint Assyrians, a few Egyptians, Hebrews, and Judeans await in The Lead Pile.  A steady parade of unpainted Hittites have been arriving into The Lead Pile too.  At some point, I plan to begin a collection of Hittites to face off against either the Assyrians or Jake's Egyptians.  That point, may still be a long way off. 

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.