This week's game

After much deliberation I have decided that this week's game will be the Austrian assault on the Prussians at Breslau in late 1757. It was an Austrian victory by virtue of the fact that during the night the Prussians withdrew over the Oder, but the latter had more than held their own throughout the day, and the fact that the Prussian left under Zeithen and the Austrian right under Nadasdy didn't do much more than look at each other all day suggests that had Bevern opted to launch another counter attack the following day he might (big might) have dissuaded the Austrians from pressing home their assault, even with their 2:1 superiority. Of course, Bevern managed to contrive to get himself captured during the retreat and the garrison left to defend Breslau deserted or otherwise disintegrated very quickly. This was the end for Bevern and for three other senior Prussian generals, who were imprisoned by Frederick as a result of the defeat, not including the rather permanent end of those others who were on the wrong end of a cannon ball.

I have chosen to ignore the Zeithern/Nadasdy section of the battle as like I intimated, not a great deal happened following some early morning action, and will focus on the attacks against the Prussian centre and right, which is more than enough to cope with. The terrain is almost laid out, the armies have been bath-tubbed, so roll on Thursday. I know Robbie would like to be the Austrians, as, surprisingly, would I, but maybe I should play Prussian for a change. We shall see and probably just chuck a dice.

As is now habit, we shall be using Honours of War. I am looking forward to it.