NationStates Jolt Archive

The road was choked with men, a column of uniformed men that stretched for miles. They were the 46th rifles, a new regiment of rifle equipped infantry, Prussia's new skirmishers. To the west and the east dust could be seen rising marking other roads that were just as busy, roads that all led south. Off the road a troop of colorfull lancers trotted, liesurely keeping pace with the riflemen. As they trotted by they jeered at the riflemen next to them but for the most part it wasn't in German but Polish. They were mercenaries, mercenaries that would be paid for in French gold.

All in all 75,000 men, including the Gaurd, 7,000 horse and over a 100 guns gathered south of Dresden. Accompaning them was nearly 5,000 hired cavalry. Entirely light cavalry, Poles, Lithuanians, even some Cossack troops but they would fight. Overseeing the army was Frederick himself who came down from Berlin to make sure things went well. It would take some time, a week at least before they could get moving but it wouldn't matter, their target was already occupied elsewhere.

A giant army, nearly 80,000 strong, including cavalry and mercenaries, had finally finished gathering itself south of Dresden near the border with Austria. Finally that army was able to move south, and at 10 A.M. Prussia was officially at war with Austria-Hungary. The first men across the border were the Hussar units, scouring deep ahead in search of any Austrian troops. The rest of the army followed quickly behind, their first target being Usti Nad Labem, the first target on the road to Prague. Barely 20 miles from the border it wouldn't be to long before it was reached and that would provide a firm anchor on the Labe river which ran all the way down and thru Prague. Usti Nad Labem would be reached by the end of the day, Prague would take a bit longer. No declaration of war ever exchanged hands, but just the same, a war was now raging in Germany.

ooc: you will have to face a German army (unknown numbrers yet) and a detachment of 5400 havy cavalry and some 10.000 local infantry that i sent...i bellive it will be soem 100.000 men... we will have to wait for Waldenburg and Gintonpar (or any other moderator)...

OOC: I think I'd beat the German army there.

ooc: well, we will outnumber you, and our forces are quite equal...

I will inform Wladenburg to post his numbers here, so we can play the battle.

His Highness Price Ludwig Autrasa Von Munche Price of Bavaria was tired from the forced march from Pomerania. It was however a great force that marched with him, 90,000 Infantry 2,000 Heavy Cavalry and 5,000 Lighter cavalry units, and of course an artillery core with 1,400 men in it. The army held the high ground, they had marched for days straight some men had died in the march but now the army was in position and would hopefully stand against any Prussian force advancing by the most obvious and easiest route.

The heavy artillery had been set up and the men rested for nearly 6 hours, the army that had been in a near constant state of war would fight again.

OOC- So it's a total of 98,400 men. I'm not exactly sure on our borders at the moment, so i didn't post the armies exact position. I don't think you can march an army from Dresden to Austria without crossing some German lands but i'm open to new ideas.

And of course again i'd like to post an amphibious assualt on a Prussian port from Gotland, which was recently captured.

OOC: I'm marching from Dresden to Prague which is in modern day Czech Republic. And on top of that to get from Pomerania to Prague you have to march through Prussian territory, namely Brandenburg and Saxony. Either way theres no way your army would come close before my army made it to Prague, your marching more than 4* the distance.

Your right I have to cross HRE "lands", Prussian HRE lands though, remember, Prussia-Brandenburg was a part of the HRE, so while the land is technically part of the HRE, its my land. Check my thread for an exact acount of what I have. And if your marching from Pomerania, meaning you have to march across Germany, top to bottom, then either you take a roundabout route through Hessen or you go direct and fight through my territory.

On the amphib landing, go ahead, that could turn out to be pretty fun.

ooc: He could always march straight down to Austrian border and than to Pague, wich is longer, but i belive that they could still reach it the right time...
There, they are joined by 5400 of our heavy cavalry and 12 regiments of infantry (12.000 men) from local camps and garisons.
That makes a total of 116.000 men...
You have 80.000 men, we have a little advantage, but i belive it will be a quite even battle.

OOC- Well what ever the case we really need a conference settling borders. Our army was already in Pomerania so if we cut through Brandenburg then we go around to the border, that should speed everyghing up. Although my army probably wouldn't have beat yours in speed You now have the advantage of fighting a tired army. Our I could take all this back and you could fight a fresh force at your back while the Austrians attaxk from the front, your choics

OOC: Brandenburg is my territory, but anyway where the hell is Gin?

ooc: dunno, he's missing last few days, he must be on vacation or something...we'll have to wait...

I'm here. I thought you only wanted me to moderate the battle though.

With the Germans entering the war and their army heading south a new force had to be sent out. 35,000 men and 7,000 horse, 4,000 of which were hired, went out to screen the Germans, always staying to their east. They were to avoid battle and keep a good distance between them but if the Germans tryed to join the battle than they would be in a position to jump in to., and after a lot less marching.


The main army marching towards Prague began trying to bring the Austrians to battle. The cavalry went out to the west with a strong infantry force while the bulk of the army moved up to make the Austrians give battle. It was very likely the Austrians would refuse as they were vastly outnumbered without the Germans but if they did thats whent he force sent to the west came in handy. They would simply swing around and force the Austrians up against the river Labe which ran through Prague.

While all this was happening, in Prussia new armies were being raised. It would take some time but they would be needed if this war was to drag on.

The small Austrian army retreats behind the walls of Prague. There are 10.000men armed and raised to help defend the city, wich brings a total of 22.000 garison with some 50 guns on the walls. 1000 cavalry is cept in the city, while the rest set of to join the Germans. Defenders in Prague will have to hold out until they are relived by the Germans. Food is piled up and the last repairs are made on the walls.

An army of 60.000 and 7000 cavalry with 64 guns are sent from North-East border, as the alliance with Russia is securing that side. They march to Prague with full speed to help the city.

Around Prague siege lines began going up. 30 massive siege guns began firing at the city. As the trenches crept closer and closer to the city a tunnel was begun, although that project would take a while.

Still the siege was a secondary priority. The bulk of the army went out to engage the Germans before they had a chance to hook up with any Austrian reinforcements, leaving just 15,000 men behind around the city. The men left behind did their best to make it look like it was 30,000 to the Austrians inside the city.

The main army, along with the smaller army that was screening the Germans, even without the force left at Prague, was equal to the Germans infantry wise and greatly outnumbered them in cavalry. On top of that the German army had just marched across Germany while they had barely marched anywhere. The plan was to have the main army bring the Germans to battle and then have the smaller screen force take the Germans from the flank.

OOC:
Prussian combined force:
90,000 men
19,000 horse(4,000 heavy, rest mixed light units.)
110 guns

Vs

German Forces:
90,000 men
7,000 horse(2,000 heavy, 5,000 light)
arty??

Battle would be somewhere northwest of Prague, if I can get the Germans to battle.

The German army under Price Ludwig knows the target of the Prussians will most likely be Pruage. The army is packed and moving again planning to attack the Prussian army from the North-West at Pruage. However the Germans are extremly wary of ambush so skirmeshers have been sent out in front of the main army, about a quater of a mile out. Reports are expected every ten minutes or the entire army will form battle lines. In each direction there are 1,000 men scouting with cavalry to reinforce them in case of an attack. The lighter artillery has also been ordered primed and ready all that is necessary for the first round of small cannon fire is for the cannons to be aimed.

(And on a different subject)

The fleet that had so recently captured Gotland now moved to attack the Port town of Rostock. With the fleet is a force of 10,000 Marines, 5,000 grenadiers and 4,000 Light infantry. The ships pull in under the cover of darkness, the larger ships-of-the-line encircle the port so any ship cannont escape while the sloops and about 2,000 of the Marines try to either give broadsides or capture shore guns. Before the 30 smaller sloops move in the larger ships let of a broadside into the town with incendiary shot, hoping to force the Prussians to surrender their ships.

OOC- Rostock is the Prussian's largest naval town in Western Pomerania. However the Prussian navy mostly consists of Merchant Marines, not much of a navy at all but there are some frigates there. The population of the city is about 55,000, so there's a good base for militia numbers.

ooc: Ginton, you can start moderating now i think...
The germans also have 4400 of my heavy cavalry, add that to your numbers!

ic:

The city canons keep returning fire for the whole day, and the smoke covers the city. They mostly aim towards enemy canons and any bigger groups of soliders that might get cought on the open.

At night, 3 groups of 300 men each sneaks out trough diferent smaller doors in the walls, armed only with sabers. They go as quiet as they can, hoping to get the enemies unprepared and sleeping. As they get close enough, they attack the guards, and while 2 groups try to get into the camp and kill es many soliders as they can, the rest try to disable the canons, stucking them with iron caps.

The reenforcments are a week and a half away, and that is how long the city will have to last.

The attack parties have some successes at firsat because of surprise but as soon as they are discovered they are driven back with casualties as, entering without firearms straight into the enemy camp, they are soon spotted and fired upon. The men spiking the guns are slightly more successful but still only manage to spike 3 12 pounders and an 18 pounder before being discovered and shot off the wall of a pallisade around the camp. The party on the guns surrenders after being surrounded but the party in the camp, shot at early by a sentry, simply breaks and runs for safety with little being accomplished.

The main army marched head on towards the Germans then stopped suddenly, just five miles away. Five miles from the Germans they stopped and formed battle lines, they would let the Germans come to them. The Germans actually had the numerical advantage for now as the screen force was still ten miles away to the north, whether the Germans noticed their advantage or not was something Prussia had no control over.

OOC: Ill leave it up to you Gin to decide exactly where the battle is being fought, I just know itd be somewhere west of Prague and Drsden.

Rostock

The town wasn't expecting much to happen. No one expected teh Germans to come, and if they did it was expected to be by land but the Germans surprised everyone when their ships showed up off the coast. The Prussian navy in harbor, wasn't ready for the most part, of the 3 frigates, 1 60 gun ships and 2 50 gun ships, and the 11 sloops, only 1 frigate, the 60, and 5 sloops were ready for action. Those ships immediatly moved out hoping to buy time for the other ships to be manned and sailed. They opened p with thier guns focusing on the smaller sloops and transports, ignoring for the most part the larger German frigates. In Rostock itself around 4,500 men, mostly militia, began gathering, collecting their weapons and uniforms and marching down to the docks and the walls while the towns few batteries prepared to fire as soon as the Germans came in range. The HRE had caught the town flat footed, but they would still have a battle if they wanted Rostock.

OOC: I'm being a bitch, I know, but how are you carrying 9,000 infantry in addition to 10,000 marines? The largest ships of the line carried only about 100-2000 marines at most, so 10,000 seems like a rather large number. If I am mistaken, I apologise. If you have transports for the infantry, I also apologise for the misunderstanding.

OOC- yes we do have transports, and five ships of the line with many other support vessels. So now that that's going on we only have to wait for Gint to moderate.

I'd do an IC but all i'm saying is the Germans keep marching towards Pruage.

OOC: Looks like we got our battle then

IC:
The cannons around Prague opened up on the men that had sortied as they fleed hoping to catch a few before they could get back within the walls. Canister and shells both lashed out at the Austrians.

The men on the field scater to reduce the casualties to minimum, while the canons on the walls open fire towards the flashes, this gives them a clear target and they hope to destroy a few more canons...

The German scouting parties found the newly assembled Prussian force ,and after some pot shots taken at them from the new rifles, the scouting parties retreted. The Germans advanced untill the armies were less then 1/4 of a mile away from each other, the high elevation guns were moved to the front, about 18 howitzers and mortars put togeather. After the artillery began a bombardment the two skirmeshing parties on the right and left of the army moved forward and away from the enemies hoping they could flank the army when the battle had reached it's hieght. In the rear was now 2,000 infantry and 500 heavy cavalry in a rear guard position watching for the other half of the Prussian army.

OOC- Alt correct me if i'm wrong but is your army split up into three parts? one attacking Pruage, the screening force and the army infront of the Germans.

Rostock

OOC- I'll just keep going, although if the moderator is still around we could use some moderation.

IC- Although there had been casualties, the first marine longboats slide up against gravel and dockside. Around 2,000 marines poured out into the city attacking the few and poorly armed shore guns. On the piers they had orders to burn or untie any ship or boat. Another wave of transports and longboats set out from the German flotilla this time aiming for the city center instead of it's flanks. This new wave however had to fight of the advances of the mobilizing Prussian navy.

Hello, Gin....anybody? Lets continue!

The army sat and waited for the Germans to advance, if the Germans wanted to sit there all day and blast away with a measly 18 cannons then they could have fun doing so. The Germans still held the numerical advantage, and it was one to great for the Prussian army to risk advancing itself. To the north west the screening force continued, sweeping around to get behind the German army.

Rostock:

The 60 gun frigate and the 5 sloops that had managed to go out now sat parrallel to the harbor. The ships blasted away, able to use every single gun now, half of their guns fired canister and shot at the HRE marines that were landing on the harbor while the other half fired away at the incoming transports. On the docks the crews of the other two 50 gun ships and the 6 sloops worked to man as many guns as they could and bring whatever guns they could to bear on the HRE swarming over the docks all around the. The ships would become strongpoints on the docks around which the HRE bodies could pile.

All the while the towns garrison, 4,500 strong and mostly militia began attacking the HRE troops.

OOC: Yes you are correct, my force are split in three.

OOC- You do realize that we used incediary shot on the first broadside, and we've been bombarding your ships this whole time.

Rostock
IC- As entire longboats of marines were blown out of the water, Frigates and some larger transports moved in on the 60 gun and started to grapel while the cannons were either concentrated on longboats or the city. The transports had orders to come to the fore and aft of the ship to avoid cannons while the frigates took the sides being able to give at least some resistance in a broadside.

Pruage
Along with the constant bombardment by the cannons the few rifles of the HRE advance on the flanks of the Prussian hoping to cut a few down. Each rifle battlion is protected by 2 6 pound cannons, one regiment of the line and a cavalry battlion. HRE command hopes to draw Prussian cavalry out into the range of the Smoothbore 12 pound cannons.


Another 55,000 Infantry and 7,000 cavalry and support guns are now marching towards Brandenburg after the treaty with France. They hope to take it easily as most of the Prussian army is in Bohemia

OOC- If I could bud in, i've always wanted to moderate and since the usual moderator isn't paying much attention i was wondering if I could try it. Of course you could get rid of me anytime but i'd like to moderate. I'll even pay an IC bribe to the HRE to gain their vote and anything anyone else might want...

ooc: i agree with you moderating.

ic:

At Prague, all Austrian army together with the armed citisens, march out trough the Nothern gates under the cover of omer than 50 cannons on the walls. The attempt to drive away the Prussians in open battle. The all Austrians army is 50 guns (on walls), 1000 heavy cavalry, 21.000 regular infantry and more than 10.000 armed men from the city. The cavalry ride out trough the west gate and try to attack the Prussian right flank, while 11.000regular infantry move directly forward in 3 columns. 2000 militia protects each flank, while the rest are left in reserve. The citisens bring out 9 6 pounders and 4 smaller morters to bombard the Prussians in the camp.

ooc2: The Prussains have 15.000, but my army thinks its 30.000 so they will advance carefully and they will push forward as hard as they can.

ooc: i agree with you moderating.

ic:

At Prague, all Austrian army together with the armed citisens, march out trough the Nothern gates under the cover of omer than 50 cannons on the walls. The attempt to drive away the Prussians in open battle. The all Austrians army is 50 guns (on walls), 1000 heavy cavalry, 21.000 regular infantry and more than 10.000 armed men from the city. The cavalry ride out trough the west gate and try to attack the Prussian right flank, while 11.000regular infantry move directly forward in 3 columns. 2000 militia protects each flank, while the rest are left in reserve. The citisens bring out 9 6 pounders and 4 smaller morters to bombard the Prussians in the camp.

ooc2: The Prussains have 15.000, but my army thinks its 30.000 so they will advance carefully and they will push forward as hard as they can.

OOC- Sounds very good to me start as moderating soon as you can.

OOC- Thank you i'll get on it then


Pruage: with the Prussian cannon-fire on the Austrain salley, the cannons on the walls were able to pick out the Prussian batteries. However the orginal 300 Austrian men were cut to shreads by cannons.

OOC- Waiting for Prussian defense to get on with the larger attack
Casualties:
Prussians- 120 killed 230 wounded, 6 cannons lost
Austrian- 240 killed 60 wounded

Rostock: The beginning of the HRE attack cuaght the Prussian off guard. The first incendiary shot burned many ships on the wharf, and the constant bombardment cuased panic amungst the lower orders of the Prussian navy. The first wave of Marines landed easily without much resistance from the town and attacked the shore guns which fell quickly. The second wave was not as lucky as the first, it was fired upon by ships with grapeshot and otherwise inconvinenced by the ships. When the HRE transports tried to grapel onto the Prussian 60 gun, the guns on the 60 loaded with canisters did litttle against the 2 frigate, but the solid shot of the frigates did much more damage.

Casualties:
HRE- 610 killed (Mostly from drowning) 180 wounded, 1 sloop lost
Prussia- 270 Killed 90 wounded (On shore) 20 killed 175 wounded (60 gun)
2 sloops lost, 2 frigates damaged by incendiary shot but still capable of using cannons, all shore guns lost

OOC- A bit much on the casualties but it's quite accurate.

IC-
Rostock-Marines start to attack the 60 gun from all 4 sides, with ladders,grappels and other various other ship crossing devices. While that is going on the HRE ships-of-the-line finally start to move in on the ships in the harbour leaving only 1 to guard the entrance. On the wharf soildiers there start to try to set fire on the moored ships. The marines who had recently captured the shore-guns turned them on Prussian ships in the harbour.

Pruage: Realizing their ploy had not worked the skirmeshers withdraw back to the main army. The HRE army not willing to engage one of the Prussian's less they leave a flank unprotected, form a large square. 20,000 Infantry on each of the 4 sides with riflemen and light artillery scattered in between. In the center is the high angled artillery with the heavier waiting to be dispenced to where it is needed. The soldiers have been ordered to begin to intrench themselves, small parties have been sent out to gather wood to make fortifications.

OOC: What happened to Gintonpar? O well, Hey Border Guards.

IC:
Rostock:
The first wave of German marines, suffering just under a thousand casualties, had lost almost half of its men. Not only that but they were outnumbered 5 to 1, and surounded on all sides. Almost 5 thousand men converged on the HRE marines who were completely exposed to them. In manning the shore defenses and batteries they left themselves open, as the defenses were facing the sea, not the town. Sharpshooters were placed on roofs and in windows and began picking off any HRE officers they could see. Small cannon, 4 pounders, were dragged from the walls and armories to the docks and began double loading. A load of canister placed on top of a cannon ball, twice the effectiveness.

There were still 6 sloops and two big frigates docked that had there crews and their guns. They began to do something that had never been done before, instead of going out to harbor they stayed docked and opened up with their cannons on the HRE marines on the wharfs all around them. All the men who weren't need to fire the cannon were sent to the top and given guns to begin firing down onto the HRE marines.

Out in the harbor things were getting worse. The single 60 gun frigate continued firing with all its guns.(OOC: Its firing solid shot at ships, not canister, it was firing canister at the shore line filled with HRE marines.) There was no shortage of targets, and each and everyone one of its 60 guns could fire, point black range into the HRE ships and they did as fast as they could. As the decks of the HRE ships began filling with me to board the 60 gunner the guns on te deck aimed down. They double loaded, a canister load on top of a solid shot, and fired. Since the ships trying to board the frigate were transports and sloops and other smaller ships the top deck could fire down ontp their decks that were filled with sailors and soldiers waiting to board. And so they had a clear shot, the canister would first wip thru and slaughter the men on the deck and the cannon ball following close behind had a clear shot to shoot straight thru the deck and below.

The HRE ships seemed to be ignoring the 3 sloops sround the frigate. The sloops, though small, did what they could moving up to lightly armed transports that were filled with troops and blasting them out of the water. They used their speed to slah in and out, cutting between longboats and running them over, blowing up transports.


Prague:
The Austrians were out of their mind. The trenches and siege works were within musket range of the city walls so when the north gate opened and infantry began flooding out a disgusting amount of fire began pouring in. Gates were only so big, and thousands of men were trying to press themselves through the gate. A gate was just a big door, and only so many people could fit through a door at once.

It was through that chokepoint that thosuands of Austrian men tryed to pour out of. two dozen guns focused on the northern gate, pouring double shot, canister on top of a cannon ball, into the mass of bodies. It wasn't only the cannon, but thousands of muskets began pouring their fire into that gate. The Austrian cannon on the wall could fire all they wanted but they were firing at siege works and trenches, fortifications and strongpoints. while the Prussian army was firing at men fully exposed. The Austrian cannon would need perfect shots to score casualties, especially against cannon. Soon enough the hope was tha tthe casualties from all the cannon and musket fire would form a wall of human bodies at the north gate, baring it from either entry or exit.

At the west gate the story would be much the same with the Austrian heavy cavalry. There was no flank, the flanks were anchored in the river. The cavalry wasn't fired upon immediatly, the first 200-250 were allowed through the gate before a dozen cannon fired double shot into them and thousands of muskets began their fire. The story wouldn't be exactly the same here, as Prussia wanted the Austrian cavalry to come out and die. The cavalry would have to stop and reform once they were all out of the gate, otherwise they would be attacking the Prussian lines in tiny easily destroyed groups. Either way an amazing amount of fire poured into the Austrian cavalry, and if the Austrian cavalry did manage to charge they would be charging fortificatons and siege works, not a camp or open infantry. The cavalry wouldn't be able to do harm to the infantry unless they dismounted and crawled into the trenches and onto the fortifications. Mounted, they were to high to slash down with swords at men in trenches and just barely high enough to get the men in fortifications who would basicaly be on an even level with them.


North west of Prague:
The HRE army had formed square, of all things. Square was a cavalrymans enemy, but an artillerymans dream, and there was no shortage of artillery on the Prussian side. 110 guns, 9 pounders, 12 pounders and a few bigger guns, all opened fire on the HRE army. Most of the guns opened up on the sides not facing the Prussian army. It was like crossing a T, except on land, the guns raked up and down the sides aiming at the middle of each side. That way if they shot long, they still hit, if they shot short, they hit, if they shot on target, they hit. And whenever they hit instead of just having a line of men to go through and then open ground their was a whole row. A single cannon ball could kill or maim a dozen men raking the sides.

While the guns worked the HRE army light cavalry regiments moved out and began hunting down the small groups of HRE men sent out to find wood. They made sure to stay out of rifle range of the HRE square. They didn't have much to worry about since the men they were hunting were gathering wood they couldn't carry man arms. If any HRE cavalry came out to engage them they were told to avoid combat.

For an hour the guns would keep fire sapping the HRE army of men and strength before finally the screening force began moving up behind them. The HRE had positioned a mere 500 heavy cavalry and 2,000 infantry behind them to protect against the screening force. A screening force that happened to be 35,000 men and 7,000 horse strong. The screening force was to overwhelm and destroy the reagaurd force of the HRE before forming up in battle lines behind the main HRE army square. The HRE had missed its chance, now the main battle was going to start on Prussia's terms.

OOC- In Rostock you were firing Canisters first so they would be loaded into your guns, and after a solid shot broadside you would loose a lot of those guns.

Near Pruage our army has formed a square but there is quite a large space in the middle so it's just about as easy to hit as battle lines with cannon unless your cannon crew are really talented. And each side has at least 20,000 men so there's no way your fighting just 2,000 infantry at a time.

IC- Rostock: the shore guns noticing the real threat turn themselves on the incoming Prusiian infantry. The sloops with the navy come up to the dockside and anchor themselves off the stern of Prussian ships, opening the Prussians up to fire but leaving them safe.

Pruage: When the Prussian bombardment begin the HRE artillery returned fire immediatly, the high angle began a terrible rain of fire down into the Prussian ranks. The gathering parties were armed but not enough to resist heavy cavalry. 1 in three men had a rifle, the parties try to gather togeather, getting into a much smaller square. Light artillery amougnst the main HRE ranks finally have the Prussian cavalry's attention, they begin to fire. Trying to stop when cavalry get's to close, a small party of Dragoons is detached to harrass the enemy cavalry.

In the rear was now 2,000 infantry and 500 heavy cavalry in a rear guard position watching for the other half of the Prussian army.


OOC: According to that post you had a rearguard, thats what I was basing it off of.

As for the cannon fire, I wish I could draw this, it'd be much easier but. I'm not shooting at the side facing the cannons, which would be like shooting at a battle line, I'm shooting at the sides that are perpendicular to my cannons, kinda like a T, get what I'm saying? It'd be like taking a battle line and putting a cannon on an end and firing down the line instead of at it, hence the heavy casualties, and thats why arty men love squares.

Hope I explained it?

Also how many men are out in those parties? and how many cannon other than the 18 high elevation guns do you have?

Rostock-On shore HRE marines had the advantage provided they were not being shot at by ship guns,snipers...or other guns. Marines were being cut down but they began to obey order and start to burn ships. Also the boarding parties for the 60 were making head way one of the frigate had been badly damaged by a broadside but HRE seamen began to fill the aft deck, and break into the captain quarters via the rear windows. With the comitment of the Ships of the line the Prussian navy scattered and was nearly destroyed.

Casualties:
HRE: 240 marines dead and 210 wounded (On 60 gunand water), (Waldenburg never said another wave was being lunched so your sloops a just shoting at some straggelers) 130 dead and 140 wounded (On shore) 1 sloop destroyed.
Total-370 dead,250 wounded 1 sloop lost

Prussian: 160 dead 45 wounded (On 60 gun), 420 dead 490 wounded (On shore from burning of ships, and inexperianced militia attack along with bombardment from the shore guns.) 1 Sloops burned on shore 2 destroyed in the harbour 1 captured by a HRE ship. 1 Frigate severly burned 1 destroyed

Total- 580 Dead,535 wounded 4 sloops destroyed\captured 2 frigates damaged or destroyed

Pruage North gate: The first few Austrians made it out without the immediate attention of the Prussian but after awhile the Prussians opened up with deadly accuracey. Most of the grapeshot fell short but the cannon balls hit easily. Austrians on the wall could return fire and did but the best they did against Prussian earthworks was cuasing a massive wave of dust to stop Prussian cannons for awhile.
Casualties:
Austrian:
1380 killed 1190 wounded (260 casualties cavalry) 3000 retreated (Or just failed to leave) back into city all militia
Prussian: 70 Killed 80 wounded (But the Austrian army is now spread out and your earthworks are damaged.

West gate: Autrian cavalry did suprisingly well not actually at attacking but surviving. The cavalry started to attack the Earthworks but most, except for the Draggons (If you have any and if you don't it's really not all that important) who fired a few shots. After a few minutes the Austrian knew it was useless and retreated to the West.
Casualties:
Austrian: 390 Dead 200 Captured 150 wounded

Somewhere that isn't Pruage but is very close:
The HRE tactic was unconventional and probably wouldn't work but they formed in anyway. However with such a large group of men in each side the tactic was about as useful as the regular battle line. Casualties came out nearly even after the artillery attacks. As for the parties that were sent to collect wood they were mostly cut down by cavalry although about 100 men were able to form a decent square which held untill the Dragoons drove off the Prussian cavalry.
Casualties:
HRE: 560 killed 340 wounded 75 captured
Prussian:350 Killed 290 Wounded

OOC- I see what your saying with crossing the T but we have cannons on every side and you could only get maybe 5 cannons firing straight down the line. With others having to shoot diagonally. As for men I had about 350 in the wood parties. Besides the high elevation guns we have about 75 others.

Rostock:
While the majority of the men were militia a good 1,000 were trained soldiers, plus the hundreds of sailors from the docked warships. They formed the back bone of the attack. Leading the way they put on their bayonets and closed the range turning the fight into a bloody hand to hand fight, the kind of fight were numbers became very important, and the HRE marines were outnumbered 5 to 1.

All the while sharpshooters continued picking off officers from buildings and windows, stripping the marines of leadership. The captured shore guns couldn't do much for the HRE marines now that the fight had descended into hand to hand, but by the same token neither could the guns the Prussians had brought forward. So the artillerymen with help from men and boys not in the militia began setting up roadblock and mounting their cannon behind them in case things went awry and the marines somehow beat the odds and pushed forward.

The sloops out to sea moved closer to the docks and began pumping in canister point black range at the backs of the marines. With a little over a thousand marines there was enough room for error that they would be safe from shooting the Prussian militia, for now. On the frigate the crew did all it could to fight off the boarders and kill as many HRE sailors as they could.


Prague:
The guns and muskets continued firing at the Austrians untill the last one either died or fled back into the city, then the work started once again. Work parties began moving out and fixing damaged parts of the earthworks. High elevations guns, way back behind the earthworks, mortors and such, began firing into the city. If the Austrians didn't do something about the hundredss of bodies piled outside of their gates then soon enough they would start rotting, the smell would be right under their walls, and who knew what kind of diseases might spread. Under the bombardment a single man with a white flag rode up to the gates offering terms. If the Austrians surrendered then all militia would be alowed to leave, the city would remain unharmed and the regular garrison would recieve fair treatment.



Northwest of Prague:
The guns, all 110 of them continued firing, firing shot after shot at the HRE square, their only answer so far being a mere 18 HRE high elevation guns, but now the army began advancing. The main army began moving forward, a long battle line 40,000 strong advanced on one side of the HRE sqaure. The battleline was longer and thicker than the side of the HRE square facing it, able to pour more fire at the HRE line than they could at it. In front 4 regiments of rifles, 5,000 men, spread out as skirmishers and began pouring fire into the HRE army while all 110 guns shifted their fire onto this single side of the HRE square. The skirmishers and riflemen continued firing almost untill the last minute, when the army was just out of musket range of the HRE square. The riflemen fell back behind the battleline and watched what happened next.

20 of the guns stopped firing, the horse artillery, and moved up to the flanks of the line staying out of musket range and at extreme rifle range, but very close range for a cannon. Behind them on each flank a few cavalry regiments formed up in a spread formation in case HRE cannons opened up on them.

Then the main line entered musket range and the battle started in earnest. The main artillery couldn't fire now for fear of hitting their own men but the 20horse guns, 9 pounders, could still fire.

Behind the square the screening force waited, they waited and watched to see how the HRE army reacted, what would they do now.

OOC- I see what your saying with crossing the T but we have cannons on every side and you could only get maybe 5 cannons firing straight down the line. With others having to shoot diagonally. As for men I had about 350 in the wood parties. Besides the high elevation guns we have about 75 others.

OOC: You got a point, still firing diagonly would be better than straight on but thats a moot subject now.

The French Atlantic Fleet has left port. Their destination is unknown.

The French have moved. (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=10031721#post10031721)

ooc: ok, i realy didn't know that earthworks were in musket range, becouse if they are, Prussians would suffer heavy casualties from my men on walls fireing down on them!
Also, the trenches are only on the front, facing the city, so my cavalry would have a clear attack way from the flank and rear!
My 60.000 reenforcments will arive in some 4 days...Prussian better hurry!


ic:
All th cavalry retreat out of range, then ride behind the line in a big circle. At the same time, all infantry form two lines and advance. 2000 fill the top of the wall and fire at the Prussians below, they also throw granades in the trenches. The lines advance, and halt, only 30 metters from the Prussians. They fire one salvo, then attack with bayonets.
The salvo is also a sign for cavalry and they charge the Prussians in the back, hoping to force them to surender or be killed...

just letting you know. I am still here but I am doing loads of shit with school etc. I'll get on when I can but I'm just glad I chose Sweden and I'm not that important hehe.

Rostock-As marines are now being fire upon from all sides, and it's much easier to fight a man with a musket then with a 3 ton cannon they begin to advance madly into the city. Ships-of-the-line began to take notice of the marines and start to move themselves towards the pier where they will have encircled the remainder of the Prussian navy.

Pruage: As the main army comes into rifle and musket range the HRE tactic finally pays off. The light 6 pound cannons and rifles scattered in the ranks can fire before the muskets can even be considered being used. The heavier cannons, mostly kept in reserve untill now can be brought, in full force against the advancing side. 40 guns are brought into the line, they have been preped for hours and can be fired quickly engulfed by infantry untill they're ready to fire again, mostly shooting canister. Also what little work was done on entrenchment, (only about waist high in the best of places, with very rittle reinforcement) would make a partial barrier to cavalry attacks. A detachment of cavalry has been brought very close to the line in order to cut down the Prussians when they retreat.

Near Pruage: At first the HRE square is not doing the Germans any good. The rifle and cannon bombardment reduced many fine regiments to nothing. The only German counter is the few 6 pound cannons and rifles. When the Prussians advanced the heavy German artillery pulled out to fire canisters. The cannons were protected by a swarm of men that engulfed them everytime they had to reload. After the Prussians finally retreated German cavalry rode them down.

Casualties:
HRE: 3700 killed 4200 wounded (400 casualties are cavalry)
Prussian: 4400 killed 5500 wounded 300 captured (At musket range canister very deadly but will probably kill your own men and are very open to musket fire)

Rostock: Marines on the piers are shot down from every direction, snipers, canister, and militia volleys. When the sloops gathered round the pier to start killing marines, German ships pulled in and did terrible damage to the ships. On the 60 gun Prussians held valiantly but were eventually overun by superior numbers but killed many Germans in the progress.

Casualties:
Prussia: 90 killed 160 wounded (On shore) 3 sloops captured, 1 frigate burned, 60 gun captured
HRE: 270 killed 310 wounded (On shore) 370 killed 200 wounded (on 60) 1 sloop run aground in the confusion.

Pruage: The Austrians advance under heavy fire from the trenches and cannons of Prussia. They held to fire a volley and advanced into the fire and bayonets of of intrenched men. The Austrian advance makes it into the through to the first layer of trenches (I assume the Prussians built the trenches in layers if not i'll up the casualties and so forth) The first trenches are filled with Austrians who are now taking shots at the Prussians in other trenches. Most of the siege cannons are now on the Austrian side.

Casualties:
Austrian: 4300 killed 3200 wounded
Prussian: 1070 killed 1400 wounded

The Austrian troops that made it to the trenches fortyfie and start fireing voley after voley towards the Prussians. The advance halts. All troops that don't fit into the trenches start draging the captured canons into the city.

After reaching the rear of the Prussians, the cavalry attack the Prussian camp and suplie train, seting tents to fire and trying to do as much damage as they can before the camp gets help from the main line.

Rostock- What's left of German marines now in the town disperse and try to hide in the houses hoping to regroup with reinforcements. The ships prepare to unload more soldiers, this time grenadiers and other heavy regiments. Before this a chance for Prussian surrender is offered:

All Prussian citizens and soldiers in the city of Rostock now have the oppertunity to leave. Put down your weapons and disperse you shall be allowed to leave the city with anything you can carry, unharmed. You have 6 hours to comply.

Signed:
Admiral Gientz

Near Pruage:
After repulsing the first wave the German troops are replenished from troops in the middle, each side still stands at about 20,000. The men are ordered to continue to entrench themselves. Now that the heavy cannons are out they start to return fire on the Prussian lines although it is only a minor peppering to what the Prussians can do.

Rostock:

The HRE marines were now down around 5 or 600 men, barely a fourth of the 2,000 they had started with while the Prussians still had around 4,000. The HRE marines were outnumbered now, 8 to 1, and while most of the Prussians were just militia there were around 800 regular soldiers left, meaning their were more Prussian regulars on shore than HRE marines.

With a fourth of their men either dead or wounded it was a wonder that the HRE marines managed to continue fighting and charged into the city. It was their death they charged into. The militia and regular soldiers fired one last time before charging with their bayonets hoping to simply overwhelm whatever was left of the HRE marines quickly. snipers continued to fire from roofs and windows, picking off any HRE marine they had an open shot at. By now, with a fourth of their men down, most of the HRE officers and NCO's had to be gone so their leadership was probaly gone. With that men began yelling in German, the common langauge between the HRE and Prussia, for the marines to simply surender, that they would be allowed to go home i they just surrendered. Otherwise the marines were simply screwed, they would die. While reinforcements from the ships were coming it would take some time for the boats to get from the ships of the harbor to land. And even then they would have to fight through the single remaining frigate and four sloops.


NorthWest Of Prague:

OOC: You do realize men back then dont carry entreching tools like shovels exc? So if your men are entrenching their doing it by hand.


The cannon fire resumed once again, all 110 guns blasting away at the packed HRE sqaure. Once again the thousands of rifle men moved forward in skirmishing formations and began shooting up the HRE line from out of range of the HRE muskets. They were specifically ordered to take out the gunners of any cannon up on the line. For an hour it continued this way, the cannon and rifles cutting down as many HRE soldiers and gunners as they could.

Then after an hour the main army marched forward again. 30,000 men with another 20,000 in reserve directly behind them advanced on the HRE sqaure. The men marched up to musket range and started banging away, volley fire. If the HRE men tried to pull the same stunt they did last time by moving their cannonup to the front line they were just asking for their gunners to die. Any cannon on the front line would be enveloped by close range musket fire, killing the gunners before they could fire. Hiding the cannon behind infantry, then moving the infantry real quick to fire before moving them back just simply wasn't practical and wasn't possible. The infantry would loose all order and if they wanted to do that they wouldn't have a line just a mass of men moving around and if that was the case the cavalry would soon be cahrging into it.

The 30,000 man battle line was to blast away at the 20,000 man HRE battle line for as long as it could untill both lines were weakened to a point were they could barely fight, when that was the case the 20,000 man Prussian battle line behind the first line would charge forward with bayonets supported by the 30,000 man line. If the HRE took men from the other sides of the sqaure to stop the attack then the screening force on the other side of the sqaure would atack and cavalry would attack both flanks.


Prague:

OOC: You don't have any cavalry left, you started with 1,000, according to BG's casualty count there all either dead, wounded or captured. And BG, the cannon wouldn't be on the first trench line, the cannon would be on the embankments, the first trench line is in musket range of the walls, cannon are further back.

IC:
Of the 16,000 infantry who had attacked from the city, about 8,500 were dead or wounded while another 3,000(militia) had fled back into the city. That left just about 3,500 men that were now manning the first row of trenches. Out of Prussia's 15,000 starting men, about 2,800 had gone down, leaving her with a little over 12,000 men to retake those trenches. 9,000 of those men charged the first row of trenches that were now full of Austrians hoping to catch them off gaurd before they could organize themselves. The rest of the men try their best to our covering fire into the trenches and watch for any more troops coming out of Prague.

OOC- Standing in for the HRE cuase I imagine that in the suppy train which is probably in the middle has quite a bit of equipment, but not enough so things are slow, but still....

As for the cannons at Pruage they certainly could be at the back but that would make the Austrian attack on the Trenches much easier, far fewer casualties without the cannons off the advance. On the other hand you'd have heavy siege guns shooting down in Austrian trenches, but again quite close to your men.

You didn't put the trench within musket range of the wall, that would be impossible. There is no possible way you could build a trench within musket range of a fortified city without losing at least 3\4 of your men. The closet you should even think about getting is 200 meters.


Again my mind is easily changed I'll let you decided where your cannons are, and you trenches. And it looks like that the Austrians had 31,000 infantry when they left the city.

Waiting for Waldenburg to post

OOC: The smaller cannon would definitly be up front, but the heavy siege guns would be in back.

30,000? Really? Guess I messed up their.

Rostock- On not hearing from the city about surrender the HRE ships start landing troops and light cannons. Pinnaces and sloops run guard although the Prussian navy is mostly destroyed or moored the ships of the line are kept full readiness. 5,000 Troops will be landed followed by ship's gun crews and a few cannons. The troops have been split into 10 battlions which will take the town from different routes.

Near Pruage- As the Prussian lines advanced the cannons peppered their advance and the 6 pounder's would still be in the front rank to provide some flak. Just before the Prussian were in musket range, men who looked just like regulars used their rifles to snipe the Prussian officers. As it is obvious that this time the Prussians will be looking for cannons in the ranks that tactic has been replaced by adding more men to the line,
2 other side sends 10,000 men. 10,000 reinforce the attacked sides rear while 10,000 men tried to sweep along the right flank. 500 Dragoons and 2,000 of the Austrian heavy cavalry pull far to the left and come charging down dragoons first to pick off anyone who might try anti-cavalry tactics. On the weakened sides the heavy artillery reposition themselves so that they will at least cuase a little hindrence to the screening force. The remainder of reserve is commited to the square where needed (there's very little in reserve.)

OOC- so here's how the armies positioned.

North Side (Just becuase I don't actually know which side you're attacking i'll just say north)
30,000 Men in forming 1 side of square. 35 Guns mixed in the ranks. 10,000 Men attacking Prussian right flank. 2,500 Cavalry attcking Prussian left.

South side (Or whichever side the screening force is on)
20,000 Infantry, 25 guns, 2,500 dismounted cavalry (Not very helpful unless maybe a bayonet charge happens)

West side
12,000 men 1,500 dismounted cavalry, 15 guns

East Side
10,000 men 3,000 dismounted cavalry, 15 guns

Remember the Austrians lent me 5400 heavy cavalry

North West of Prague-

North Side(would actually be east side but don't matter)-

The main line ignored the movements on its flanks and continued forward getting into range of the HRE line, now equal in size, and firing volley fire at them. Any cannon on the line would have their crews wiped out in the first few volleys, truly a waste of cannon by the HRE.


The 20,000 infantry that had been behind the first line move up to meet the 10,000 HRE soldiers attacking the right flank. The thousands of riflemen that had pulled behind the main line moved up on the flank of the HRE soldiers that came out to attack and started pouring rifle fire on their flank while the 20,000 man second line opened fire from the front.

Once the 10,000 man HRE attack force got bottled up between the 20,000 man second line and the thousands of riflemen, 6,000 light cavalry, lancers, hussars, carabiners exc were to sweep around and try to take them from the flank and from behind. The HRE soldiers would be kept from forming square by the fact that there were thousands of infantry in front of them, if they tried to form square than the infantry would blast the sqaures to pieces. Once the cavalry attacked the HRE force then the infantry would do the same with bayonets.


On the left flank 3,000 heavy cavalry and 1,000 Polish lancers move up to attack the Austrian/HRE cavalry.


South Side-

Here the advantage of numbers was on Prussia's side. 35,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry against 20,000 HRE infantry and 2,500 dismounted cavalry. The 35,000 infantry advanced in battle lines just the same as the men on the north side. They came up into musket range and began volley fire, aiming to take out the gun crews on the cannon on the line quickly, taking the cannon out of service. Once the cannon were out of service the men were to charge the HRE side with cavalry attacking the flanks of the HRE side.


East Side-

The main forces 110 cannon, not able to fire with the men in the way, moved to the east side where they had open shots. Along with them came 5,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. The cannon were going to just blast away at the East Side hoping to cause as many casualties as they could.

Nothern Advance, Near Pruage:
The Prussians advance under all available cannon-fire from the HRE untill they are within musket range then the heavy cannons are forced to pull back but still provide some fire. The slightly entrenched Germans have a slight advantage, along with the rifles constantly sniping of Prussian officers severly will be a great loss to Prussia in the future and now. When the German infantry wheeled around on the left in cuaght the already viciously engaged Prussian off guard and forced them if they were to prevent a bayonet charge to split their forces. The German cavalry did not have the same advantage, they would hit a glistening wall of bayonets. The German dragoon tactic saved the cavalry from total carnage, cut little pathes into Prussian lines which some off the cavalry could ride through.

When the 20,000 man rear guard and cavalry turned right to rush the left advance (?) the Germans were a tad unprepared however it is hard to fire muskets through your own cavalry. When the cavalry hit they sluaghtered a good few rows Germans but the line split and formed two rows(Since this is rather hard to explain a || but dioganally) along with that German infantry on the West side now had a clear shot at the cavalry and took it. Like wise took place against the Austrian and German cavalry on the other side, but this time with Polish lancers against the backs of Austrian heavy cavalry. The German artillery picking targets mostly concentrates on Prussian cavalry.

Casualties:
HRE- 1700 killed 1200 wounded (Left Flank by German point of view)
2900 killed 3100 wounded, (center)
(German Right, all cavalry) 800 killed 700 wounded

Prussian- 5100 killed 6700 wounded (Center)

760 killed 500 wounded(On Prussian Right) {450 casualties cavalry}

200 killed 610 wounded (Prussian Left, most casualties from cannon-fire)

Southern Advance:
There is no great tactical genius at work at the southern end just a hail of bullets exchanging sides. when the Prussian cavalry were supposed to be attacking the lines flank, the problem of course was that the line was part of a square and the flank one of the strongest points. The cavalry on not find at weak point fell back to the infantry.

Casualties:
Prussian- 910 killed 1100 wounded (150 casualties cavalry)
HRE-720 killed 910 wounded (Remember the slight earthworks)

Total Prussian Casualties: 15,880
Total German Casualties: 12,030 (although your practically surronded)

East Side: No one's arrived yet, soon though

North Side-


On the right flank the reserve line that had met the HRE flank attack now lined up right in front of it and blasted away at the HRE soldiers who had come out of their entrechements. The riflemen moved to the flank so that they could fire at the HRE advance fromt he flank with their long rifles while the cavalry pulled back.

On the left flank the cavalry pressed the assault to destroy the HRE and Austrian cavalry while they were out in the open and while they had the chance.

In the center, the main infantry lines continued battering away at each other, the Prussian infantry doing so by volley fire. By now both lines were enshrouded with smoke so aiming for a specific person was near impossible.

South Side-
The cavalry pulled back behind the infantry while the infantry cahrged forth with bayonets, hoping their advantage in numbers and the cavalry pressing them forward behind them would be enough to carry them through the weaker HRE side.

East Side-

Cannon continued setting up to fire on the HRE East Side, horse guns where the first to set p with the heavier regular cannon arriving a little bit later.

Prague:

The Austrians on walls turn their canons at the main Prussian line and continue their bombardmnt for the whole day. The men in trenches prepare for defence and maintain their voleys. The city will have to hold for another 3 days for the main army to sweep away the Prussians. (2 days for the cavalry to arive).

Interesting. This RP is going very well. I can only apologise for being v. busy and only posting occasionally.

OOC- When your attacking my left wouldn't your cavalry be in the way?

IC North- The center group of troops starting to notice the attacks from the flanks, they start to anchor their flanks even futher against either side of the square. On the right the Draggons turn and concentrate on the advancing cavalry. There are still about 2,500 cavalry on horse back and they must choose either right or left flank, they choose the German left and try to sweep down the middle killing on either side, on one Cavalry with thier backs turned the other riflemen. Once the cavalry are through there they have orders to attack the rear of the orginal 30,000 attack. On the East side (I think, or which ever one is the Prussian right) The infantry mostly break square and order a slow charge (Or bayonet advance as i've heard it called) firing the occasional volley into the cavalry as they went. To prevent against a cavalry charge from the south cannons are loaded with canister and put in the ranks again (only about 4 men deep in any place) so if they do attempt a charge it will be quite bloody.

South:
The Germans had been hoping for a bayonet charge the Prussians would have to jump at trenches filled with a wall of steel. Along with that there were the unmounted cavalry who were well trained in sabre fighting. The German soldiery is ordered to wait till about 5 meters for their last volley, then about the only gunfire will be from cavalry pistols. Cannons have been placed about 10 meters behind the men loaded with canister as a reminder of loyalty and should the line break the Prussians along with quite a few cowardly Germans will regret moving in that directions.

North Advance- The center has turned into a blood-bath for the Prussians, being attacked from 3 sides. On the German Right the joint Austrian and HRE cavalry attack was going poorly, German Draggons and some musket fire was all that prevented massecre of the cavalry. When the advance of the Western infantry moved in on Prussian cavalry a group of them set out and amazingly broke the line in places however they were mowed down by musket fire later. The infantry hit the cavalry and everything just turns into a massive brawl no particular order, sluaghter on both sides. On the German Left the Light German Cavalry do charge bravely down the two coulmns of Prussians but the musketmen far down the line, who have not been able to fire through their own cavalry, get shots off at the Germans. Eventually the Germans break through to the back with heavy casualties but still attack the rear. In the intense a rifle shot kills the German commander, the Germans try to cover up the death but quite a few men know.

Casualties:
HRE: 3200 killed 3700 wounded (Center) {Commander dead, I believe Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, a terrible loss}
German Left- 2200 killed 2500 wounded (800 casualties are cavalry)
German Right- 800 killed 1700 wounded (900 Casualties are cavalry

Prussian: 7100 killed 5600 wounded (Center)
Prussian left: 250 killed 400 wounded 30 captured
Prussian Right: 350 killed 400 wounded
A note to the Prussians you have about 6,000 men left in the center (My personel opinion is talk terms but meh...)
South:
The Prussian Boyonet charge goes poorly at first but once a few men secure a small position in the trench they formt wo defensive walls which keep pushing to let more Prussians in. The Germans still hold a majority of the trench and if they make a good charge they will crush the Prussians.

Casualties:
Prussian 2100 killed 600 wounded
HRE 1800 killed 400 wounded (There aren't many wounded men who survive a bayonet charge)

East:The artillery is set up and begins bombardment of the Eastern side of the square and the advance of the Prussian left (I think, I'm a bit confused correct me if any of this is wrong)
Casuaties:
Prussian: None
HRE: 390 killed 600 wounded

German Total Casualties: 16,790
Prussian Total Casualties: 16,800

Pruage: Austrian bombardment cuase only mild confusion around the Prussian ranks. the only thing cuasing serious damage is the volleys from trench to trench.

Casualties:
Austrian: 230 killed 400 wounded
Prussian: 190 killed 390 wounded