Korbitz, Part IV. Wunsch vs. Zweibrucken (updated)

The camera resurrected for a while and so I was able to continue the scenario. At move 6 the battle was joined between Wunsch and the corps of Maquire and Stolberg under the overall command of Zweibrucken. Only the cavalry under Kleefeld is still absent. The initial deployment is the following:

the Austro-Imperial plan is simple: a push by the Macquire corp against Wunsch, whereas the Imperials covers the right flank against the Prussian cavalry, waiting for Kleefeld three cavalry brigades.

This is the Prussian point of view; its task was easier: resist as soon as possible.

The two freibattalions were deployed in the wood, whereas the cavalry was deployed "en potence" on the left flank, against the Imperials.

A close-up of the Prussian cavalry with the fresh-painted 4th Hussars on the left and the mixed brigade 11th Dragoons and 7th Cuirassiers on the right:

The Austrian attack went horribly wrong: after the first turn Macquire division collapsed, two regiments being lost, the other routed. The Imperials did their best to protect Kleefeld approach, losing half of the guns to Prussian fire in the proceedings. The situation to the end of the 7th move was the following:

Wunsch has two options: remains on the defensive, waiting the Imperials attack or close on the hapless Imperial infantry before Kleefeld arrives. Of course I know that Kleefeld shall arrive on the 9th move. But in a "real" play neither Wunsch nor Zweibrucken should have any clues "when" Kleefeld arrives. Accordingly Wunsch moves his cavalry on his right flank to get rid out of the debris of Macquire and to wait for Kleefeld. Zweibrucken, on the other hand prepares a defensive line "open" on his left flank, which will be completed by Kleefeld cavalry.

At this point the camera jammed again. So I must tell what happened.

Still waiting for Kleefeld, in the 8th move Zweibrucken opted to advance his first line to engage the Prussians at firefight, preferring not to risk a melee. However such a move requested a morale test on the Imperials regiments, all at morale 4: half of them failed the test and become disordered. In the ensuing firefight no losses were inflicted from either side. At this point the Prussian counterattacked, collapsing Stolberg which run for safety to the est.

At this point Kleefeeld arrived and charged with the Austrian cavalry, leaving the Imperials to cover the flank against the Prussian cavalry. The Prussian lost a regiment in the process but were able to repulse the cavalry which was attacked on the flank by the 7th Cuirassiers and the 11th Dragoons: a divisional collapse overthrow Kleefeld. At the end of the 10th move Zweibrucken remained with no units capable to attack: Wunsch was at only 1 SP from the exhaustion but the match was a clear Prussian victory.

Lesson: never, never, never allow the Imperials to come to the grips with a superior morale Prussian force. The mistake was to engage a firefight on the 8th move which provoked a devastating Prussian counterattack.

So the Austro-Imperial player failed to collapse Wunsch: the only possibility to achieve a draw is an energetic action by Hadik which should redress the losses. This will be the next step in the refight.