Battle of Komarow - 3rd Engagement

This was a great scenario and one we played last night. Bryan took the Austrians and I took the Russians.
I will apologize up front for not having everything painted. I have not had the opportunity to paint my Russian Cavalry or my dismounted Austrians so you have some grey ghosts on the table :(

OK so the game. This is a test run of another scenario going into the Summer Harvest book. Austrian Cavalry (two divisions worth) have managed to catch a Russian Corps in March column to move to a better position. So we have two regiments of Russian Infantry that have just managed to get sorted out before the Austrian cavalry hit.

The Austrians have half their squadrons dismounted and the Russians may bring on up to 4 Sotnias of Cossacks during the battle, but for each they bring on they lose the ability to generate extra victory points (the thought being that historically the Russians did not want to commit large numbers of troops to derail their movement. Historically they failed at continuing uninterrupted.)

The battle was fast and furious with a cavalry charge taking place on turn one. Many will say that is unrealistic but I want you to remember that in GWSH it doesn't necessarily mean a melee but a close in engagement and possibly some actual melee. Bryan's cavalry were badly shot up and he did lose two brigades in total. Both divisions would need a good refit after this one. But the Russian Corps would not make it to the ensuing battle and so the Austrians were successful.

Russian infantry have to come on line and turn and face the Austrian Cavalry.

The Second Regiment turns and faces straddling a river.

Austrian Cavalry in all their splendor preparing to charge!

Dismounted Austrians advance towards the Russian infantry.

Russian Artillery comes on line and commences firing with good results against the dismounted Austrians.

Austrian cavalry on either side of a village.

CHARGE!

Throwing caution to the wind the Austrian commander charges the Russian line. In a terrifying melee the Austrians pass their forced morale check but lost over half their men getting in!

Although outnumbered the cavalry start to whittle down the Russian infantry. But the stubborn Russians finally destroyed the Austrian cavalry brigade.

The rear Russian Regiment continues to engage the entire Austrian 10th Cavalry Division and came off well in the first exchange, this changed once the Austrian Artillery came on line.

Moving swiftly through a dense forest the Austrians look to outflank the Russians.

Austrian Horse Artillery got in a gun duel with the Russian and although a battery was destroyed, they in turn destroyed the Russian guns!

Russians under Austrian Artillery fire!

Russian infantry is down to barely anything left.

A Sotnia of Cossacks arrive to help turn the tide, but they were destroyed by the superb Austrian horsemen in a running fight.

Battle is over, the Austrian 6th Cavalry has successfully taken Posadow.

In the end the Russians committed 2 Sotnias and lost both as well as the town of Posadow and 1 Infantry regiment. Final was Austrians 13 vp Russians 5. Huge win for the Austrians!

Battle of Krasnik - third engagement

Last night Dale and I got together for a run of one of the new scenarios going into the Summer Harvest book and oh what a barn burner it was.

Pretty simple start with only one regiment each of Russians and Austrians on the field but both are re-enforced at varying times from the remainder of the division.

The Austrian 14th Division of V Corps had pushed a single regiment out to occupy hills 287 and 290 just south of Polichna Poland. The Russians XIV Corps pressed forward with 45th Infantry Division to wrestle the field from the Austrians.

The Austrians were dug in on the hill line that ran from the town of Dabrowa through hills 289 and 290 awaiting the remainder of the Division so they could attack Polichna itself.

The Russians, dissatisfied with awaiting the arrival of their entire division moved out with the 2nd Regiment, which arrived on turn 3.

The game was a good one and was a nasty one to try and impose any real control on for either side. But when the first Russian regiment broke in an assault it spelled the end. By turn 10 the Russians were below 50 percent total strength and the game was pretty much over.

A long view of the table. You can see the Village of Polichna in the distant left center of the table.

A view of the River with Polichna far off in the distance.

The Great forest to the south east of Polichna.

Polichna!

Austrian defenses on hills 289 and 290.

Russian infantry getting ready to move through Polichna to attack the Austrians.

Russians move in to attack the Austrians on the two hills!

Austrian reserve company pivots to prepare for a Russian assault.

Moving through the fields, Russian infantry on the move.

Austrian infantry repel the first assault causing heavy casualties to the Russian infantry.

Re-enforcements move to the east of Polichna.

Regimental Command HQ behind Polichna.

Austrian forces enter the field.

More Austrians enter the field.

Yet more Austrians as the three reserve regiments prepare to turn the tide.

Massed Austrian infantry sweep towards Polichna!

In a fierce fight the Austrians begin to put unrelenting pressure on the Russian forces.

Attacking up hill into a defended area, the Russian machine gunners had a tough time finding good targets.

Badly thinned out from the heavy volume of fire this Russian Regiment breaks under the pressure surrendering once and for all hills 287 and 290 to the Austrians.

Reserve regiments move through the battered 1st Regiment and finally take the fight to the Russians in a real way!

Unrelenting tide - the Austrians have won the day!

The Russians have lost huge amounts of men and equipment but fought doggedly throughout!

Victory is at hand, the Austrian 105 Regiment fires on the Russians adding insult to the already badly injured Russian division.

Final look at the sweeping Austrian movement and the lack of a Russian defender except at the extreme end of the table!

East Front 1914 Battle of Jadar River

Well its been a long while since last I posted. I have been busy with summer, with writing and with Lord of the Rings On Line. Today got me back to the miniature table with my son Bryan.
We ran thru a test run of the new East Front Scenario book I am working on and WOW what a game we had.

The scenario is based on the Austrian push up the Jadar river valley on the south side of Mount Cer.
The scenario pits the Austrian 36th Infantry division against 3 regiments of Serbian infantry. Two of the Serb  regiments were dug in around the town of Jarebice and the other around Veliko Selo.

The game took a bit less than 2 hours to complete and went a full 12 turns. Final result was a narrow Serbian victory but holy smokes it was close!

The Austrians pushed across the unharvested fields which hid their movement and they managed to get very close to the Serb defenders in Veliko Selo before the firing began. Initial engagements saw the destruction of the Austrian cavalry squadrons but this allowed for the Austrian artillery to start its work. By turn four the Austrians were pushing hard on the defenders of Veliko Selo.

Although the Austrians lost a regiment to a morale break on the same turn the defenders of Veliko Selo broke as well!

So with 6 turns left to get into Jarebice, the Austrians were stuck moving as there was a communications break down with the artillery and two of the three remaining infantry regiments.

Once they got on track they started to bring considerable pressure on the Serbs but a Serbian re-enforcement set up the Austrians for a hard fight.

The hand to hand fighting within Jarebice itself was horrific with both sides inflicting considerable casualties to the other. The Austrian artillery played an important role but in the end it was not enough.
Turn 12 saw what was in effect the last hurrah of the 36th Division and they fell, just short.

Turn 12 ended with yet another Austrian regiment fleeing from broken morale and although battered and in bad shape the Serbs held Jarebice!