The Far Right Flank: a brief post-battle report To: The Grand Vizier From: "Little Mike" Mustafa Although the overall result of the battle must be displeasing to the eyes of Allah, I am able to report that the far right flank accomplished more than its assigned duty, and managed to hold the far right road exit, which allowed that part of the army to beat an orderly, if hasty retreat. Therefore, although the days fortunes may not have smiled upon the Believers, we shall again smite the Infidels and cast them out of our Lands. The Infidels knowing that the Believers are indeed the chosen of Allah, chose to initiate a sneak attack at dawn. Their cowardice did not allow them to face our full strength in the light of day. Only by subversion and cowardice were they able to gain the day. We were therefore somewhat unprepared for their early dawn assault, and this in some part led to the overall results of the day's destiny. I commanded a mobile defensive reserve whose duty was to harass the Russian attack on the road exit on our far right. It was generally held that this road exit could not be held if the Unbelievers attacked in great strength, but our steadfastness enabled us to hold this vital point. My reserve consisted of the Spahis Legion, and their offspring, the formidable Spahis Children. An Arabian Militia Cavalry regiment, and two battalions of Azapas rounded out my command. As the sun rose on the Day of Destiny, the looming Russian columns appeared out of the early morning light, clearly meaning to attack us by surprise. My Legion however, was as ever, prepared to battle for the Cause. The Russians moved forward two batteries of field artillery to support their attack. Their assault was tipped by two jaeger battalions moving forward in column, and deploying into line, and a two battalion column tipped by grenadiers and backed up by Musketeers. To our fortune, the Hussar regiment, which might have caused us great harm in the open field, was engaged in a fruitless assault through the heavy woods on my far left. They later met their doom at the hands of the Janissaries who out-battled them in the woods. My forces were deployed mostly on the reverse slope of the hill: only the Azapas were visible to the Unbelievers at the day's beginning. I decided on a bold action, and ordered the Spahis, and one squadron of the Arabian Light Horse to charge home on the infantry brigade tipped by the grenadiers. The Russian commanders, to their credit, had anticipated this scheme, and were on a "charge if charged order. The Russian column and the Spahis crashed into each other, while the Arabian Light Horse collided with one of the jaeger battalions which was also engaged in a fire fight with the Azapas. Unfortunately for the Azapas, their enthusiasm to meet the Unbelievers carried them to within extreme range of one of the Russian field batteries. Fortunately the range was extreme, for the casualties were light from the canister. The Azapas and the jaegers traded fire. The casualties among the Azapas were high, and a panic ensued as they saw their brethren fall in masses. Alas, they fled the field carrying one of the rear squadrons of Arabian Militia Horse with them. The Spahis however, were resolute. Things might have gone badly for the Spahis due the Russian foresight of ordering a "CIC", but God is Great, the Russian grenadiers routed before impact, leaving their musketeer battalion and the two jaeger battalions to fight the Spahis. The Russian battalions fought bravely, trading blows with the Spahis and causing them much hurt, but they were soon extinguished after a bitter fight. It was soon seen that a Cossack regiment had come to close the breach left behind after the untimely demise of their infantry. They attempted to countercharge, the Spahis when they executed a breakthrough, but they lacked the Resolve of the True Believers, and fell back before doing battle. The Spahis attempted to catch the recently routed grenadiers, but they had indeed ran far to the rear and could not be reached to our disappointment. The Spahis began an orderly withdrawal since they were much reduced. One spare artillery shot might have caused panic among them, but two shots by the Russians miraculously failed to inflict even one casualty, and thus they were able to fan out when they fell back avoiding further artillery. The first Russian attack had been beaten back, but a further brigade column of Russians were seen exiting the woods to the left of their artillery and resolutely advancing despite the lack of cavalry support. The Russians trusted in their dense columns and grenadiers to hold off our cavalry, and in this hope they were proven partially correct. This led to a short lull, when I reordered my forces. I brought up the remaining Azapas battalion and placed it astride the road exit, to control that game objective. The cavalry was split into squadron groups and spread in a crescent shape facing the resolute Russians. A tactical opportunity quickly presented itself. One battery of Russian artillery was limbered for the advance, while the other had fired ball. Anticipating this, I ordered the squadrons of Arabs to attack these guns. The minimal fire from one company of pioneers did not dent this attack, and the crews were wiped out. One company of pioneers that was not involved in the attack, was able to stop the breakthrough of the Arabs who had been reduced to one figures mopping up the artillery crews. As this was happening, the Russian column was still continuing its advance. The Cossacks had returned, but again did not have the courage to face the Spahis, and retreated upon their renewed charges. I decided to attack this large column with all that remained of my forces, hoping to wipe it out. An attack on two sides was planned, with the Spahis attacking the column's left flank, while the Spahis Children and the remaining squadron of Arabs assailed them from the front. The Russians had anticipated this, and simply faced some of their elites to their flank, while keeping to their dense column. The Russians wisely devoted the great majority of the firepower to the Spahis Children; the most dangerous of our forces. Alas, the accurate Russian fire riddled the Children, and while they closed bravely, there were insufficient numbers of them to overthrow the huge column to their front. The Spahis regulars crashed into the grenadier battalion, while a couple of Cossack squadrons tried to lend a hand by meeting the remaining Arab cavalry who had recently help de-crew the artillery. One Cossack troop flew across our front to meet the Spahis, but was interdicted by one troop of the Spahis Children and soon wiped out. Brutal fighting ensued, but the Russian grenadiers with a commander attached proved invulnerable to bad morale, surviving no less than nine (9) morale casts! Without morale, the outnumbered Spahis and Spahis Children were of insufficient strength to completely defeat the Russian column, and in the end were defeated by shear weight of numbers. It may be said however, that many of the Unbelievers also died, and thus our men did not die in vain. This proved to be the end of the fighting on the right flank, except for one small episode. The one remaining figure of the Spahis Children (from the troop that wiped out the Cossacks from behind) broke through, and again attacked the guns which had recently been re-manned by the one remaining pioneer platoon. The pioneers retreated this time instead of dying, and left the guns un-manned. The remaining figure of the Spahis Children, wild with the lust of battle, broke through again, and impacted the rear of the recently victorious Russian column. This surprise attack killed 8 musketeers before the glorious little troop was wiped out. As the battle ended, the Azapa were my only remaining effectives. They were formed in square directly on the road exit, having accomplished their mission. To: Office of the Bashaw Subject: Report of Rastus Mustafa Emir, Commander of the Reserve - Battle of Rustchak Blessings and peace be upon you. The following is my official account of the royal thumping we received last week. I have taken care to include only those occurrences which I personally observed, or movements of my reserve forces which have been confirmed by the particular unit commanders. After the fog lifted on the morning of the battle, we were much distressed to find the Russians had massed a powerful force on the southern bank of the Danube, and were preparing to attack. Those of our troops who had not yet passed the river to the north bank were quickly shaken out into a defensive line, and my own reserve units hurriedly began to re-cross to bolster this line. Most of our best commanders with their own large brigades were to follow my elite units back across the river as best they could. When I arrived at the battlefield, the cannonading had been underway for only a few minutes. From left to right, the forces were arrayed as follows: 1. D. Whitaker, with his Arab light infantry, held the extreme left of the line stretching to the Balkan foothills. 2. T. Guido was in line of battle with the New Order and Albanian infantry in left center, supported by a strongly posted 12pdr battery on a prominent knoll to his right. A brigade of lancers and two Ortas of Janissaries were to his rear. 3. T. Graff occupied the right center, including a village (the name of which escapes me). He had two bombard and one (militia) 8pdr batteries plus the Meccan light infantry for a main line, with the Moroccan militia in the buildings. Mamelukes and four Janissary Ortas were positioned to contest a large woods to the right and front of his position. 4. M. Fletcher commanded the two Spahis cavalry units and one of Arabs, plus two battalions of Azapas. A note from the Grand Vizier reached me stating that Whitaker, Guido and Fletcher were all subordinated to me for the duration of the battle. Graff was not included in this arrangement though, so he functioned in an autonomous rapacity during the day. Knowing the great mobility of my own forces, I began by simply spreading them out throughout the rear of the battle line, until I could get a better idea of the Russian attack plan. i placed the Sultan's Guard Janissaries (SGJ), a single squadron of New Order light horse, and the Grand Vizier's own Guard Lancers (GVGL) to the left rear of Guido. The Arabian Felix Janissaries, Egyptian militia and BashiBazouks were formed to the right rear of Graff. I stayed on the 12pdr knoll in Guido's area from which I had a fine view, until my units all arrived. My own bodyguard unit of lancers was posted nearby. I took advantage of this opportunity to order Guido to prepare only to repel a frontal assault, and not to worry about a Russian turning maneuver against either flank, nor to concern himself with Whitaker's safety. From the knoll, I noted that two Russian infantry brigades were advancing. Heading directly for me was the brigade commanded by Major Baldwin, and driving toward the village on my right, the brigade of Col. Gundt. I now dashed off to the left to locate my SGJ and GVGL and survey the situation there. Orders were sent to Whitaker to the effect that he should concern himself simply with holding the forested foothills and nothing else, and that reserve Janissaries would come to his aid should he be hard pressed. I arrived on the left just as two Cossack regiments were probing between Whitaker's and Guido's commands. One of the regiments even charged home into some Fellahin clustered in the area, but arrow fire from the SGJ plus support fire from the Albanians, coupled with a firm stand by the Fellahin themselves, drove the Cossacks off. The second enemy regiment then retired without closing. After observing a stiff little fight on the left, where Whitaker's light infantry were fighting the skirmishers of major Hagerty's infantry brigade, I felt sure the enemy was intending to turn our left, and ordered the SGJ to march behind the knoll on Guido's right which I had recently left. Just before leaving I saw the New Order cavalry disperse some enemy schutzen that were, like the Cossacks previously, trying to penetrate between Whitaker and Guido. I rode to the right center now, and visited the Arabian Janissaries. I dispatched the Egyptian militia farther to the right to maintain some degree with Fletcher's cavalry, which was drawing ever further away. I received a report from Fletcher indicating initial success against the infantry brigade of General Miller, which was advancing against him. I told him to protect the road exit if convenient, but most of all to continue to search for favorable charge opportunities against the Russian infantry. He was also informed that some of my reserve units would support Graff and that he (Fletcher) need not be worried about that matter any further. Having returned to the knoll for another general look around, it was by now obvious that the Russians were using a "full court press" against us. They were attacking everywhere along the line - plus having an elite force of jaeger-grenadiers and hussars under General Rugenstein moving into the woods to Graff's right front. In addition, a cavalry brigade under General Hicks hovered about in the Russian right rear. Faced with this situation, I resolved simply to wait awhile and then to shift my reserves to oppose any enemy breakthroughs, while watching General Hicks' cavalry brigade and reserving my own bodyguard (Emir's Guard Lancers) to form the nucleus of an opposition force to this enemy horse if and when it should attack. Descending the knoll once more to welcome the arrival of the SGJ from the left, I paused for a brief lunch. At this time I learned from a rapid succession of reports, of a furious melee in the woods between Graff's Mamelukes and Janissaries and the Russians elite strike force under General Rugenstein. With tremendous losses on both sides, the Russians were at last able to claim victory and possession of the woods. By now an attack against Guido's left was also developing, consisting of yet another infantry brigade under colonel Fosso. Guido's Albanians were effectively skirmishing in front of his New order line, and his 12pdrs continued to pound the advancing infantry of Major Baldwin. Whitaker was secure on the left, but Major Hagerty's line battalions were now advancing in support of Col. Fosso's right, thereby increasing the pressure on Guido's left. Later in the battle, Col. Fosso was unhorsed, and was seen carried to the rear in a somewhat damaged state. This probably helped lessen the pressure on Guido's brigade, which held firm all day. The Cossacks again moved forward to insert themselves between Whitaker and Guido on the left. This time the GVGL countercharged them and happily took the Cossacks in the flank while the latter were chasing after some Fellahin. The Cossacks were crushed and scattered by the heavy lancers. Hearing that Graff was in difficulty, I galloped off to the right center once more. Upon arrival, I saw that Graff's bombards had been overrun, and that only a ragged line of Meccan light infantry and some Moroccan militia were still hanging on to the village. Col. Gundt was on the verge of overrunning these remaining forces, while Major Baldwin was threatening to flank Guido by the knoll to his right. General Rugenstein's jaeger-grenadiers had just completed cleaning out Graff's Mamelukes from the woods. I considered sending the Arabian Janissaries into the woods to push back the weakened jaeger-grenadiers, but as Col. Gundt's brigade (supported by long range artillery fire from Col. Kauffman) was on the point of taking the village, I instead directed the Janissaries and some nearby Fellahin to bolster Graff in the village. This allowed Gen. Rugenstein's jaegergrenadiers to move out of the woods and add flank pressure to the village already assaulted from the front by Col. Gundt. The situation was not very good, but due to the unusual determination displayed by the Fellahin, the issue remained in doubt. i also instructed the Bashi-Bazouks to stand ready behind the buildings for a counterattack possibility. Somewhere in the midst of this chaotic combat, T. Guido was wounded by Russian sniper fire and carted off to the medical tent after being fairly riddled with bullets. To remedy the pressure from Maj. Baldwin on Guido's right, I redeployed the SGJ to protect the flank. While Maj. Baldwin's jaeger scattered some Fellahin (who put up a creditable resistance despite their lack of firearms), the SGJ rained a terrific arrow barrage (with their powerful composite bows) upon Maj. Baldwin's somewhat disordered units, feathering hundreds of Russians in minutes and causing the withdrawal of a Pavlov grenadier battalion. As the remaining battalions of Maj. Baldwin's command began to scale the knoll with the 12pdrs on it, the SGJ prepared to counterattack. Four Ortas of Solaks drew their scimitars, and the elite Piak Orta made ready their pikes and battle-axes. Just as I was about to give the order to charge, ADCs of the Grand Vizier and General Kutusov came dashing between the lines announcing that an armistice had been agreed to. It was with great difficulty that my bodyguard lancers were able to restrain the Solaks and Piaks and enforce the truce. Much to my dismay, the efforts of our fellow commanders on the north bank to cross the Danube and join us had been found wanting. Even though our troops had put up a tremendous resistance against the Russians, the brilliance of the strategic maneuvers leading up to the battle, along with their intelligent use of- pressure at all points of the line with their superior numbers had told against us. The number of troops we still had in the fight had dwindled terribly, and despite receiving several hard knocks, the Russians continued to come on. Thus, the battle was ended, and peace negotiations began immediately, as General Kutusov was empowered by the Czar to conclude a peace treaty. In conclusion, I would like to compliment both our commanders and our troops, in spite of the defeat we have suffered. With the exception of myself, ALL of our veteran line commanders were absent from the battle, their places filled by subordinates and late arrivals. They deserve a hearty "Well Done!" for their efforts. From our troops we received a universally strong effort. Not one body of the troops that I observed ever succumbed to panic, or failed to put up a courageous resistance to the superior (in both numbers and quality) enemy. I especially noticed the fine performances by the Egyptian Spahis cavalry of Fletcher's command, the Janissaries of Graff's brigade and Guido's Albanian light infantry. My own Sultan's Guard Janissaries were also very effective, and it is regrettable that the truce arrived just before they were to have their chance at melee with the enemy infantry. I must also admit to having made a mistake by not supporting Graff sooner. He had been told to expect at least one reserve unit (probably cavalry) to bolster his line, but in fact, I did not arrive with any reserves until he was on the point of collapse. I had expected more from our four concentrated batteries, which I believe did not suffer from counterbattery fire, but the Russian infantry walked right over three of them without pause. I remain, Rastus Mustafa Emir Things I wanted to say... Now for the things I wanted to say during the game but didn't get a chance to: 1. After a battalion of Fellahin had stood on combat Effectiveness and another withstood the shock of a flank attack and went on to fiercely melee some of Major Baldwin's jaegers: "uSuthu! uSuthu! uSuthu!" (The war cry of the Zulus, who were also armed with spears and shields.) 2. To the Sultan's Guard Janissaries on the turn they hit 18 of 20 on skirmisher fire and chased off a battalion of Russian grenadiers on Combat Effectiveness: "You're the best shots in the ottoman Army! You bet those heathen Russians KNOW IT!" Shumla Bei Rustchuk Encampment of the Grand Vizier Year of the Prophet 1189 General Order 1-128-6 Bishallah! Praise be the gallant faithful who answered the call of the Jihad and are now eating lamb in Paradise! The final outcome of the tattle was that after turn 5, the Russians were at 51% CE and the Ottomans at 25%. The war is over and the Russian army is proceeding north to oppose the French invasion. Game Set-up Critique We have now learned the Ottomans require probably a 2:1 advantage in the attack and equality in the defence to be competitive in the open field. History does bear out that the Black African, Moslem, Asian and American Indian could be successful against the superior arms and discipline of the "modern" nations, but only with the heavier odds in their favor. Another game balancing possibility was to add up to an additional 18pds more of Ottoman artillery since the Russians were attacking the ottoman supply base encampment. An additional 12pdr and a horse, or camel battery were available, and could have been used in the game. These could have been handicapped in some manner to reflect the surprise nature of the Russian assault such as; beginning the game poorly positioned, no supplemental crew nearby, or being scheduled to enter the board from the artillery park ,cross the river, during the game. Typed by: Rick Caras Back to MWAN # 41 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1989 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com