| Kliszow
The Battle of Kliszow is a tactical level two player game covering this important engagement during the Great Northern War. One player takes the role of King Charles XII leading his Swedish troops, and the other of Augustus the Strong commanding a Saxon-Polish-Lithuanian army. This is a classic example of a small well-trained and highly motivated army taking on a larger force in a strong defensive position. Victory will go to the player who is best able to exploit the advantages available to him.
Earlier in War, the Swedes had repulsed attacks on their empire by the Danes, Russians and Poles and had now taken the offensive by invading the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. After occupying Warsaw, Charles marched west with the aim of defeating Augustus decisively. On 19 July 1702 the two armies were camped only five miles apart. However, they were separated by a large wood and a swamp. The latter shielded Augustus’ camp to the north whilst his left flank was protected by the River Nida. Undeterred by this, and by the fact that his army of 12,000 was outnumbered, maybe by as much as two-to-one, by the Saxon-Polish-Lithuanians, Charles advanced through the woods abandoning most of his guns during the march.
In an effort to secure a decisive victory, Charles’ strategy was envelope the enemy army. However, this plan was disrupted when the commander of the assault on the Saxon-Polish-Lithuanian right flank was killed and the advance halted. The Poles then counter-attacked, but were beaten back by the Swedish infantry, as was an attack by the Saxons across the marsh which separated the centre of the two armies. For reasons which are not entirely clear, the Poles then abandoned Augustus leaving the field and exposing his right flank. Even though Augustus still had the larger army, it was now badly unbalanced and the Swedes immediately began to roll up his right flank. In the chaos that followed, Charles was able to capture most of the enemy’s artillery and to turn these guns upon the Saxon-Polish-Lithuanians. However, fierce resistance by Saxon units in the centre and on the left flank allowed most Saxon-Polish-Lithuanian units to withdraw.
It was certainly a victory, but not the decisive victory for which Charles had been hoping.
Fraustadt
This battle between a Swedish army commanded by General Rehnsköld and a Saxon-Polish-Russian force lead by General Schulenburg took place on 13 February 1706. It has been described as the “Swedish Cannae” because the Swedish cavalry carried out a double envelopment, encircling the enemy and bringing about a decisive victory reminiscent of Hannibal’s success nearly 2,000 years previously. For the loss of only 400 men, the Swedes inflicted 7,000 casualties upon the Saxon-Polish-Russians and captured a similar number.
Prior to the battle, King Charles XII was contemplating recalling his over-stretched forces from Poland. Indeed, in the lead up to the battle Rehnskold deliberately gave the impression that the Swedes were withdrawing by retreating his 10,000 men towards Fraustadt. This ploy was successful in luring Schlenburg, at the head of 20,000 men, away from a very strong defensive position to pursue the Swedes. With the two armies now facing each other the Swedish cavalry launched repeated attacks on both flanks, eventually routing the enemy cavalry stationed on each. They then wheeled to attack the rear of the Saxon-Polish-Russian infantry, with devastating results. At the same time the Swedish infantry began moving forward to assault Schulenburg’s forces from the front, thereby completing the encirclement. Although the Saxon-Polish-Russian right flank held for a while, under this intense pressure the army soon broke and those who were unable to flee surrendered en mass.
In terms of Sweden’s campaign in Poland, the Battle of Fraustadt had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Rather than abandoning their campaign, the Swedes had become the dominant military power in the region. Before the year was over Saxony would sue for peace.
Rehnskold had little option but to risk battle with Schlenburg’s superior forces for fear that the odds would be tipped even further against him should Augustus the Strong, commanding 8,000 Saxons, join with Schlenburg. Augustus was only a few days’ march away from Fraustadt. In addition to the standard game, there is a “what if” scenario which envisages his arrival on 13 February 1706.
SHS Games
The Seven Hex System (SHS) derives its name from the map which is divided into areas comprised of seven hexes which enables the player to adopt various positions within an area to reflect different tactical formations thereby making it more likely that an attack will succeed or defending units will stand firm. The SHS incorporates several unique features intended to replicate in a simple and intuitive way the options available to a commander (the wargamer) of a large army. So whilst the commander has complete freedom to devise a plan, and a good deal when positioning units which have yet to encounter the enemy, once battle is joined the options become increasingly limited and unforeseen events can play a part in determining the outcome. Nonetheless, even at a tactical level a commander's decisions are crucial in shaping events. The key to success is a sound plan with a margin for error which allows for ill-fortune, the shrewd deployment of units so as to be able to implement that plan, and the timely commitment of reserves.
|
