The Viereckstal Campaign. Chapter 9 (Part 4)

 // The Battle of Vierecksbrucke //

// Turns 5, 6 and 7 //

Picking up from where we left off, turn 5 was yet another "ordinary" turn with no extra actions for units. As events transpired the entire battle would feature no "long" turns at all, influencing its character and possibly the outcome.

Most of turn 5's activity saw units shaking off disorder and exchanging fire. The Tattemberg units that had crossed the Gallian defences could not take the risk of further charges and attempted to consolidate their positions, while the defenders brought up their reserves.

Keen to break the deadlock, Pommefrite on the Gallian left brought further units forward from the defence line to pressurise the attackers' weakest flank. To support this, Croqaumerde ordered the 1st battalion of the Chatgeuse regiment to support the 1st Sechshugel on challenging the Salzenpfeffer musketeers. In response, the musketeers delivered musketry volleys while the Tattemberg Lieb-grenadiers charged the Chatgeuse battalion.

Vipernoir forms the reserve chasseur and grenadier battalions into line, supporting the exhausted 2nd Chatgeuse and facing the Fleischkuchen grenadiers. The Lieb-grenadiers can be seen charging into the advancing 1st Chatgeuse

The advancing 1st Chatgeuse and 1st Sechshugel align to present a cohesive line opposing the Salzenpfeffer musketeers, who are supported by rifle fire from the jager compnies

Pommefrite has also brought the Chasseurs du Poulet forward to challenge the Trinketstade light infantry and support 2nd Sechshugel. The 4-pounder section adjusts its position within the defence line.

The Lieb-grenadiers charge home into 1st Chatgeuse...

...and are repelled, with further stamina loss but they have disordered the Gallians

Turn 6 opened with Von Trapp activating first. He immediately ordered the veteran Salzenpfeffer regiment to charge the two disordered Gallian battaions to their front.

The impetus of the charge saw the 1st Chatgeuse flinch and step back, leaving the 1st Sechshugel to bear the brunt of the melee alone. The fighting appeared decisive with the Salzenpfeffer winning 7:0. This forced a desperate morale check on the Sechshugel. With their accumulated losses and the magnitude of the melee outcome, only rolls of "1" on their 3d12 would save them. The dice were rolled and, I kid youi not, come up like this:

Unbelievably, the Sechshugel held and the astonished Salzenpfeffer recoiled for now. Whatever the outcome of the battle, I think the Sechshugel have earned a quality upgrade!

Elsewhere on the battlefield Kodenchypz was struggling to get enough go-forward from his infantry brigade even with the direct intervention of Kurzenpilz. There is a distincy lack of elan and initiative among the Tattemberg command cadre. On the right flank, Von Trapp continued to trya nd make life difficult for Pommefrite.

The Hahnchinabun are a bit stuck inside the Gallian defences while Kodenchypz's Fleischkuchen grenadiers have fallen back behind the Falkensteyn musketeers after failing an activation roll

The Salzenpfeffer consider curse the luck of their opponents but prepare for the next turn

On the right, the Trinketstade light infantry form into a looser array to better withstand musketry and to be able to fall back if they are charged. With no cavalry on this flank, this is a relatively secure tactic.

Turn seven saw the first activation going to Pommefrite. An attempt to activate the badly battered 1st Sechshugel in order to isue rally orders resulted in a failed activation roll, with the subsequent morale test resulting in a rout. Finally their luck had given out

The Salzenpfeffer finally see the backs of 1st Sechshugel

Pommefritte has more success in activating 2nd Sechshugel and the Chasseurs du Poulet, who coordinate to charge the Trinkestade light infantry.

The light infantry, being in skirmish order are able to evade the charge, however and fall back with increased disorder. 

With Pommefrite's flank having one battalion in rout and failing to inflict a decisive result on the light infantry, the Gallian high command now needed to consider their opportunities and risks.

(above and below) The Salzenpfeffer remain fresh and  outnumber the 1st Chatgeuse 

The Lieb-grenadiers have suffered significant losses but would be able to add some weight to any attack on the Chatgeuse

Vipernoir's reserve chasseurs and grenadiers are fresh veterans, but is their role now to be a counterattack or to be the core of a rearguard?

(Above and below) Despite the greandiers in reserve, the 2nd Chatgeuse are pinned in place by the Hahnchinabun regiment

The reserve chassuer battalion fire their muskets at Kodenchypz's advancing brigade, checking them for now

However as we can see here and in the pictures below, Kodenchypz has the weight of numbers and the ability of the Gallians to hold them back is being eroded, particularly as the 4-pounder battery continues to engage in counter-battery fire with the Gallian 12-pound section

The two cavalry brigades continue to watch each other warily, but with no clear advantage don't dare take risks. Actually, Boudin did try for a last desperate charge by his dragoons but the dice determined they didn't get the necessary two actions.

The Gallian high-command weighed up thier options and decided to order a general withdrawal across the bridge and back towards Gallia. The cavalry could conduct their own disengagement, moving west to Marschfurt to cross the river there.

Vierecksbrucke and its valley would return to Tattemberg control, opening up the transport routes essential for the Quellebier pilsner trade. The armies had tested each other well, however, with some units earning the right to call themselves veterans while others had acquired a more dubious record.

The Tattemberg commanders can congratulate themselves on a successfully prosecuted campaign. This is something of a relief after the stuttering start Von Trapp made. Events have exposed some weaknesses in the ability of the officer corps that were largely masked by their advantage in numbers and this will need to be addressed before any further combat. 

I'll make a further blog post to round-off the campaign with some thoughts and observations, but for now the armies will be returning to barracks while I update the Bloodybacks! rules and start preparing my AWI demo game for Partizan in Newark on 17th May. I'll also blog about that preparation so stand by.

I'm sure we will return to Tattemberg and the Trinket War later in the year. Possibly a return to the valley, or possibly a fresh campaign over different ground. The border between Gallia and Tattemberg is a long one...for now though, I'm ready for a change!

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