Battle of Klingenhofen - Command and Colors Napoleonic Part 1

1809, in a surprise move Napoleon makes a thrust south deep into Austria. To counter this move, Archduke Charles rushes his army north to a steep sided valley, the Sneetal (all made up of course), in an attempt to block the French advance.  The Austrians position themselves astride the village of Klingenhofen, lying in the rolling floor of the valley.

We join the action on the third move, as the Austrians rush columns of troops forward to form a defence line:

View from the east, Klingenhofen village at the top, Austrians on the left:

View from the west:

Napoleon surveys the field and determines that the village is heavily defended, so he decides to apply pressure to the Austrian flanks to draw off Austrian reserves, then if the flank attacks are unsuccessful, to push into the centre.

The action starts off on the Austrian right as French voltigeurs seize a wooded knoll to cover the advancing French columns.

The Austrians counter with their Jaegers, who skirmish forward downing some of the French:

However, French fire from the knoll and artillery devastate the Jaegers, who break and retreat:

As the skirmishing unfolds on the flank, the Austrians continue to build up the defence line in and around the village:

Napoleon orders his heavy artillery to bombard the village:

On the Austrian right centre German grenadiers come under fire from French columns supported by artillery and, despite accounting for some of the French, the grenadiers give ground after 50% casualties:

The action now switches to the Austrian left, which is dominated by an old stone walled farm, that is defended by light troops and grenadiers:

French artillery fire causes some Austrian casualties as a Polish column surges forward to assault the farm:

The devastating fire from the farm and supporting grenadiers rips into the Polish column, wiping them out:

First blood to the Austrian (1 VP), as Napoleon decides to invest in the action on the other flank, until he can amass sufficient strength to take the farm.

More to come..........................

Ebay find Part 2 - Warrior Spanish Hussars

The second group from this eBay lot also consists of Spanish Hussars, but they appear to be painted as early Prussian Napoleonic hussars.  I have not done anything to them, other than paint the bases, varnish and mount them. I think they are really well painted and I will leave them exactly as they are to honour the original artist:

Mining The Lead Mountain - Russian Grenadiers

For a change, I thought I would refurbish and re-base some old figures that have been lying in the lead pile.  These are Minifigs S Range Napoleonic Russian Grenadiers, that were painted, but were scuffed and untidy.  They have been touched up, based and varnished, with a new flag. Ready to join the ranks:

Warrior Miniatures Pavlovsky Guard Grenadiers

I have been painting these figures for the last couple of weeks as a work through a Warrior Miniatures 25mm Russian 'Army' pack. 

So far I have completed the Jaegers, Dragoons, Cossacks and line infantry.  These guards are the latest in the production line.  They proved easy to paint and look very distinctive in their tall mitre caps:

These are old figures and made of a very soft metal, so it was easy to bend the flag a little to make it look less rigid.

Ebay find - Warrior Miniatures Spanish Cavalry

I was lucky to win a lot of 20 Warrior Spanish Hussars for a good price.  Eight of them are painted as Spanish (I think) and the remainder in black (early Prussians?).  So far I have touched up the Spanish, varnished them and based them to match my other figures. I should stress that the beautiful painting is NOT my work. Here they are:

The 12 black figures are just as nice and I will likely keep these as Prussians (if that's what they are) and add them to my small Prussian Warrior army.

Battle Report - Minding the Gap!

In no time the soviet recce elements began to probe forward to determine where the NATO defensive positions might be. Already the Recce commander can hear firing off to his flanks and he guesses that the ridge to his front is defended. Doctrine forces him to push on and he sends his light tanks up the road, whilst his scout cars probe around the flanks.

His three PT-76s reach the cross roads:

 As reports of enemy movement come into combat team (CT) HQ, the NATO CT commander moves up onto the ridge to take stock. His plan is to try to fight off the recce with his infantry, while keeping his tanks concealed for the main attack.

 Two BRDMs nose their way around the soviet right flank and are engaged by a Wombat. The shot misses and the vehicles pull back:

At the same time the two leading PT-76s are engaged by concealed infantry 84mm and are quickly taken out:

The soviet recce commander decides that it would be folly to try to move more light tanks through the close country and he orders the accompanying infantry to move forward and clear the hedgerows.

 He also orders an artillery barrage to soften up the objective and shells crash down on to the Blankshires trenches:

The dismounted infantry surge forward:

 And despite the artillery support are met by a wall of fire that causes many casualties.

 Temporarily halted, the soviets call for smoke and soon the attacking infantry are masked as they once more attempt to cross the road:

 The right hand Wombat repositions, and takes out one of the BTR-60s:

 The soviet infantry emerge from the smoke and surge forwards:

 

An infantryman with an RPG engages the Wombat armed APC and destroys it:

 The Blankshire's right flank is now in serious danger of being over run and so the platoon commander calls for a 'danger close' mortar stonk, which lands around the position, cutting down the exposed soviet troops, but killing one of the Blankshires too:

The remaining PT-76 pushes up the road, firing into the flanks of the British infantry, but is taken out by a Chieftain on the ridge, but the Chieftain has been spotted.

 The CT commander looks beyond the battle in front and can see columns of tanks and APCs moving along the road in the distance. To his horror he realises that these are not old BTRs and T-55 tanks; but more modern T-62s and BMP tracked APCs:

 After more stiff fighting the soviets capture the CT right hand position and they push forwards:

 Having located one of the British Chieftains the soviets bring up an ATGW BRDM, which fires Swatter missiles; but misses its target:

 The soviets fire everything they have got at the Chieftain and a 115mm round from a T-62 slams into the turret ring, knocking out the British tank

 The first Chieftain burns:

 The newly arrived BMPs begin to disgorge their infantry onto the CTs left flank and put pressure on the dug in infantry:

 A supporting T-62 crunches through the hedge and blasts away at the British trenches:

 On the CTs right, tanks and APCs support the infantry assault:

 Increasing pressure on the defending infantry.

 The Chieftains on the left ridge open up but miss their target and quickly another Chieftain is knocked out by concentrated tank and ATGW fire:

 The remaining Wombat attempts to engage a T-62, misses and is destroyed by tank fire:

 With one tank remaining and the anti-tank guns knocked out things look bad for the CT.

In an attempt to stop the infantry assault on the CTs left flank artillery fire is brought down, causing a number of casualties amongst the soviet infantry:

 But, BMP and tank fire pins the British infantry as the soviets close in.

 On the CTs right flank soviet tanks and APcs nose their way up onto the ridge. The CTs position is all but lost:

 The CT commander orders non essential troops and CT HQ to withdraw:

 The last remaining Chieftain accounts for one of the BMPs before pulling back off the ridge

 On the other flank the soviets are in control of the ridge as they pass a knocked out Chieftain:

With one remaining tank and just half of the infantry, Combat Team Charlie withdraws, having failed to do much damage to the soviets or delay them as long as required. A win for the soviets.