Travelling Again

Another month, another birthday (mine this time...number 68) and a wedding anniversary to boot. To celebrate we headed south again.

Although the main even is not actually until the weekend, we decided to take advantage of the weekday rates. In my years in the aviation industry I used to flinch when comments were made about airlines gouging prices at holiday times, but airlines have got nothing on car rental companies and hotels! I mean, $212 for three day car rental during the week, but nearly $450 over the weekend. Hotels can be much the same. It's amazing how we just accept that. In my earlier years I used to work for a wholesale stationery company and there was a standing joke in that trade that people would complain about spending $30 on a present, but would think nothing spending another $20 on the wrapping paper and a card.

Anyway, early Tuesday afternoon we boarded our flight to Christchurch then, after picking up our rental car, drove north for an hour and a half to Hanmer Springs. 

 

Now we've been to Hanmer before, during a trip through the South Island in March 2021, but we only spent one night there - a stop-off point between places. We 'took the waters' in the hot springs and really liked the place. We fully intended to return and in fact had booked another trip until another Covid lockdown intervened and we had to cancel. So we decided that now it was time to go back,  this time for a little longer - three days in fact.

Despite the MetService predicting gale force winds and rain for our arrival, the weather was calm and dry, although a little cool. Arriving a little before 5:00 we topped up supplies at the local supermarket and settled in for the night.

MetService told us to expect stronger winds and more rain in the morning, but they didn’t get it quite right … as you can see from this image from the hotel room porch just after 9:00AM.:

Still it was a little cool, at a degree or two above freezing, not that that is a problem for us as the morning was to be spent in the hot pools. This is an excellent place and not too many visitors in the morning.

However, by noon the weather had closed in, not the stormy forecast, but a drizzly rain. A late lunch and a couple of drinks helped to pass the afternoon.

The grey skies of Wednesday cleared overnight to beautifully sunny, albeit frosty, Thursday. We returned to the pools in the morning. It was much more popular on this day, particularly amongst the grey population - so much that as we approached one fairly full pool her indoors muttered ..."my God, its's pensioner soup!", even though we had entered complex on an aged concession!

After lunch we climbed to Conical Hill, for view from north of the town.

A little retail therapy and a drink or two in a local pub followed.

Dinner at an Indian restaurant finished the day and ended our Hanmer Springs break. Tomorrow it's back to Christchurch, then home. We should be turning the key at home before the rush hour starts...Friday rush hour starts at 2:30 and ends at 6:00.

Austrian 12-Pound Gun

This is the final gun set in my Austrian expansion and gives me five guns in total for the Army.

I wanted this to be a 12-pound position gun. Strictly speaking it is not. I did not have a 12-pound model and the Perrys don't make one. I did, however, have a 12-pound barrel to spare, so with a bit of cutting and filing I got it to fit onto the trail. Possibly the trail should be larger, but I think it looks the part all the same.

Landwehr Battalion, Erzherzog Karl Regiment No 3

To avoid the tedium of painting two large Austrian infantry units in white  I switched to the landwehr battalion of the regiment.

This is an under strength unit at 24 figures that uses the Victrix command figures for some variety.

A

Also slipping off the painting table is this chap...a Russian Mounted Jäger officer...who had been sitting around unfinished for several months. He should make a useful commander of a light cavalry brigade, or maybe an ADC.

Austrian Artillery

After finishing the first of the Austrian infantry, I have painted a couple of gun sets: a 6-pound set and a howitzer set.

A 12-pound set is waiting to be worked on.

Franco-Prussian War Game

For the first Franco-Prussian War game we have played in the or four years I chose to run as a free kriegspiel - where all five player play against the umpire...me.

I decided to base the game on the opening stages of the Battle of Spicheren fought on 6 August 1870. One player is playing the brigadier commanding 27th Infantry Brigade brigadier and each of the other players commands one of the six battalions. Each battalion consists of four companies, each of three platoons, each represented by a stand. Companies may be detached from battalion, but all platoons must remain in base to base contact, except that one platoon may be detached to cover the company front. Four field batteries of the divisional artillery are also available. 

The general briefing ran as follows:

War was declared on 16 July 1870 and within two days the French moved a blocking force of corps strength to a position south of Saarbrücken, the point selected by the Prussians as the point as the gateway for the invasion of France. On 2 August the French attacked a small Prussian garrison at Saarbrücken and occupied the heights overlooking the town and dominating the two bridges that crossed the Saar there, but did not occupy the city or make any effort to push north of the river. Prussian high command did not view the French action as a significant threat to operations and decided to continue with the plan to concentrate all of Second Army at Saarbrücken. First Army, that had been covering the front, would shift east to be in a flanking position.

On the evening of 5 August, rumours began to circulate that the French had abandoned the Saarbrücken Heights. The cavalry confirmed this on the morning of the 6th. They reported that the French had fallen back south and were embarking at Forbach, the Frontier rail centre, and trains were running south. They reported that a rearguard six or more battalions and of a battery was posted on the heights south of Saarbrücken. They were not, however, able to press further.

News of the French withdrawal spread quickly amongst the Prussian units near the Frontier and their abandonment was largely viewed as a mistake since a contested crossing of the Saar was likely to be a costly operation.  With this in mind Major General Kameke, commanding 14th Infantry Division, determined to cross the river and occupy the Saarbrücken Heights before the French recognised their error and returned. In doing so he was acting in violation of the orders that First Army was to operate west of Saarbrücken, but he reasoned that since no Second Army units could be expected at Saarbrücken until the afternoon and evening, he needed to occupy the place in the interests of Second Army. He crossed his advanced guard, three battalions and a battery, to the right bank of the Saar. These troops soon came under fire from a French battery on the Spicheren Heights opposite. As the French fire began to bite, Kameke instructed Major General von Francois, commanding 27th Brigade, to clear the French from their position. He was to attack as soon as the remaining three batteries of the divisional artillery arrived.

Von Francois is to make his plan from this briefing and from what he can see on the table. He then issues orders to each of the battalion commanders. He also has control over the divisional batteries and two of the battalions.

The Battlefield of Spicheren

I needed to simplify the terrain a little.

As for rules, they are quite fluid. I have a set of guidelines, but as the umpire I get to manipulate them to make more or less realistic outcomes. The only thing that the players know for certain is the movement distances. They know that the rifle ranges are around 400mm, but if they choose to try a greater range they may hit something.  Enemy units will be concealed until visible.

Historically von Kameke ordered von Francois to make a double envelopment, sending two battalions against each flank and when the flanks were established would deliver the coup de grace against the centre on the Rotherberg.  In doing so he committed a single brigade against a position that was only partly reconnoitred and unwittingly blundered headlong into an entire French corps in good positions. He had a second brigade to be sure, but they were the better part of an hour away. Von Francois' Brigade was very roughly handled. The succeeded in storming the Rotherberg but could make no further headway, and von Francois was killed in the assault. In the end von Kameke was saved by the willingness of nearby German commanders to march to the sound of the guns and the unwillingness of the French commanders to do so. The Germans claimed victory because the French withdrew, but Kameke's bullheadedness cost 4300 casualties.

So what happened in our game?

Well, the plan developed was pretty much as it was historically. A double envelopment with two battalions turning each flank and two held back for an assault on the Rotherberg.

Before the party started

The French position on the Rotherberg

The Germans advancing to the right of the High Road

The French opened fire on them with a mitrailleuse battery

And rifle fire from the heights

French Guns engage

But the Germans have guns too a d soon gain the upper hand

To the east of the Rotherberg two battalions of Germans advance boldly

The skirmishers went forward into the woods

There they found French skirmishers

Then a French battleline

And there are a lot of them

To the west the French in the brewery opened fire 

And the mitrailleuses continued to grind away

On the extreme right if the German line a battalion plunged into the copse and met fierce resistance from two French battalions

Meanwhile the battle along the High Road continued

With the flanks engaged the two assault columns came forward in the centre

On the crest of the Rotherberg the French Chasseurs fought valiantly

 

But there were a lot of Germans

And eventually they stormed the Rotherberg

General von Francois was pleased

The casualties were high

Here the game ended. Historically at this point the French committed three brigades to contain the Germans and succeeded in driving them back in places. Von Francois' brigade had to cling on in desperation while other troops came up. But in the context of our game the Germans achieved the objective. 

(Photo credits: half a dozen from me, the rest by John L.)