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Post by The Viceroy (AdminM) on Oct 15, 2016 19:18:00 GMT
Sieniawski learns of a large Ottoman force arrving in Hohenau, interrupting his march to Vienna. As he makes the decision to retreat, the Ottoman forces pick up the pace, abondoning many of their guns in the process. Still the Poles feel they have ample time to leave, but their route back is blocked by a smaller force of Azabs who had split from the Army of Macedonia. Battle will be inevitable.
OoC: Feel free to send new battleplans in if you get chance, I'll rerun the battle tomorrow.
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
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Post by The Viceroy (AdminM) on Oct 16, 2016 20:59:22 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
Augustus looked back at the bulk of his force, as the officers under his direct command prepared to depart to their units. He finished his morale boosting speech with the immortal words "... to your duties men. We must survive this day." With that, the officers took up their posts, and Augustus led his corps to dispose of the rapidly advancing Azabs at their rear. His artillery began to fire, but the Turkish horde continued their advance, keen to prevent the retreat of the Allied force. With a sigh, Augustus joined with his Chevau-Leger. He was flanked by militia and yeomanry cavalry units, while seven regiments of Line took up their positions. The Azabs, numbering around 10,000.were not perturbed. It felt like no time at all before they were advancing into the consistent volleys of the Line Infantry. Still, they marched on. Though their numbers were starting to erode, they engaged the Allied infantry in fierce melee combat. Augustus signalled to his dragoons, who hurried to the flanks and set up lines at the rear of the force of Azabs. This venture was successful, some of the Turkish soldiery split from the main force and tried to engage the dragoons. They were caught as if in a hail of fire and brimstone. Augustus realised that now was the time. He rallied his cavalry, and swung around to the left flank. Following a blast of the horns, his dragoons and infantrymen stopped firing and all engaged in the melee as Augustus led the charge through the centre of the Turkish regiments.
De Mercy was praying that his adopted King was faring well as he continued moving the force back gradually. The Turks had readied their position, and as the Count glanced across the battlefield he could see the Sultan Ahmet sat upon a horse at the rear, with the faith-traitor Bonneval beside him. They appeared to be sharing… tea? De Mercy took a swig from his own flask, of course his was filled with something stronger. The Sultans guns started firing, but De Mercy had moved far enough back that they were once again out of range and in need of repositioning. If it continues like this, he thought to himself, we might just make it. His optimism began to subside as the Sultan appeared to lose his patience. A huge cavalry force began to gather, seemingly with the intention to envelop the Allied force. De Mercy did his best to reorganise his corps, but the Turkish cavalry began to advance quickly, leaving him with little time.
At the rear, Augustus found himself at the head of the charge. Most of the Azabs started to break and flee through a narrow gap on the right, though some were foolish enough to continue the fight. The Sultan clearly had them worked up about something. Augustus broke his lance on one opponent, and drew his sabre. As he continued to cut his way through the Turkish ensemble, his horse took a stumble and he was thrown clear. Gripping his sword tightly he held his ground as a mass of Turks surrounded him. A nearby officer gathered a few others who had themselves been unhorsed and fired into the horde with flintlock pistols, before attempting a charge on foot to relieve their King. As the broke through the lines, they saw Augustus still standing. He had been disarmed, but his remarkable physical strength proved useful as he continued the fight bare-handed. Legend would say he broke the necks of twelve men within twenty minutes, though evidence for this is unclear. Augustus looked up, weary from his fight and drenched in blood, the Azabs had been completely broken through a combination of envelopment and sheer terror at the demonic strength of their enemies’ King.
De Mercy could hear cries of Deus Vult in the distance as he continued his managed retreat. He looked to sky and prayed out loud with his men as they readied themselves. The words were soon drowned out by the thundering hooves of Turkish horses. Behind them, they could see a large division of Foot Artillery forming into lines, clearly with the intention of pressing the attack. The Line began to fire into the oncoming horde. Many fell, but once again the Allies found the Turks to be a tough nut to crack. As the cavalry came closer, the Line infantry opened up gaps in the formation. Although the Turkish cavalry saw this as an opportunity, the found themselves face-to-face with an advancing grenadier force. Grenades managed to take the sting out of the charge. Giving those infantrymen on the front line a chance. Some of the horses even began to spook, further interfering with the Turkish charge. The Swiss infantry counter-charged, motivated by religion as much as money, many fell in the clash, though their pikes proved invaluable in stemming the tide. Nevertheless, De Mercy still found himself in a spot of trouble as his men buckled under the pressure of the charge.
Then a series of horns blared on De Mercy’s Right Flank. The Ottomans could boast a large number of elite cavalry, but none were quite as elite as the Winged Hussars. Almost five thousand joined by a number of Ulan Lancers - they swept across the face of the Ottoman cavalry, causing some to break, some were forced to reform, and some pursued. With Sieniawski commanding the large cavalry contingent, he decided to lure the cavalry force away. This was the break De Mercy needed, with his retreat now covered by both Sieniawski and Augustus, he sped up manoeuvres. The Sultan seemed frustrated, as he turned and rode away, cancelling the advance of the infantry.
Losses
Allied Forces:
5,000 Line
1,000 Grenadiers
700 Swiss Infantry
500 Dragoons
250 Yeomanry Cavalry
500 Winged Hussars
250 Ulan Lancers
Turkish Forces:
5,000 Azabs
1,000 Timariots
500 Sipahis
The retreat of the Allied forces was well-prepared and well-executed. Had the bulk of the Ottoman force been allowed to engage, then this would have been a bloodbath. Another chapter has been written in the legends of Augustus the Strong, and Sultan Ahmet III may be disappointed, but he has forced his enemy back into their own borders and he has free roam of Bohemia and Austria. Well, if he can crush that meddling Prince Eugene at Vienna.
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