Battle of Kuchuk-Kainarji, 22 June 1773, Present-Day Bulgaria

     We got together on Saturday afternoon, 25 March 2017, in Dale City, Virginia for a tabletop historical miniatures game replicating events in the Balkans during the 18th Century.

  -- We took the scenario from "The Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774; Catherine II and the Ottoman Empire" by Brian L. Davies.

Title:  Battle of Kuchuk-Kainarji, 22 June 1773

Scale:  1/32nd Toy Soldiers (54mm)

Rules:  All The King's Men

Scenario:  Catherine II (the Great) ordered expansion of the Russian Empire to dominate the Black Sea.  General-anshef Rumiantsev, commander of the 1st Army, crossed the Danube into Turkish Rumelia (present-day Bulgaria) in an attempt to take the Ottoman fortified city of Silistra.  Unable to take the fortress, Rumiantsev decided to re-cross the Danube north into Wallachia.  Major-General Weissman was ordered to cover the withdrawal by taking position near Kuchuk-Kainarji (present-day village of Kaynardzha).  The Ottomans under Numan Pasha pursued, intending to attack the Russian rear.  On 22 June 1773,  Weissman counterattacked.

Objectives:

The Ottoman Turkish objective was to get three supply elements and a heavy artillery battery off the north edge of the battlefield (Minor Victory), without recalling six Advance Guard units already off the north edge of the table (Major Victory).

The Russian objective was to prevent the Ottoman Main Body (eight units) and Rear Guard (six units) from exiting the north edge of the table (Minor Victory), or to force the Ottomans to recall their Advance Guard, already off the north table edge (Major Victory).

  -- Table and terrain provided by our host, the irrepressible Ron P.
  -- Photography by the talented Ray M.
  -- Ottoman and Russian troops from my collection

Numan Pasha, Ottoman commander, pursuing the Russian First Army withdrawal to the Danube

Ottoman supply train moving north toward the Danube

The south end of a north-bound pack train

Ottoman heavy artillery battery

The Russian rear guard appears on the western horizon

The Ottoman main body deploys to meet the advancing Russian threat

Don Cossacks lead the Russian advance

Turkish artillery prepares to fire

Russian grenadiers advance

Turkish Sipahis prepare to charge

Albanian irregulars skirmish with the Cossacks

Turkish gunners find the range

Turkish Bostanci Corps Janissaries open fire on the advancing enemy

Russian medium artillery battery deploys and goes into action

Crimean Tartar heavy Sipahis arrive

The grenadiers prepare to receive cavalry

Numan Pasha recalls infantry from his Advance Guard to keep open the road

The grenadiers offer determined resistance

Major General Weissman rides forward to inspire his infantry

The Cairo Janissaries give fire

The artillery takes its toll on the enemy

Historical Outcome:  The actual battle resulted in a Russian victory.  General Weissman routed Numan Pasha's army, inflicting some 4,000-5,000 casualties and driving them south.  This secured the 1st Army's withdrawal north across the Danube, but at a price -- General Weissman was shot through the heart leading his charge.  Our game achieved somewhat similar results.