The Seven Years War, Die Kriegskunst, 28mm

This is another Charles S. Grant scenario, culled from his Programmed Wargame Scenarios (1983). This collection of scenarios could be played with either side “programmed” to follow set orders, or as a straight game. They’re designed to work well in any form. Our one involved a Prussian rearguard , heading back towards the River Oder, pursued by the much larger advanced guard of a Russian army. Dougie Trail’s Prussians entered the table from the middle of one long edge (we played on an 8×6′ table), while my Russians came on the corner closest to him. The Russian objective was to power through and exit the far table edge by one of two roads – either side of a large, dominating hill.The leading Russian brigades were superbly handled by “Ken the Monkey-Hanger”, who used his Cossacks like real cavalry – repulsing a charge by superior Prussian hussars, and even charging a square of Prussian grenadiers! Naturally the Prussian player complained bitterly about these “super-Cossacks”, but if truth be known they were simply doing their job – screening the Russian advance, and delaying the withdrawal of the enemy.As the Russian deployed across the table they encountered another problem. They were charged by a brigade of Prussian horse, and while the Russian horse grenadiers saw off their dragoon opponents, the Prussian cuirassiers (that’s them below) drove the Russian Tobolski dragoons from the field. However, all this wasn’t enough to delay the advance of the Russian foot, and as the Prussians hurriedly deployed into line on the hill, the Russians formed up to attack them.The climax of the game came when the Russian line surged forward, pinning and eventually pushing back their Prussian adversaries. The “man of the match” award went to a battalion of Russian grenadiers, who charged the Prussian guns, and thanks to some bad die rolling they survived the experience, and went on to capture the battery. At that point the Prussian commander began packing his toys away, muttering about the rules. Unfortunately, as one of their co-authors, he didn’t really have a leg to stand on!

Tags: Die Kriegskunst