The Seven Years War, Die Kriegskunst variant, 28mm

Rather than using our regular rules Die Kriegskunst as written, this little game was played out on a 6×4 foot table using a some variants Dougie is developing. They haven’t really got much further than the “rules on a postcard” stage, but Cry Havoc and Let Slip the Toys of War (working title) for the faster-play variants have potential. The game involved the Prussians and their Allies defending a line anchored on a village, in the face of a joint Franco-Austrian assault.As Dougie hasn’t written new rules for skirmishers yet these light troops were included merely for show, but the line infantry and cavalry all managed to wade into the opposition, and the game reached a conclusion in 2 1/2 hours, which means the rules were fairly fast-flowing. Actually, we might have completed it sooner, but there was a lot of drinking going on.As the game was fought on 17th March – St. Patrick’s Day – the attack was led by Dillon’s Regiment of the Wild Geese. Being Irish this is a unit I don’t mind losing, so I treat them as sacrificial lambs. Their target was Dougie’s unit of Highlanders he’d spent the last two weeks painting. Inevitably, they were routed off the field by the Irishmen, creating a hole in the Prussian line.The Wild Geese were duly ridden down by the Prussian green (von Szekeley) hussars, but by then they’d already done their bit. On the Franco-Austrian left flank the Austrian cuirassiers rolled forward, and were counter-charged by their Prussian counterparts. Once again it was the attackers who won the day, and within a few turns the Prussian horse had broken and fled, leaving the whole wing of Dougie’s Prussian army hanging in the air.So far so good. The main infantry assault was less spectacular, as when both sides got within musket range they began a firefight, which ground each side down over time. However, the Prussians and their Allies were outnumbered, and despite the presence of a battery of 12-pounder “brummers” they were slowly getting the worse of the exchange. That was when both commanders launched their hussars, which so far had sat on one side of the table, separated from the main action by a small wood. The French Bercheny hussars charged as soon as the Prussian von Szekley hussars peeled off to deal with Dillon’s regiment behind them.The result was a melee where the Prussian red (von Zeiten) hussars were outnumbered and outfought. By then it was clear that the Prussians were about to collapse, and so their commander ordered a general retreat. covered by the two unengaged battalions of Prussian fusiliers and Hanovarian line shown above. That’s the fusiliers at the back, behind the depleted Prussian line battalion.All in all it was a fast and enjoyable game, and Dougie’s rules seemed to work, despite many of the mechanics being nothing more than bare bones at the moment. After a month up in Orkney, it was also good to get my troops onto the table again, and next time I might treat my Irishmen with a little more respect!

Tags: Die Kriegskunst