The problem with gaming this historical battle, like so many others, is that the disparity of numbers makes it difficult to design a play balanced game. However, it is an interesting battle to game because it was primarily fought in broken ground and was an infantry fight. This is uncharacteristic of most Seven Years War engagements.

I tried to offset the numbers disparity by giving the Hanoverians a generally good position (not counting the Obensburg) impervious to attack by massed cavalry. I also gave the Germans a marginal troop quality advantage. The well placed entrenched Hanoverian batteries gave strength to the defensive position. We refought the battle three times using The Final Argument of Kings (FAK) rules, and the Hanoverians almost won one of the games.

My scenario opens with Chevert's attack on the Obensburg, which began about 9 am. The Hanoverians are deployed exactly as described in Savory, as are the French. I scaled the numbers down (since I don't have the troops, yet, to stage a full size recreation) to 46 French battalions, and 7000 horse, vs. 31 Hanoverian battalions and 5,000 horse. Dashenhausen's men come onto the table from their reserve position based on a die roll performed at the beginning of each turn after turn 4. The French horse cannot move until turn 4, and then dices at the beginning of each turn. A successful die roll releases one brigade for action.

OB's for the Hanoverians are described in Savory and in Orders of Battle available from George Nafziger. I can't find a good French OB. They must have fielded at least 90 battalions and 30 cavalry regiments. My advise is merely to organize the sides using whatever troops you have. Few of us have the will to paint armies specifically to refight one battle. The tactical map used in this article shows how to set up the battle.

In all three of our refights the Hanoverians became fixated on holding or retaking the Obensburg. To do so they weakened the rest of their position to such an extent that the French were able to attack successfully all along the line. In two of our games the Hanoverians were able to retire unmolested after taking a good pounding. In one of these it was the last French reserve that afforded the very last infantry resources needed to finally resolve the issue. In the third game disaster overtook the Hanoverians. Their left was broken, and their troops around Hastenbeck decimated in a fruitless counter attack.

[Editor: gloriously led by that master tactician--moi!]

The left, which had been heavily reinforced, was driven against the Obensburg and many units were compelled to lay down their arms. The disaster on the left allowed time for the rest of the Hanoverians to withdraw relatively unmolested. The French captured 24 guns.

In a future issue I will describe Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick's winter offensive which drove the French from western Germany, breached the Rhine, and eventually brought on the bloody encounter at Krefeld.

The Battle of Hastenbeck July 26, 1757

The Military Situation in Western Germany, 1757
Movements to Battle
Prelude to Battle
Battle of Hastenbeck Begins
Aftermath
Wargaming Hastenbeck