Lukositz - April 1757

The following is a report of our most recent Seven Years War game, a fictional engagement set in 1757. This battle involved just two players. As is normal the game uses 6mm miniatures with the Volley & Bayonet rules.

In early spring of 1757 the Prussian army marched in four columns over the mountain passes separating Saxony and Silesia from Bohemia. Frederick's plan was that his four corps would unite at the Bohemian capital of Prague. Despite not being fully concentrated Field Marshal Browne pressed north from Prague intent on bringing Frederick to battle before he was fully concentrated.

Browne had taken up a position on a small area of rising ground in the centre of the Austrian Army. To his left, right and front the flat and fertile fields were filled with Austrian infantry and cavalry. The main Austrian army was still two days march from the away but even now some 18,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry were deployed. These were supplemented by an array of light battalion pieces as well as 48 heavier cannon. From the left to the right the army stretched almost two miles. The three Austrian infantry divisions were commanded, from right to left by General Sprecher, Forgach and d'Arberg. Each had drawn their infantry regiments up in two lines. The extreme Austrian right was held by O'Donnel's Cavalry while the left by Prinz Hohenzollern's cavalry, each comprising two converged cuirassier brigades and a converged dragoon brigade.

Above, the Austrian right and centre while below the Austrian left and centre, both around 3pm. General Browne and his staff, as well as Baron Kheul, are visible on high ground and are represented by two separate command stands.

A mile distant the Prussians were deployed. In all they comprised slightly fewer infantry, some 17,000 infantry, but of these almost were 3,000 converged grenadiers massed in to a single division. These were supported by a range of artillery pieces consisting of lighter battalion guns as well as 36 heavier cannon, slightly fewer than the Austrians. 

As Frederick was yet to arrive on the field Prinz Moritz deployed his infantry, some four divisions, as follows. Division Brevern was on the left and under Moritz's personal command. To the right was the converged grenadiers of Treskow's Division. Extending further to the right were the divisions of Prinz Ferdinand and finally Manstein. Unlike the Austrians the Prussian cavalry, commanded by General Bevern, deployed behind the infantry. On the left was Zieten's Division, comprising four regiments of hussars converged into two brigades. These were supplemented Penavaire's Cavalry Division drawn up nearby. Finally in the centre was Schonaich's Cavalry Division. Both Penavaire's and Schonaich's cavalrycomprised cuirassiers and dragoons in generally equal quantities.

Above, a view of the Prussian left and centre, while below a view of the Prussian right and centre. Unlike the Austrians, the Prussian have no infantry regiments forming a reserve.

Below, a general view of the field around 3pm with the Prussians on the left and the Austrians on the right. The flat plain provides ideal cavalry country for both armies, though the extremities of the field are boarded by two towns and woods. The town of Lukositz is visible in the distance.

By the time the dispositions were complete in was already 3pm. Rather than wait for Frederick to arrive, Prinz Moritz ordered his infantry to advance. Yet the advance was cautious, in part because Moritz was concerned by the Austrian cavalry massed opposite. As the Prussian infantry advanced a number of Prussian guns unlimbered. To Browne this signalled the Prussians were not planning to advance further and at 3.30pm Brown issued orders for a general advance. The white clad legions of Maria Therassa's army moved forward to the beat of drums while standards flapped in the afternoon breeze. Austria had the initiative! 

Above, the Austrians advance, while below the situation viewed from the Prussian left. The four Prussian infantry regiments are part of Division Bevern, which it will be recalled is commanded by Prinz Moritz, in addition to commanding the Prussian infantry in general. The town of Lukositz, visible on the left, marks the left flank of the Prussian infantry.

As the two armies closed Frederick arrived on the field. Seeing the situation he reacted with his usual aggressiveness. In the centre and right the Prussian infantry surged forward quickly closing on the Austrian line. At near point blank range the infantry exchanged deadly musket volleys before closing with the bayonet. 

Above, the Prussian centre and right surge forward in an echeloned attack against the Austrian infantry centre and right. Below, the view from the Austrian lines. The Austrian cavalry on the left flank retired as the Prussian infantry advanced.

No fewer than three Austrian infantry regiments were unsettled by the withering fire and subsequent attacks. Soon Austrian Infantry Regiment 59, 26 and 13 would rout while other regiments would be forced back. By 4.30pm The Austrian centre was in chaos and Division Forgach collapsed. Disaster seemed inevitable.

Yet Browne, startled by the ferocity of the Prussian advance, was now everywhere. While Baron Kheul, commander of the Austrian infantry, rallied infantry regiments Browne ordered his divisional commanders to reform their lines. Reserve regiments were bought up and artillery hastily deployed to bolster gaps. The Prussian centre was a particular focus for Browne and soon Austrian dragoons charged the over extended Prussian Grenadiers. 

Above and below the charge of the Austrian converged dragoons regiments drawn from O'Donnel's Cavalry Division. Browne was in the thick of the fighting. By 5pm the Prussian Grenadiers were in full retreat, many cut down by the Austrian dragoons.

On the Austrian right a flanking movement by Prussian hussars was unfolding. Below, the Prussian hussars can be seen advancing around 3.30pm near Lukositz.

The advance of the Prussian hussars was eventually countered by a charge of Austrian cuirassiers, also from O'Donnel's Division. By 5pm Zieten's hussars were driven from the field - a spent force. 

Meanwhile, on the Austrian left the Austrian cavalry were also active. Several charges were made driving back Prussian infantry. As the Austrians gained the advantage cavalry of the Prussian centre stabilised the situation. Now the engagement on the Austrian left would swing back and forth as each tried to gain the advantage.

Above, a converged Austrian dragoon brigade and a converged cuirassier brigade drive in the Prussian right flank. Here Prussian Infantry Regiment 17 is the focus of the Austrian attack. The regiment was heavily engaged in the War of Austrian Succession and again at Lobositz in 1756. Below, another view of the attack, this time from the Prussian perspective.

With the Austrian centre holding Frederick ordered his infantry on the left, Division Bevern, forward. This division had not initially been committed to the fighting and advanced forward with usual Prussian determination. With Prinz Moritz in direct command the division gained some initial advantage. However, over extended it was eventually charged by Austrian Cuirassiers who caught IR 9 and IR 5 in the flank or rear.  Both were cut-down mercilessly and Division Bevern collapsed tearing a further gash in the bloodied Prussian line.

By 7pm both Austrian and Prussian armies were in disarray. Of the three Austrian infantry divisions two had collapsed and one, that on the right, was exhausted. The Austrian cavalry of the left was exhausted though that on the right was still fresh. In the Prussian camp things were little better. Of the four Prussian infantry divisions only that on the Prussian right was fresh, with their centre and left destroyed, collapsed or teetering on exhaustion. The Prussian Hussar Division was now conducting retrograde movement north, much to the concern of the Bohemian peasants, and would be unlikely to reforming the near future. The Prussian heavy cavalry were in better condition, but any further charges would likely see either, or both, driven in to exhaustion. Neither Frederick or Browne had any option but to disengage, though Frederick will always claim a victory the battle was in truth a bloody draw.

The Battle of Lukositz, though relatively small, was a first class engagement with the pulses of battle seeing the tactical situation swing back and forth, creating plenty of tension. The miniatures here are all from the Heroics & Ros 6mm SYW range and are from my collection. We use what is commonly referred to as half scale where 1" represents 200 yards. The battle was relatively small and as such a smaller table was used. Indeed it measured just 3' x 2', which would translate to a table 6' x 4 if using normal scale. Terrain is a mix of commercial and home-made items, with buildings by Timecast Models and trees from Irregular Miniatures.