Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The Battle of Munchhausen

The militia forces of Bittburg were in such a frantic race to cut off Saxe-Huack's army that their forces arrived piece meal with no greater cohesion than what company officers could muster. Colonel von Vorbeck ordered his army to halt upon sighting the enemy just north of the town. Our forces arrayed with the Artillery Battery in the center with Colonel von Vorbeck's HQ company. The 1st Regiment on the left with the Grenadier Guards Bn on the right.

The enemy commander Colonel Hans Plotzngras was not on the field, apparently suffering from a bad case of toe gout and was reclining in comfort with his staff at the Frog & Duck tavern in Munchhausen. Bittburg's forces all halted by company and awaited the advance of our army. Colonel von Vorbeck had other ideas so he ordered his artillery to open fire on the farthest company in range. The shots rang loud and true as the enemy company suffered massive losses. This emboldened more e'lean officers to order their companies to advance and as they did so our artillery helped improve their rate of march by thinning out their numbers.

By the time 4 Bittburg companies had managed to form a line against our forces 3 more of their number had been destroyed. These 4 enemy commanders exchanged rifle fire with our line and were decimated. Thanks be to God for our losses were small, roughly a platoon sized mix of regulars and grenadiers.

Col. Plotzengras was found hiding under the tavern bar in Munchhausen and was arrested. Colonel von Vorbeck's men were greeted as liberators and enjoyed a welcome night's repose in the town.

My wife deployed the Bittburg's militia's and my 12 year old step-daughter commanded them. Although she took more joy in delaying her dice rolls and watching my facial expressions as she hid the dice from view than she did playing the game.

I changed my rules for this battle and used a SYW mod I wrote for AD&D Battlesystem, which I greatly enjoyed.

3 comments:

abdul666 said...

A brisk little affair near a place with agreat name!

Hope for pics, next time?

Cheers,
Jean-Louis

trailape said...

Are your rules available?

Anonymous said...

If I refight this battle on my table, would that be Munchausen by proxy?