Testing the Carelian defence against the muscovites. Päin Karjalan mäntyä

After getting the base of Carelian defence force into paints I assembled a list to pit against the muscovite horde.

Short report - I blame the dice and order tokens. (Ottoman dice, Polish order tokens.)

Longer report:

With 8 Force points I had:
lieutenant colonel Blankenhagen
his second Captain Smått
3 Hordes of peasants numbering 2 bases each. 
6 bases of recruit reiters
4 bases strong Adelsfana
8 bases of provincial musketeers - divided into two squadrons
2 bases of dragoons (Should have been 2 companies, 4 bases.)

Since my opponent brought a force of only 7 FP I had the surpirising task of attacking -
the scenario rolled being defend the crossing:

My opponen deployed his streltsi on my side of the river, flanked by some peasants and supported by reserve of provincial soldats and boyar sons from the other side of the river. 

Alkuasetelma: sillanpäässä streltsejä ja ortodoksitalonpoikia, vastarannalla maakuntasoldateja ja pajarinlapsia.  Hyökkäämässä musketööriskvadroonat ja vasemmalla reiterit ja adelsfana.

 

 

 

Kierros 2? Koukkaus rakuunoilla on valmistunut, reiterit ovat vetäytyneet rynnäköityään talonpikien ihmiskilpeen ja saatuaan tappioita streltsien lähietäisyyden tulesta. Streltsit ovat kääntyneet kohtaamaan adelsfanan rynnäkön kohti sivustaansa ( ja samalla liukuneet juuri sen alta pois. Musketöörien pitkän matkan tulitus kontramarssissa on näyttävää, mutta ei tuota tuloksia.

 Round 2? Before the second movement phase. Dragoons have flanked from the right. Musketters continue firing without effect from long range. Reiters have charged the peasants in front of streltsy, scattered them to flight, and themselves retreated in disorder aftergetting shot by and clashing with the streltsy.

Same situation, different angle.

 Round 3 Reiters fail to get organized. Adelsfana is rallied after being disorganized by failed charge.

Musketöörit etenevät ja tulittavat sivustasta, ilman tulosta.

 Musketeers advance relentlesly, but despite flanksituation fail to score hits

Aatelislippue pakenee kahakoituaan streltsien kanssa. Pajarinlapset ovat ylittäneet kahlaamon ja tuhonneet sitä vahtineet talonpojat.

 Boyar sons cross the river and annihilate peasants guarding the crossing. Adelsfana is fleeing after clashing with the streltsy.

Reiterit yrittävät painaa streltsit jokeen, mutta ampujien moraali pitää. Ainakin uusintaheitoilla.

The reiters charge streltsy but fail to break their spirit. Musketeers close in for slaughter.

Kierros 6 lopputilanne. Streltsien moraali pitää murhaavista tappioista huolimatta. Silta ja kahlaamo venäläisillä. Ruotsalaiset kärsivät suuret tappiot ja strateginen voitto moskovalaiselle.

End of round 6 despite appalling casualties streltsy hold the bridgehead. Bridge and ford under Russian control, and with heavy losses to Swede a strategic victory is theirs.

Basically game was lost to me because of too timid approach towards the bridge. Long range musketry was inefficient as it usually is and I failed to get my dragoons to raking position on the side of streltsy.

The quality of raw cavalry in this list is suspect so the enemy should be weakened more before trying charge it.

Then again, wit limited amount of command available, there simply is not too much time for clever maneuvers.

Fun game -  the one unit that achieved its purpose were the peasants guarding my side of the river from boat cossack landings.

Carelian defence force - Karjalan armeija 1656

Well - almost there edges of bases still black.
Melkein valmista - vielä beissien reunat....
Some peasants:

In that evening sun... Mixture of Polish peasants and various guys with muskets. 

Nostoväen talonpoikia ilta-auringossa

Bases with rock, marsh, birch forest theme to separate them from earlier batch of Polish peasants.

Provincial musketeers:

Vastavärvättyä muskettimiestä ja vanhoja veteraaneja sekaisin.

Various iterations of Viborg regiment uniforms mixed with civilian clothing.

Adelsfana - the banner of noblemen, or feudal levy:

Aatelislippue - isäntiensä varustama, joten ei univormuja. Taisteluarvo kyseenlainen.

No real uniforms - of suspect quality. Paid men equipped privately by their masters.

Recruit reiters:

Ratsurekryytit

Best recruits are already in Poland or Livonia these are those left behind earlier. Unexperienced, too young, too old, some infirm. Equipped with leftovers. May have the fighting spirit, but lack drill, experience and kit.

The colonel:

Eversti seurueineen

A mediocre commander who got no troops to lead in the kings war south. Stuck into an inglorious business of repelling muscovites with no real promise of booty or ransoms, threatened by shame if he fails.