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WSS
Campaign
Turn
Two
Battle
near Mannheim
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Captain
General John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough.
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Prince
François Eugène of Savoy
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Camille
d'Hostun de la Baume, Duc de Tallard, Marshall of France
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Prince
Maximilian II Emanuel Wittelsbach
Elector
of Bavaria
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Welcome
to the WSS Campaign
Sclacht
bei Mannheim
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As Villars' army moves south-east
near Mannheim, Anhalt Dessau marched to meat him, and both forces
aware of each other's presence and approximate strengths sought engagement
with each other. |
The
two armies lined up in classical array, with the infantry on the center,
the allied battalions anchored between two small hamlets. The French were
quick to size the initiative with their cavalry on the right flank quickly
descending on the more static Prussian division, while their infantry advanced
their whole line towards the allies. |
On
the right, the French cavalry were not so quick to advance, and the allies
cavalry division, mostly Hanoverians, were quick to advance from the rear
- also bringing up their reserve which had been reorganizing behind the
allied infantry, having been used earlier in the day for scouting.
Waiting for them were dragoons and several
squadrons of French horse. |
The
French cavalry waited on the flank of their infantry and a short battle
ensued, resulting in most of the French cavalry being driven off - but
with fairly small losses.
However, the loss of their flank support
created consternation amongst the French. The whole line had been advancing
towards the allied line, but with their left flank threatened, and it's
battalions there beginning to go into square, this had the effect dragging
that end of the line back and stalling the advance. |
A
couple of ineffectual demonstrations were made by the Hanoverian cavalry
against the French squares - to little effect except to scare the horse
a lot. The net result of this w was that the left of the French infantry
line was unable to advance and engage the Hanoverian infantry division
opposite them.
Meanwhile, back on the right flank, the
French cavalry were steadily, but surely driving back the allies' Prussian
cavalry division, pushing it well past its starting position. |
A
horses eye view of the same battle.
The horses on the fore
ground (right click the image and click view - to see a larger version)
were painted to an incredible standard of artistry by Neil Sheardown in
Hull England. A little difficult to see is the two riders on the horse
on the right most end of the nearest unit. They are converted, along with
their horses, to appear as being knocked down by volley fire - and look
splendid. |
The
allied line simply maintained its position, the speed of the French advance
slowed only by its desire to keep its bigger guns - their limbers and teams
protected by the battalions ahead of them.
In the far ground, the French cavalry can
be seen pushing past the village as the allied cavalry is defeated on that
flank. |
So
effective was the French attack that it was able to disengage the mauled
and now useless Prussian cavalry and regroup to support their infantry's
impending assault against the allied Prussian Infantry division on the
allied left.
While the cavalry battle had been progressing,
the French line had been steadily advancing, slowly enough that it could
bring its bigger guns with it, and although the left of their line had
been stalled, the right was approaching effective range of the enemy. |
All that remained was for
an artillery duel between the German and French guns, before the assault
began. The guns did damage to each other's battalions, but not the devastation
that had been hoped for. |
While the guns fire away, nor more than
one or two musketry volleys were exchanged at long range when unexpectedly,
the Prussian Division's morale wavered and the battalions began to fall
back. |
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Having fallen back a few hundred
yards, and the French not having yet fully exploited the fall back, the
Prussians quickly organized themselves into a 2 brigade square and began
an orderly withdrawal.
At
this point, Anhalt Dessau decided that the risk to his now disrupted line
was too great and began to retreat from the table.
Very little infantry casualties were caused
during the battle, the most blood being drawn by the Horse - the better
of which was given by the French.
However, during the retreat, the French
horse put up a vigorous pursuit, and a number of stragglers were cut down.
The final toll:
Allied Losses
1,250 Horse
1,250 Foot
4 Guns
French Losses
375 Horse
625 Foot
0 Guns
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Return
to Campaign Head Quarters
Sic Transit Gloria
Mundi
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Copyright
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Ian Croxall
Salem,
Oregon. USA
SIC
TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI
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