Post by The Viceroy (AdminM) on Oct 12, 2016 20:12:19 GMT
Army of Macedonia, commanded by Ahmet III
13,000 Azabs
10,000 Foot Artillery
9,000 Janissaries
2,000 Bombardiers
9,000 Timariots
2,000 Siphahis
150 Demi-Cannons
300 Siege Bombards
The Anatolian Army, commanded by Bonneval
8,000 Azabs
8,000 Foot Artillery
4,000 Jannisaries
2,000 Bombardiers
3,000 Timariots
4,000 Siphahis
500 Mamluks
250 Demi-Cannons
200 Siege Bombards
The Grand Army of the Holy Alliance, commanded by Sieniawski
The Polish Royal Army^
7,000 Line Infantry
1,000 Engineers
500 Dragoons
1,000 Winged Hussars
50 Field Guns
50 Howitzers
The Army of the Saxons^
5,000 Line Infantry
2,000 Grenadiers
1,000 Engineers
1,000 Dragoons
500 Chevau-Leger
500 Winged Hussars
50 Field guns
50 Howitzers
The Army of Poland^
8,000 Line Infantry
500 Militia Cavalry
2,500 Dragoons
1,000 Ulan Lancers
1,500 Winged Hussars
50 Field Guns
50 Howitzers
The Army of Hungary^
3,000 Line
1,700 Swiss Infantry
250 Yeomanry Cavalry
50 Field guns
The Royal Guard^
2,000 Grenadiers
1,500 Winged Hussars
150 Field Guns
The Sultan was sitting in quiet contemplation when the recently converted Comte de Bonneval entered his quarters in Bratislava. “The signal has been sighted, your Excellence. It is time.” Ahmet and his officers gathered the men, the march to the March would need to be fast. They travelled through the night. When they arrived in Hohenau the Sultan sat on his horse surveying the horizon. After several hours the signal was given to bring forward the artillery. The forests ahead were blown apart by the might of 700 guns.
“It’s an ambush!” Shouted Sieniawski. “Form up!” He rode back and forth trying to organise the Infantry under unbearable artillery fire. Slowly, the Allied guns found their way to the tree line where they could return their own fire. The Allied line begun to advance out of the trees, but their formation was constantly interrupted. Azabs in their thousands charged, fearless in the face of musket fire, straight forward. The Line did not break, but was forced back into the forests where they could not keep their shape as easily. On the right flank, Turkish Bombardiers started throwing grenades, but were forced back by a rapid response from the Christian Grenadiers. Once the grenades ran dry, the two forces charged each other. The bombadiers were forced back by the more able grenadiers, but the Azabs continued their brutal melee, matched almost man to man with the Saxe-Polish Line.
The Line infantry started to gain an upper hand. Recently being trained by Saxon officers they were of much greater quality than the Azabs whose numbers were thinning. Cheers and cries of ‘Deus Vult’ could be heard as far away as Hohenau. The Azabs were forced to break, and many were shot as they attempted to flee and reform. The Sultan looked on, seemingly unmoved. He sipped his tea as he ordered his artillery to fire once more. The Saxe-Polish force attempted to find cover in the treeline, but they were taking heavy losses. Sieniawski gave the order to retreat, tasking the Austrian de Mercy with the preparations. As they started retreating some of the infantry the ground began to shake. Not guns, but cavalry. Lots of cavalry. Eighteen thousand, in all, swamped the forest on the flanks of the allied army. Any hope for an organised retreat was gone and the lines started to break and rout.
Although the trees took some of the sting out of the charge, the sheer numbers involved allowed for a mass slaughter. In the chaos Sieniawski turned to de Mercy, “do you remember ’83?”
“I won my first commission in that battle. Never did I think I’d see the hordes of the Faithless fall upon Europe again.”
“Hold the Line, de Mercy.” Sieniawski placed a reassuring hand on his ally’s shoulder. “Hold the line, I have only one chance to save the rest of the men, I must go. God be with you!” With that Sieniawski clambered atop a horse and rode off, leaving de Mercy in charge.
De Mercy stood with his Swiss Infantry, as another horde of cavalry advanced. “Hold your lines! In the name of Christ, hold…” De Mercy’s shouts were cut short as the cavalry crashed into the line. The Swiss held out valiantly, killing many of their foemen, but they could not last forever. The units were lost, and de Mercy fell with them. The Allied force was in full retreat, and most of the men had made it out of the forest, and were heading back to the relative safety of the Polish border.
The Timariots pressed on, slaughtering all fleeing men who fell behind, they had no intention to take prisoners. The dragoons tried to skirmish the Turkish cavalry as they pursued, but their attempts helped little. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Winged Hussars arrived. Sienawski at their helm, they charged forward lances out, killing any Timariots who dared follow the fleeing men from the forest. The Ottoman elite Sipahis, counter charged, but even they were outclassed. Still, eventually the overwhelming numbers of the Ottoman forces allowed them to gain an advantage. Sieniawski was knocked from his horse. Holding his lance out, he impaled an opportunistic Turk. He tried to pull out his sabre, but was dragged away by one of his Captains as the remaining Hussars retreated.
Losses
Ottomans:
10,000 Azabs
2,000 Bombardiers
2,000 Timariots
1,000 Sipahis
Holy Alliance:
12,000 Line Infantry
500 Militia Cavalry
3,000 Grenadiers
2,000 Dragoons
1,700 Swiss Infantry
250 Yeomanry Cavalry
500 Ulan Lancers
1,500 Winged Hussars
150 Field Guns (captured)
This was a crushing victory for the Sultan. Christian dead litter the field of battle. It is a miracle that the Army of the Holy Alliance was not completely destroyed. If it were not for the bravery of Sieniawski and his Winged Hussars, then the dead would number many, many more.
13,000 Azabs
10,000 Foot Artillery
9,000 Janissaries
2,000 Bombardiers
9,000 Timariots
2,000 Siphahis
150 Demi-Cannons
300 Siege Bombards
The Anatolian Army, commanded by Bonneval
8,000 Azabs
8,000 Foot Artillery
4,000 Jannisaries
2,000 Bombardiers
3,000 Timariots
4,000 Siphahis
500 Mamluks
250 Demi-Cannons
200 Siege Bombards
The Grand Army of the Holy Alliance, commanded by Sieniawski
The Polish Royal Army^
7,000 Line Infantry
1,000 Engineers
500 Dragoons
1,000 Winged Hussars
50 Field Guns
50 Howitzers
The Army of the Saxons^
5,000 Line Infantry
2,000 Grenadiers
1,000 Engineers
1,000 Dragoons
500 Chevau-Leger
500 Winged Hussars
50 Field guns
50 Howitzers
The Army of Poland^
8,000 Line Infantry
500 Militia Cavalry
2,500 Dragoons
1,000 Ulan Lancers
1,500 Winged Hussars
50 Field Guns
50 Howitzers
The Army of Hungary^
3,000 Line
1,700 Swiss Infantry
250 Yeomanry Cavalry
50 Field guns
The Royal Guard^
2,000 Grenadiers
1,500 Winged Hussars
150 Field Guns
The Sultan was sitting in quiet contemplation when the recently converted Comte de Bonneval entered his quarters in Bratislava. “The signal has been sighted, your Excellence. It is time.” Ahmet and his officers gathered the men, the march to the March would need to be fast. They travelled through the night. When they arrived in Hohenau the Sultan sat on his horse surveying the horizon. After several hours the signal was given to bring forward the artillery. The forests ahead were blown apart by the might of 700 guns.
“It’s an ambush!” Shouted Sieniawski. “Form up!” He rode back and forth trying to organise the Infantry under unbearable artillery fire. Slowly, the Allied guns found their way to the tree line where they could return their own fire. The Allied line begun to advance out of the trees, but their formation was constantly interrupted. Azabs in their thousands charged, fearless in the face of musket fire, straight forward. The Line did not break, but was forced back into the forests where they could not keep their shape as easily. On the right flank, Turkish Bombardiers started throwing grenades, but were forced back by a rapid response from the Christian Grenadiers. Once the grenades ran dry, the two forces charged each other. The bombadiers were forced back by the more able grenadiers, but the Azabs continued their brutal melee, matched almost man to man with the Saxe-Polish Line.
The Line infantry started to gain an upper hand. Recently being trained by Saxon officers they were of much greater quality than the Azabs whose numbers were thinning. Cheers and cries of ‘Deus Vult’ could be heard as far away as Hohenau. The Azabs were forced to break, and many were shot as they attempted to flee and reform. The Sultan looked on, seemingly unmoved. He sipped his tea as he ordered his artillery to fire once more. The Saxe-Polish force attempted to find cover in the treeline, but they were taking heavy losses. Sieniawski gave the order to retreat, tasking the Austrian de Mercy with the preparations. As they started retreating some of the infantry the ground began to shake. Not guns, but cavalry. Lots of cavalry. Eighteen thousand, in all, swamped the forest on the flanks of the allied army. Any hope for an organised retreat was gone and the lines started to break and rout.
Although the trees took some of the sting out of the charge, the sheer numbers involved allowed for a mass slaughter. In the chaos Sieniawski turned to de Mercy, “do you remember ’83?”
“I won my first commission in that battle. Never did I think I’d see the hordes of the Faithless fall upon Europe again.”
“Hold the Line, de Mercy.” Sieniawski placed a reassuring hand on his ally’s shoulder. “Hold the line, I have only one chance to save the rest of the men, I must go. God be with you!” With that Sieniawski clambered atop a horse and rode off, leaving de Mercy in charge.
De Mercy stood with his Swiss Infantry, as another horde of cavalry advanced. “Hold your lines! In the name of Christ, hold…” De Mercy’s shouts were cut short as the cavalry crashed into the line. The Swiss held out valiantly, killing many of their foemen, but they could not last forever. The units were lost, and de Mercy fell with them. The Allied force was in full retreat, and most of the men had made it out of the forest, and were heading back to the relative safety of the Polish border.
The Timariots pressed on, slaughtering all fleeing men who fell behind, they had no intention to take prisoners. The dragoons tried to skirmish the Turkish cavalry as they pursued, but their attempts helped little. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Winged Hussars arrived. Sienawski at their helm, they charged forward lances out, killing any Timariots who dared follow the fleeing men from the forest. The Ottoman elite Sipahis, counter charged, but even they were outclassed. Still, eventually the overwhelming numbers of the Ottoman forces allowed them to gain an advantage. Sieniawski was knocked from his horse. Holding his lance out, he impaled an opportunistic Turk. He tried to pull out his sabre, but was dragged away by one of his Captains as the remaining Hussars retreated.
Losses
Ottomans:
10,000 Azabs
2,000 Bombardiers
2,000 Timariots
1,000 Sipahis
Holy Alliance:
12,000 Line Infantry
500 Militia Cavalry
3,000 Grenadiers
2,000 Dragoons
1,700 Swiss Infantry
250 Yeomanry Cavalry
500 Ulan Lancers
1,500 Winged Hussars
150 Field Guns (captured)
This was a crushing victory for the Sultan. Christian dead litter the field of battle. It is a miracle that the Army of the Holy Alliance was not completely destroyed. If it were not for the bravery of Sieniawski and his Winged Hussars, then the dead would number many, many more.