In a rare chance of luck I wandered over to a semi-local game store and found an old game group I knew playing a battle from the Thirty Years' War.
The Battle of Oldendorf was fought on 8 July 1633 and was part of the Thirty Years' War between the Swedish Empire (with its Protestant German allies) and the Holy Roman Empire near Hessisch-Oldendorf, Lower Saxony, Germany.
As the guys were setting up, I learned about the battle itself. This is one of the perks of gaming with history people.
The Swedish Empire was there that day to block the advance of the Holy Roman Empire. The Empire was moving through this area on the way to relieve a siege and save a city. Map: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Oldendorf#/media/File:SchlachtHO.jpg
The Swedes chose a wonderful bottleneck to defend where they could force a fight - and they brought more artillery. Classic.
I found my self with the Holy Roman Empire, a though job ahead, and no complaints.
A quick glace at the table could tell almost anyone that the attack would not go well. The to armies sat across from each other on almost identical ridges. Between those ridges was a lowland of streams and bog land.
As my side discussed our options, I commanded the left wing. Comprised mainly of mounted troops with a handful of light infantry, I opted to delay the Swedes across from me while our main army advanced across the terrible ground in the mid. With any luck, our right (also comprised mainly of horse) would win that flank quickly and cause a general turning movent of the Swede line. The ground on the far right was more open and the stream had less branches to struggle across.
As the game began, our right swept forward with great elan and crashed headlong into the cavalry across from them. Our center advanced under artillery fire but slowly. An I began my delaying action against the Swede forces across from me, who began to advance - looking to flank our main line.
The center was loosing the artillery duel (as expected due to the gun disparity on our side) but the line advanced. Our cavalry on the right won the initial clash of arms, but could not follow up and finish the destruction of the mounted units in front of them, seemingly stalemated. My forces on the right fared poorly enough, as the Swede cavalry drove through us, destroying several units, and driving a wedge between us and the infantry line in the bog land.
I could only command a harassing action through the next game turns as our infantry line made the great advance up the ridge. Swede cavalry was already chewing into the right, routing Holy Roman Empire infantry with rear charges.
In the end, short of both sides attacking, it was a historical reenactment. And a fun one at that.
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