My neighbour Peter came over last night for my last game of 2014. Peter is a novice gamer and this is only his second game, so the scenario was a simple one. The Russians are holding a bridge and are in the process of preparing it for demolition. The Prussians need to take the bridge intact as it represents the only secure route for their forces (especially guns and baggage) retreating in front of the Russian hoards as they invade East Prussia.
The Russians, (me) had two brigades of infantry, one of cavalry, 2 light guns and a battery of heavy guns emplaced on the hill covering the bridge. They also had a unit each of Pandours and Cossacks. The command levels of all the Russians were with one exception 6's and 7's. The exception was the CinC who was an 8.
Peter had the Prussians; two brigades of infantry, a unit of Freikorps light infantry and one brigade of cavalry (Cuirassiers, Dragoons and Hussars). They also had two light guns and a battery of heavy guns. Command levels were 8's and 9's.
My camera is dead so no photos sadly(?) to record my ignominious defeat, but essentially the Prussian infantry attacked aggressively, drove off the Pandours, assaulted the Russian emplacement from the front and flank and eventually forced the Russian gunners to take a break test, which they lost.
On the Prussian right, one battalion of Garrison infantry broke and another line unit became shaken after taking a pounding from the Russian heavy guns before they were overrun, meaning that one brigade was now spent. The Russian right hand brigade tried to hold back the advancing Prussians but one battalion was broken when the emplacement was taken.
My Cossacks had been trying to advance towards the Prussian artillery but were slowed down by the terrain and the Freikorps. The Russian cavalry attempted to charge their very timid Prussian counterparts but fell short and were broken by the concentrated fire of all the Prussian guns. Luckily (?) I' d only been able to launch one regiment on their death ride but it was enough to stop me doing anything silly the next turn.
Peter then did a 'follow me' order with his CinC, and led a regiment of Dragoons through a large gap in the Russian line, and right across the bridge to attack the engineers working to destroy it. The latter were scattered and the bridge was saved from destruction.
At that point we declared it a Prussian victory. We each had one broken brigade but the rest of mine were very close to becoming broken. I had my usual run of rubbish command roles and blunders and Peter had the benefit of beginners luck...... "till next time Mr Bond.....!"
