Massive SYW Battle!

It's been a while since I cracked out my SYW Prussians and Austrians, but the recent purchase of the Black Powder supplement for the 18th-Century, 'The Last Argument Of Kings,' persuaded me onto it.    


Here's some pics of the one-off battle that resulted.  No points or background, you understand - I just crammed as many figures as I could onto the tabletop and then let rip!

Prussians top-left, Austrians bottom right

The Prussian right wing

The Austrian line awaits

The Prussian right-wing cavalry skirt a marsh, then strike the infantry line

A disastrous blunder on the Austrian right!  The brigade leader wheels in far too early, exposing his own flank.

The Prussians pounce, bringing on a general engagement all along the line.  The mis-handled Austrian brigade is assailed from the front and right.

Back with the Prussian right - the cavalry is repulsed, but the crooked Austrian infantry-line now faces the Grenadiers.

The full panorama, from the Austrian side

The Austrian cavalry largely waits to the rear, while the numerous infantry absorbs the impact.

Blunder on a blunder!  While trying to straighten out his line, the Austrian commander manages a second fumble.  Three of his regiments plough straight ahead in a tight column, threatening to burst right through the Prussian centre - it's just crazy enough to work!

The battle in full swing.  The Prussian right-wing cavalry is exhausted trying to break the infantry line, and is swept back by an Austrian cavalry counter-stroke.

The Prussian infantry bites deep everywhere, but the numerous Austrian regiments are like ants, and the longed-for breakthrough simply refuses to materialise.

Now the triumphant Austrian cavalry turn inwards and turn the Prussian right flank.  The Grenadiers have to turn and steady the line.

The chaotic maelstrom on the Austrian right, where every regiment seems to be fighting it's own little mini-war.  Still, the shaken units keep falling back and fresh ones spring forward to take their place...

The Prussians have had enough!  They finally begin to withdraw, badly rattled themselves and with the Austrian army similarly bruised.

The Prussians extract most of their units and the Austrians try to pull themselves together.

"Victory!"

The dead lie everywhere.  The field of glory can be an ugly sight, sometimes...

"La Garde recule!"

"Schwienehundes!  Wir kommen wieder!"