Strehla: the solo playtest, part I

To test the scenario I decided to playtest it, unfortunately by myself since there are no V&B players close enough to me. First of all a look at the deployed armies: notice that since I have not all exactly the units required, there is nearly a 30% of “proxies”. For instance the role of Zweibrucken is played by Daun, whereas the former saxon regiment Hauss is played by a Prussian Garrison regiment and so on.

An overview of the deployed armies;

the Reserve corp with the Prince of Stolberg;

Guasco grenadiers on the Ottenberg;

the Prussian right wing on the Durrenberg;

the Prussian Cavalry and the left wing in the Camp;

The Reichsarmee.

The lonely grenadiers in Klein-Rügel waiting for the Imperials.

The First Turn, 4.00-5.00 am:

The burden of the attack is on the Austro-Imperials. They enter the Kleefeld command whose plan is to point on Laas and then contest the wood with the Croats, whereas Blau-Wurzbug and the Hussars shall attack the Durren Berg on the reverse.

The Guasco corps moves downhill from its position on the Ottenberg to attack the Durrenberg, with the two right flank austrian regiments deployed “en potency  (just outside of the picture...), whereas the Reserve corps closes on the Durrenberg from the other direction. The Prussian right wing seems in a hopeless position.

In the mean time the Reichsarmee moves to attack Strehla and the fortified camp, with the cavalry brigades moving left to contest the plain within Strehla and the Durrenberg.

However the lonely Grenadier battalions Lubath and Burgsdorf entrenched in Klein-Rügeln repulse the attackers (in V&B terms Baden-Durlach –proxy for Rot Wurzburg- fails morale test and is disordered – blank chit -, falling back and disordering in turn Baden-Baden), regiment Furstemberg exchanges a fruitless fire with the grenadiers:

It is the Prussian turn: the grenadiers wisely leave Klein-Rügeln and goes back to the city (becoming disordered); three regiments  moves from the entrenchments towards the plain between Strelha and the Durrenberg to help the right wing:

At the same time Kleist cavalry falls on Guasco exposed right wing (the rightmost regiment is “flank unsecure” in V&B terms, with morale penality in the pre-combat morale test) to allow the reinforcing three regiments to deploy in the plain:

The infantry on the Durrenberg becomes stationary (a unit which doesn’t move can become stationary, with additional benefits on combat: it isi indicated by the green counter) and secure the flanks to better receive the inevitable Austrian onslaught.

The Prussian cavalry attack is successful: regiment Sincere (proxy for Pallavicini) fails the morale test, both regiments lose the melee. Sincere routs and is destroyed, Niepperg (proxy for Sachsen-Gotha) is repulsed in disorder with loss. The Prussian retains control of the cavalry which change facings to search for new targets on Guasco completely open flank:

This is the situation at the end of the first move:

To close the post, another near-contemporary print (1790) of the battle: