Franco-Prussian War Game

The last time our group played a Franco-Prussian War game was 19 Feb 2017…more than six years ago… before COVID even…is that going to be the new definition of BC from now on given that the religious overtones of the old BC are now frowned upon?

The game saw three French brigades, with a small reserve of some irregulars, defending against five Prussian brigades. The objective was to hold two robust built-up areas: a walled farm more or less central and a solid church on the other side of a river. Whoever held those positions gained two victory points for every turn they held each one and whoever reached 15 points first won - there were points that could  counteract the advantage of holding these areas - losing a brigade would lose points, for example. 

The table before action began with the church objective in the foreground, the walled farm middle in the distance beyond the long ridge.

For my sins I was made the Prussian CinC and reasoning that the churchyard was likely to be unattainable I deployed one brigade in front of it and determined to strike the rest of the French line with four brigades. 

The French put one brigade in and around the church (separated from the main force by the river) and kept two brigades and the reserve along a ridge line and in the walled farm.

Two of our brigades were on the table quickly and prepared for action, but the two following brigades were slow…mine rolled five bad activations  in a row and dawdled towards its deployment zone.

Our left brigade, facing the church was very roughly handled and eventually bundled back across the bridge - it was always going to be a tough ask to take that position, but at least one third of the enemy force was contained there. 

The initial advance of the Prussians against the churchyard. 

One battalion attempts to storm the church yard, but is repulsed

The French Chasseurs held out valiantly against the Prussian onslaught 

To the right of that force the French came forward in an attack that did considerable damage to our lads, but eventually the French were destroyed, but not before our brigade took crippling losses.

The French advance to the attack against the German left centre

The Prussian guns prepare to go into action

The French gunners responded, with little effect.

Finally our other two brigades got into the fight. One battalion carried the farm and successfully repelled attempt to take it back, but our other battalions failed to make headway. Given more time we might have been able to claw back something positive, but the game was called as a French victory.

It was good to see these figures back on the table again after all those years.

And now for some random pictures of the battle.