The conflict between the Commonwealth/Poland-Lithuania and Muscovy lasted more than two centuries when it entered a new phase. The heirless death of Ivan the Terrible bagun a chaotic period in Russian history known as the Time of Troubles. False pretenders, rebel leaders, tzars reigning for short periods of time and general destruction and anarchy attracted some unwanted attention. The Commonwealth in general couldn't be happier - the troubles in Russia lifted much pressure from the border and could be used to relieve some tension after civil conflict in the Crown known as Zebrzydowski's rokosz. Numerous Polish adventures seen Russia like the Spanish seen the Americas - area where you can gain wealth and fame serving as a mercenary, some had no option but to leave Poland anyway. So the state of such 'unofficial' war lasted until the next of the 'boyar' tzars Shuyskiy signed a treaty of alliance with Sweden which was at war with the Commonwealth. Some of more hawkish leaders of the Republic couldn't dreamed about better opportunity. Still the parliament - Sejm - wasn't interested so the 'real' war started as largery private enterprise of Zygmunt III the ruling king of Poland. Soon the Commonwealth forces besieged the key fortress and the primary objective of the war - Smolensk - which was lost to Muscovy almost a century ago.
The problem was that Russians were not going to leave it without a help and the fortess is one of the strongest in the entire region. The relief force numbering somewhere around 40 000 Russians and up to 5 000 western mercenaries hired by Swedes.
The allied army met with one huge obstacle - the detached strike force of Crown hetman Stanislw Zólkiewski with a large number of the deadly Winged Hussars - the biggest ever assembled in one field battle like this - almost 6 000 of them.
After some initial moves the battle was to happen at Klushino half-way between Smolensk and Moscow. Finally about 35 000 Russian-Swedish soldiers met about 6 500 Poles. What happened next was the battle where human and horse endurance was put to new limits. The hussars initially supposed to suprise the enemy had to stop and wait for small number of infantry and 2 light cannons to clear the field from obstacles stopping the Polish attack, but it was only the beginning of a long and tiresome day to literally ram through the enemy lines and make them surrender.
Can you do it again ? Remember that "In courage hope. In victory rescue. Do your duty !" - these are the words of the Polish commander spoken before the battle - remember them well !
Prepared by Adas (the map and the battle itself) and Cegorach (idea and historical background).
The battle was fought in the initial part of the war between Russia and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1654-67). Large invading force of the Tzardom was mainly concerned with taking more important strongholds as Smolensk, but a large force was sent ahead to stop Lithuanian army from disrupting the siege of the city as it was done in 1632-33. Army commanded by prince Cherkasskiy acting as a vanguard of another army led by prince Trubeckiy consisted mainly of cavalry useless during the siege of Smolensk. Cherkasskiy's army is estimated to be around 15 000 - 20 000 as far more reliable than 6 500 often quoted by Russian imperial historians. Trubeckiy led another 15 000 this time including numerous infantry. The opposing force was much smaller - roughly 4300 men, but its quality and the terrain it chosen to fight the battle compensated to some degree for the odds it faced. Grand Lithuanian Hetman Janusz Radziwill decided to stop the Russians after he sent his infantry and supply wagons away to join mobilising Lithuanian army. Deploying on the other bank of a small river with his dragoons deployed hidden in ravines on both sides of a narrow plain he insured his army wouldn't be outflanked so the battle would be decided more by the discipline than numbers alone. The long struggle with incoming Russian forces lasted several hours fought under the terrible, dark sky during the eclipse of the Sun. Because the Russians were not able to use their numbers and were coming in waves (didn't plan to fight, but were engaged and lured under dragoons' fire) the Lithuanian army managed to achieve the suprising victory causing some 2500 casualities among the enemy and forcing them to retreat. Try to repeat the achievement ! Designer's note - the river and the ravines were impossible to simulate correctly - RTW engine doesn't allow too much.
Prepared by Adas (the map and the battle itself) and Cegorach (idea and historical background).
Toloczyn 27th October 1660 After a series of crushing defeats the Russian army in Belorus managed to survive the unresolved battle at Basia river (8th October 1660) and was waiting for help and replacements. The necessary help was gathered by prince Khovansky who gathered some 5000 - 6000 men in occupied Polock and moved south to help the beleagured contrymen at Basia. The second objective which could be achieved was to catch the Polish-Lithuanian army between the newly formed 'hammer' and the still powerful 'anvil' waiting at Basia. Polish-Lithuanian commanders were well aware of the danger and some 1000 light cavalry - mainly volunteer semi-regulars - was sent to the north to slow down the relief force. After the light cavalry detachment was dispatched a larger force of cavalry/mounted infantry was gathered to intercept the Russian 'hammer' while keeping the 'anvil' unaware... Unfortuanatelly both Khovansky and Polish-Lithuanian light cavalry commanders - Kmicic and Oskierko made the plan impossible. Russian 'hammer' insted of anticipated reckless march south started protect itself with fortified camps and the light cavalry was unable to stop them. Decision was made - the blockade of the 'anvil' was abandoned and the 'hammer' will feel the full might of the Polish-Lithuanian force... Soon first cavalry detachments from Czarniecki's army probed the Russian defences and raided Chovanskiy's camp.
Suspecting the attack came from Kmicic and Oskierko he reacted immediatelly leaving with highly mobile force of some 3 500 to Toloczyn to teach both Lithuanians a lesson they would never forget, unfortunatelly he never suspected the entire Polish-Lithuanian army was coming with veteran Czarniecki's division only hours away from Toloczyn... Aftermath. The shocking encounter with the main Polish-Lithuanian force was followed by a hasty retreat of the entire Khovansky's army which quickly desintegrated on the way to Polock under the pressure of pursuing Commonwealth cavalry... prepared by Adas (the map and the battle itself) and Cegorach (idea and historical background).
