Lutzen

Imperial Army

Swedish Army

Lutzen

November 16, 1632

The Swedish army attempted to surprise the Imperial army which had begun to disperse into winter quarters, Wallenstein assumed that the Swedes had already done so and did not feel particularly threatened, despite the proximity of the Swedish army. Having received warnings that the Swedish army was approaching, Wallenstein selected the village of Lutzen as the place to reform his army, and hold off the Swedes. The Swedish army appeared before much of the Imperial forces had managed to assemble.

Special Rules

Restricted Reconnaissance :Both sides must deploy without being able to see their opponent’s deployment.

Deployment : The Imperials can deploy any detachments along the road that crosses the battlefield and in Lutzen, these units are considered to be in hard cover.

Pappenheim’s arrival : Pappenheim’s force arrives in turn eight in the area shown on the map.

The weather conditions : Fog delayed the advance of the Swedish army until about eleven in the morning, when the fog cleared. At the end of each turn one player rolls 1d6 to determine whether the fog has returned a score of 6 and the fog begins to obscure the battlefield. The fog will reduce visibility, and therefore shooting ranges to 2-12 inches (roll 2d6 each turn the fog is present), the fog will also halve command range. Units can only charge units that are visible. Group moves are not possible in the fog. At the end of a turn when fog has been present, roll 1d6, a score of 6 means the fog has lifted. If the fog has lifted, roll again at the end of the turn to see if it returns.

The Outcome

On the morning of the battle fog obscured the terrain and neither side had particularly good information about their opponents disposition. At about eleven o’clock the fog cleared and the Swedish army began its advance. Swedish cavalry came under fire as they tried to cross the road and were disordered by the hedges and ditches that had to be crossed. With the support of the infantry, Swedish forces broke through the road in several places. The attack spread along the line, but little progress was made against Windmill Hill or Lutzen. Swedish units were allowed to form up having crossed the road, as Wallenstein failed launch a counter-attack. The fog returned to the battlefield.

At about midday Pappenheim’s force arrived and now completely outflanked Gustavus’s right wing. The Swedes quickly improvised a defensive line which received Pappenheim’s attack with heavy fire from muskets and battalion guns. Pappenheim was killed in the attack. Fighting along the rest of the front resulted in some of the Swedish units being pushed back. Gustavus regrouped some of his cavalry and led a counter-attack to relieve the pressure, he did not survive, unfortunately separated during the attack, Gustavus was surrounded and killed before help could arrive. The eventual discovery of the king’s death demoralised the Swedes and fighting began to die down.

After only an hour the Swedish army was on the attack again, Lutzen village had been taken earlier in the day and now the Swedes threatened Windmill Hill. The fog cleared long enough for Swedish artillery to support the attack on the hill. The Swedes took the hill and held it despite furious counter-attacks by the Imperials. The fighting ceased as darkness fell, the Imperials withdrew to Leipzig but the Swedish army was in no condition to follow them.

Gustavus lives to fight another day!

A view across the battlefield of Lutzen, the fog has cleared and both armies are ready. Imperial troops have occupied the village and artillery has taken up position on Windmill Hill.

Imperial shot detachments supported by Croat skirmishers prepare to meet the Swedish cavalry attack.

The Swedish cavalry attack forces the Imperial shot to withdraw, but the attack stalls as the cavalry struggles to cross the sunken road. Elsewhere Swedish shot cross the road with little Imperial resistance.

Duke Bernhard’s unsupported shot is decimated by Imperial artillery on Windmill Hill as it tries to attack the village of Lutzen. The routing infantry unsettle the Swedish cavalry as they pass by.

The Swedish cavalry finally manage to push past the sunken road but meet stiff resistance from the Imperial Cuirass. The Swedish Lifeguard cavalry squadron can be seen routing across the bridge having been overwhelmed by a much larger Imperial Cuirassier regiment.

The Swedish cavalry pays the price for its unsupported attack across the road, it routs past two advancing Swedish infantry brigades. Imperial cavalry despite some disorder, and under fire from Swedish shot detachments, hold their ground.

Pappenheim’s cavalry arrives at last, but by now the Swedish cavalry have been defeated. The Swedish army has been roughly handled, and many units have left the battlefield, however, its army morale is still intact and the veteran infantry brigades have yet to fight. Gustavus decides that the position is against him and pulls out his troops. The Battle of Lutzen is over in a few short hours, the King has confounded fate and lives to fight another day, but at what cost to his authority?

RETURN TO BATTLES