I suppose just about everyone and his dog has played the Charge! "Battle of Blasthof Bridge" at least once in their lives. The last time I played it, a zillion years back, the Electoral Army maintained its tradition of victory. I was commanding, of course, the Imperialists.
But, back in January, methought to play a Portable Wargames version on a square gridded table. I had completely forgotten about this action, to be reminded this evening by a posting in the Librarian Wargamer blogspot.
This battle used my Warlord figures, my Army of Prinz Eugene of Savoy, split to represent the Imperialists against their inveterate foes of the Electorate. For this action I rather formalised the ORBATs into 6-figure squadrons, 8-figure companies and 2-gun batteries.
The action purported to be an opening clash between the advanced guards of the respective armies approaching an important bridge crossing the river that separated the Empire from the Electorate. Both sides mobilising with equal celerity, the leading forces were soon on the march. The honour of leading the Imperial advanced guard the Emperor bestowed upon the redoubtable cavalryman, Graf Eusebius von Kornstartsch, renowned more for dash and daring than for strategic sagacity. On the Electoral side, an obscure and self-effacing General Charlot Soubise found himself in command of the leading corps, and wondering why he was so appointed. It was later given out that perhaps a staff error, possibly due to a secretary's atrocious handwriting, had substituted the relatively unknown provincial commandant for the more experienced and better known Prince Charles de Soubise for the important command.
Be that as it may, both commanders realised as they approached the objective of their marches that to gain possession of the vital crossing, they would have to fight for it.
The respective commands comprised:
Teutoberg-Althaufen:
Commander: General Charlot SoubiseHis Aide-de-camp
Weltschmerz Infantry: 4 companies @ 4SP + Rgt HQ (36 figures)
Schadenfreude Infantry: 4 companies @ 4SP + Rgt HQ (36 figures)
Gens d'Armes Cuirassiers: 3 squadrons @ 3SP (18 figures)
Royal la Marine Artillery: 2 guns each with 4 crew @ 4SP (8 figures)
Totals:
72 foot, 18 horse, 8 artillery, 2 HQ staff = 100 figures
13 units (counting the Army HQ as one), activations according to dice rolls range from 5 up to 9.
49 Strength Points, exhausted on -17; rout on -25.
Imperial:
Commander: Marschallgeneral Graf Eusebius von KornstartschHis aide-de-camp
Grenadiers Guggenheim: 2 companies @ 5SP + Rgt HQ (18 figures)
Fusiliers Finckenstein: 4 companies @ 4SP + Rgt HQ (36 figures)
Kornstartch Cuirassiers: 3 squadrons @ 3SP (18 figures)
Dromgoole Dragoons: 2 squadrons @ 3SP (12 figures)
Schnitzel Artillery: 1 company of 2 guns @ 4SP (8 figures)
Totals:
54 foot, 30 horse, 8 artillery, 2 HQ staff = 94 figures
13 units, activations range from 5 to 9.
49 Strength Points, exhausted on -17, rout on -25.
Note that the two companies of grenadiers were allocated 5SPs, partly to denote their elite status, but mainly to make up a slight deficit in the SP count compared with the Electoral army.
The Narrative...
 |
| Imperial Cuirassiers begin crossing the river, whilst the guns open fire, enfilading the enemy infantry fording the stream |
 |
| Two squadrons crossing, whilst the third waits... |
 |
| Plenty for the Electoral guns to shoot at! |
 |
| Elector gained the initiative, but both sides eager for the fray (the 6s). |
...
 |
| View from behind Electoral lines. One regiment, with a squadron in support, hopes by crossing the river early, to outflank the bridge position on the far bank. |
 |
| From behind Imperial lines. The cuirassiers are just following tradition, really. But they may be able to flank the electoral infantry lining the west bank |
 |
| General electoral advance, whilst the guns roar. |
 |
| Superb shooting by the Imperial guns. An electoral infantry company is taking some stick! |
 |
| Electoral guns proving with this salvo, far less effective! |
 |
| The inspiration of it all. Fearful execution by the right hand Imperial artillery section. |
 |
| Now, at least some of the Electoral guns do damage. Nr 3 Coy of the Finckenstein Fusiliers takes a heavy knock |
 |
| Cavalry fight on the Electoral side of the river, but they have only 2 squadrons available against 3. |
 |
| As the Electoral horse charged, for the moment it is 2 Squadrons against 2, and they are getting something the better of the fight... |
 |
| ... but once the 3rd Imperial squadron joins in, the writing is on the wall. |
 |
| Musketry duel between Fusilier 3rd Company, and the leading company of Weltschmerz Infantry. |
 |
| Droomgoole Dragoons catch two companies of Schadenfreude Infantry in the plough. |
 |
| The end of the cavalry fight. Both sides have lost 4 strength points, but 2nd Sqn, Gens d'Armes, has been destroyed. |
 |
| General view. The Grenadiers lie in wait for the enemy infantry company wading through the river. |
 |
| Crisis! As the last of Schadenfreude Infantry succumb to the dragoons, the fresh 3rd Squadron, Gens d'Armes attacks the already victorious 1st Dragoon Squadron. |
 |
| Electoral musketry exacts vengeance upon 3rd Sqn, Kornstartsch Curassiers. |
 |
| Gunfire and musketry across the river... |
 |
| ... smashes the Fusilier 3rd Company. |
 |
| Facing double their numbers, the Gens d'Armes survivors scatter in rout. |
 |
| The end of the action. Electoral losses have been such as to cause the whole command to dissolve in rout. |
This is the first time I have seen the Imperial Army win this action. It might have been a different story had Charlot Soubise had acted true to form, and adopted a defensive stance. Bit, perhaps with something to prove, he rather took the fight to the enemy, who, with Kornstartsch in command, were more than willing to take up the challenge.
The figures in this action were the Warlord(?) 28mm plastic figures for the War of the Spanish succession. I find myself in a little bit of a quandary, because I painted up large units for the Imperialists, but have only a limited number of enemies, still on the sprue. That is one project very much in limbo at the moment!
