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| On November 22, 1757, as Frederick the Great was fighting the French at Rossbach, the Austrian Prince Charles of Lorraine (brother-in-law to Empress Maria Theresa) marched from the south towards the city of Breslau, creating a significant crisis for the Prussians at the early stages of the Seven Years War. The Prussian commander, August Wilhelm, duke of Brunswick-Bevern, attempted to establish a line of defense with some 20,000 men on the road to Breslau. However, the Austrians enjoyed a 3-to-1 advantage and quckly dispatched this army. |
| The Battlefield |
| On the left side of the table you can see the Austrian forces. On the right side you can see the Prussians, two villages and the outskirts of Breslau. The Austrians must cross the river and drive the Prussians from Breslau. The river was the only natural terrain feature on an otherwise empty field. The line at the bottom of the picture is the forces from Wurttemberg that make up the Austrian right. The three units in the front of the Austrian advance are three battalions of grenadiers. The commanders ponder the terrain and make plans! |
| Turn #1 Turn #1 sees the Austrians advancing on their left while the Prussian move forward to contest the river crossing. The forces from Wurttemberg use the river to secure their flanks as Prussian cavalry units prepare for a flanking move. |
| This is the first move of the game as the Prussian cavalry moves out. |
| Austrian Center: The Prussians put two battalions on the river to meet the Austrian attack. That is the Austrian heavy battery at the bottom of the pic. |
| Austrian Right: The Prussian left develops as the lines of infantry move towards each other. |
| Turns #2-3 The Austrians start to cross the river in the center and on their left. The first shots of the battle are fired, but the opposing generals are reluctant to fully commit their forces this early. The Prussians decide to fall back from the river instead of contesting the crossing. |
| At the end of Turn 3, the first Austrians have crossed the river and are moving forward. |
| At the end of Turn 2, the Austrians are on the verge of taking the river. |
| Turn #4 |
| The Austrian Left and Center The Prussian are weakest on this wing, so the Austrians push forward aggressively, attempting to flank their opponents or just punch a hole in their line. The Austrians repulse a Prussian cavalry charge and use their superior numbers to practically surround some Prussian grenadiers in the center. The heavy artillery battery works as a deterrent and keeps the Prussians falling back. |
| The Austrian Right The forces from Wurttemburg had been holding in place during the previous turns, but as the Austrian center starts to move forward, the Prussian cavalry becomes less of a threat, allowing the Austrian right to move forward as well. |
| At the end of Turn 4, the Austrians have moved across the river and are hurting the Prussians in the center. |
| For the second half of the battle go to the next page! |
After Action Report: Battle of Breslau (1757)
This after action report shows the results of our recreation of the Austrian attack on the Prussian left wing using the Warfare in the Age of Reason rule set in 15mm scale. The Prussians have overwhelming cavalry and the finest trained infantry in Europe. The Austrians have the help of some troops from Wurttemberg, a numerical advantage, and benefit from the pre-placement of their heavy cannon during the night time hours before the battle. Victory Conditions: The Austrians must force the Prussian army to take a withdrawal check. The Prussians must hold for at least eight turns to allow the forces on their right to withdraw. Historically, both Schweidnitz and Breslau fell to the Austrians and Frederick the Great was forced to rush his army from Saxony to meet the threat to Prussia. The Battle of Leuthen, Frederick's greatest victory, lay ahead. Let's see if the Prussian commanders can alter history and keep the Austrians out of Breslau . . . |