This is another battle for you to refight, again courtesy of John
HollyOak.
BACKGROUND
On the 15th June 1866 Prussian forces mobilised and on the same day Moltke learned that Hanover was hostile. The Hanoverian capital was easily captured but in the meantime the Hanoverian army was
mobilising. The Hanoverians planned to join forces with the Bavarians but a shortage of ammunition meant that valuable time was lost. False information caused the Hanoverian commander to change routes and the Prussians realised that their small force at Langensalza could not possibly halt the Hanoverians. Two battalions of Guards were brought in by train and a series of negotiations took place although these were merely ruses by the Prussians to buy extra time. Finally the Hanoverian commander realised that agreement could not be reached and discovered that he had almost been surrounded by two other Prussian armies. The advance continued and the Hanoverians took up positions in the villages beyond the
Unstrutt.
THE BATTLE
The First Hanoverian Brigade was deployed in and around Langensalza as the town was an important supply base. The Prussian advanced body of six battalions slowly pushed back the first brigade which was forced to retire back to
Merxleben, with artillery covering the withdrawal. The Prussians advanced up to the Unstrutt and a party of Hussars attempted to cross at Thamsbrück but were driven off by dragoons. The Hanoverian commander Lieutenant-General von Arentschildt realised that he outnumbered the Prussians and that in addition they were overly extended. He issued orders for a counter attack. The second brigade with the Königin Hussars crossed the Unstrutt at Merxleben and charged the Prussians who retreated in good order but many men were taken as prisoners. The third brigade crossed at Thamsbrück and helped clear the way through to
Langensalza. The cavalry was ordered into the retreating Prussian squares and succeeded in breaking a number and capturing six guns. The Prussian retreat turned to rout but the Hanoverians were unable to pursue fully and the losses (80 officers and 971 other ranks wounded, 22 officers and 356 other ranks killed) meant they were unable to continue to join up with the Bavarians. Von Falkenstein had by this stage
maneuvered some 40,000 men into the vicinity and Von Arentschildt had little choice but to surrender.
THE REFIGHT
Tom Penn and
John HollyOak refought the battle using the excellent 6mm figures from Irregular and the terrain was set out as in the accompanying map. Those Hanoverian brigades behind the Unstrutt were not allowed to move for five periods in order to represent the defensive posture taken up by Von
Arentschildt. The Prussian advanced guard moved on Langensalza whilst the reserve attempted an outflanking move by advancing towards Nägelstädt and then turning towards
Langensalza. The Hanoverian MLR with long range artillery support was inflicting casualties on the Prussian advance but, once at close range, the Dreyse proved its effectiveness. Due to a lack of initiative (on behalf of myself the Prussian commander, not the dice!) the Prussian Hussars failed to charge the Duke of Cambridge's Dragoons. They then received the charge at the halt and were routed after a round of melee. The Dragoons charged two Prussian batteries which were supporting the attack in the flank routing one. The Hanoverian First Brigade retired back across the
Unstrutt, leaving the cavalry to their own devices. The Prussians continued to the Unstrutt but it was obvious by this stage that the casualties taken had weakened them so much that they would not be able to stand a counter attack and the game was abandoned.
SOURCES
The army lists are taken from the Battery Press reprint of 'The Campaign in Germany 1866 - the Official History of the War with Austria'. Permission is given to photocopy these lists for your personal use. I would also refer you to the excellent series of articles by Richard Clarke entitled '1866... and all that' which appeared in Wargames Illustrated. Finally there was an article in Issue 14 (Number 91) of the Foreign Correspondent, the Newsletter of the Continental Wars Society (their address is in the rear of the rules).
FIGURES
In 6mm the Irregular range has already been mentioned and there are also the Heroics and Ros ranges. In 15mm only Freikorps make Hanoverians although the Prussians should not prove any problem. They are available from Rank and File,
Minifigs, Freikorps, Irregular and probably others.
Army
Lists
