Bloody Big Battles: The Battle of Kurudere 1854

Fact check: the Russians actually won the battle of Kurudere, the opening clash in the Crimean War, in 1854. In our re-fight, using Bloody Big Battles, they sadly lost. Mea culpa. I played the Russians in this battle, which was fought at a scale of 500 men per base and around 100 metres per inch.

The battle opened with the Russians in a semi-circular defensive line, with their reserve in a depression next to their mobile military hospital - also a scenario objective. They needed to keep three of these objectives for a draw, but needed the summit of the Karayal hill on their left for the win.

A big issue for the immediate Russian deployment was the fact that the right flank was only protected by veteran dragoons and Cossacks. It was here that the Turks ended up applying the most pressure, with their Anatolian divisions and regular light horse making their presence felt.

Above: Initial deployment of the Russian line. Two limbered batteries of divisional artillery in the foreground, then the Muslim irregular cavalry in green, then dragoons and Cossacks. White blocks are Grusavski Grenadiers, with their divisional HQ in Kurudere.

In the early stages of the battle, I tried to dislodge the Turks from the Karayal heights on my left, but my troops were driven back by the Istanbul rifles. In the centre, I tried a spoiling attack using my Cossacks and dragoons, which had some success in keeping the Turks away from the Russian centre.

Above: The first Russian effort to assault the Karayal heights. This was driven back by the Istanbul Rifles in red. Prince Vasili Bebutov, Russian CinC, is the purple guy on the horse on the right of the picture. 

I also managed to fend off a probing attack from the left, with the Turkish horse trying for a classic double envelopment attack from both sides. The real pressure, however, began to be felt on the Russian right, as the big Anatolian divisions turned up.

Above: The scene on the Russian right as things began to go wrong. The Cossacks in green are currently occupying the village of Poldervan, but really I needed infantry here. The largely unprotected grand battery of Russian guns in the foreground managed to drive off two assaults by Anatolian infantry, with massive losses for the Turks.

Luckily the Turkish cavalry on my left ran out of momentum and spent an inordinate amount of time dithering.

Above: The situation outside Kurudere, as the Turkish troops began massing for what became their final successful assault on the Grusavski Grenadiers. Two Turkish batteries were able to start shelling the Russian infantry largely unmolested. Not a good look.

I made the mistake of not moving any infantry to my right to protect the flank there. I relied on a Russian grand battery to keep pummelling the advancing Turks, with Cossacks trying to hold the flank, but that was not going to last forever in the face of Ottoman regulars. I was forced to bring one of my grenadier divisions back to protect the military hospital, which was under increasing threat.

Above: This is an instructional picture as it shows how the Turkish Suvari light horse was largely allowed to ride into the Russian rear area unmolested. Erivanski Grenadiers are still holding the military hospital, which I was confident the Turks would not be able to take with light cavalry. But this would not be enough for a draw, let alone a win.

Towards the end of the battle my Grenadiers protecting Kurudere were surrounded and driven out of the village. It turned into a complete disaster for the Russians in the end, with only one out of the four objectives held.

Above: Curtains for the Gruzinski Grenadiers, as they are forced to surrender, completely surrounded now by Turkish troops. Some 1,500 Russians face almost 10,000 Turks. Limbered Russian guns are parked in Kurudere but also had to throw in the towel. Black Sea prison hulks await for the luckless Russians!