The Battle of Froeschwiller / Worth
6th August 1870
Following the outbreak of war the available French forces spread themselves in penny packets blocking the potential invasion routes into France. Responsible for part of this front was MacMahon's 1st Corps, which was scattered about north west Alsace. On the 4th of August Douay's isolated
division at Wissembourg was surprised and battered by the advancing German 3rd Army. To seriously resist the oncoming enemy MacMahon ordered his scattered Corps to concentrate at the excellent defensive position at Froeschwiller. In addition he called for help from the two nearest French Corps, 5th and 7th, which he was put in command of on August the 5th. Although in the event due to command problems only one infantry division of the six available made it to the battlefield in time to fight. This gave MacMahon five infantry and a cavalry division to hold his position. Meanwhile the German 3rd Army, under the command of Crown Prince Frederick, had lost contact with the French following the battle of Wissembourg. This army consisted of two Prussian Corps, V and XI, the two Bavarian Corps, the Wurttemberg and Baden Divisions and the Prussian 4th Cavalry Division. These units had continued their advance towards Strasbourg when on the morning of the 6th of August part of V Corps found the French positions. The following is a scenario depicting the center and right of the battle only. On the left of the battle Ducrot's French division was posted. It held against parts of the two Bavarian Corps who made half hearted attacks all day. Therefore to keep the number of figures and space needed down I have omitted this area. The load of Morsbronn

Scale and Notes:

The figure ratio used in this scenario is 1:300. All Chasseur and Jager units are in skirmish formation. The French player is the first player of each turn. The game starts with the German 8:30 phase and finishes with the French 16:30 phase. There is no French 8:30 phase or German 16:30 phase.

Orders of Battle:

French

French 1st Corps.

The units marked 'I' are Impetuous as explained in my original article.

Corps Leader: 1 Leader (MacMahon)

Corps Artillery: 2 Foot Batteries 2 Horse Batteries.

1st Division: 1 Leader (Dumesnil).

  • 17th Chasseurs 3 / 2 / - L
  • 3rd Regiment 6 / 5 / 3
  • 21st Regiment 6 / 5 / 3
  • 47th Regiment 6 / 5 / 3
  • 99th Regiment 6 / 5 / 3

2nd Division 1 Leader (Douay).

  • 1 Foot Battery
  • 16th Chasseurs 3 / 2 / - L
  • 50th / 74th Regiment 6 / 5 / 3
  • 78th Regiment 5 / 4 / 3
  • 1st Tir. Alg. Regt. 4 / 3 / 2 I

3rd Division 1 Leader (Raoult).

  • 1 Foot Battery
  • 1/2 Mitrailleuse Battery
  • 8th Chasseurs 3 / 2 / - L
  • 2nd Zouave Regt. 6 / 4 / 2 I
  • 2nd Tir. Alg. Regt 6 / 4 / 2 I
  • 36th Regiment 6 / 5 / 3
  • 48th Regiment 6 / 5 / 3

4th Division 1 Leader (Lartigue).

  • 1 Foot Battery
  • 1/2 Mitrailleuse Battery
  • 1st Chasseurs 3 / 2 / - L
  • 3rd Zouave Regt. 6 / 4 / 2 I E
  • 3rd Tir. Alg. Regt 6 / 4 / 2 I
  • 56th Regiment 6 / 5 / 3
  • 87th Regiment 6 / 5 / 3
  • 3rd Cavalry Brig. 6 / 4 / 2

2nd Reserve Cavalry Division: 1 Leader (Bonnemains)

  • 1 Horse Battery
  • 1st Cavalry Brig. 4 / 3 / 2
  • 2nd Cavalry Brig. 4 / 3 / 2

Roll a D6 for each unit that does not have an exceptional leader. A 5 or 6 means the unit has an exceptional leader.

The Germans

V Prussian Corps:

Corps Leader: 1 'S' Leader (Kirchbach) 1 'P' Leader (Staff Officer)

  • Corps Artillery: 2 Foot Batteries, 1 Horse Battery
  • Corps Troops: 5th Jager: 4 / 3 / 2 L
  • 5th Corps Cavalry: 4 / 3 / 2

9th Division 1 Leader (Sandrart)

  • 2 Foot Batteries
  • 7th Grenadier Regt. 9 / 6 / 4
  • 47th Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 58th Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 59th Regiment. 9 / 8 / 6

10th Division 1 Leader (Schmidt)

  • 2 Foot Batteries
  • 6th Grenadier Regt. 9 / 6 / 4
  • 37th Fusilier Regt. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 46th Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 50th Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5

XI Prussian Corps:

Corps Leader: 1 Leader (Bose) 1 'P' Leader (Staff Officer)

  • Corps Artillery: 2 Foot Batteries, 1 Horse Battery
  • Corps Troops: 11th Jager: 4 / 3 / 2 L
  • 11th Corps Cavalry: 4 / - / 3

21st Division 1 Leader (Schachtmeyer)

  • 2 Foot Batteries
  • 80th Fusilier Regt. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 82nd Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 87th Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 88th Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5

22nd Division 1 Leader (Gersdorff)

  • 2 Foot Batteries
  • 32nd Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 83rd Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 94th Regiment. 9 / 7 / 5
  • 95th Regiment. 9 / 8 / 6

Wurttemburg Division: 1 Leader (Obernitz)

  • 3 Foot Batteries
  • 1 Horse Battery
  • 1st, 2nd and 3rd Jager each 4 / 3 / 2 L
  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th Regts each 6 / 5 / 4
  • Wurttemburg Cavalry Brigade: 6 / 5 / 4

Baden Division 1 Leader (Beyer)

  • 3 Foot Batteries
  • 1 Horse Battery
  • Fusiliers / 4th Regiment 4 / 3 / 2 L
  • 1st Gd. Gren. and 2nd Gren. Regts each 9 / 7 / 5
  • 3rd and 5th Regiments each 9 / 8 / 6
  • Baden Dragoon Brigade: 6 / 5 / 4

Roll a D6 per Prussian unit and a D10 per Wurttemburg / Baden unit. On a 1 the unit has an exceptional leader.

Deployment and Reinforcements.

The French:

All French units are deployed on table, there are no French reinforcements. They are deployed in the following manner.

  • 3rd Division: On the ridgeline between, and including, Froeschwiller and Elsasshausen. In any desired formation.
  • 4th Division: Within the XXX forest, in any formation.
  • 2nd Division, 2nd Reserve Cavalry Division and the Corps Artillery: Within 6" of Point X. In column of march or limbered, as appropriate.
  • 1st Division: Within 6" of Point Y. In column of march, limbered or skirmish formation, as appropriate. Corps Commander: Anywhere.

The Germans:

The bulk of the German troops arrive as reinforcements during the game. Unless otherwise noted reinforcements arrive in column of march, limbered or skirmish formation, as appropriate.

On table at the start of the game:

V Corps Commander, 10th Division Commander, 37th Fusilier Regt, 50th Regt and the 10th Division artillery (2 Foot Bty) - In any desired formation. Within 8" of the road, on the hills behind Worth.

Reinforcements

8:30 Point A: 6th Grenadier Regt and 46th Regt.

Point B: 21st Division Commander, 80th Regt, 87th Regt and 21st Division artillery (2 Foot Bty). In any desired formation.

9:00 Point A: V Corps Staff Officer, 5th Jager, V Corps artillery (3 Bty) and 9th Division artillery (2 Bty).

9:30 Point B: 82nd Regt and 88th Regt.

10:30 Point A: 9th Division Commander, 58th Regt and 59th Regt.

Point B: XI Corps Leader and Staff Officer, 11th Jager and XI Corps artillery (3 Bty).

11:00 Point A: 7th Grenadier Regt and 47th Regt.

11:30 Point B: 22nd Division Commander, 22nd Division artillery (2 Bty), 32nd Regt and 95th Regt.

12:00 Point B 83rd Regt and 94th Regt.

12:30 Point A: V Corps Cavalry Brigade.

Point B: XI Corps Cavalry Brigade.

13:00 Point C: Wurttemburg Division on a 1 (see notes below).

13:30 Point C: Wurttemburg Division on a 1 or 2 (see notes below).

14:00 Point C: Wurttemburg Division on a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 (see notes below).

14:30 Point C: Wurttemburg Division on a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 (see notes below).

15:00 Point C: Wurttemburg Division automatically arrives (see notes below).

The Wurttemburg and Baden Divisions.

From the 13:00 German turn, during the attachment phase, onwards a D10 is rolled for the Wurttemburg Division to start to arrive. The numbers that are needed are identified above. Once achieved you start the arrival procedure and no longer need to roll the dice. On the turn that the dice roll is achieved the Wurttemburg Division Commander and any 4 units arrive between the Points marked C. 2 batteries count as one unit. These units arrive in any desired formation, whilst all others arrive in column of march or limbered. Each German turn after this 4 more Wurttemburg units arrive. The turn after all the Wurttemburg units have arrived the Baden Division may start arriving. The German player decides if he wishes this unit to appear. If they do appear they come on in groups of 4 units as above. In addition the Germans lose 10 victory points if the Baden Division is committed to action.

Terrain

  • All towns and villages give a -1 defensive and fire modifier.
  • The Eberbach stream is a 1" wide stream, while the river is 2" wide and can only be crossed by artillery along the roads.
  • The Froeschwiller ridge is covered by broken terrain, it counts as rough going and gives a -1 defensive and fire modifier. Line of sight is not affect by this, but the road along the ridge marks the crest line.
  • The Niederwald forest blocks line of sight as normal and gives a -1 defensive and fire modifier. Movement inside it not effected for infantry and cavalry, but as rough going for artillery.

Special Rules.

All the Mitrailleuse batteries in the game are half batteries and begin the game damaged. No cavalry unit may dismount during the scenario.

Kirchbach commander of the Prussian V Corps is marked as a 'S' - special commander. He was an extremely aggressive commander and these special rules reflect this. Units in his Corps may not voluntarily move back having once advanced towards the enemy. Obviously if forced by melee results, the maneuver chart or the need to replenish ammunition units may withdraw. In other circumstances they may not.

Victory Points.

The normal victory point schedule applies for damage to units, etc.... Although remember that Jager / Chasseur and Cavalry units only cost half the normal points. In addition the following victory points may be earned.

For Either Side:

  • 5 v.p' s For control of Eberbach at the end of the game
  • 10 v.p's For control of Elsasshausen at the end of the game.
  • 20 v.p's For control of Froeschwiller at the end of the game.

The French

  • 10 v.p's If the German player uses any part of the Baden Division during the game.
  • 1 v.p. At the end of each French turn that a non spent infantry unit is in the Niederwald forest.
  • 1 v.p. At the end of each French turn that a non spent German infantry unit is not on Froeschwiller ridge.
  • The French also get double the above points, if in addition to controlling the above villages they also control the road to the western board edge. For example they gain 10 points for controlling Elsasshausen at the end of the game. In addition they gain 10 points if they control the road between Elsasshausen and the western board edge at the end of the game.