Battle Report: 15th August 1998

Prussian ~vs~ Late Afghan

(Nathanial Norgren ~vs~ Robert Avery)

Report

The Afghans were outscouted, so set up first: palcing their three infantry groups in the centre, with two horse units on either flank. The Prussians, however, replied by compressing their force into a small box on the left hand side of the field, witht he Uhlans and Cuirassiers massed in a huge column on their left flank.

The battle opened with the Afghans advancing strongly: particularly keen to get their marksmen into action. The Prussian CinC, likewise, deployed the Jaegers: using this skirmish screen to advance in columns.

The second phase of the battle saw two decisive actions. The first was some superb counter-battery fire by the Afghan gunners: knocking out two sections of Prussian HA. The second was the charge of the combined Prussian cavalry column onto the far right of the Afghan line. as they thundered forward, the Afghan Purple Flag marksmen, despite the presence of their 2inC, scattered in fron tof them: leaving only a unit of Ghazis between the Prussian horse and the Afghan flank.

The Ghazis, bolseterd by the presence of their CinC, waited until the last moment, then devastated the cavalry with a hail of well-placed spears. At the same time, the Afghan guns, again firing superbly, hit the germanic horse in the flank. This hail of fire proved too much for even the Cuirassiers and Lancers: and those that survived were unable to make contact, and bounced back several hundred yards.

In the centre, meanwhile, the Afghan skirmishers and Jaegers were sniping somewhat ineffectually at each other. Seeing a need to quickly recover from the the disappointments of the last phase, the Prussian commander ordered the Guard forward: charging them into the heart of the Afghan line.

The Guard was met by a hail of fire from Afghan jezzails and captured Martini-Henry rifles, as well as a unit of charging Afghan tribesmen. Despite brave efforts, the casualties they had taken took the heart out of the Guard, and they were sent back to the Prussian lines shaken and in disorder. 

Meanwhile, the Afghans had been advancing towards the Prussian right flank, and were now in a position to start sniping at the Prussian forces there. After softening them up, another unit of Afghan tribesmen charged from the centre of the field into the flank of the right flank forces who, already distressed by sniper fire, broke and ran.

With his cavalry and artillery largely destroyed, the Guard, Jaegers and Line Infantry shaken and routed, the Prussian commander conceded defeat.

Casualties

The Afghans lost 320 tribesmen.

The Prussians lost 80 Jaegers; 760 Cuirassiers; many Uhlans; 120 Guard; two artillery sections and about 140 line infantry.

Results

A win for the Afghans. 

Analysis

The Prussians never really managed to get into a position where they could deliver a significant weight of fire into the advancing Afghans. They remained closely bunched and in multiple lines.

BACK