SYW - Austria's Revenge?

After the last battle, where the Austrians were completely routed by the aggressive Prussian cavalry, the lads were eager to get back in the saddle and contemplate Austria's revenge.

This battle is even larger than the last. I pre-rated all the leaders (Frederick was skilled this time and there was one Brilliant Prussian sub-commander, while Austria had an Average leader, but two superior sub-commanders) and drew the Army Characterization decks prior to the player's arrival.

Here are a couple shots of the game showing the more open and rolling terrain in this battle, with massive Austrian and Prussian armies.

Bavarian\Hungarian infantry brigade with Croats in the village.

Nice view of the entire battle from the Austrian side of the table. A big seven regiment Austrian cavalry wing closest to the camera.

This is a shot closer to the terrain, with a river passing through and a watermill hard at work

A view of the strong Prussian position next to the Church

Austrian OOB
75 Morale Chips - 2 Superior Sub-commanders, Average C-in-C
Extra Artillery Reload, Heroic Moment, and Melee Resolution in the Sequence Deck
14 German and Hungarian Battalions
3 Grenadier Battalions (elite)
4 Bavarian Infantry Battalions (trained militia)
2 Croat Battalions
7 Cuirassier Regiments (2 Elite)
6 Dragoon Regiments
1 Hussar Regiment
2 Heavy Batteries
2 Light Batteries

Prussian OOB
53 Morale Chips - Skilled C-in-C and one Superior sub-commander
Extra Artillery Reload in the Sequence Deck
3 Grenadier battalions (elite)
8 Musketeer battalions
3 Fusilier battalions
4 Cuirassier regiments (Elite)
4 Dragoon regiments (1 Elite)
2 Hussar regiments (1 Elite)
2 Heavy Batteries
2 Light Batteries

Scenario
This is a three turn scenario, where the Prussians must hold off the Austrian attack for two turns then may begin to withdraw from the table in earnest.

Austrians automatically win the first initiative as they are on the attack

Prussians can give a command a Withdraw order on a Move in Open card on turn 3. All units in this command must fall back on this card. This will allow the units in that command to make a full speed move backwards (6" in line), maintaining their facing, but going Unformed. They could still move back half and not become unformed, but they must move backwards once they have this order. This order can never be changed during the battle.

THE BATTLE

The Austrians win the initiative and their first card is Infantry Move in Open! Tally ho! They first fire their heavy guns once and then move their infantry brigades, followed by the right wing cavalry.

I particularly like the photo below of the long linear lines characteristics of this period of warfare.

The Prussian heavy batteries open up on the advancing Austrian Juggernaut, but manage to roll weary on their quality roll. That means they are a D8 firing. Frederick is most embarrassed.

Prussian Grenadiers, bottom left, await the advance of the Bavarians, while the Prussian heavy battery attempts to weaken the Austrian center.

Continued view down the line all the way to the Austrian cavalry of the right wing.

The Prussian battery loses a stand to Austrian musket fire

The Austrians are pushing in tight and melee the Prussia heavy guns which annihilates the battery.

Prussians opp fire as the Austrians push forward to little effect ...

Except here, where they inflict 3 stands of damage, and rout the Austrian battalion.

The Bavarian\Hungarian brigade advance into certain death with 3 Prussian Grenadier battalions waiting to opp fire (yellow poker chips) at point blank range. Jan is the commander of this brigade and rolls Determined for 2 out of the 3 Grenadier battalions, which is a D12+1 on fire!

Casualties and smoke everywhere as Bavarians are crushed along with a Hungarian regiment.

This is how it looks from Brian's point of view as the Bavarian commander.

With all the infantry combat in the center chewing through morale chips the Austrians launch their cavalry charge on the right wing (7 Regiments vs 4 Prussian)!

Sabers crash and wounded fight as four! Three Austrian regiments smash into the Prussians, while one Austrian Cuirassier regiment peals off and attacks the Prussian light guns just beside the church.

The Prussians win 2 of the 3 melees, but I had to show the one below as this Dragoon regiment was a D8 in melee vs. a Austrian Cuirassier D12, and still managed to rout the Austrian cuirassier! The Austrians will need their second line of cavalry in this scrum

The Prussian grenadiers keep firing and the Bavarians and Hungarians keep falling. Half the Bavarian brigade is now routing or destroyed.

On the Prussian right flank the Austrian cavalry cautiously advance, and the Prussians ATTACK!

Austrian cavalry is bested in melee one regiment after another

Photo taken from the Prussian right wing, and you can see the line is engaged across several kilometers of ground.

The Prussian left wing cavalry command is killed in melee, which throws the whole Prussian wing into chaos.

Although weak,  Prussian battery does some serious casualties with canister fire.

Austrian Cuirassier swirl around the Prussian light guns, but won't close into melee.

More bloody fighting in the center with the Austrians rolling a 12 vs 2 for the Prussians, wiping out 3 stands of infantry and routing this Prussian unit.

On the Prussian left, even though out of command and blown, the 1st Cuirassier manages to rout this Austrian Dragoon regiment, the wheel to meet the flank of the Austrian line!

Another move card for the Prussians and they charge into the flank of this light gun battery. The artillery crew is left dead in a red mist. Austrian personal morale is nearly gone by this point in time.

On the far right the Prussian 2nd Cuirassier melees these Austrian Dragoons and rout them

The Austrian cavalry runs along with all Austrian hope of victory. The Austrian army begins its withdraw. The game lasted 2 turns.

 Another awesome game of Cartouche and hope to get this on the table again before the end of the year. We are going to do some board games over the next couple weeks, to give me a chance to catch up on some things. Cheers!