
Originally Posted by
SpiritFox
It was a battle against Sweden over Stockholm. I'd snuck my veteran army over the Baltic in a bunch of light Galleys. I took the city with some trouble... well, not really - they came out after me, so technically, I wiped out the bulk of their army in a huge defensive battle and took the city itself with minimal fuss. But my forces were badly depleted by the intense fight prior to its capture.
Immediately, the Swedes sent their sole remaining intact army against me - a full stack of line and provincial infantry, backed by two 12pdr batteries. I had 6 depleted line (all about 50% strength), 1 depleted cavalry - my general (60% strength), and a 12pdr battery. I initially had 2 depleted Uhlans as well (30% strength), but I expended them in a suicidal effort to delay the Swedes long enough for me to sneak some meagre reinforcements into the city (2 line).
So when the swedes finally hit me, with a full stack of perhaps 8 Line, 10 Militia and 2 12 Pdrs, I had 8 Line (6 at 50% strength, 2 full), 1 12 pdr and my General's cavalry. Somewhat miraculously, I had the option to deploy defenses against them - don't ask me what I did to manage that because I don't know. So I deployed revetments for my infantry inside the fort itself. I then garrisoned the three buildings in the square - the large command HQ which could fit two of my depleted veteran companies and one company in each of the other buildings, two line (one full, one depleted) deployed in a line behind revetments at one corner of the yard, one more full line covering the narrower southern? side of the yard, one depleted line covering the narrow opening between the HQ building and the corner house, all with revetments. I had my 12 pdrs supporting the southern line and my General holding the center court as a last reserve should my lines be breached.
What followed is best described by recalling the opening scenes from Enemy at the Gates - with the poor Swedes as the hapless Soviets. They came storming in as a human wave, only to get blown away in a hail of musketry. A couple got up the walls, but were only there long enough to open the gates for the rest before getting swept away by my 12 pdrs and fire coming from my lines. A few Militia units actually got to handgrips with my northern 2 Line, but were quickly repulsed (High Water Mark anyone?). A few tried to break in from the right flank, only to be halted by fire from my units in the HQ building and the nearby house.
Eventually, it just got too much for them. Every one of their units must have broken and rallied at least twice in the whole battle. At least two militia units rallied and came back at me five times in total. But after 30 minutes, the first units began fleeing the field. 45 minutes later, the battle was over, save for a brief skirmish as my General took out his 12 pdr batteries.
In all I suffered some 200 casualties in exchange for well over 1500 of theirs. This was, incidentally, Sweden's last hurrah as I destroyed them 5 turns later.
Bookmarks