Work related reasons took me to Chicago at the beginning of December. I had noted in the Seven Years War Association Journal that the annual multi-player wargame commemorating Frederick the Great's victory, was to be held that Saturday. I duly postponed my return by a day, signed on with Jim Purky, the organizer of the event, and made my way to the Emperor's Headquarters (EHQ). This report is in two parts - a description of the organization of Leuthen Day including the rules used, and an account of the battle.
Overall the greatest hardship was not the stress of standing for 8 or 9 hours (the battle raged from 11 am to about 8 pm), nor that of subsisting on candy bars from the shop, alternated with questionable Gyros from the fast food joint next door, but staying in the bleak midwest for an extra day. It was 82 degrees in Glendale, California the day I left and 22 degrees on the day of the wargame in Chicago.
Leuthen Day Wargame
The battle took place using 25mm troops, mostly RSM figures, with a few Hinchcliffe and Front Rank soldiers filling out the ranks. A variety of painting and basing styles were evident. The Austrians I faced were based on transparent plastic which initially seemed unattractive, but as the battle evolved the transparent bases seemed to blend in with the terrain. Buildings were mostly scratch built with some items from Ian Weekley and Herb Gundt. The terrain consisted of green felt secured over blocks to form contours, with flocking and randomly spaced GeoHex fields to add variety. The roads were very attractively hand built with an irregular line of stones at their margin.
The spectacle of a large battle at this scale is superb, but equally 25mm takes up space! One sweater box, which could easily fit a 15mm army, took only 6 to 8 battalions of these figures.
The table was suitably large; in fact there were two of them arranged with their long axes in parallel, divided by a central aisle. Each table measured 24 feet long by 6 feet wide! The center aisle was "imaginery" in game terms; in other words you moved back and forth across the abyss as if it did not exist. In practice this worked out fairly well after initial suspension of disbelief - measure to the table edge, immediately transport to the corresponding point across the center aisle and measure your remaining move from that point. The only slight distortion I noted was that you could "hide" your troops to some extent by withdrawing just enough to put you back on the other table. Relatively few people fired across the abyss even though, being non-existent in game terms, it did not affect the actual range measurement., The flow of players up and down the aisle served as de-facto "concealment".
The rules used were Rusty's Rules for Horse & Musket. These have two outstanding virtues. They are relatively simple and definitely cheap, costing $4.95 from RSM Ltd. in Lexington, Kentucky. Initiative is determined by card draw from a deck of playing cards. If for example, red is drawn, each subordinate commander on one side moves a single unit from his individual command; on a black card the individual commanders on the opposite side each move a unit. Since each command consists of 5 to 6 units, once that many cards of a single color have been drawn from the card deck, the other side simply "phases out" - moves all unmoved units. Firing may precede or succeed movement. The overall effect is something of a hybrid between simultaneous and alternate movement.
It isn't always desirable to move first - the last battalion may swing it, so often you need to keep back a reserve for later in the turn. In crucial situations, where subordinate commanders need the first initiative, the C-in-C has the option of playing a "stopper" card, which negates the drawn card and forces a new draw. The overall effect can be quite realistic with ding-dong struggles surging back and forth. My neighboring Prussian brigade commander, Tom Tuck, fought back and forth over a central farmhouse. Early on in one turn Tom threw in a regiment to capture the structure, only later to be ejected by a counter-attacking Austrian unit, which in due course he evicted with another Prussian regiment on the last card of the turn.
Firing is fairly straight forward with the result in percentages - 198 means one definite casualty and a 98% chance of a second. Better quality troops (e.g. Prussian infantry and Austrian artillery) fire at an advantage. They also have better morale.
Morale is crucial. A morale check is taken after every casualty based on the initial quality of the troops modified by casualties and by the current situation. There is a chance - in normal circumstances about 20% for Austrian infantry - of a unit breaking. If not rallied at the end of the turn, the unit is gone for the day. This is how the Prussians win the infantry fight. They fire better and stick around longer. But it's not an overwhelming edge because the 50% larger Austrian battalions (30 men vs. 20 for the Prussians) can fairly pound away. The Prussians will be left standing, but wrecked. If an extra Austrian unit turns up, or if Austrian artillery (lethal at close quarters) is in action - well, ciao Frederick baby...Overall things are evenly balanced.
On the down side the movement sequence can get a bit sticky when dealing with events theoretically happening simultaneously within the same time period as units leapfrog over one another [Editor's Note - the rules allow passage of lines provided the unit in front isn't engaged in a firefight], sequentially masking and unmasking each other. I am rather sensitive on this point as one of my fine regiments took a heavy blow from an Austrian artillery battery, only to be further pummeled later in the same turn by a leapfrogging Austrian infantry battalion. The latter unit marched up in front of the already fired artillery, ignored the hail of shot and shell from behind them, and venomously blazed away at my brave lads. Terminally detrimental and chronologically impossible. In general though, these rules work quite well. I, as with several other participants, had not previously played them and found them easy to get into after a couple of moves.
Full marks must go to the organizer, Jim Purky. Not only was everything ready to go at the venue, but each participant received three mailings prior to the day culminating in a small booklet with the "historical" background to the battle, tactical and strategic maps, and special rules in force for the day. Running a major battle with 20 to 30 participants can be an ignominious failure. Jim fulfilled all of his goals, viz.:
- (1) reach a conclusion in a single day's gaming,
(2) get everyone into action and
(3) avoid game stopping rules controversies.
The Battle of Parchwitz
It is 1760 and Frederick has resurrected an army to replace the one lost at Kunersdorf in '59. He defeats the Russians, and expecting the beaten foe to retreat into the frozen wastes of Mother Russia, turns to attack the Austrians at Breslau in Silesia.
However, Loudan, the Austrian commander, learns that the Russians, contrary to expectations will not pull back, but will march to join him. He therefore moves forward to Parchwitz Ridge, a good unflankable defensive position, and awaits attack, hoping the Russians will join him before his army is crushed by Frederick.
This then was the background to our conflict. It was in fact a socalled "disguised" scenario. In this technique a relatively balanced battle from another era is transposed to the desired time period. The particular model Jim Purky used is not difficult to guess, but I'll hold off on revealing it until the end of this account.
The map (shown on the opposite page) indicates the deployment of the opposing forces. Since I was a Prussian, all references to left/right are from that perspective. Our job was to defeat the Austrians before the Russians arrived on our right flank. The Austrians were defending a long ridge with forward positions in a village on the right, a small farmhouse in the center, and a large walled farm on the left. Yours truly commanded an infantry brigade of 5 gallant regiments and a 12 pound battery (a typical sized command) in the Prussian right center. Dennis Smail, the owner of RSM, was Frederick. His general orders to all commanders - attack! The drums rolled and we marched.
I shall describe the events in my sector first, and later fill in what happened elsewhere. I was expecting some damage as we crossed the open ground toward the ridge, but in fact the Austrians held fire. Ammunition was limited and they wished to make every round count. I was fortunate in two ways. The right half of the Prussian line was in sufficient density to allow us infantry commanders to deploy our brigades in double lines of battalions, so when we hit , we packed more punch. Our colleagues on the left were more strung out. Secondly, events to my immediate left and my immediate right permitted a straight up fight between my stout musketeers and the Austrian main line.
On my left my colleague Tom Tuck determinedly assaulted, and reassaulted, and re-re-assaulted the central farmhouse. In consequence, I was able to deploy my guns in the road beside the farmhouse and open fire on the main Austrian line. My artillery was undisturbed as the farmhouse garrison had their hands full with General Tuck. He eventually won the struggle and pushed on up the ridge, but not unscathed. Some of his units were near the dreaded 50% mark in strength (units below 50% were removed at the end of the turn). General Tuck's gallant efforts were not in vain, as the fight drew in the local Austrian reserves. (The effect was reminisent of the magnetic effect of the struggle for Oberglau village at the Battle of Blenheim. At the critical moment, Marshal Tallard looked around for his infantry reserve and found "quel horreur" that they had been sucked into the cauldron.).
On my right two of our infantry brigades advanced to attack, backed by cavalry, and as the fighting developed, their advance was enough to pin down local Austrian artillery and supporting cavalry. Being the beneficiary of good work by my neighbors, I arrived within a move of the ridge in compact deployment, undamaged and with close artillery support.
My advantageous position soon translates into results. Metaphorically sweeping downward my sword, stout ranks of Prussians begin volleying into the Austrians. The enemy has 6 or 7 battalions in double lines, each of them 30 strong to the 20 strong Prussian battalions. We are locally outnumbered almost 2 to 1 , but we're Prussians, right? (I was distinctly skeptical of this theory but let the story unfold.).
The pounding of the skilled Prussian fire is balanced by the numerically greater Austrian volleys. Skilled fire allows you to move half and fire at full effect or vice versa., whereas the Austrians may not fire if they move full speed. I close in half move by half move, blazing away. My men begin to take casualties. However, the lower morale of the Austrians shows as their Achilles heel. First one battalion, then another, cracks and takes to their heels. The Prussians close up. The Austrian second line stands firm. I take a chance and when a Prussian card comes up first, order forward the von Kliest regiment at full speed.
Our reduced fire produces only one casualty. The Austrians check morale - they love it! Fortune smiles on the Fatherland however, when another Prussian initiative card comes up. Another gamble with full movement/reduced fire and -$#! @ ! - just one casualty on the Austrian unit. Austrian morale check - oops, "what are we doing in Godforsaken Silesia anyway instead of home with the gluhwine?" - an almost untouched Austrian battalion sprints to the rear of the ridge. Great, I see a glimmer of hope.
Another mass of white uniforms marches into the gap. Musketry blazes, my men stagger, but do not break. (if you fail a morale check, you roll a second time to see the effect - disorder or rout). Time to call on the undervalued Prussian artillery. (Normally the Austrian gunners get all the kudos - their higher morale improves their firing capability). A full barrage from my road battery sends several lederhosen types to Valhalla. It's good enough - another busload of Austrians go touring the backside of the ridge. Donner and Blitzen ( "thunder and lightening" for those who don't speak German) I definitely see light now - some one has opened the curtains.
I spoke too soon. Yet another large unit wearing bleached hose appears to my front and I do not like the look of their animal fur headgear. What happened to decent Austrian Tricornes? My fears are realized. These Austrians turn out to be grenadiers - equivalent to my boys in morale, but 50% larger in number. We set to again, volley for volley. They shrug off their losses. My guys take hits. My artillery is reloading. Out of nowhere the Prussian reserve artillery commander turns up. "Do you need a spare battery? I've got one on the road behind you." Now that's what I call superb artillery tactics. Have a Pour Le Merite or whatever medal is going. The fresh artillery goes into battery on the road beside my guns. Dogged pounding, round upon round. The Austrian grenadiers are shaken. I leapfrog in my second line of infantry. The Austrian grenadiers reconsider their position and take a hike.
A new line forms with rallied Austrian units. But they have previously taken the "back of the ridge tour" and their hearts are not in it. My unflinching Prussians smile. They've been here before. Advance up the slope, volley, and the backs of three enemy units are seen fleeing. Sacre bleu! (Frederick's court spoke French after all) there is a break in the line, a bone fide humongous hole. Vorwarts, a la Blucher!
Oh dear, what is happening? Air quality deteriorating, am I back in LA? No, the pollution is flying metal - round shot firing on my flank. Two of my fine battalions are hit in the flank on the same turn suffering severe damage. Austrian artillery to my right, which until now had been engaged with forces to their front, has suddenly found themselves at a loose end. Lo and behold, I have generously put an end to their ennui by providing a target. My advance is stopped cold. There is no way to exploit the "great hole". The opportunity of a lifetime, etc., etc....
With Friends Like This, Who Needs Enemies?
One of the main attractions of a multi-player game is to see how a group of rational individuals can cock up a perfectly good plan. It is always illuminating to see how many people cannot follow orders or stick with the program, just as you often read in accounts of historical battles. Although it is an interesting phenomenon to observe in a non-involved sort of way, it is also totally infuriating when you are the guy who gets dumped on. So it is with decidedly mixed feelings that I will outline the activities of our right wing cavalry commander. To protect the guilty I shall call him General Grouchy.
As I marched forward in the right center, Grouchy persuaded Generals Hickes and Gundt, the other Prussian right wing infantry commanders, to soften up the Austrain line and to "screen" his advance, until when, he would unleash the massed cavalry might of Prussia and roll over the weak-kneed Austrian line. He accompanied this with confidant reminisences of previous Armageddons he had engineered, and calm assurances of his intimate knowledge of the rules, the SYW, cavalry tactics, etc.
My infantry colleagues got stuck into their task. They were lined out in single battalion depth across the front of the cavalry, and so had little opportunity to relieve units taking punishment. One battalion, then another, was chewed up. An artillery battery was blown to oblivion. However, the Austrians were being softened up. Suddenly and Austrian cavalry unit charged and eventually overran one of our four battalions. How was this possible? Where was the cavalry counter-charge? What about the vaunted Prussian cavalry?
Simple. The vaunted Prussian cavalry and their self-vaunted commander had re-vaunted backwards all the way across the central abyss to the board from which we had come. They appeared to be in complex parade ground manoevers miles from the front line. "Why didn't you charge as per the agreed plan?" " I changed my mind." "Why didn't you stick around so as to at least threaten and tie down their cavalry?" "Look, I know a helluva lot more about cavalry tactics than you guys, etc., etc "
The inevitable followed. Pounded by a combination of Austrian infantry, cavalry and artillery, already weakened and without support, the brigades to my right had to pull back precipitously before they were completely carved up. This exposed my flank, and under artillery fire, my advance stopped. The real tragedy for Prussia was the gap to my front. Had General Grouchy been at hand, I could have covered the guns and he could have led his squadrons forward to roll up and smash the main Austrian line. There was no cavalry, my men could not advance alone ...alors, finis.
The infantry commanders of the Prussian right agreed that Grouchy was "ein totus dorkus, 1st Class," and demanded his immediate appearance before a firing squad. Afterwards an Austrian foe endorsed him as the "best Prussian general that Austrian money could buy." I close the curtain on this sorry tale.
This has been something of a grunt's -eye view of the battle as there was not much time to circulate. On the Prussian left, a see-saw cavalry battle raged, with the advantage swinging one way, then another. Finally, in a crucial blow, the 10 squadron Bayreuth Dragoon Regiment, folded after only a few casualties and routed off the battlefield. The left was lost to the surging Austrian cavalry. Also on the left was the Austrian stronghold of Schloss Schonborn. It remained strong and we did not mount a serious assault.
In the left center our attack could not be pressed hard as our troopos were more spread out. The Guard infantry brigade, the main strike force in this sector, was initially under movement restrictions. When they finally reached the Austrian line, support was limited as our adjacent forces were now weakened. A stiff struggle ensued whose outcome was unclear. The right center I have already described.
[Editor's note - some 12 fresh Prussian battalions, including 3 Guard battalions, had breached the Parchwitz Ridge with minimal casualties. Had the game continued, they most certainly would have split the Austrian line in half]
On our right flank the Russians had a 10% chance of appearing on the second turn. So you guessed it, they came on [ Editor - the Russian commander rolled a 3% and threw a wrench into my scenario; I hadn't planned on the Russians arriving until Turn 4. ] It was all downhill from there as substantial Russian forces saturated the small Prussian flank guard. By the end of the game they were threatening our line of retreat. Overall, Parchwitz was not Leuthen. In case you have not guessed it, the scenario was Waterloo adapted to the Seven Years War.
I must thank again the organizer, Jim Purky, who did such a fine job in putting this togeather. It was fun. Yes, I'd still cheerfully strangle General Grouchy, as would the other Prussian infantry commanders. I must also thank the players, both Austrian and Prussian, particularly "Frederick" - Dennis Smail, and also the EHQ for making their game room available. I'm looking forward to seeing what next year's battle holds in store for the Prussians.
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© Copyright 1993 by James E. Purky
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