Maxen revisited

[Ochoin]

A few weeks ago, we attempted the SYW battle of Maxen:

Because we didn't finish the game, we met again & re-fought Maxen.
It was set up the same (mostly):

The Prussian infantry were stalwart:

But the Prussian cavalry never stopped trying:

The Grenz were simply intolerable:


My friends were kind enough to claim only a Victory rather than a Crushing Defeat, as a few units of Prussians made their escape.

donald

[MABO]

Super painted Gaming pieces!

[PaulRPetri]

As always Donald I love your SYW set ups! I had the great fortune to tour the actual Maxin battlefield back in 1994 lead by the late great Dr. Christopher Duffy. The actual battlefield terrain is quite mpossible to duplicate in a wargame set-up as the hills and valleys in whuch the battle was fought stagger the imagination! Also the distance the Austrian artillery was firing, over the heads of their troops no less, was staggering with over shots totally disrupting the rear Prussian units. It was a real eye opener to say the least.

[Ochoin]

I'm envious, Paul. I did look at a topographical map leading up to the game which is why I called it "an approximation". Clearly, this was pretty barely so!

donald

[PaulRPetri]

Dr.Duffy recounted a story of the Austrian grenadiers using their bayonets to jab into the ground to assist them in climbing the hill to the Prussian position! There was some snow on the ground at the time of the battle.
Another revelation was what looked like a nice elevated defense position in fact offered tons of "Dead Ground" to the attacking forces allowing them to to cross a short space where they received fire then able to close unhindered! Kunersdorf this was explained to me and also at Maxen.
By the way I am not criticizing your set up I would do the exact same thing!

[C M Dodson]

Very nice indeed.

I love your obvious attraction to the ‘Grand Manner’ in your battles. The visual aspect of large troop deployments is always a joy to behold.

Best wishes,

Chris

[Rich W]

Great display Donald. Good to see your SYW armies out and about!

[Ochoin]

We fought Maxen for the third time today. I didn't take photos as it was the same figures & same layout as above. It was a fascinating experience.

We took different commands for each game- there were 3: Austrian ambushing force & Advanced Guard & the Prussians.

This, the last and most enjoyable game, saw the Prussian commander decide *not* to try & cut his way out past the ambushing force (the strategy for the first 2 games) but to hold off the Ambushing force & turn on the Austrian main army Advance Guard. His plan was to destroy them & then attack on the numerically inferior Austrian ambushers.

This scared me as the Austrian Advance Guard commander, but we held on strongly & in the end, the Prussians, caught in a vise, were fairly soundly thrashed for a third time.

Fred the G. will not be pleased.

donald