Cavalry Engagement at Liebertwolkwitz at Historicon 2016

    I ran The Great Cavalry Engagement at Liebertwolkwitz on Friday night at Historicon this year, using Field of Battle, 2nd edition rules, by Brent Oman. The game kicked off pretty much on time at about 5 PM. It took almost 3 hours to set up the game, with "Czar" Barry thankfully providing and transporting all of the Russians, and setting up the Allied side, whilst I set up the French/Polish forces. I have presented the scenario previously. This big game rally needed at least 5 players per side (and could easily have handled 6 to 8). We wound up only having 8 players, which slowed things down a bit. Most of them were FoB veterans, though.

Allied players from front to rear - Bill, Tim, Barry, Luke

French players from near to far - Peter (moi, not shown) Hugh,? Kenneth, ??  

We French won the first initiative, but turned mostly a lot of  MOVE cards, which we didn't really use.... but probably should have! The Allies then turned a pretty decent selection of cards, with 2 ARTILLERY FIREPOWER cards in the mix, That lead to them bombarding our lines to considerable effect. In my case, Bill's Austrian batteries failed to inflict any real damage on their first attempt... 

but on their second, they "found the range" and inflicted considerable damage, routing at least 2 of my infantry units. 

The Allies then stared to advance, and then it was a tied impetus roll resulting in a quick reshuffle - not to our advantage as we had not turned a single ARTILLERY FIREPOWER card ourselves.

Starting off the 2nd turn, the Allies turned two more ARTILLERY FIREPOWER cads before we *finally* turned one of our own! 

The larghe Russian and Prussian Cavalry Corps on the Allied far left swung out, threatening Poniatowski's flank. 

Satisfied with their bombardment after firing 5 times, ther Austrians started to advance in eaaarb\nest, hampered by some very Austrian Leadership Die Rolls of "1" (which allows NO movement for that Command Group on that card).  Still, it was clear they would ultimately turn my flank, which was anchored on Libertwolwitz itself, and the nearby woods. If the French were to win this battle, it would have to be done in the Center, where we had a mass of infantry, Cavalry, and artillery. 

The Allied cavalry have a serious weight of numbers in their favor on the opposite flank, so the Polish troops practice "Form Square!" Indeed, I have never seen a Field of Battle game with any where near as many squares!

Luke's Allied Cavalry press the issue, heavily outnumbering the lone unit of Polish Hussars and their support Horse battery. 

A longer view of the situation. Did I hear the onlooking sheep say "Czar Baaaaa -rry?"

Maybe I did! Tired of waiting for the French to get of their collective derrieres, the Russian infantry presses forwards as well!

Polish cavalry? Was their actually Polish cavalry here last look. None top be seen now. Ooops!

In their Right  center, the Russian cavalry trots forth to support their foot-sloggers. Seen foreground is Barry's Ekaterinaslav Cuirassiers, just finished less than a week ago. Unlike the abysmal performances we have come to expect from Barry's Russian Dragoons, these Cuirasiers performed very admirably in their very first action.... AGAINST my troops! Don't you guys know that new units are supposed to break and run at the earliest possible opportunity?  Sheesh!

Pajol (Hugh) finally gets the bulk of the French cavalry moving in response, with Ken's infantry providing support. The Russian batteries are soon overrun, but they did  for more than their damage earlier!

The Allied cavalry have swept the French Right flank clean of cavalry - but are unable to make any impact on the Poles in Square and Town formations. With only a lone Prussian Horse Artillery battery in support, they will have to bide their time for an opening. 

Bill's Austrian uinch forwards slowly, while Battle Royale is going o in the center!

Many Russian infantry units are routing for the Home, team. These new Murawski Polish Uhlans (center)  in their first battle are performing better than their sister unit, which evaporated in their first melee. 

The French have punche a gaping hole in the Allied center, but the remaining Russian infantry forms square, and proves very stubborn to dislodge!

Much of my French infantry formed square as well, when their were enemy Cuirassiers milling around threateningly, but with Pajol's troopers having chased them off, they can consider changing formation again... if they get the chance!

Bill's Austrian infantry continue their slow advance. There sure area LOT of them, though. Quantity, they say, has a Quality all it own!

Move and counter move on the French Right flank. 

Robert (right) arrived and wanted to try some FoB, so I happily handed off my Corps to him...

just as the Austrians finally closed on our positions! 

Another view of the French Right and Right Center. 

French Left Center Infantry in square vs Cavalry = stalemate, as we try to bring up some fresh French infantry to shoot up the Russian squares!

Freddy A looks on as Bill's Kaiserlicks roll up the French Left flank. We are at Zero Army Moral Points and paying the Allies at an appalling rate!

MORE white coats on the advance!

While Luke's Allied cavalry has no trouble chewing up the French horsemen sent at him piecemeal, just a few Poles in Square/Town deployments have the Allied horsemen stymied, their horse battery having been eliminated. 

Although we French cleverly and repeatedly  evaded turning an ARMY MORALE card, by 11 PM, we conceded defeat and agreed to yield the field to the Allies after 6 hours of hard fighting. Congratulations to Bill, Tim, Barry, and Luke for prevailing in an epic battle! My special thanks to my friend, Barry, without whom the entire battle would never have taken place!