So Huub and I are still trying to find out how to play REG, which army we want to play and how to play them to be at least honorable opponents and not just carpets you walk on
We play 30 years war armies or from a similar period.
The polish do have strong cavalry but are weak on infantry
Our last game saw the Poles in a difficult position as both flanks were full of terrain ( my dice were full of 1 and 6 so all terrain went to the flanks .The game ended due to lack of time but the dutch infantry was pushing the polish foot back and the polish cavalry was still struggling with the dutch cavalry finding no opening
But I was willing to play a second game with this version ( which is now amended )
The terrain would be much more open and I outscouted Huub by 100% ..woaw
So I deployed my hussars in a big blok , the blue flags being the exceptionnals and facing them some regular cuirassiers, SUP, FARM, some AV cuirassiers and good mountded harquebusiers .
My Cossack, household and hajduk forming a line partially in a village . The hajduk are in skirmish line. They face the dreaded duth infantry and it's HFP. Facing my infantry there are 6 dutch regiments, some are SUP ( 2 of them ) and he deployed his artillery on a gentle hill.
Here my plan was simple and brutal : go and kill the enemy cavalry that is left a bit alone . I knew it was a mistake because I played REG in 2022 and my cavalry got crushed by Stephen's polish lancers
On the other flank, Huub had faith in his two dragoons units but in the open so I faced them with my polish Cossacks, good mounted harquebusier and my own dragoons that faced the dutch infantry. The plan was to overwhelm quickly the dragoons and delay the dutch infantry. All my units being pathfinders would have a first free white pre move .
Nice regular deployment
Slowly advancing my left flank
Me not subtly rushing towards the dutch cavalry
So now Huub tries to help his cavalry he perceives very rightly to be at risk . The proble is that in REG close ordre infantry must take a KAB test when they enter a flank area ( see the line on the right hand side ) , and also a KAB test when the move, at the end of the turn etc.. So deadly for them
Getting ready with my mounted and the nimble dragoons play with the heavy dutch infantry but for how long . Delaying will work only so long .
As you can notice, the flanks are wide open and a headache for the dutch .We have identified it as THE weakness of the regular dutch army
My polish infantry stays where it is praying for the cavalry to do the job
Well those gys decided to advance but being equipped with arquebus they do not shoot far only 3 MU vs 5 MU for the matchlock
Here we come
The Dutch right flank from Dutch perspective . So he has dragoons vs my light lance equipped Cossacks
The dutch infantry is planning it's next moves
So here we go,a Custer mad charge and the dragoons will skirmish
4 shooting dice on white and he managed 3 hits that hurts
The polish lancers did not fare that well except for the blues who are exceptional. One average dutch cuirassier is near breaking
and they did break and now on the way to break the SUP heavies and the mounted Harquebusier which means 3 enemy UGS
On the other flank the 2 dragoons did fight ferociously but they will both die opening the way so now 5 enemy TUGS dead and the way open on both flanks towards the camp and the not so manoeuvrable battery
Before the dead of the dragoons
The dutch infantry wondering what they would do
We decided to give the victory to the polish as Hubb could not stop my cavalry that would rush toward his camp and bag the game. I still had 2 unengaged polish hussars that would play around his foot regiments.
So next time we will study how could a dutch army face a mounted army in the open. I already knew that if your cavalry was inferior the you opponents cavalry, protecting it might be nice . I already suspected that dragoons in the open vs cavalry would face a hard time. So lessons from the front
BRITCON 2024 here we come but with what armies is still unknown but we have our tickets, train tickets and hotel is booked so no turning back