WGA 2021 - Polish Army Project article

I had an article on my Polish Army project in the Wargamers Annual 2021; the article has summary of the project, plus scenarios based on the battles of Wallhof and Honigfelde

Swedish Army TYW Books....

I recently indulged in a two books published by Helion ...

I have dipped into them - very interesting and worth the money spent.

Another one, not yet published is one about Polish army in Prussia - will get this when it is available

Adding some more figures to my 'musketeers' collection

 I have been adding some more 40mm figures to use in my musketeers style adventures.

started work on a Rochefort style figure in action and non-action pose (using some heads and arms from some spare figures on bodies of some plastic soldiers ...

An Affray in the Square....

continued from the previous post ... 

As the Traveller crosses towards the far side of the square he finds his way blocked by the cardinals guard. The captain of the guard informs him that the Cardinal wishes to seem and asks him to come along quietly. The Traveller politely refuses, that he is on the Kings business and to get out of his way....

Von Messing and the rest of the escort hurry to catch up ....

The Captain of the guard insists, the Traveller and his assistants draw their swords ....

Von Messing and his men draw their swords and hurry across the square as the cardinals guard attack the Traveller and his assistants...

Soon all are engaged,  Von Messing's servant Limburger hangs around at the back with his cosh at the ready to give someone a whack on the head if the opportunity arises ...

The Traveller holds off the Captain of the Guard with ease, while his assistants have downed their opponents. Von Messing, Fischer and Scharfe move forward to engage some additional guardsmen; Hofler is being fought back across the square by his opponent ....

The sword fights continue...

Limburger tries to help Hofler ....

Swipes the cosh but misses and stumbles,  many of the cardinal's guard are wounded, including the Captain....

The cardinals guard back off, they have had enough ....

The traveller and his assistants, unperturbed, sheath their swords and head on towards the abbey, with Von Messing and his men covering the rear...

---oXo---

The news of the altercation in the abbey square reached the King, the Cardinal was summoned  - he apologised for the actions of his guard and said it had been a case of mistaken identity.  The King knew otherwise, he would keep a closer eye on the Cardinal's activities in the future ...

On the way to the Abbey ...

The Traveller and his assistants, with a special escort  are on their way to the abbey Alt-Wittenberg. 

The market square in front of the abbey ...

The preacher has a small audience ....

After a lunch at the Unicorn inn, as they pause for a chat with one of the serving wenches, von Messing glances up the street,  The Traveller has not waited for them and has gone on ahead...

The Traveller and his assistants enter the square ...

coming the other way a detachment of the cardinals guard .....

to be continued ....

The Traveller ?

The Traveller and his assistants have arrived in the city of Wittenberg...

Cardinal Lazunarund has been following this Traveller's movements, he wants to know who he is and what he has been doing.  He instructs one of his agents to get a detachment of the cardinals guard to detain him and bring him to see him for an interview ...

---oXo---

    A number of people know the Traveller's real identity. He is none other than Johannes Graf von Tiddenheim the Kings cousin;  he is a special envoy and investigator for the King. The Traveller is usually accompanied by his two assistants - Lisette de Givenchy and Otto Bahn. 

    Von Tiddenheim is a confident of the King and holds the royal warrant, acting as a special envoy and investigator; sometimes leading a specially selected group of individuals to delve into mysterious occurrences (such as his involvement with the case of the witches of Ottenheim).

    While the Traveller is in Wittenberg, he is visiting with the King; they walk together in the grounds of the palace  (the King's guard keep a discrete distance)...

After a lengthy meeting with the King, the Traveller joins his assistants and escort (Von Messing with his three best men - Fischer, Scharfe and Hofler), they are on their way to the abbey of Alt-Wittenberg...

Chocim 1621 - part of battle - disperse the attack

The Battle Of Chocim, was a combined siege and series of engagements between 2/Sep & 9/Oct 1621, between Polish-Lithuanian and invading Ottoman forces; for full description see....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Khotyn_(1621)

An informative plan map of battle, with some useful info on (in Polish) can be found here...

https://s.twojahistoria.pl/uploads/2017/10/bitwa-pod-chocimiem-1621.jpg

I decided to setup my gaming table to run through a scenario based on an engagement on 7/Sep when a small force of Polish cavalry (Hussars & Reiters) dispersed a large Ottoman attack.  For the setup I used my 17C Polish troops, a couple of units form my 17C Pike & Shot collection plus my 18C Ottoman style army (which is usable for 17C). Almost all figures in use are my own home-casts.

---oXo---

A view of part of the Polish defences.....

The Hussars, supported by Reiters, move out to attack the approaching Ottomans...

The Ottoman attack force ...

The Polish cavalry charge .....

The Hussars and Reiters smashed through the Spahis and then into the infantry - result attack in tatters and dipsersed.  

Not much of a challenging scenario, but a lot of fun to setup the table and to 'play with my toys'  😁

The Tatars ....

All the Tatars now finished, including a couple of special command figures ... trying out formations 3 and 2 ranks of figures deep ...

The command group.....

on the move ....

useful addition to the collection, could be part of a Polish-Lihtuanian force or fight with Ottoman forces.

Sample Tatars finished...

I've painted up three of the Tatars...

There are another 16 to do plus 2 additional command figures

Two units of light horse....

Two units of light horse (no armour/carbine), for use in future games.  Both units comprise my own home-cast figures, fitted with Front Rank 28mm swords.

Wallhof - Moves 4,5 and end-game....

Move 4

On the Polish left flank, the cossacks attack the Swedish musketeers on the edge of the woods, while the cavalry melee continues - the Swedes have committed a fresh cavalry regiment attacking the Poles in the flank

 in the centre the Swedish infantry stand firm, although coming of worst in exchange of vollies with the Polish german infantry and fire from light cannon

On the Polish right flank the cavalry melee continues - the Swedes have committed a fresh cavalry regiment attacking the Poles in the flank here as well.

 Move 5

The cavalry melees on both flank are lost by the Poles, outnumbered and attacked in the flank, they rout with the cossacks and others trying to hold off the pursuing Swedish cavalry. The Polish german infantry in the centre now find themselves outmatched by the Swedish infantry.

A victory for the Swedish army

---oXo---

Notes: 

1. Game Approximate overall casualties (end move 5), 

• Swedish :  Total: 660; comprising Cavalry - 330 (11 figs), Infantry - 330 (11 figures)
• Polish:   Total: 1320;  comprising Hussars/Pancerni Cavalry - 1050 (35 figs),  Reiters - 60 (2 figs), Cossack Cavalry - 90 (3 figures), German Infantry - 120 (4 figs)
• As next move would be off the table - game ended. Although the Poles would have lost more men as they were pursued.

2. The Historical result was a Swedish Victory, with few casualties on their side and at least a 1000+ on the Polish side.

Wallhof - Move 3

I am slowly getting through this game, a move every day or so. Would get through it quicker but I just enjoy sitting down and looking at the setup....

---oXo---

The Polish attack on the left flank loses its impetus due to the effect of the Swedish infantry's musketry, the Swedish cavalry charge...

 The Polish 'german' infantry in the centre has moved up and are exchanging vollies with the Swedish infantry to their front....

 On the Polish right flank, the cavalry charge hits the Swedish cavalry....

the cavalry melees are draws on both flanks, the Swedes have held the Polish cavalry charge, can they beat them ?

getting to the critical part of the game now...

Wallhof - Move 2

In the centre, the Polish german infantry advance ...

while the Winged Hussars and Pancerni cavalry on the flanks approach the Swedish cavalry to their front...

 The Swedish infantry in the woods and the centre fire on the passing Polish cavalry thinning them out around their flanks and disordering them ....