The Austrian Balloon Game.

I hosted a Seven Year's War Game at my place in 15mm using Koenig Krieg (2nd Edition) on August 7, 2010. The game was played on three 4' x 5' tiles (from my Waterloo Collection) and one generic 4' x 6' tile shaped in sort of a T Shaped formation.

The Prussians would be on defense with Austrian Coalition defending.

The Prussian order of battle consisted of 44 battalions of Infantry (8 of which were British), 1 Battalion of British Light infantry, 12 Regiments of Cuirassiers, Two Heavy batteries, Eight Light Batteries and 3 Regiments of Hussars.

 

 

Saturday March 13th

On Saturday March 13th I will be hosting a SYW game at my place. The wife, child and dog are out of town so it seems like a good Idea.

The game, 15mm Koenig Krieg will feature the Thirty Third and a Third Coalition of Lunacy vs. the Sarcastic Alliance. Hopefully we can get some pesky Prussians to show up to preseve the Jumbled Alliances. My plan is to use the Waterloo Terrain boards, but I haven’t inspected them in over a year, so, be warned.

Game Start 11AM (That’s 10AM in Fitz Time).

I have heard from a couple of people already So I know there will be an Austrians, Bavarians and Swedish presence to take on whatever Fitz has in the box; like I said hopefully a Prussian player or two can make it, the Swedes burned Berlin for the fifth time last week and I would hate to think what happens if they have to switch sides.


I will throw something in the Crockpot (thinking BBQ Beef Sandwiches) for lunch and have a few Adult Beverages in the cooler, along with a few cokes and maybe even diet OR bottle of Wine if there is a request for it.

If you would like coffee, I have a coffee pot but no actual coffee so if you want coffee you need to bring some ground coffee and I can put in the pot.
Parking shouldn’t be as big of premium as it has been in the past.

The Wurrtembergs

I completed six of the 13 Battalions of the Württemberg infantry battalions needed for the Austrian at Leuthen (Seven Years War) in 15mm for Koenig Krieg. Fusilier Regiment Truchsess (2 bns), Roeder (2 bns) and Prinz Louis (2 bns) are done, leaving the three grenadier battalions and two battalions of Garde du Fuss, and two battalions of Infantry Regiment Spiznass.

The last battalion was tough to paint as Painting Prussian Freikorps figures (as well as Austrian Freikorps figures) is incredible boring monotonous work.
Two sleeves plus three dots of blue, four red turnbacks, cuff and collars in facing colors, brown muskets (and two hairs), light brown hair and satchel (plus one hair), dark brown for the remaining hair, white shirts, belts and paints and of course hat tape, bolt gun metal for barrels, chainmail for bayonets, flesh, and then any touchup work. I can do a battalion in 45 minutes, if I don’t spend 90 minutes daydreaming while doing it.

Fitz, hopefully tonight, will be handing me four battalions worth of Prussians to be Garde du Fuss and IR Spiznass, I already have three battalions of Prussian Grenadiers on popsicle sticks and primed so the Württemberg Army should be done in short order. The funny thing is the player we were going to hand the figures to has basically left our group, so I am not sure what will become of this Army.

Swedish Army for the Seven Years War

Over the weekend I spent some time thinking about how I was going to configure the Swedish Army for the period around Seven Years War. Here is what I am thinking.

Left Wing (Light Division) – Maj General Sprengtporten
Volunteer Light Cavalry Regiment (600 Cuirassier from the 6 Swedish Ryttare Regiments)
Jamtland Ryttare Regiment (Dismounted)
French Fribataljon (I did not make that one up)
Jager Corps
Bluhussaren Regiment

Left Wing Front Line
Spens Varvade Regiment
Upplands Indelta Regiment

Left Wing Second Line
AboLans Indelta Regiment
Nylands Indelta Regiment

Left Wing Cavalry
Bohuslands Dragooner Regiment
Nylands Dragooner Regiment

Center Front Rank
Kungl Livgardet Regiment
Posse Vavarde Regiment

Kungl Livregiment
Lowenfels Vavarde Regiment

Center Second Rank
Sodermanlands Indelta Regiment
Dalarnas Indelta Regiment (1 Battalion)
Narke Varmlands Regiment (1 Battalion)

Ostgota Indelta Regiment
Halsinge Indelta Regiment

Center Cavalry
Livregiment
Adelsfanor Regiment
Vastagota Regiment

Smalands Regiment
Ostragota Regiment
Norraskanska Reiment
Sodraskanska Regiment

Right Wing
Vastgota Dals
Vastermanlands
Vasterbottens

Right Wing Cavalry
Livregiment Dragooners
Karelska Dragooners

Right Wing Light Division
Jagerkorps
Bohnen Fribataljon
Gul Hussars
French Frikorps Cavalry

For such a small project I am amazed at the number of figures I will need, actually the number of horse is what I find staggering.

A slight change in plans

After much discussion with the Self-Elector, umm I mean Fitz, I have changed my painting plans slightly and this will involve a slight change to the completed Württemberg units.

I will be getting six battalions on older Prussian figures from Fitz so the currently completed four battalions (using Old Glory 15's) will have their facings redone as red and become the Infantry from the two Mecklenburg Duchies.

The Six or Eight Battalions of Freikorps figures will be painted up as the Württemberg Army. These will match the Freikorps figures I am painting up as the Bavarians. I'll probably have to come up with a few more artillery pieces but with a Heritage Artillery Park for the Austrians I think I have that covered.

Böhnens Fribataljon

While painting up the last four Don Cossacks I also painted up 12 figures of Böhnens Fribataljon for the Seven Years War. I really like the way this unit turned out. Each figure is wearing a different but similar uniform. Several Prussian uniforms symbolizing Prussian deserters which made up much of the battalion.

I also prepared the Second Battalion of Drottningens Livregemente for painting, well actually I primed them as I had cleaned all three battalions and mounted to Popsicle sticks last week. These should be a quick unit to paint with white facings, white paints, white gators, white small clothes, white hat lace, and white belting.

In addition I primed up both of the Swedish Heavy Batteries for painting, again this will be a damn quick unit to paint. Blue pants, blue small clothes, blue facings, natural leather belts and no hat lace.

The Glorious 26th of October

The Saracstic Alliance: The Self Elector (Notice how he is peaking at the Camera), The Left Hand Man, Count von Zoltov, Freddie the Adequate, and Prinz Henri von Kersed


The Austrians: Duke Jimbo of Whirlyberg, The Elector of Bavaria Noel the First and the Archduck Jack.


The Thirty Third and a Third Coalition of Lunacy: Duck Jimbo of Whirlyberg, The Elector of Bavaria Noel the First, the Archduck Jack, The great Pasha Beybey, and General "Biggie" Johnson


Freddie the Adequate and Duck Jimbo discuss the sharp lines of battle before the game game starts.


The growing Swedish Army moves into defensive position behind the Mississippi Creek.


A wider view of my Swedish forces.


Freddie the adequate surpressing a chuckle as he discuss battle plans with the Left Hand man.


The Austrian commanders laugh about the deployment of thier army. "How bad could this be?" Asked the Noel the First.


A view down the Coalition Line after the first turn.


A view down the Alliance Line after the first turn.


A view of the Prussian Position.



A view of the Hanoverian Position.


Prinz Henri von Kursed looks over the board in antipation as turn two is about to begin.


Right wing of the Austrian Line.


Prinz Henri von Kersed Cavalry command of two Hussar regiments chages home against a Austrian Cuirassier Regiment and an Austrian Dragoon Regiment.
If you look closely in the woods you will see a unit of Prussian Jagers engaged with an Austrian Grenzer unit.



The Second Hussar Regiment is replused.



A closeup of the battle line.



The Ottomans under The great Pasha Beybey cross the Mississippi Creek and begin advancing on the Hanoverian Army.


A view of the Austrian Line at the end of turn three.


After entense combat the Austrian Cuirassier regiment rambles back to regroup.


During the explotation phase the Prussian Hussars under Prinz Henri von Kersed move to flank the Austrian Line.


The Hanoverian line slowly retreats in attempt to intice the Ottomans to charge.



Two, four, six eight, who do we appreciate. Freddie the Adequate tries to determine how many dice he needs for his Artillery Battery.


We have seen this look before on the Austrian commanders. Something like reindeer just ran over grandma.


The freshily washed and bathed Ottomans begin the rumble forward.


What do mean we have been charged from the rear? The Austrian Dragoons and Cuirassier Regiments in a clear moment of dooooommmm.


Well, with the Elector of Bavaria, Noel the First, in charge we are assured of a Couple Cavalry Charges being replused by teh Bayonetts.



A view of the Prussians of the Left Hand Man moving forward in the center.


The valiant charge of the Hanoverian Guard Cavalry against the Ottomans cavalry.


A view of the Ottoman and Swedish positions on the left of the Austrian Line. The Swedes wait paitently at the Mississippi Creek for the an attack that never came.


A look down the Austrian Line as a regiment of Cuirassier have found themselves out of position.


The lone Ottoman Cavalry Regiment stand triumphantly as it has successfully replused the vaunted Hanoverian Guard Cavalry Regiment relentless assaut.


The Final Dispositions as cleanup is taking place.

The Actors:

• The Self Elector: Jim (AKA Fitz) Fitzgerald
• The Left hand Man von Zoltov: Joe Zottola
• Freddie the Adequate: Tom Zwirn
• Prinz Henri von Kersed: BJ Kersteter
• Duke Jimbo of Whirlyberg: Jimbo (He who I will learn his last name someday)
• The Elector of Bavaria, Noel the First: Noel
• Archduck Jack: Jack Anderson
• The great Pasha Beybey: Chris Combs
• General "Biggie" Johnson: Jeff Johnson <- That's me by the way.