Mollwitz Begins - Two Turns

Prussian cuirassiers are surrounded by the Austrians in the cavalry melee. (click pix to enlarge).

This evening I fought the first two turns of the Battle of Mollwitz using my own Der Alte Fritz rules. A free copy of the rules is available on the Fife & Drum web site (   Free SYW Rules ).

The forces are relatively equal in size, but are asymetrical in troop types. The Austrian army has 7 infantry battalions 8 squadrons of heavy cavalry (cuirassiers and dragoons) and 3 cannon. The Prussian army has 4 squadrons of cuirassiers and 9 battalions of infantry and 5 cannon.

I set up the Austrian cavalry so that it was on the flank of the Prussian cavalry, but needed two turns to close with the Prussians. I may tweak this a bit and position the Austrians within 14-inches of the Prussian right flank cavalry so that they can melee on the first turn.

The Prussian cavalry won the first initiative on Turn 1 and as a result, they were able to turn facing to the right and meet the initial Austrian cavalry charge head-on.

As for the infantry, they move 8-inches per turn, in line formation, and they still have not closed to within musket range. However, after the first turn, both sides were able to find the range with their artillery and inflict some long range fire on the opposing infantry lines as the Prussians advanced.

All figures are Minden Miniatures and all of the terrain was built by Herb Gundt. The Winter game mat was made by The Terrain Guy (alas, he is out of business now).

I will let the picture captions tell the story:

The opening set up: Prussians on the right, Austrians on the left.

Turn 1: Austrians open the battle with a grand cavalry charge on the Prussian right flank.

Turn 1: Same moment of the charge, but from overhead. Austrian cavalry is on the right and top with the Prussian cavalry in the left corner.

Turn 2: cavalry melee on the Prussian right just before the Austrian Schmerzing Cuirassiers plow into the flank and rear of a squadron of CR1 von Krakow Cuirassiers.

Turn 2: Prussians are holding their own on the lefthand melee, but are hit front and rear in the righthand melee by the Austrians.

Prussian 12-pounder artillery battery faces the righthand section toward the cavalry melee in case the Austrians win the melee and break through the lines.

Turn 1: infantry advance on the Prussian left flank.

Turn 2: overhead view of the infantry battle.

Austrian right flank (Prussian left flank) brigade deploys in front of Mollwitz.

Prussian left flank brigade advances towards Mollwitz.

 At the end of Turn 2, it looked like the Prussian cavalry of the right flank was holding its own against the Austrian cavalry. Both sides had lost, or were about to lose, a 12-figure squadron of heavy cavalry from either routing or melee.

If the Prussian cavalry holds the Austrian horse to a stand-off, then it will lead to a Prussian victory, in all likelihood, as the Prussians outnumber the Austrian infantry 9 battalions to 7 battalions.

(more action will be posted Friday evening or Saturday morning as I continue the battle)







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