Honours of War: Spittelwitz

Regular followers of this blog may be familiar with my ignorant prejudice against any pre-Napoleonic warfare, which I blithely damn as linear and dull. Of late, though, I have been learning a little more about how Napoleonic maneuver warfare has some roots in the Seven Years War, back in the 1750s and 60s. I was therefore happy to have the chance of another go at Keith Flint's fine Honours of War rules from Osprey.

So far, so linear ... Austrians prepare to advance against entrenched Prussians.

Austrian left flanking force visible in the far distance.

10mm Pendraken figures; John's armies and terrain.

John M laid on a scenario from the rulebook, Spittelwitz (is that a real battle?), with Austrians attacking outnumbered dug-in Prussians on an L-shaped front. Bruce and I took the Austrians, David B the Prussians, if I remember right.

Unfamiliarity with the rules caused us to learn some lessons the hard way, just as real armies have to: don't bayonet charge an enemy who can meet you with a volley unless you have softened them up a lot first; don't leave your cavalry's flank exposed to enemy who can march up and enfilade it (OK, maybe that wasn't a rules issue) ... As I took a stolid and cautious approach on our right, wasting time bombarding entrenched light troops in a wood, the serious battle all happened between the village and the central hill. We inflicted more casualties on our opponents, as was perhaps to be expected given how outnumbered they were, but they were still in pretty good shape when time was called, and we hadn't taken either of their main entrenchments: winning draw for the Prussians, I reckon.

One of our number had spent the whole of the previous day in a competition, fighting Fields Of Glory-Renaissance tournament games, one of which had apparently been against the worst kind of pettifogging rules-lawyering competition gamer. Consequently he was in serious need of some light-hearted, good-natured, pure fun gaming. HOW provided that. Once we become familiar enough with the rules to play faster and make better tactical decisions, I expect some very good games. Next outing for HOW at OWS should be later this month.