Reichenberg.

Now that Colin, has posted the battle of Reichenberg on his blog 'Carry on up the Dale', I can post some photographs from the battle that we fought at the weekend. What was in Charles Grants book quite a small affair, became quite a big affair. I wont go into the niceties of the actual battle, Colin has done it far better. But effectively the battle was the encounter before the large battle of Prague.

 The Austrians were in a prepared position, facing the majority of the Prussian army. In reality the Prussians quickly out outmaneuvered the Austrians, turned their flank and gave them a bit of a beating.
 On Saturday, I think its fair to say Colin and I, as the Austrian C in C changed history.
 Using Black Powder rules is a bit like Marmite, you either love them or hate them. Me I really didnt like them, but as I continued playing with the rules, I have really come to enjoy the cut and thrust of them. My advice to anyone not liking the rules, is to stick with it, and hopefully you will see the light as it were.

There are always episodes in a wargames battle, that greatly effect a game. The photograph below of the Austrian Carabineers charging the flank of the Prussians was one.
 Ignoring the rules of commonsense, and offering my flank as a target to the Prussian grand battery, I managed to charge home unscathed into the Prussians. It shouldnt have been able to happen, as four guns target you, but it did. I think it was as big as a surprise to me, as to John who was leading the Prussian attack. The Follow Me rule in Black Powder can be a game changer, and although I was to inevitabley lose the commander after the charge, it was worth the risk. The Prussian attacks began to falter after the melee, and although the attack wasnt as effective as I had hoped, it turned what appeared a Prussian victory into an Austrian one.

 Of course there is always a down side to showing superior wargames generalship, especially when Neil, decided to lead his Prussian cavalry against the flank of my Hungarian Grenadiers, except his attack was nowhere as successful as mine and the grenadiers saw the charge off.
 All in all a very nice way to spend a Saturday.