A Fighting Retreat - by Thomas, out of Featherstone

As ever at this time, I hope everyone is keeping safe and well - at least there is no shortage of blogs to read, gamers are clearly keeping busy. A special mention to Alan 'Tradgardmastare' Gruber who seems to be posting multiple times some days - and painting, and gaming  - I do like his style!

We now venture back to the not entirely factual world of The Portable Seven Years War. The Prussian invaders having been given a bloody nose at Vier Arme, and losing their leader Eric von Kleist in the process, I decided that they would attempt to withdraw in some haste to their own territory. The Austrian General Dachs, being no slouch, will not be content to watch them go.  His troops will pursue, with a view to teaching the Prussians further lessons on the inadvisability of any further incursions.  

Always having 'time and space' constraints in mind, I looked to Neil Thomas' One Hour Wargames for a suitable scenario, and soon found something interesting;  Scenario 20, the aptly name 'Fighting Retreat'.  The premise is 'The Red army has been raiding Blue Territory. The army of the latter is in hot pursuit of the raiders, who are equally determined to make their escape by crossing the river, and consolidating their position on a dominant hill'.  Just the sort of thing I was looking for.

So, here is a view of the battlefield, where the retreating Prussians are overhauled  by their Austrian pursuers.

The river, the fords and the hill - viewed from the North

As you see, the river is crossed by twin fords. The Prussians have only four units, and  begin North of the river ( i.e the foreground ), with the Austrians' six units arriving on Turn 2. A special scenario rule says that any Prussian unit North of the river at the end of Turn 2 is automatically eliminated. The winner is the side controlling the hill at the far ( South ) end of the table at the end of the game, which is 15 turns maximum.  For consistency with my entirely imaginary  'campaign' geography, I have reversed North and South from the book scenario.

The retreating Prussian force looks like this:

Prussians : weary, battered but almost home

                 Commander : Eric von Jemanden (6 Strength Points) - hastily promoted from the
                                        Horse  Grenadiers to replace the unfortunate von Kleist.

                      Infantry :  1st and 2nd Battalions, 44th  Line Fusiliers (each 4 SP).
                                       1st Battalion, von Kleist Frei Korps (4 SP)
                                  
                      Cavalry :   Von Kleist Uhlans (3 SP)

                           Total :   21 Strength Points, with Exhaustion Level 7 SP.
                  All units rated Average, except 1st Battalion Fusiliers, who are Elite.

Old Von Kleist may be gone, but in tribute to the late Eric Knowles whose figures these were, I felt the new commander had to be Eric somebody..

And their Austrian pursuers, with their polyglot, part-mercenary,  but so far unbeaten forces :

In hot pursuit : Dachs' Grenze-heavy Austrians

                       Commander : General Dachs (6 SP)
                     
                             Infantry :  1st and 2nd Battalion 'Wildganse' Jagers (each 4 SP)
                                              Grenze foot (4 SP) - dismounted Hussars, who have taken to their
                                                                                new role with aplomb in previous battles 
                                              'Rifles'  (3SP) - more dismounted Hussars, retrained
                
                              Cavalry :   1st and 2nd Grenze Hussars (each 3 SP)              

                                   Total :   27 Strength Points, with Exhaustion Level 9 SP.
                      All units rated Average except the Rifles, who are Elite.


The scenario looks  interesting and challenging for both sides - can the Prussians hold off their pursuers at the fords, and if not, can they reach and  hang on to the sanctuary of the hill?  Can the Austrians use their numerical advantage, especially in cavalry, to force their way across the river and race for the hill?

Looking around online, I found an account of a recent game of this scenario on 'Steve's Random  Musings' blog here  - he's been working through all the 'OHW' games, this one he played as an ECW encounter.

Also,  Neil Thomas says he was inspired by acquiring a copy of Don Featherstone's Wargamer's Newsletter, no.69 from December 1967, containing an 'absolute classic' article describing a game set in the medieval period, whose setup he has borrowed and somewhat simplified. Strangely enough, the very same blog post by Steve-the-Wargamer describing his ECW game of this scenario also mentions his project to scan and upload issues of Wargamer's Newsletter, with a link to the relevant repository . And there we can find 'WN' issue 69 December 1967, and the very same original article - 'Cry God for England, Harry and St. George!' - and it is a rather nice piece of work.  As Neil says, 'an example of thoroughness, precision and concision'.  So, a double thank-you to Steve, and I heartily recommend a look at that archive of Wargamer's Newsletters. Judging by the example I examined, they are a fantastic snapshot of a time long gone in our hobby, which can however  still be inspirational.

And so, as von Jemanden's weary Prussians approach the twin fords and look for the outline on the horizon of the Heiligtumshugel,  their destination and sanctuary hill, they become aware of the dust raised by their pursuing enemy behind them..