Seven Years War comes to Writtle

Rafael explains how this game is going to work to some of the players 

The Prussians are arriving on the road to the left and the Russians on the road to the right, both heading in the same direction, in parallel !

Here's the advance division of the Prussians

This village looks down upon the battlefield

Prussian hussars lead the way !

And here's the van of the Russian column - Horse Grenadiers.

As the Prussian cavalry speed ahead, infantry columns march up the road.

Much consultation going !

The Prussians wheel into attack the Russian cavalry which is slow to respond

Russian grenadiers at the back of the column, now held up by the cavalry battle ahead

The Prussian hussars recoil with casualties but they have disrupted the Russian deployment

And now the rest of the Prussian cavalry dash forwards to join the fray

The Prussian infantry has carried on marching along the road to give itself plenty of room to manoeuvre.

The cavalry clash continues

Looks like Bob is not happy with his dice throw as Rafael explains a rule to the Russian commanders

And the cavalry clash continues ...

Numbers must tell in the end ...

The Russian Horse Grenadiers turn to outflank the cavalry melee

View from behind the Russian position at this stage

The Russian infantry fans out with some carrying on the road whilst other units make for the high ground to their left

Prussian guns are now arriving in the midst of the column

Followed by heavy cavalry

The Prussian gunners have unlimbered and are ready to fire once the Hussars get out of the way !

and the cavalry sway backwards and forwards  !

Unable to make further progress down the road, the Russian infantry is trying to spread out to deal with the Prussian attack

The Prussian "heavies"leave the road

Did I mention the cavalry melee ? Yep, thats still going on !

With their first line extended, Prussian grenadiers now march on to prepare a second battle line

and the cavalry chaps continue their fight in the middle !

The Prussian lines now advance across the battlefield

with columns in support

Russian grenadiers in three lines face the Prussians just beyond the tree line

as the Prussian artillery starts to make itself felt

Finally, some Russian artillery arrive to add some weight

A double six was thrown by Bob during the cavalry melee - and the result was one dead Prussian cavalry commander.

At last the cavalry deadlock is broken and the Prussians pursue the Russian cavalry from the field

Prussian infantry present ready to fire

The Prussians now have two batteries of artillery sweeping the centre

Another Prussian wing arrives

The Russian grenadiers try to use the high ground as a shield from the Prussian guns

Russian Guard artillery is stuck further down the road unable to assist

King Frederick views proceedings

Reformed, the Prussian dragoons now block any Russian advance

as the infantry lines and columns turn the screw

The Prussian cuirassiers head down the road 

as the Prussian fusileers start to deploy further back

The cuirassiers decide to support the attack

As the Prussian lines press forwards, they receive canister fire from the Russian guns which stalls the attack

There is no room for the Prussian fusileers to get involved without masking the guns

With both sides exchanging fire and casualties mount

the Prussian attack falters

The heavy cavalry can only look on

as do the Fusileers

With more Russians arriving behind the Grenadiers, it all becomes a stalemate

Quite a spectacle by the end, but we decide it has ground to a draw as the Prussians are unable to impose themselves any more upon the Russian army.

The DKK rules worked quite well and several of the players are familiar with them now, so the game flowed nicely.

At one point we had as many as ten members gathered around the table involved in some shape or other.

Many thanks to Rafael for devising the game and providing the scenery as well as his wonderful Prussians and Allan his fantastic collection of Russians.