Thursday, 16 August 2018

The Battle of Kaiserslautern, 28-30 November 1793


Following on from last week's game I thought I'd stage one final big FRW game (for the time being) as fellow Gentlemen of Leisure Conrad, Paul Stevenson, Jim and Nigel were coming for a game. I had planned to refight the Battle of Leignitz in 1760 but just couldn't face it. I had already refought it before a few years ago and it wasn't calling to me to have another attempt even though 15 August was the 258th anniversary of the battle.

Kaiserslautern was fought over much the same ground that saw the Prussians destroy the army of Napoleon III in 1870, e.g. Froeschweiller, Worth, so I thought a bit of subterfuge might be fun, for me at least. For an account of the real battle in 1793 see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kaiserslautern

The battlefield. The French will be deployed on the left and the Prussians will enter from the right.
I issued the players with a photo of the tabletop (above) rather than a map and explained we were fighting Prussians against the French in Alsace. I just happened to have my 19th century French kepi and Prussian pickelhaube in the conservatory where the briefing took place to 'suggest' we were going to do Franco-Prussian War. I left the French (Paul and Jim) to plan their attack and took the others into The Burrow to spring (quietly) the not that dramatic surprise that they were indeed fighting over Alsace and they were indeed Prussians with some attached Saxons and Bavarians, but they were in 1793 and not 1870. I left the Prussians to draw up their battle plan and points of entry on their map and returned to the French with their order of battle and instructions.

Both sides had orders to attack and drive the other off the table so a bit of action was promised. The French would already be deployed on the table and the Prussians would enter (hopefully) at their designated locations on turn 1 or later. My rationale was that the French might get the jump on the Prussians and bound halfway across the table before the Prussians could (a) get on the table and, (b) form up in some semblance of a battle line with their superior numbers. Well, that plan went up in smoke from turn 1!

The Prussians(!) got the initiative and in turn one squeezed almost all their army into  one half of their base line. There wasn't actually room to get everyone on. My idea that they'd struggle to get enough troops on the table in the early moves went down the pan. Almost all of their ADCs activated and all their brigades obeyed orders. They were very congested however.
The French advance but not very quickly. Their horse artillery did push forward onto the rise  overlooking the Prussian  positions and the infantry brigade seen around the windmill was able to pull off a 'forwards' move and get across the cornfields and deploy their artillery but faced with rank upon rank of Prussians it didn't feel like it'd be enough.
Jim's advance in the distance got bogged down while Paul's troops were quickly engaged .
The French right looked pretty promising at this stage, with the horse artillery deployed ready to enfilade the Prussians if they advanced, the infantry skirmishers doing their thing and the heavy cavalry covering the flank. 
Sadly like all great plans it didn't survive first contact with the enemy as in turn 2 the Prussian cavalry arrived right on cue. They lost no time in charging Paul's outnumbered French heavy cavalry, routing one unit (the 23rd Cavalry) after a brief melee. That meant the French cavalry brigade became faltering. 
The Prussian cuirassiers followed up, the French horse artillery escaping by the skin of their teeth!
They then clashed with Paul's remaining cavalry, which had jupassed its faltering brigade test, beating them and causing the brigade to falter again.
                       
The Prussian cavalry brigade commander leading from the front.
With the departure of the French cavalry the French centre was left with its flank in the air and ripe for the plucking by the Prussian cavalry. The very next turn the exposed flank of the French line was charged by cavalry from the flank and infantry from the front. The infantry managed to form a square but were unformed. Thankfully the Prussian cavalry were unable to press home their attack, nor were the infantry as they were halted by close range canister fire from the French 12pdr battery.

Over towards the centre Nigel had deployed his artillery right in front of Jim's advancing French infantry.  Jim did manager to drive off a battalion of Prussian infantry supporting the cannon but were badly knocked about in the process.
Paul's attack stalled as his first round of charges by his infantry columns were all repulsed  after which his brigade became hesitant. Not a good place to choose.
Back on the Prussian right Jim was still making very slow progress giving the Saxon brigade time to deploy.
However, Jim did get his elite light infantry into action, braving flanking fire from Prussian fusiliers lurking in the village, they charged the Saxon cannon and forced them to retreat.
The French reserve cavalry made a gallant attempt to halt the Prussian cuirassiers but were pushed back.  Thankfully for the French the Prussians also withdrew, but under orders.

The French dragoons recovering from their combat.
Conrad's Prussians didn't seem to be making much progress, particularly as they were still very congested and couldn't make their numbers tell.
Suddenly the French in the centre lost a battalion and the entire brigade became 'faltering'. Paul predictably threw badly and the entire brigade was forced to withdraw.

Saxon hussars avoiding all contact with the enemy.
Utter confusion in the centre, with Paul's troops pulling back and Jim's advancing, while the Prussians still handy given themselves space to manoeuvre.
Jim's very tardy division finally began to exchange shots with the Saxons, just in time to cover the army's  withdrawal.

There was now a large gap in the centre where Paul's battalions had been, which the Prussians were gleefully filling.
Madame Guillotine will be busy tonight (I think the French commanders Paul and Jim will see just how busy), under the ever watchful eye of the 'representative  en mission'. In reality 17 French generals were guillotined in 1793, usually for failing to win, which is why the Directory had trouble finding anyone willing to take command of the Army of the Rhine and others for a while. No wonder really!
 So, and finally, a Prussian victory. Everything that could have gone badly for the French did, so none of the short term advantages I'd planned on actually came to anything. C'est la guerre I guess. The game was a bit slower than the previous ones but that is probably down to it being a multi-player game and to me making a few mistakes with the rules yet again. Anyway, I am looking forward to another game or several using GdA in a couple of weeks time. Thanks to the guys for coming to be guinea pigs with GdA. I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

Its the Other Partizan on Sunday and am looking forward to it if I'm recovered enough from the game to go.




Saturday, 11 August 2018

The Battle on the Frontier: General d’Armee test #3

My good friend Chris Gregg is up in the North East on holiday, and we had arranged for him to call in for a game while he was in the area. Chris (http://notjustoldschool.blogspot.com/) and I first met through the old A Military Gentleman Forum and then at several annual gaming weekends in Kenilworth over the past four years. He is also the artist behind my Husarettes paintings which adorn the walls in one corner of The Burrow.

I thought we could try another game of General d’Armee particularly as Chris’ gaming buddies down in The Cotswolds are keen to try them and were looking forward to his feedback. I’m warming to them a lot now, and despite liking Black Powder for their 'simplicity' find them easy to follow and much more challenging, but fun.

The history lesson. There were several clashes between the armies of the 1st Coalition and the Republican French army of the Moselle under General Lazarre Hoche throughout 1793. The Prussian army under the Duke of Brunswick was supported by Hessians, Saxons, Austrians and Emigre forces. Operations ended following the Prussian victory at the three-day Battle of Kaiserslauten at the end of November when the victors failed to follow up their advantage, allowing French attention to turn towards the Austrians who were defeated at the Battle of Froeschwiller in December 1793.

Our battle makes no attempt to retreat any of this, other than it pits my French against my Prussians again, with the Prussians reinforced by a regiment of Bavarians on their first engagement.

Chris opted for the French, who had to hold the town and fend off the Prussian attacks, in another attempt to utilise the rules for the early Revolutionary Wars period. Obviously this account is wholly unbiased written as it is by the commander of the Prussian army. No doubt when Chris gets home his version will appear on his blog and might well differ slightly!

The sun breaks through the clouds (velux window). Both armies are deployed, with the French pushing skirmishers forward. The Prussians appear rooted to the spot. 
A regiment of Bavarian infantry attached to the Prussians advance slowly towards the French.
The Prussian left as seen from the French observing from the clock tower in the town.
In the centre the Prussian infantry finally gets the order to advance.
Chris taking stock of his forces facing the main Prussian axis of attack.
A brigade of French chasseurs a cheval, unfazed by facing the Prussian cuirassier brigade opposite them.

The Prussian centre poised to attack...hahahahah!

Finally the Prussians advance!
I used most of my ADCs to ensure that these two brigades could advance as far as possible, thus screening my cavalry to their right from the attention of the French artillery.

The Prussian cuirassiers clashed with the French, routing them. I was unable to exploit my success.  The following turn Chris had to roll on the faltering brigade table and passed with flying colours so it wasn't long before the chasseurs were back in action.
Hidden away among the cuirassiers was a battery of horse artillery that I had forgotten about for several turns. When I did remember them they were pushed forward to soften up the remaining French to the front of my cavalry.



Chris threw in his remaining cavalry regiment and miraculously drove my cuirassiers back!
My grand battery in the centre looked good but did very little actual damage!
Meanwhile in the town preparations were being made should the French loose the battle.
Loosing didn't seem very likely for the French at this time as they'd blunted my cavalry attack in the centre and were beginning their own on their right. The French heavy cavalry kept two of my infantry brigades pinned down for much of the game. (The two brigades deployed on this flank were my worst troops but he didn't know that).

The French field bakery in full swing. The young lady stomping on the dough seemed to have incredibly hairy legs but maybe they'd add a bit of fibre to the mix. Urgh!

I threw caution to the wind and launched my centre in a full-blooded assault against the French 12pdrs.  Yes, it was a foolish move but as it turned out the 12pdrs failed to stop me and were overrun, the gunners bayoneted or fled and the guns captured and taken to the rear.
On the far right my fusilier brigade and attached jager were making heavy work of dislodging a demi-brigade of French light infantry from the woods. Casualties were mounting and it wasn't long before the leading battalion was destroyed. With the entire brigade now faltering I could forget about this flank for now!
The Prussian artillery in the centre still hammering away. I think I caused more fatigue casualties on myself than  actual hits on the enemy.

The Prussian attack in the centre at the point they survived the closing fire from the French 12pdrs.
Seen from the French side the battery is overrun.

One of my cuirassier regiments sped off into the distance with their brigadier at their head to  try and punch a hole through the French line. They succeeded in routing the enemy cavalry but this then put the other two regiments of the brigade out of command! Doh! The surviving French cavalry tried to take the distant cuirassiers in the flank but were too bad a shape to do any damage and were forced to retreat.
Meanwhile, in what turned out to be the last turn Chris launched his carabinieri regiment at my infantry. I had decided to  advance and try and force them to charge, which they did. The target other charge stood unformed and was then forced to retreat. 
The carabinieri followed up into the second battalion, driving it back also.

Meanwhile my victorious infantry in the centre had been unable to extricate themselves from the wreckage of the battery and were hit in the flank by fresh French troops and dispersed.

We called it a day at this point as it was clear that the Prussian attack was not going to succeed. At least we could retreat with our booty (eight 12pdrs) and lick our wounds. With three faltering Prussian brigades to one of French and no obvious advantage to be gained by throwing my men at the French it was probably a fair result as the Prussians had been fought to a standstill. Standing still had been the big problem at the start as in the first few turns I had very few ADCs to play with. My master plan had been to punch through the centre with the cavalry and the two brigades of infantry, but to DO IT AT THE SAME TIME! The French held off my fusiliers on the flank expertly and my artillery was unable to exploit its local superiority when it mattered.

So, thats three games now using these rules and I have to say I do rather like them. It'd be nice to win a game but as the host and umpire I think I did really well to come second! I made a couple of mistakes interpreting the rules during the game but I don't think they detracted from the enjoyment or the result. I enjoyed the game thoroughly and hope Chris did. I am very pleased with the look of my Prussian army even if their stats so far are 'played three lost three' . They did get a bonus point each for capturing the guns and looking very pretty but thats no real consolation. I don't know if I've got the troop capabilities right yet, in fact I suspect I don't, for either army. Next time I will use Russians or Austrians, or maybe my English. We shall see.

Wednesday, 8 August 2018

General d'Armee test #2

Paul the Bowman came over on today for another run out of General D'Armee using my French Revolutionary Wars armies. This was Paul's first game with the rules and only my second. I stuck with French and Prussians 'somewhere along the Rhine 1793' as the basis for the scenario, but with more troops! This gave us a mixed bag of French and an equally mixed bag of Prussians.  I may be a little harsh to the latter but I don't rate them very highly based in what I know of their lacklustre contribution to the War of the 1st Coalition. I made the French commander excellent and the Prussian one poor, which have the former the edge (in theory) in terms of ADC generation. Most of the French were classed as 'line' but would shoot on the 'recruit' line on the firing table, and half the infantry were classed as 'recruits' in all things. This was meant to be 1793 remember. The artillery were line as were the cavalry, what there was of it. The Prussians had three enormous regiments of heavy cavalry (cuirassiers and dragoons), a 'light' brigade of three fusilier battalions and attached jager, and four brigades of musketeers. Early Prussians get a pretty raw deal in the rules (quite rightly) so they were all classed as 'line'. The three Prussian artillery batteries were classed as line.

The scenario was fairly vague as I wanted to put the rules to the test again and hopefully not forget as much as I did last week. Paul was keen to give them a try and was happy to take the French. I decided that the Prussians would be on the offensive. Yeah right! The French had clouds of skirmishers screening their troops. Most of my infantry brigades could only generate two bases of skirmishers, the exception being the fusilier brigade, posted on my right flank.

The Prussian advance was far from co-ordinated due to poor ADC availability and more so due to my ability to throw lots of 1s and 2s when trying to activate brigades. I also was to loose all bar a couple of initiative throws to the French. As usual I shall let the photos tell the story of how the game played out.
The Prussian army deployed to advance while the French in the distance look on.
The French heavy cavalry brigade on their right wing. They were to be instrumental in the outcome of the battle.
The French centre and left. In turn one they were immobile as a lack of ADCs and/or  failing command rolls kept them anchored to the spot. Obviously fearful of the might of the Prussian army before them!
The Prussian right. Their cavalry brigade and in the distance the fusiliers and jager of their 'light' brigade.
The Prussian centre advances.

As does their left wing.
Impatient to get to grips with the French my Prussians overextended themselves and were charged by Paul's heavy cavalry. The 2nd Carabiniers in the centre led the charge supported by the 8th and 23rd (Pinko Parisien Ladyboys) regiments.
The Prussian battalion facing the charge failed their discipline test and became unformed and unable to form square. They were swept away. The Prussian left wing was now classed as faltering. Bum! Paul pulled the Carabiniers back the following turn as my remaining battalions had formed square.
The Prussian centre seen from behind the French line. The former were making heavy going of their advance and progress was slow.
The French reserve artillery battery of 12pdrs was knocking lumps off my cavalry which was also  struggling to advance, assuming they were daft enough to want to try that is! Funnily, Paul lost more casualties to fatigue among his artillery, especially this battery, than through enemy fire, a fate that was also to befall my horse artillery supporting the cavalry.
My jager and fusiliers occupied the wooded hill facing the French left.
Temporary stalemate on my left. However, the attention of the French horse artillery soon caused crippling casualties on the French in square, causing one battalion to disperse (run away). The brigade had passed its first faltering brigade test but the following turn I threw low and it was 'sauve qui peut!' and the brigade fell back.

I could just not get my cavalry to charge. Meanwhile they were now taking hits from two batteries of artillery. The psychological effect of three great big Prussian regiments to their front, together with the galling fire of the advancing Prussian fusiliers and jager caused Paul to pull his left flank back and put his infantry into square, but I was unable to exploit this fully.
The Prussian fusiliers advanced out of the woods. One battalion was forced into square by French chasseurs a cheval, but forced the French to retreat. 
My skirmishers and jager occupied the churchyard and hedgerows and caused  crippling casualties on Paul's light cavalry.

Jager adding to the French cavalry's discomfort.
Paul's cavalry swept forward now one of my brigades had been driven off.

My leading battalion had failed a discipline test and become unformed, making them  a juicy target for the French cavalry.

The front Prussian battalion was forced to retreat in the face of the French charge leaving the battalion to their rear  exposed. This battalion decided discretion was the better part of valour and ran!
Back on the other flank the French charged my cuirassiers who counter charged and unsurprisingly drove them off.

At least Prussian honour was saved by the action of their cuirassiers.
Although it would have been much more satisfying if the other two regiments and their supporting horse artillery had actually done anything!
So with my left flank crumbling I threw in the towel and ordered a withdrawal, covered by my still vastly superior cavalry. I'm getting the hang of the rules and am warming to them quite nicely. They are actually very straightforward and much more satisfying than Black Powder. Now, I do like Black Powder, but I do tire sometimes of all those special rules and saving throws.  I have another game arranged for Friday so lets see how we get on with the rules on the third attempt.