Battle at Neukatzberg - Part 2

On the flanks, the Aschenbach right wing cavalry hurried to pull itself together and destroy the last Luftberg horse, but La Spezia’s reserve force proved to have learned from past blunders – it evaded the enemy attacks, became inactive at all the wrong moments, fluffed it’s own attacks when it did manage them on isolated units, and generally made a mess of things. However, the Aschenbach cavalry was kept thoroughly occupied and pinned down, unable to fall on the infantry’s flanks or finally scatter it’s opposite numbers, so arguably they made the bigger mess of things.

On the Aschenbach left, after some hesitating, the Graf Von Kleintrink decided to seize the moment and push on to attack. He overran the other artillery battery on the flank, but the refused infantry flank proved too much – IR Negrelli (No 4), right under the eyes of it’s watching monarch, rebuffed a charge by Kleintrink’s Cuirassiers in heroic style.

Von Kleintrink's Cavalry attacks on the left wing, going into the Luftberg flank & rear

Elector Von Luftberg (right), watches as the Aschenbach cuirassiers (left) are knocked back

In the centre, von Zaub peered through the musketry smoke and judged the enemy line to be on the point of breaking. Advancing his foot guards, he routed the infantry opposite and seemed set to turn the other flank of the Luftberg line. Even the frantic efforts of Conrad Von Hentsch couldn’t hold them firm, but the reserve regiment of Grenadiers were rushed up to counter the breakthrough. They charged into the enemy, but couldn’t sweep them back.

Conrad Von Hentsch (background) suddenly wonders why everybody round him is wearing a different colour of coat...

Another sketch-map of the major players' locations and movements

It’s guns lost, and it’s cavalry wrecked, the Luftberg army’s line now resembled a ‘question mark’ shape as it was pummelled by the enemy’s fire. By a fluke of chance, the lagging Aschenbach infantry had created a gap in the field which drew the Luftberg infantry forward into a salient, where they were getting fired on from all sides by the Aschenbach troops and their cannons, which were now unlimbered and blasting canister fire into the white ranks. It couldn’t last for long, and it didn’t. Von Kleintrink tried again on the left flank, finally routed the doughty defenders of Negrelli’s regiment and then fell on the rear of the Luftberg infantry who promptly collapsed. A glorious victory for the Aschenbach regent, General Von Krumper!

The Luftberg army faces near-encirclement before running...