FPW AAR - Battle of Froeschwiller-Wörth 6th Aug 1870

It's been a long time since the Franco-Prussian War was last played in Postie's shed. If you go to Ray's post of March 2019 (click here) to find the last FPW game the Rejects played.

Last weekend we all came together to refight the Battle of Froeschwiller-Wörth. A Prussian victory, but will history be changed?

The rules used were They Died For Glory (TDFG). The figures were 15mm and mixture of Essex Miniatures, Minifigs, Rank and Fire, Eagle Miniatures and Pioneer figures.

Background
The Prussian Third Army has invaded Alsace in northeastern France.  Having defeated a French division at the Battle of Wissembourg on the 4th August, the Germans lost contact with the retreating defenders.  By the evening of the 5th, the French had been found in and around Froeschwiller.  The Crown Prince now ordered the elements of the Third Army to arrive and deploy in preparation for an expected battle on the 7th August.   

Meanwhile, Marshal MacMahon in charge of the French defenders (1st Corps) at Froeschwiller was also laying preparations.  He sent orders to General Failly in charge of 5th Corps to march immediately to add to the defence.  Like the Crown Prince, MacMahon anticipated the battle would be on the 7th August.

View of the battlefield looking south from the Bavarian position.  The French are on the ridge on the west.

However, in the early morning of the 6th August, forward Prussian elements skirmishing around Wörth found themselves in a fight and eventually gained control of Worth.  Responding to the sound of battle, Bavarian brigades on the German left flank engaged in increasing numbers.  As more German units marched to the sound of the guns the situation escalated throughout the morning.

French defenders had so far acquitted themselves well.  However, by midday the Germans had deployed a significant artillery presence.  The Crown Prince, now realising that it was too late and dangerous to disengage from the encounter decided to continue to rush the rest of the Third Army into the fray as best as could be done.

The scenario picks up the battle at 12:00 noon with the engagement well under way and units closely engaged.  The French must keep Froeschwiller and the road west to Reichshoffen open for 5th Corps to arrive... or to permit a retreat!

Deployment and Armies
The French defence was led by Lee on their left, Mick on the right, with Stuart taking command of the cavalry.

The German attack was commanded by Steve taking the Bavarians in the north, Dan in the centre opposing Wörth and Froeschwiller, and Ray on the German left/south.

The Germans arrive in a piecemeal fashion.  The battle was not expected and, therefore, the attackers do not know how many troops are coming, nor where they might arrive.

The French await the Bavarians at the northern end of the battlefield.

In the centre around Elsasshausen, the defenders prepare for the assault from the Prussians at Wörth.

At the southern end, the French plus reserves wait for more of the German units to cross the stream.

Time, space and number of units have all been scaled to make the whole battle playable.

Marshal MacMahon's 1st Corps is represented by 21 infantry regiments and 5 cavalry regiments

The Crown Prince's German Third Army starts the game with 24 infantry regiments and 1 cavalry regiment on the table.  What the players do not know is that at predetermined points during the game a further 12 infantry and 4 cavalry regiments will appear on the field of battle at various locations, as the Third Army deploys in a piecemeal fashion.

Because TDFG has different size infantry units for the combatants - 16 figures for the French, 20 for the Germans.  So, 336 French versus 720 Germans once all units are on the table.

The Battle
The Germans opened up with their batteries. Alas, a recorded feature of the battle is that the previous night's rain had softened the ground that meant the percussion fuses of the Prussian shells were less reliable (I therefore reduced the chance of causing a kill).  Plus, poor dice rolling made the first bombardment rather ineffective.

TDFG works by allowing the French to fire as the Prussians move and vice verse.  If four casualties are inflicted on a unit it must go prone at the point it was fired at.  To start, French chassepot volleys were devastating, slowing the German advance.

German line creeps forward under heavy defensive shooting.

However, the German commanders quickly diverted their artillery from enemy infantry in woods to counter-battery fire... with spectacular success.

From north to south, the German commanders deployed a forward screen of skirmish infantry to cover their assault columns.  With the longer range of the French chassepot rifle, the Germans needed to close into melee as quickly as they could to make their numbers count.

Prussian and Bavarian troops get close to the French front line.

With more and more troops arriving deployed for action, the Prussians and Bavarians began to coordinate their units better to bring weight to bear against key points to the north, centre and south. 

In the southern, near, flank Prussian skirmishers engage the French in the woods in preparation to falling back for the assault columns to charge.

A feature of the game was the dice rolling at critical moments.  For the German commanders rolling morale to charge was an issue.  Multiple occasions of very bad luck stopped untouched units charging in.

Ray manages to charge in with two damaged regiments, but fails to move the undamaged one which dawdles by the bridge!

At the northern end around Langensulzbach, the Bavarians are struggling to make headway against Ducrot's division.  

In the centre, the French have been holding firm until a determined assault sent a French regiment covering Elsasshausen reeling back.  However, the entrenched Turcos may provide a more stubborn defence.

More German units massing behind their skirmish screen.

With more and more units entering the fray, German spirits and confidence rises.

After a bloody and hotly contested melee, the southern flank in the woods is slowly being turned as the Germans move to engage the reserves.

I should at this point that the French horse was doing a very pretty promenade up and down the brook which ran north towards Froeschwiller.  

Making use of their numbers the Prussian infantry organised themselves to eject the French out of the central woods.  However, the French were by now making use of the option to fallback to a second line closer to Froeschwiller and the Reichshoffen road.

At last being able to assault in numbers in the centre, the Zouaves were thrown out of the entrenchments and back towards Froeschwiller.  Plus, a determined defence of Elsasshausen was of little avail as the defenders were ejected and forced to retire.  Despite a desperate but failed counter-attack, the French centre was starting to look exposed.

To the north, the Bavarians were at last having an impact.  Weight of numbers added to by a degree of patience finally forced Ducrot's position to be overwhelmed and a decision made to retire on Froeschwiller.

Up and down the line Prussian and cornflower blue advances over the Froeschwiller ridge.

French cavalry happily playing no part in the battle.

The French line looks rather thin against the Germans pressing against them.

By this point in the battle all French units were seeking to redeploy to cover Froeschwiller and the Reichshoffen road as the Teutonic hordes advanced past Elsasshausen.

As the playing day drew to a close, the French were in danger of being completely overwhelmed.  Ducrot's division had fought hard, but was now running short of ammunition.  Plus, there was no sign of Failly's 5th Corps!

With three turns left in the game but the clock ticking, the umpire called time.

Whilst there was still plenty of fight left in the French, the reality of the situation determined that a German victory be awarded.  This was uncontested by the French, who retreated from the battle.

After Battle Comments
Was history rewritten?  No.  In 1870, the flanks were turned so that the French had to fall back on Froeschwiller and then retreat towards Reichshoffen.  Failly's 5th Corps failed to march with sufficient urgency to arrive on time.  The French cavalry was decimated as it made futile charges to slow the German advances.  At least the commanders in this game kept their horse intact!  However, other aspects from history seemed to be repeated.

The French rifle fire was devastating.  Especially in the first half of the battle.  So much so that when we adjourned for lunch the German commanders were deeply concerned.  However, the French failed to sustain their shooting effectiveness which gave greater advantage to the increasing weight of German numbers.  

The French were always going to have a hard time in this game.  Nonetheless I think the game showed that the French had a good chance of winning on their terms.  Their victory condition was to hold Froeschwiller and the road until after 17:00 (scenario time).  The game finished at 16:00 with three game turns to play.  I judged that the defenders were unlikely to hold both.

The deployment and the piecemeal (historical) arrival of German units worked nicely to not immediately overwhelm the French.  Plus, the German commanders were in the dark about these troops.  This helped to create a little of the confusion and uncoordinated initial attacks that occurred on the day.

Starting the game at a point where the battle had already been underway for three plus hours, and with both sides closely engaged meant the action was from the start.

TDFG make for a very involved game.  Because each side declares small arms fire as the enemy moves, players are engaged throughout all turn phases.

Lots of action and very busy along the whole length of the table. I packed the troops away and went home exhausted but satisfied.

Well done to all the players for a hard fought contest.