The Viereckstal Campaign. Chapter 8 (Part 2)

 // The Battle of Marschfurt //

// Turns 1 and 2 //

I played through the first couple of turns today. The garage was rather cold today and I also finally got some painting progress on the Tattemberg cuirassiers, so two turns felt a sensible limit. Don't expect a report of too much action so far as the battle is still taking shape. This will really be a description of initial intentions with quite a lot of eye candy.

Turn 1 saw Vipernoir advancing his small command just south of Marschfurt in case of any Tattemberg moves in that direction. Despite his command value of 5, the battalion of infantry under his command (2nd Chatgeuse) failed on five of the six dice and almost prompted a morale check. That would have been embarrasing! As it was, the one action they were able to take saw them move up in column of march but unable to deploy into line. This wasn't too much of a worry as they were covered by a squadron of dragoons and some disctance from the enemy.

In the centre the half-battalion of chasseurs in Croqaumerde's command fired one hasty volley at the Tattemberg advance guard before moving towards the nearby forest in search of cover, as the enemy hussars were drifting in their direction which was understandably worrying to a small unit of skirmishers. The Gallian field artillery opened up against the jagers of the advance guard at the extreme range of cannister. They inflicted no harm on the green-clad skirmishers, but the hussar squadron directly to their rear did suffer some mild disorder.

Along the southern table edge, on the Tattemberg right flank, von Stumpf pushed forward one haf-battalion of Hachinabun light infantry, closing in on the other unit of chasseurs with each unit exchanging ragged musketry with little effect. The jager targetted the artillery crew, inflicting a point of disorder. The right-hand elements of the advanced guard moved cautiously to their left, towards Marschfurt and the central forest with both squadrons of Gelbvogel Hussars and the other half of Hachinabun. 

Both sides continued much the same in turn two. Small arms fire continued to be exchanged and the artillery again focused on the jager unit to their front. The Tattemberg advanced guard pushed up slowly to left and right, but the jager's prioritisation of picking away at the artillery left no actions for movement.

On the Gallian side, the reserve cavalry held position in the rear. The Chasseurs du Poulet in the centre of the battlefield again fired a hasty volley beofre completing their move into the forest, occupying the treeline.

The final act of turn two was checking for the arrival of the Tattemberg main body. A d6 roll of 5 saw the arrival of Kodencchypz with a brigade of four infantry battalions and two sections of field artillery. Accompanying the brigade was the overall force commander, General Kurzerpilz.

Turn 3 should be more eventful!

//

Ariel view of the battlefield at the end of turn two. Kodenchypz's brigade have arrived behind the jager skirmish line. On the Tattemberg right the light infantry are threatening the chasseurs in the southern forest. On the Tattember left their hussars and some light infantry are pushing slowly north and north-east towards Marschfurt village and the river

Left-hand elements of the Tattemberg advance guard probe north

Major Vipernoir's small force assembles in front of Marschfurt

Hussars observe Vipernoir, but their orders discourage any recklessness or undue risk taking. Is this an opportunity missed?

Another view of the hussars and light infantry

...and another

On the southern flank, two half-battalions skirmish at the woodline

The view from the Gallian reserve position.

The Duc d'Bonbon and staff look on. Nothing to worry about yet...

...there's only a few of them!

Below are a series of photos of the newly arriving infantry and artillery of Kodenchypz's brigade, screened by von Stumpf's jager veterans

These mounted jager are actually Eureka miniatures SYW Saxons

The wagon is converted from the Perry napoleonic French one

Here's some older images of the converted wagon. The driver has a headswap and his coat has been cunningly painted to look like a shirt and waistcoat. The extra lengths of rope are from a Front Rank flag finial casting and the double-tongue is part of a grasshopper gun - so I could put the horses in single-file:

Below is what the original model is supposed to look like (Item FN 161 on the Perry website)