An Alternative Seven Years War Remote Wargame
The Battle of Stoliboz, 1 October 1756
A Guest Blog
Part 3 – Battle Phase 2, First Clashes and Jockeying for Position
As the generals consult their time-pieces they note that as 10am approaches the fog is lifting fast, as a slight breeze and a warm Autumn sun uncover the battlefield.
If you have just joined this then you may want some of the previous posts on this battle.
Introduction and details - (I’m sure Ray will provide the link) HERE
Phase 1 – deployment in the fog - (I’m sure Ray will provide the link) HERE
French horse artillery (nb. Remember it’s an alternative SYW) fires canister into Regt Conde-La Reine as it strays too close in the last of the morning mist.
Meanwhile the Austrian grenzers and French chasseurs commence a firefight in woods.
Which is ably assisted by the horse artillery which realigns its sights and pours canister into the threatening chasseurs.
Consequently, the French chasseurs immediately recoil to calm their shaken morale.
Things are moving fast outside of Stoliboz as French heavy cavalry and Austrian hussars charge and counter charge.
The melee is savage with the French Conde-La Reine regiment broken by the Austrian 12th Hussars…
…but honours are even (at least for the moment) when the French Orleans-Roussillon regiment send the Austrian 6th Hussars into confusion and retreat.
However, both the enthusiasm and organisation of riders and mounts of the Orleans-Roussillon regiment have waned and they are then unable to follow through. Whilst in true Teutonic style, the 12th Hussars opt to pause and reorganise their ranks.
So, the situation at about quarter past ten o’clock is as follows with the fog clearing fast across the whole field.
With the focus across most of the area being about gaining position and deploying, most of the action centres just to the west of Stoliboz. With the crackle of irregular musketry continuing between the skirmishers in the woods, the cavalry brigades jostle for advantage. However, being out of command and in a state of disorganisation, Orleans-Roussillon regiment finds itself charged in the flank by the re-organised Austrian 12th Hussars.
This is too much for even the cream of French horsemanship to bear and so the Orleans-Roussillon regiment break after suffering substantial losses.
By 10:30am, the Austrian lines are beginning to take shape and the pressure on Stoliboz from the French has been temporarily eased. However, the French chasseurs in the woods to the north of the town may have something to say about that.
Apart from the sound of unregulated firing from the woods, the battlefield has settled into a calm broken only by the tramp of marching infantry, the jingle of horse furniture and the beat of the drums. So it is that this is the situation at around quarter to eleven o’clock as seen from the Austrian side.
And from the French side.
And lastly, the battle lines are being drawn from the Elbe and Stoliboz in the north to the mountains in the south.
What would you do now if you were either Ray and Ian for the Austrians, or Lee, Surjit and John for the French?
Until next time…
