Franco-Prussian War Battle 5

This battle was fought at Tom's house in early March 2023. As always, I am grateful for the photographs and text that follow

In this game the French 1st Corps deploy, ordering the 1st Division on their right to move to occupy the woods guarding the right flank. The 2nd Division together with the C-in-C and Corps artillery deploy to their left with orders to move forward to the road to cover objective 1 on the hill behind them and to cover the flank of the two divisions moving to take objective 2 on the road junctions.  The 4th Division is deployed on the road with orders to move forward and hold the left of the road junction objective. The 3rd Division forms up on their right forming the link between the 4th and 2nd Divisions with orders to occupy the central objective, The French Cavalry Division deploys on the far left with orders to move round the Prussian right and to threaten the final objective on the Prussian right. The French dummy blind is deployed on the rear of the hill with the French objective. The Prussians deploy their Wurttemberg Division on the right holding objective 3. The Prussian 5th Corps is deployed with the 1st Division on the central road and the 2nd Division, C-in-C and Corps artillery on their left with orders to advance and take Objective 2. The Prussian Cavalry Brigade and a dummy blind deploy on the far left to cover the flank. The other Prussian blind deploys in the woods on the far right.

The Prussians get the initiative and make the first move, with the Wurttembergers moving forward to occupy the hill with objective 3. The Prussian 1st Division rolls a six for initiative and rushes up the road to the junction on objective 2. The 2nd Division and C-in-C are slower and move up to the wooded hill. The Cavalry Division moves forward to hold the flank. 

In the French turn they spot the Prussian Division on objective 2 and the Wurttembergers on objective 3 The French infantry move forward and manage to deploy the 4th, 3rd and 2nd Divisions just short of the central road, the 1st Division deployed into the wood on the right and the Cavalry Division moves forward on the far left. Over the next few moves the Prussian 2nd Division gets cut to pieces by the French 3rd Division and Corps Artillery and, after five moves, the Prussian Division falls apart. The Prussian 2nd division deploys its artillery and moves forward to support them but arrive too late.

The French Cavalry Division moves slowly around the Prussian right to threaten the rear of objective 3, forcing the Wurtemburgers to deploy their cavalry and two regiments of infantry to protect their rear. This pins the division and stops them supporting their Prussian allies. The French 2nd Division deploys on the road and engages the Prussian 2nd Division as they move forward, covered by long range fire from the Prussian Corps Artillery.

Once all the Prussian forces are committed the French C-in-C sends orders to his 1st Infantry Division and they begin to move forward from the woods on the right to threaten the Prussian cavalry protecting their flank. After the Prussian 1st Division breaks, the Prussians decide that their attack on objective 2 had failed and concede the game.

In this game the French and Germans reversed artillery tactics from the historical battles. The Prussians deployed their artillery to the rear using long range fire to support their attack, whereas the French moved their artillery up with their infantry using their artillery at effective ranges.