Round 2 Game 2
Rand – Allies
Banners – 1
Blocks Lost – 33 + One Leader - Rodder
Stepht – French
Banners – 8
Blocks Lost – 23 + 1 Block Rallied
The Russians reinforce one artillery unit and dig three fieldworks. As the French advance up the center, Russian units counter their movement, with a Russian Light Infantry seizing the village of Gruhna. French infantry fire a volley from their positions in the Great Garden, and a combined arms attack with artillery and a French Line fail to push the Russian Light out of the village. An exchange of fire reduces the French Line to half-strength and the aggressive advance of the Russian Grenadiers further damages the French Line and pushes them back. A second volley of fire from the Great Garden destroys the Russian Light, and a series of missed opportunities for the Russians + Prussians in the Center section begins as their advance there is frozen. The Prussians on the Left flank start their advance, led by a Cuirassier unit and ineffectual fire by artillery on St. Cyr. A French counter bombardment likewise has no effect on the Prussians entrenched in Strehla. The Allies start moving up on the flanks, with artillery fire finally damaging St. Cyr’s Line Infantry unit, but the French launch a Forward Advance, moving 6 units in response. French Artillery fire pushes back a Prussian Light Lancers unit and causes Prussian casualties in Strehla. The Guard Heavy and French Light Calvary thunder forward towards the center of the battlefield, threatening the Russian units trying to enter Gruhna. Allied orders are still not reaching units in the center sector, and Prussian forces try a foolhardy assault on the French Right, with artillery covering the advance. The Prussian Cuirassier is surprised by a First Strike counter by French Artillery, damaging the horse and pushing them back into the hills.
In a fatal counterstroke, the French launch a Calvary Charge into the overextended Russians caught out in the open plains to the north of Gruhna, forcing both a Russian Grenadier and a Line Infantry formation into defensive squares. A third French calvary smashes into the damaged Prussian Cuirassier on the right flank, causing further casualties. Despite an opportunity to devastate the French calvary with artillery fire, muddled commands by the Allies instead launch a second attack on the French right wing. The already weakened Prussian Cuirassier nearly destroy a French artillery battery before they are destroyed by cannister shot. Rodder charges his Prussian Light calvary into St. Cyr’s French Line, but the French gamble and refuse to go into square, each side causing minor damage. A French assault nearly surrounds and destroys Rodder’s calvary, but they manage to flee under repeated attacks. The Allies then attempt to launch an attack on the French Left and Center, but a Russian Light led by Pahlen faces a Charged If Charged counter by the French Guard Heavy, reducing both calvary units to half-strength. The French Guard rallies back one wound and their command launches an assault in the center. A French Light Infantry seizes Gruhna, a French Line damages the Russian Grenadier in square, and a combined French calvary attack destroys the Russian Light calvary, forcing Pahlen to flee his command to a nearby Light Infantry unit. The Allies start to move up units from their baseline and an artillery barrage led by Gorchakov barely manages to damage a French Light calvary before it flees back to the outskirts of Streisen. An élan command by the French launches 5 Infantry units at the Allied lines, destroying a Prussian Light Calvary, damaging a Prussian Line Infantry in Stehla, destroying the Grenadier unit in square to the north of Gruhna, and damaging a Russian Line Infantry in square. An attempt by the Allied command to unit reform troops fails, and the fire and hold order merely pushes back St. Cyr into the woods and damages a French Line and the Guard Heavy Calvary in the center. A countering French probe damages a Russian Grenadier and pushes them back, while a nearby Russian Line Infantry also retreats under French fire. An Allied forced march by Prussian infantry units on the French right flank pushes back a French Light infantry and nearly destroys a French Light Calvary formation. The French surge forward to catch the Prussians off balance, and a French Line Infantry completely destroys a Prussian Line, forcing Kleist to flee, and damages a second Prussian Line Infantry. The Prussians launch a final desperate bayonet charge at the French, with Rodder’s Line infantry destroying a French artillery unit, and Kleist leading a Reserve Infantry formation in a charge against the French Grenadiers. The French Grenadiers barely hang on, but their counter heavily damages the Prussian Reserve Infantry. The French Young Guard advances and their volley fires retreats a concealed Russian Cossack unit, and on the French right flank, a full strength French Line Infantry smashes into Rodder and his damaged Prussian Line, destroying the unit and killing Rodder for the victory.
Forgot about the Iron Will tokens on at least one important battle, was first time playing both the Russians and the Prussians. Stephen had some excellent combines arms attacks and played his cards well. We both learned a little bit about how the Garrisons can stop retreats, thanks to RedCurrant.
Thanks to Stephen for the games, I enjoyed them and wish him luck in the rest of the tournament.
