Friday, September 23, 2011

Not Quite Lobositz.

At Cold Wars 2009, the HAWKS staged a refight of C.S. Grant's version of Lobositz. Here are some pictures and comments on that event. This and a few more upcoming posts have been rescued from my defunct webpage. Perhaps they were always that bad but the pictures seem to have lost something in the process. New material will eventually follow.


The scenario was an adaptation for Charge! and our armies of C.S. Grant's Lobositz game from his excellent book the Wargame Companion. A total of 10 "countries" contributed forces: North Polenburg, Rosmark and their allies provided the bulk of the Austrian forces while Shoeffen-Busch-Hagen and their allies and mercenaries took the role of Prussia. Astute observers will note that while the old Rosmark brigades, The Queen Regent's, the Foreign Regiment, the Gensdarmes and the Voluntaires de St. Lambert fought as allies of North Polenburg,  MacDuff's Fusiliers, The Crown Prince Carabiniers and the Ostmark Hussars fought on the other side. Could it be that a War of Succession is looming now that the Crown Prince is of age?

 An overview of the "Austrian" positions at the start of the game. Rosish infantry and cavalry in front, Stanz Back Anwatch behind them, North Polenburg infantry to the right of them. The "Prussians" can be seen massing off table in the far distance. 

Rosmark's Les Voluntaires de St. Lambert defend the Lobosch 

The game begins. The "Prussians" advance their cavalry while the "Austrian" left splits, some crossing ahead and wheeling, others moving to the center, rushing to cross the bridge before the "Prussians" can interfere.

The Rosish Yellow Hussars have joined the International Hussar Brigade along with Wachovian Brown and Schoeffen Buschhagen Blue comrades. 


MacDuff's storms the Lobosch.

The Wachovians deploy on the "Prussian" right to stem the tide of attacking "Austrian"
 cavalry and infantry. They will hold the flank but will be destroyed in the process


The climax approaches. During a lull in the indecisive series of cavalry charges, the "Austrian" reserve squadrons charge into the "Prussian" foot. These hold them off but are then hit by the "Austrian" infantry while rallying and are broken. 



The "Prussians" have finally cleared the Lobosch only to find their worn units facing 
fresh "Austrian" reserves. After 3 hours of fighting the attacking "Prussians" have 
lost heavily and made almost no inroads into the Austrian position and are being 
pressed on the right by an Austrian counter attack. It is time to fall back.