Julian came over today and we completed the second part of the game of the Battle of Klissow, 19th July 1702 (8th July Julian calendar, 9th July Swedish calendar).
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| We picked up the game in the third turn, the Swedish Livregimentet till Hast / Livdragon Regimentet charged the victorious Winged Hussars (top right) while the infantry continued to press in the centre. Saxon artillery concentrating on the Swedish infantry. |
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| The Saxon infantry pushed back the attacking Swedes. |
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| Meanwhile, the Polish dragoons (heavily disguised as reitars) and Saxon Garde du Corps regiment made a sandwich of the victorious Livregimentet till Hast / Livdragon Regimentet, breaking the latter. |
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| View down the line, from the Polish/Saxon right. |
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| Saxon artillery continued to pound away, inflicting a few 'casualties'. |
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| Above and below: the Saxon infantry fired at the Swedish they had forced back. |
At this stage, the Swedes were in serious trouble and it looked a matter of time until they were enveloped from left and right.
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| A rare Swedish success on their right: Rehnskiöld's Ostgota Cavalry Regt broke the first of the Saxons attempting their outflanking manoeuvre. |
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| Then a breakthrough in the centre with the Saxon Kurprinz and Guard regiments broken. |
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| Lubomirski's Polish cavalry continued their successful charges. |
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| Polish dragoons send the Småland cavalry regt on their way. |
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| Then it happened. Having broken the Saxon line, the Swedish infantry made short work of the second line troops (in both meanings of the term). |
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| Saxon centre broken: game over. |
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| Two views of the end of the battle, from the Saxon side (above) and Swedish side (below). |
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| Losses: a unit of Saxon cavalry and five of infantry to one of Swedish cavalry. |
It had been a really close affair.
Julian's audacious attacks, making use of his numbers, very nearly paid off. The quality of the Swedish infantry came through in the end and turned pretty quickly.
Another successful test of "Twilight of the Sun King" as far as I am concerned. I appreciate Julian having a go and especially playing it out since he was not overly in favour of these stylised rules.
I'm keen to put the finishing touches to these figures and add in some more so that I/we can try again with GåPå.
Rules
Twilight of the Sun King, 2nd Edition
Scales
Base width represents ~300 m, base width 50 mm, game area 1 m x 1 m
Infantry: units approx. 1 600, 2 000, 2 400 men for small, average, large.
Cavalry: units approx. 800, 1 000, 1 200 for small, average, large.
Artillery: approx. 12, 20, 24 guns for small, average, large batteries.
Of course, these numbers are interpreted really loosely as with most 'unit' based rules nowadays.
Figures (all 1/72)
Saxon
Infantry Mars Saxon infantry.
Cavalry Strelets Russian Dragoons of Peter I
Artillery Zvezda Swedish Artillery of Charles XII and Mars Polish field artillery (standing in as the Saxon 3 pdr guns).
Polish-Lithuanian
Hussars Zvezda Polish Winged Hussars.
Pancerni Orion Polish Winged Hussars.
Dragoons (heavily disguised as reitars) Strelets Reitars of Charles XII.
Wallachian light cavalry Mars Polish 'Lisovchiki' (1st half of the XVII century).
Lithuanian Tartars Mars Lithuanian Tartars (1st half of the XVII century).
Swedish
Infantry mix of Mars Swedish infantry, Strelets Swedish Infantry of Charles XII & From Narva to Poltava.Cavalry Strelets Lieb-Drabants of Charles XII and Zvezda Swedish Dragoons of Charles XII.
Very nice work James and love the 1/72nd figures:)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Steve.
DeleteGood game! The result is a historic victory for the Swedes. The figures are beauty! I myself have long wanted to play the battle of Klishov. There are few Poles so far.
ReplyDeleteThank you Valentine. It was close to the historic version, but the Polish army did a lot better in our version.
DeleteThey are such a wonderful, colourful army to paint. I have more than the same amount again to do so that I can stage a larger scale version of Klissow, not to mention Kaliz. I am sure that your own will look marvellous, as your current Great Northern War figures do.
Brilliant to see this done in 1/72. Those Winged Hussars look superb.
ReplyDeleteThanks Graham, most kind. Your wonderful games of the early 18th century are always a joy to view.
DeleteThose Zvezda figures are something special, aren't they? The Orion ones are excellent too. I am doing a few of the latter to bolster the ranks of my winged hussars. Most of them will become pancerni, as the ones in this game were/are.
I love these Polish hussars and the Zvezda minis too. Great report of such a strange battle!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteYeah, love those hussars. I was so pleased a few years back when I realised that I could get some Polish hussars for the Great Northern War (even if they (likely) did not wear the wings by then—if ever in combat). Whoever sculpted them for Zvezda got it spot on. Powerful, magnificent figures without any of the crazy caricature-type aspects that beset so many figures nowadays.
The result was quite close to the history, particularly in the centre. The good performance of the Polish army was the exception. Unless by 'strange' you mean little known?
Regards, James
Immensely enjoyable to play with those wonderful figures. We will change the course of history...not this time though. Looking forward to trying again with GåPå which I think will be more up my street.
ReplyDeleteGreat of you to persist with a game using a system that you do not like, thanks. I enjoyed the game, company *and* the rules!
DeleteA bit more painting before I have enough for GåPå. Polemos Great Northern War, which you reminded me about, is somewhere between the two, so likely up next.
Grand looking game!
ReplyDeleteThank you Joe. I'm working on some more figs so as to do an expanded version and to try out the Polemos Great Northern War rules.
Delete