The 2nd Battle of Bergen – Easter Friday, WWIII Central Front 1985

Here are a selection of shots taken from our Easter Fridays Game. Odd purists may object the scenario won't fit in this dedicated Seven Years War Blog, but, I must say it does bear a compelling connection, really. That's why I chose to share it anyway.

Soviet T-80's attacking

To me and our group in Frankfurt/Germany, Easter Friday has been the anniversary day of the SYW April 1759 fought battle of Bergen for years. This year, I made it a "Cold War turned Hot" scenario settled in around 1985-86. 

A Soviet reinforced tank regt (T-80's & BMP-2's) supported by 4 flight's of Mi-24 Attack-helos under the command of colonel “Brunswickov“ launched a deliberate attack on a NATO W-German battle group under overall command of a W-German general-major named "Breugler", drawn from 15th Armoured Brig/5th Armour Div with Leopard II & Marder IFV's (each 1 reinforced battalion plus 1 AT coy Jaguar II HOT and a battalion of 155 mm SP howitzers). NATO defended the high grounds to the east of Frankfurt - in fact the historic grounds of the 7YW battle of Bergen in 1759. Recon and AA platoons were also included on both sides. 

A great battleground to the present day, as it turned out. Google maps provided the basic layout for the terrain. Worked excellent. An embarrassing lot of build-up-areas, rally. I need more buildings, I guess.

The Terrain (table size 2 x 1.9 m)
View shows end result with initial FEBA outlined red

For my scenario, I used the original set of Frank Chadwick's Combined Arms rules (long out of print) which I haven't played for years. Yes, it's still alive. I wonder if anyone else is still using this set of rules?

My Scenario Planning

We were 4 players. Two on each side. I played on the WarPac side. 

NATO mission: Hold and defend

Part of the W-Germans were supposed to start in prepared positions, while a reserve of armour was to reinforce only later entering from NW direction of Nieder-Erlenbach.

Bergen-Enkheim and Bad Vilbel surroundings seen from the South

WarPac Mission: seize Bergen and Lohrberg heights

The Soviets approached from E on two axes. Most armour plus 2 Mot-Rifle coys approached from Schöneck while a Mot-Rifle bataillon approached along the A 66 Interstate tasked to seize Bischofsheim and attack NATO positions along A 66. 1st Bn/28 Armour following behind and tasked to assault Bergen from front the minute the northern group started its assault across the heights just S of Gronau. A single massed simultaneous strike was planned. That should do it, I thought. Part of NATO positions to the W of Bischofsheim were to be blinded by smoke to reduce defensive fire, to be delivered from the Regt Arty group of 3 battalions deployed behind the Hohen Stein high ground (each 1 bn SP 122 mm and 152 mm howitzers and 1 bn BM-21 missile launchers).

Soviet 3 bn Arty Group deployed to support the attack

Forward Edge of Battle Area (FEBA) was found by a pre assault recon action by all players operating with a company sized force to get a feel for the rules. The positions gained here could then serve to place forward elements onto the table. This, I did for the first time. To my feeling not so bad an idea to play out a prior mini game simulating the pre main action recon part, and then start the real game anew. It helps to avoid having an entire Arty battalion gang up on a single unsuspecting BRDM recon platoon the moment it comes into sight. I had all this in other games before.

How did it all work out?

Very different to my initial planning. The W-German reinforcing armour elements choosed to be already in position instead of coming in later. I somehow missed to tell this bit right after issuing the troops to my opponents. Soon later, while I was busy explaining our force to my partner, they had all deployed & I didn't bother to interfere. The heck. Won't make much of a difference, I thought. While the Soviet were deploying for the assault, W-Germans launched a smallish spoiling attack on Gronau, held by only a single BRDM recon platoon. Soviet plans remained unchanged, nevertheless, except Gronau was now also to be regained, which absorbed about 2 coys strength. Gronau now became the scene of a murderous close combat with both sides arty elements also joining in.

The fighting in Gronau

Soon later, 3 Soviet tank bataillons started the assault head on the Bergen position. I failed to fire the planned smoke mission, but instead decided to attack several spotted enemy with regular HE. Not a good decision, as it turned out, for it did little damage. Now basically all W-German elements in  position opened fire on Soviet tanks. The result was an outright massacre.

Too many tanks now received hit into their flank armour from the direction of Gronau and South positions in the woods behind Bischofsheim (the area that was to be blinded by smoke). This brought the game to a soon end with the Soviets taking a decisive defeat. Our Mi-24 Helos now could do no more then cover our retreat.

Finale seen from the South

W-German positions in Bergen. Most being 2/152 PzGrenBtl. – the unit I served in between 1984-1986. It suffered no casualties. I must have survived the day, I guess :-) 

W-German M-113G A2 artillery Forward Observer. The model being a self-made conversion

Refight of 1741 battle of Mollwitz

For once, I took the opportunity and made a number of nice photos of last Saturday's battle of Mollwitz. A good part of My-Seven-Years-War Austrians & Prussians were gathered for an scenario, designed to introduce my 12 year old nephew to the realm of wargaming.  The game was played with Volley & Bayonet rules. The scenario loosely followed the 1741 Mollwitz situation. About 600 of my miniatures took part. An infantry regimental base has an average 16 figures, the cavalry brigade stand 10 to 12, and a battery consists of 5 to 8 gunners plus the piece.

The Prussians under young Frederic and Feld-Maréchal Schwerin were played by myself while the Austrians were played by nephew Karl. Initially it was to be under the command of count Königsegg, but Karl wanted to command en chef himself. Only minutes before commencement of the battle a courrier from Vienna arrived ordering supreme command to be transferred to "Prinz Karl" – alias duc Charles de Lorraine. To keep it short: I suffered a decisive defeat. Karl, only playing for the second time beat the old maestro. My brave Prussian infantry melted away under a series of most murderous salvoes on the side of the Austrian infantry. That day, my dice were no match to Karl's. 

Above picture shows the Austrian line of battle, formed to either side of the little village of Mollwitz. The right wing cavalry (not on the photo) consisted of 3 brigades: C4 Stampach cuirassiers, de Ville's elite brigade of converged Grenadiers à cheval, and the Saxon prince Charles chevauxlegers. Infantry 1st line from right to left: Prinz Karl's own IR3 duc Charles de Lorraine, Netherlandish IR30 Saxe-Gotha and IR9 Los Rios, IR22 Sprecher, Kurmainz imperial auxilliaries, IR59 Leopold Daun, and IR1 l'Empereur romain. The second line: IR27 Baden-Durlach, IR14 Rhingrave de Salm, IR32 Forgatch and IR31 Haller Hungarians, and finally IR4 Teutschmeister closing on the left. The Austrian left wing cavalry consisted of 4 brigades: C1 Archi duc Leopold cuirassiers, C9 Saxe-Teschen cuirassiers, C6 Odonell cuirassiers, and D4 Savoyen dragons. Total was 7 brigades of cavalry, 12 regiments of infantry and 2 batteries including 1 being heavy. (N.B.: all regimental numbers according to the system used at Kronoskaf – see http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw ) The Prussian army was of near same size or a total of 6 cavalry brigades, 13 infantry regiments, including 2 of Grenadiers, and 2 field batteries.

Close view of the Prussian infantry centre. The regiments IR22 prince Maurice, IR13 Itzenplitz – the crack "Thunder and Blitz", IR7 vieux Bevern, and IR19 marcgrave Charles. Maréchal Schwerin at the head of his army – at this time still very much alive – gives orders to advance. The battle started with a Prussian advance. Meanwhile, Frederic, the king, preferred to remain behind Itzenplitz. His suite consists of 2 Leib-Hussars H2 in winter dress, and an aide-de-camp. 

Now it was Karl to decide how to react to what seemed to be an all out frontal attack. Without hesitation, he gave orders to have his infantry boldly advance to meet the Prussians. Stampach's cuirassiers charged the grenadiers on the Prussian left wing forcing them back in disorder. A good start for the Empress-Queens troops. Next followed an exchange of long range fire from the infantry's bataillon guns, which did little damage to either side.

Now Prussians tried to decide the issue with the bayonet and closed in on the Austrian infantry. My cavalry was deliberately kept at a distance to the Austrian, for all of my horse were rated with rather poor morale that day. I had put my faith into the superior morale Prussian infantry. Above scene shows a detail of the infantry clash. Lower left shows Prussian Möllendorff grenadiers (converged IR 9/10) engaging l'Empereur. To their left, a battery of light 12 pounders (Dieskau M1754). Modell is by Diez foundry, Austria. Behind you see marcgrave Charles. It engages Kurmainz. Shortly after, Schwerin, my Prussian army commander, realy did get killed during fire combat. 
– to be continued –