The Combat at Vier Arme

Having set up our second engagement in the campaign of 'The Portable Seven Years War',  here's how events played out.

I used a couple of new rule variations on Bob Cordery's Portable Napoleonics, as discussed before. I gave a 'plus 1' on the dice for 'first volley' musket  fire, but a 'minus 2' for muskets firing at maximum range. Also a boost for Cavalry in second round of melee with infantry, if they had inflicted a hit but not suffered one - thus  deemed to have 'broken into' the infantry formation.

As Eric von Kleist's Prussian advanced  column hurried up the approach to the crossroads of Vier Arme, they emerged from the morning mist to find themselves faced by an equally surprised Austrian outpost. General Dachs' first Jager battalion and a supporting field gun had postioned themselves astride the road, with woodland and a lake protecting their flanks.

Rapidly assessing the position, von Kleist sent his leading unit of Horse Grenadiers off to his right, aiming to circle round the lake and take the defenders in flank or rear, while pushing his line  infantry battalions up the central road. The Prussian Rifle unit moved left, aiming to infiltrate through the woods on that flank.

Turn 1: Prussians deploy

Outnumbered three to one and worried about their flanks, the Austrian outpost troops could do only one thing - fire!
The gun took first blood, scoring a hit on the Riflemen and removing one Strength Point. The Jagers' musket volleys did great execution, taking two SPs from the leading battalion of Von Kleist Frei Korps. But the Frei Korps were not to be stopped, charging the Jagers on Turn 2, and taking one SP off them in the resulting melee.  If the Austrians had time to look over their shoulders, they would have been worried indeed, as the Prussian Cavalry cantered around the lake behind them..

Turn 2: they're behind you!

On Turn 3, the situation intensified. The Austrian gunners loaded canister and hit again,  taking 1 SP from the oncoming Prussian Fusiliers 1st Battalion; but the Prussians won the initiative die roll, and their Horse Grenadiers charged the gun - from behind! At the same time, their second Frei Korps battalion joined the melee against the Austrian Jagers.

Surrounded!

With their infantry fighting one against two, and their gun attacked from behind, things looked bleak for the surrounded Austrians. But it seems fortune ( in the form of 'D6' ) was with them - the Jagers fought off their attackers, forcing both Frei Korps units to retreat, albeit at the cost of losing 1 SP themselves. The gunners, by the skin of their teeth, survived the cavalry charge unscathed.

Having just held on, The Austrians now had initiatve - and reinforcements. General Dachs himself, with his Hussars and the  'Grenzer'  battalion arrived from the North road.  The Hussars charged immediately - straight into the rear of the Prussian Horse Grenadiers!

Hussars turn the tables on Horse Grenadiers..

Despite the Hussars advantage, neither side scored a hit, but the Austrian Gunners were mightily relieved!  Meanwhile the undaunted Austrian Jagers levelled their muskets and fired again, taking 1 SP from the 2nd Fusilier Battalion. At the end of turn 3 the Prussians had lost 4 SP to the Austrians 2.

But next turn Prussian pressure stepped up and their numbers and musketry told - all four infantry battalions gave fire, to great effect.  No less than 3 Austrian SPs were lost, one from the guns and two from the brave Jagers - who were destroyed, leaving the gunners alone and very exposed.  The Prussian Horse Grenadiers now turned around to fight the Austrian Hussars, and their melee continued. Losses now - Austrians 5, Prussians 4.

Turn 4: one gun vs. four battalions - and note rifles in the woods too

Now  a sort of hiatus - the cavalry melee in centre continued, with neither side scoring hits, and Prussian foot advanced, slow but steady, their musketry forcing the Austrian gun to retreat. The Rifles having taken possession of the wood, now began to annoy the Austrians with their fire, also forcing the Grenzers back.  No further SPs were lost by either side, but the Austrians gained further strength on Turn 6 as their second gun and 2nd Jager batalion arrived from the Western road. Now with five units on the field  to von Kleist's six, General Dachs ( himself embroiled in the cavalry fight) may have felt that the darkest time had passed.

Turn 7 saw both Austrian guns in action - good for morale, though to little actual effect. The cavalry fight broke up, with Prussian Horse Grenadiers forced back and Austrian Hussars electing not to follow-up - too many enemy infantry close by. The Austrian Grenzer foot opened fire on 1st Prussian Fusilier battalion, scored a hit, took 1 SP: von Kliest himself being attached to the fusiliers, 2 dice were rolled for him.  Result Eleven - von Kleist is wounded !   Two further SPs, a heavy blow. Prussian Losses now 7 to Austrian  5.

Turn 7 : Austrians at bay, but stronger, and von Kleist wounded!

Next turn, despite his wounds von Kleist took the intiative ( should there be a reduction on a wounded general's intiative dice roll? ) . His infantry kept up their fire, and emptied many Hussar saddles - a loss of 2 SPs - before the Horse Grenadiers charged again to finish the job. The Hussars were forced back , but still in the fight. The Horse Grenadiers rather rashly followed up, contacting not only the Hussars but also both Austrian infantry units - Grenzers and 2nd Jagers. In the resulting melee, the Prussian horsemen came off very much second best - they too lost 2 SPs. So, both sides' cavalry sorely damaged  in a single turn, but more important, total losses at the end of Turn 8 : Austrians 7, Prussians 9, and von Kleist's men had reached Exhaustion Point. The Prussian attack is over, now their wounded commander must extricate them from the situation, under a cannonade.

The rash attack of the Horse Grenadiers - which lost them 2 SP and exhausted the Prussians

Turn 9 : well, as to the cannonade, both guns missed.. Von Kleist still active,  took the initiative, ordering his cavalry and Frei Korps to retire, covered by the continued fire of the Fusiliers and Rifles. Both Fusiliers scored hits on the Austrian Hussars, and the second hit removed the final SP, destroying the Hussars, and crucially also bringing Dachs' Austrians to exhaustion at the end of the turn.

Knowing this was his last opportunity to take aggressive action, Dachs ordered his infantry forward, giving fire as they advanced. The Grenzers scored a hit on 1st Fusiliers, von Kleist still with them, roll two dice for him - a twelve - von Kleist is dead!

The death of Eric von Kleist

 And there it ended. Both sides  exhausted, but Dachs and his Austrians holding the crossroads, and Prussians bearing away the lifeless body of their commander.   The final score : Austrians lost 8 SP,  Prussians 14 SP. A clear - if lucky -  victory for Dachs' improvised  defence, over von Kleist's hasty attack.