Our scenario was derived from Problem Number 6 in the book, “Moltke’s Tactical Problems from 1858-1882”. The scenario pits a Prussian corps of two infantry divisions, a cavalry division, and an artillery reserve against a lone Austrian infantry division, with the remainder of the Austrian corps consisting of a cavalry division, infantry division and artillery reserve marching to its support. Coincidentally, this scenario takes place on the same ground on which the 1759 Battle of Kunersdorf was fought. The rules we used were Bloody Big Battles (BBB) with some slight adjustments to suit a tactical level game (see our previous post for how we used the problem to produce a miniatures game for BBB).
After reading his pre-game situation report, the Austrian corps commander issued simple orders to his divisions. The 1st infantry division would hold its position at Kunersdorf and wait for the rest of the corps to arrive, and then be prepared to go on the offensive. The rest of the corps was to march at dawn from Drossen (ten miles away to the east), with the cavalry division leading, followed by the 2nd infantry division and the reserve artillery. The corps commander placed his own headquarters near the rear of the column between the infantry and artillery. 1st division deployed its 12 infantry brigades and two batteries facing west in a defensive line that was centered on Kunersdorf, with the right (northern) flank anchored on the swampy ground to the north, and the left (southern) flank extending a short distance into the very large pine forest to the south. The front line was so long, only a few infantry battalions and a cavalry regiment were available as local reserves.
The Prussian commander considered his situation report, which required him to bring on a general engagement, and opted for a straight ahead battle plan. His 1st infantry division, which was occupying a position in front of Frankfurt on the east bank of the Oder River, would hold its ground overnight while the rest of the corps crossed the river from their encampments west of Frankfurt. Once across the river, the artillery reserve would be attached to the 1st infantry division, which was ordered to hold and then attack the enemy at Kunersdorf in conjunction with the 2nd division. Starting at dawn, the 2nd infantry division would maneuver to the right, marching in a single road column through the pine forest. Rather than sweeping wide to the right off the table, the 2nd division was ordered to veer directly toward the Austrian left flank, which essentially produced a frontal attack by both infantry divisions. The cavalry division would follow in the rear of 1st division and await developments.
At 8:00 AM, contact was made between the advancing Prussian 2nd division and the two Austrian battalions in the forest. The Prussians deployed their leading battalions into line and a firefight developed at close range. Despite the Prussians having an advantage due to the superior short-ranged firepower of their needle guns, the contest remained drawn as both sides fed more battalions into the expanding fight. This drew in all of the nearby battalions on the Austrian left, leaving Kunersdorf thinly held.
Once it heard the firing in the forest, the Prussian 1st division started its advance toward Kunersdorf at 8:30. The first brigade on the Prussian left pulled ahead of the second brigade on the right (due to poor rolls by the second brigade on the movement table).
Before the battle, the commander of the Prussian 1st division took the initiative to send his very small hussar regiment (two bases) on a flank march around the northern side of the battlefield using a secondary road to cross the swampy ground, with a mission order to be as disruptive to the enemy as possible. This regiment appeared on the table beyond the Austrian right flank at 9:00.
The Austrian cavalry division also arrived at 9:00, having made good time on its march from Drossen. The cavalry was directed to support the Austrian right flank. This was more than enough strength to deter the small Prussian cavalry unit from coming nearer, so the hussars pivoted and rode around toward the Austrian rear!
In the Austrian rear, the 2nd Austrian infantry division (we used Piedmontese figures) was making slower progress along the road from Drossen. The infantry started their march after the cavalry, and did not move as fast, hence a large gap developed between the cavalry and the infantry. The lone Prussian cavalry regiment approached this gap, which caused the three battalions of the leading infantry regiment to deploy off the road. The rumor of enemy cavalry must have spread down the line, because the remainder of the Austrian column came to a complete halt (actually, the next regiment in the column rolled the worst possible result on the movement table). The Prussian cavalry then sidestepped the deployed battalions and interposed itself directly across the road!
After a short and ineffective bombardment (in retrospect, we should not have diminished the fire factors for artillery), at about 10:30 the first brigade of the Prussian 1st division put in a heavy assault against the right side of the Austrian defensive line, which the Austrian defenders managed to repulse. The Prussians regrouped and assaulted again, now joined by the second brigade on their right. These assaults all succeeded, and the thin Austrian line was pushed back from Kunersdorf and all of the ground to the north. The defeated Austrian battalions fell back and rallied on the Muhlberg.
By now, the Prussian 2nd division had begun to assert its superiority in the southern woods, and the Austrian defenders there started to give way. Both Prussian divisions took a brief pause to rally their disrupted units after their successful assaults, then began a final push across the battlefield. The commander of the 1st Austrian division could see that the battle was lost, and he ordered a general retreat. In frustration, he asked, where the devil was the Austrian 2nd division and the reserve artillery?
The hapless Austrian 2nd division was still being vexed by the bold Prussian cavalry regiment, When the deployed infantry battalions advanced toward the cavalry to clear the road, the Hussars simply broke ranks and evaded up the road, passing over the bridge, up the slope, and through the woods, then rallied on the other side of the woods. The deployed Austrian infantry battalions were too wide to benefit from the road, and thus had to ford the stream, climb the slope, and move through the woods at a much slower rate. Meanwhile, the rest of the column slowly plodded along behind them.
The Austrian corps commander, near the rear of the column, had been left completely in the dark about the cause of the delay (no one at the front thought to send him a report). He finally broke away from the stalled column and rode forward with his staff. Once he reached the field, he was appraised of the situation, and realized the day was lost. He ordered his marching infantry and artillery to deploy behind the stream about a mile to the rear of Kunersdorf, and prepared to receive the survivors of the 1st division as they retreated.
At that point we called the game. We assessed that the Austrian 1st division was beaten but not destroyed. The Prussian losses were relatively minor. A simple plan that was forcefully executed, combined with the cunning maneuvers of an intrepid leader of Hussars, resulted in a solid, if not spectacular, Prussian victory!
- TJ