The Battle of Lobositz, April 10, 1741
This was the first field battle between the Austrians and the Prussians in the Seven
Years War. When it became clear to Frederick the Great (Friedrich II of Prussia) that
Marie Therese of Austria was building a coalition of nations to attack him, he decided to
strike first. He invaded Saxony, trapping its army and knocking it out of the coalition.
An Austrian army under General Browne rushed up into Saxony to try and drive out
the Prussians and rescue the Saxons. The two armies met at Lobositz.
Stacking
You can only have one unit in each hex.
Historical Set-Up
Units are placed on the symbol that matches their troop type (cavalry, infantry, artillery,
light infantry, light cavalry). Austrian units are placed on yellow symbols, Prussian units
on black symbols. The Austrians are placed first, the Prussians move first. Do not place the
Austrian light cavalry unit. Grenadier units can be placed on any infantry symbol.
Free Set-Up
The two sides alternate placing one unit at a time, starting with the Austrians. Austrian
units are placed on a yellow symbol, Prussian units on a black symbol letter. The unit type
does not have to match the symbol.
Counter Key
Terrain
Units must stop when they enter a town, woods, or marsh hex, unless they are using the
optional road movement. Cavalry units cannot attack enemy units from town, woods, or
marsh hexes. Towns, hills, and woods hexes block line of sight and add 2 to the defense
value of a unit. Units in town and woods hexes that are flipped do not have to retreat.
Fieldworks do not affect movement or line of sight, but they do add 1 to the defense value
of a unit. Units must stop after crossing an elevation line (up or down). A unit attacked
across an elevation line from a lower elevation adds 1 to its defense value.
Game Map with Terrain Key.
Turn Sequence
Both sides alternate, beginning with the Prussian turn. On his turn a player may first move
up to three units. Then he may attack with up to two units. No unit with a range value
greater than 1 may attack after movement. Flipped units may neither move nor attack. At
the end of a player's turn he may flip any of his flipped units back to their active sides if
they are not in an enemy zone of control.
Movement
A unit may move up to its movement in hexes. Units may not end their movement on
another unit. You may move through units from your side, but not enemy units. The six
hexes surrounding a unit are its zone of control. Flipped units do not have a zone of
control. Units have to stop when they enter an enemy zone of control. Units may not move
from one zone of control hex to another in one turn.
Attack
The defending unit must be within the attacker's range in hexes. Other units block line of
sight. If an attacking unit is in an enemy zone of control, it may only attack adjacent
unflipped enemy units. If two units attack the same target on the same turn, their two
combat factors may be added to one die roll.
Sum the attack factors and the roll of 1d6 and compare it to the defending unit’s defense
factor. If the attack sum is equal to or greater than the defense factor, flip the defending
unit over, and if possible, it has to retreat one hex away from the enemy and not into an
enemy zone of control. If the defending unit was flipped over already, it is eliminated. If
the attack sum is two or more greater than the defense factor, eliminate the defending unit.
Defeated units may only retreat into empty hexes. Units that cannot retreat are eliminated.
After the retreat or elimination of a defending unit, one attacking unit with a range greater
than 1 that is adjacent to the abandoned hex and not in an enemy zone of control may
enter the hex.
Victory Conditions
The Prussian player wins when he still occupies both hexes of Lobositz with unflipped
units by the end of the Austrian player turn. The Austrian player wins by preventing that
condition.
Special Scenario Rules
If at the start of the Prussian turn no Prussian units are within their attack range of an
enemy unit, at least one Prussian unit must be moved to within attack range, if possible, or
the Prussians lose the game.
Additional Optional Rules
1. Cavalry cannot attack town or woods hexes.
2. Road Column Move - Units that follow one continuous line of roads and do not enter an
enemy zone of control can move one more hex than usual. Units moving this way do not
have to stop in any type of terrain.
3. The light infantry unit does not have to stop when it enters any terrain type, just zones
of control.
4. Fire - Any time a unit in a town is eliminated, roll a d6. On a 1, 2, or 3 the town catches
fire. Place a fire counter on it for all of the next turn. Units can still enter the town, but do
not get the +2 defense bonus. On the turn after that and for the rest of the game, place the
FIRE counter on the town. No unit can enter the town and any unit in the town must leave
or be eliminated. Treat each hex of Lobositz separately. A hex of Lobositz on FIRE counts
as Prussian-occupied for victory conditions.
5. Fog. Start the game with all of the units flipped over, representing their concealment.
Use a 90 degree rotation of a counter to represent "flipping" (disorder). Units cannot be
attacked at distance. A unit cannot be revealed or attacked until an enemy unit moves next
to it. All units become visible at the beginning of turn 3.
Lobositz Design Notes
My first goal was to stay as close to the system used in Hohenfriedberg as possible.
Prussian units may have been able to shoot more quickly, but Austrian units were 1/3
larger. So no infantry value changes. The light infantry unit represents the famous
Croatians. The higher defense value for that unit reflects the light troops' ability to use any
available cover and to avoid combat if necessary. Compared to my first design, Mollwitz,
this game introduces fieldworks and elevations. (And setting towns on fire.) Units
represent about two brigades each.
Although the two large hills have famous names (Homolka and Lobosch), I decided to not
put those names on the map to avoid adding clutter and to avoid confusion with town
names. The "woods" may represent vineyards and walls as well as trees. Even though the
Prussians were supposed to have set Lobositz on fire, I made it a random possibility to
keep the Prussian player from burning his way to victory.
Advice to Players
Austrian: You have to move units from your left to support your right. You can just sit and
defend, but you must counterattack to eliminate Prussian units until the Prussians are too
weak to take Lobositz. Support your light infantry on the hill.
Prussian: Be careful and systematic. Use your concentration to your advantage. Reduce
the Austrian army a piece at a time. This battle will not be easy.
Copyright © 2011 Christopher Salander .
Austrians and Prussians Cuirassiers at Lobositz
