Smaller Scale Gaming - Part 2

On Wednesday I exposed my ideas on smaller scale games to two other gamers.

The  Background

War was declared on 16 July 1870. The very next day Colonel von Pestel was hastily despatched from Trier to Saarbrücken, a critical crossing point of the River Saar, within a few hundred meters of the Frontier with three squadrons of the 7th Uhlans and Major van Horn's Second Battalion, Hohenzollern Fusilier Regiment, number 40 (II/40th). The next day French troops were sighted across the Frontier on the heights South of the city.

The following day a French cavalry patrol had approached the Customs House and taken three Prussian customs guards prisoner.  Every day thereafter for the next ten days there were sighting of French troops on the Rotherberg, the iron stone hill that rose steeply to the south. On Thursday, the 28th, a body of French troops, appeared on the high road and two guns rolled out onto the Rotherberg, the dominant hill in the area. With the prospect of a good show dozens of townfolk had gathered at the Bellevue Tavern. Van Horn called a company from the Second Battalion to arms and formed it  on the drillground to the west of Saarbrücken. Their appearance caused the French to pause then fall back. The guns, however, opened and the first shot slammed into the Bellevue Tavern scattering the civilian observers in all directions and blowing out the windows and part of the roof of the tavern. After a few more shots the French guns ceased firing.

That afternoon Major General Count Niedhardt von Gniesnau, commanding 31st Brigade, Sixteenth Division arrived at Saarbrücken with the I/40th and III/40th. Von Gniesnau kept the two new battalions at St Johan, Sarbrücken's twin city on the right bank of the river, and suggested to von Pestel that he should join him, but supported by another two battalions, von Pestel believed he could safely hold out and sought, and received, permission to hold his position on the left bank.

On the morning of Saturday von Gniesnau ordered van Horn  to cross the Frontier and see what lay beyond around the French village of Spicheren. "Push south," he said, "up the heights, through the woods and beyond. Tell me what is there."

Von Horn's battalion consisted of:

• 5/40th - Captain Kosch
• 6/40th - Captain Grundner's
• 7/40th - Captain von Rosen,
• 8/40th -Captain Neydecker

A section of  Captain von Helden-Sarnowski 6th Light Battery, 8th Regiment was posted near the Bellevue Tavern in support.

*******

Bataille's Division was sent forward to Forbach, within a few hundred metres of the Frontier, on the 16th. On the 17th German troops were sighted on the heights south of Saarbrücken, a critical crossing point of the River Saar less than a kilometre from Forbach.

On the Spicheren Heights Colonel Mangin of the 67th Regiment had been called forward by the pickets to the Rotherberg. German infantry had been observed forming  the Saarbrücken Heights. Mangin watched them as they started to press across the open potato fields. Commandant Kienlin's 2nd Battalion held the forward position today and Mangin has confidence in Kienlin. "Just stop them on the edge of the woods," he told the commandant, "don't let them get to the heights. I'll put the other battalions on alert, but hold them off, there's not that many of them. I'll send forward a section of Bobet's battery."

Kienlin's troops are:

• 1st Company - Captain Quintin
• 2nd Company - Captain Vadon
• 3rd Company - Captain Chevroton
• 4th Company - Captain Maulbon
• 5th Company - Captain Lombard
• 6th Company - Captain Cassagnade

1st Squadron, 4th Chasseurs à Cheval

Section of Bobet's 7th Battery, 5th Regiment

The 1st and 2nd Companies begin the game on the northern edge of the woods. The remaining companies and the cavalry are on the heights south of the woods. Bobet's section will be on the Rotherberg 

******

The Germans chose to come at the position from the left, oblique to the French position, while the French chose a static defence in front of the woods. The French soon began to inflict casualties on the German platoons at ranges they could not respond to, but the Germans still edged forward and took firing positions, although they caused little damage to the French.

In the meantime the squadron of uhlans skirted far around the French right. They were able to escape any fire and until they rounded the woods at the far right of the French position. One platoon suffered heavy losses in the first volley, but they had achieved their objective. Beyond the curtain of trees and hills they sighted a French divisional camp. Von Horn was able to break off the action and report his findings.

The game highlighted a few things that need to be changed in the rules - simplifications mainly.

And now for the few pictures I took...

The Battlefield

Bobet's Section in position on the Rotherberg

The French taking position

A German company forming a firing line

The French response

The Germans occupy the  Bellevue Tavern

A German skirmish platoon in action