Showing posts with label Russians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russians. Show all posts

Saturday, 22 March 2025

THE BATTLE OF OF STALLUPONEN AND GUMBINNEN - 17TH- 20TH OF AUGUST 1914

Again WW1 but this time 6mm! and the home made rules "Bloodbath" I call them (working title).

And the opening fights leading to the Russian disaster at Tannenberg, the battle of Gumbinnen/Stalluponen. Where actually my Grandfather participated under the 41/5th East Prussian Regiment.

Bart was too happy about it as he could fight Russians! As he re-read the historical battle report he was the more happy to go along and fight for every square meter and make a stand.

Me and Andrew were the perfect incarnations of the indifferent Russian nobility and shared the command over Rennenkampfs corps ... what could go possibly wrong.

We learned with the rules and like the historical commander we send troops in BEFORE the artillery had done its deed... who cares about two divisions ...

That should cost us greatly, I hadn't fixed any victory conditions as we were all learning the rules,  but the Russian casualties piled high from the get go...

In the end we cleared Stalluponen Once!!!, one turn... thats it. High peak of our performance, the Germans lost also nearly all their front divisions, but to the price of our double (2:1) ratio.

Congratulations Bart, you defended East- Prussia ... 

Initial set up

Main defence of the German line

Fictional HQ of Rennekampf

The Russian set up

The German defence stand

And their reserve

The Russian advance

All good in the Hinterland

First turns we let them be ...

Andrews north attack came first under fire

then my south pincer movement stalled ...

Then we changed tactic ...

Halted the pincer and ...

... took out their guns ...

They had longer ranges, but we had more guns ...

the centre became under rising pressure ...

still no reserve was called in apart from cavalry

then my south attack hit home ...

to a terrible price ...

we stalled the pincer and barricaded into the forrest

At the end we had the village just a turn ... shambles... like in history



Tuesday, 18 February 2025

BIG SUNDAY GAME - Warsaw 1764 - an obsession ...

28mm - BIG SUNDAY GAME!! - this time Seven Years War or better the Second Polish War of Succession - Me (Prussians, Russians and Austrians) and Bart (Saxoniand and Poles) with our respective collections.

The Russian- Prussian forces were positioning on a hill to hold onto, while the Poles, Saxonians and Austrians would make their day count.

It was magnificent! The onslaught on the Russo- Prussian lines was relentless, Bart opted for a pincer attack and nearly succeeded! his Tartars were bheind my lines harrassing the Prussian defenseless guns.

But his Saxon army had bled to death while attacking the centre village and the fortified hill. Also the Austrian cavalry was beaten, a little too late but nevertheless!

The Russian cavalry was able to secure the flank (wow!) after it looked most of the battle like a clear breakthrough.

Bart fought hard, but my guns were devastating and too much for the few Saxons. I agree that the next storming of a artillery fortified position needs double if not triple the amount of battalions. Not Everybody can be as good as the Prussians ... ;)


The initial lines...



The Russo-Prussians advancing to the right flank ...

The first clashes of cavalry...

The seydlitz hussars in front of the Austrian ocean of white ...

The Prussian half of the hill...

The Prussian artillery position...

The Russian artillery position ...

The Russian advance to the centre village ...

And the Russian left flank advance ...

BUT the Poles slide through the trees ...

While the  other stay in reserve ...

The battle continues into chaoes ...



The Prussian cavalry has its difficulties vs the Austrians ...

Still the Austrians don't move ...

The fight of the centre starts ...

The rules used ...

The Russian Cavalry is ... suboptimal ...

The height of the battle ...

The Prussian Hussars are tough, but not unbeatable ...

A little too late the Austrians move ...

The poles harass the Prusian guns ...

Nothing that I could do ...

Then the Russian cavalry close the gap ...

The end of the battle ...

The Prussians Horse break through ... too late ...

The polish attack is successfully blocked ...



The centre is held ...



And the Austrian attack is halted ... with a heavy cost ...

The Prussian guns are running out on ammo ...

Still harassed by the Poles ...

But the centre is still safe ...

The Russian guard plugs any gaps ...

The Polish cavalry can't break through ...







Even though they look nice ...
The Seydlitz Hussars retreat ...