Goslar Campaign Day 4

4 June 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 4

Prussians attack Liebenburg

In the north Prussians attack Liebenburg

In the centre both armies resupply and reorganise

In the south Prussians enter Lauterberg, French retreat to Osterod

The battle of Lauterberg – end of move 12

The Prussians were unlucky to have lost this battle

They took the woods on the left and routed 6^th French corps

The CinC reinforced 8^th corps for the main attack in the centre

They took heavy casualties on the right, but managed to support the attack in the centre

But they lost the critical infantry melee in the centre and failed to take the town

The French lost 9 infantry, 4 cavalry and 2 artillery casualties (4200 men)

The Prussians lost 10 infantry and 7 cavalry casualties (4100 men)

The French has 8 brigades in rout, the Prussians 7 brigades.

The Prussians failed to take the town and lost the battle

 

Comment

The very busy, and complicated, photo of the end of the game tells the story

Blue stars are French brigades in rout

Grey stars are Prussians brigades in rout

White stars are the critical infantry melee

 

The Prussians broke and routed 6^th French corps on the left

They then swung right through the woods towards the centre

 

They lost the battle on the right, but managed to advance when the French redeployed

 

The Prussian attack in the centre was well supported by cavalry and artillery

They routed the French cavalry, but caused too few casualties to the infantry in the centre

Despite this the Prussian infantry attack outnumbered the French infantry defending

However the dice were against them

 

It was a very complicated and very tense wargame

Everything went well for the Prussians and it seemed like their attack in the centre would succeed

The final melee was three Prussian against two French infantry brigades

The French were in line and the Prussians in column

The Prussians had the edge, but not the luck of the dice.

 

Both armies suffered heavy casualties

Both would need to regroup and redeploy before they could commence fighting

This would allow the French to concentrate in and around Leibenburg.

 

We enjoyed this game so much that we played it twice

The first time the Prussians won, the second they lost

A final dice throw decided which game would be recorded for the campaign.