St Privat - a Black Powder AAR

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Black Powder Version of Saint Privat,
All photos taken on my iphone, which I had to run and charge between turns, so sorry about the blurs! 
I was unfortunately running late as I had been in Mid Wales in the morning, and visiting my best mate for lunch in Staffordshire, so I arrived late, and forgot a complete corps of troops! Slight fudging was done on troops, and terrain as I left all my really posh Timecast Franco-Prussian War buildings at home too! Drat! That being said, we did get an 8x8' table out, what better to upset your clubmates than a historical game on a massive table!
Graham, an experienced player randomly picked the French, Dave got the Guard, and as the least experienced player, it suited him, and I took the role of the Saxons (and umpire).
To add spice to the scenario, The Guard scored victory points for each village they held, each turn the Saxons were NOT on table, each French unit routed and, most importantly, each fight they won without Saxon assistance! The Saxons the same, but with bonuses for each turn ON table, and the French fairly high points for each turn holding villages. Any nation that held Saint Privat at nightfall automatically won.


The table as set, Chalky's terrain boards are under the far end to give us the ridge.


Saint-Marie-Aux-Chiens occupied by the French 2nd Division, the French also hold Saint Private behind and are moving into Roncourt.

The Prussian Guard deploy

(Yes, 1866 Saxons and Hessians got the job this week)

And sent forwards their cavalry to scout each flank. The Guards plan was simple, barrage Saint-Marie-Aux-Cheins, then assault it, move up on Saint Privat.

However, I had 'failed' to mention that any Prussian forces within an 'unsafe' distance of the edge of teh table would be hit by French fire from the neighbouring corps at Ammanville!

The second unpleasant surprise for the Prussian Guard was the range of French Chassepot rifles (he assumed they would be similar to his Dreyse and was trying to outflank Saint-Marie-Aux-Chiens before assaulting! (There followed a very short intermission as Graham and I explained the differences in weapons, and why Graham's artillery was silent)! 


The view from the French lines, note that Chasseur a Peid and Infantry regiment on the right, yeah, them, they will be important later...

They were ordered to retreat to the flank of Roncourt, instead, they went for a walk (Blunder:charge)!
In the forward village the French came under sustained artillery fire, and their artillery became shaken and disordered. The Prussians also moved 1st Guards Brigade up to the road, out of French artillery range, and waited to assault!

And seconds later, routed! Note the Prussians trying to bring up artillery, and failing!

In the distance, the first Saxon Division arrives, the Guard become worried that they will not claim the glory!

Graham Macmahon looks worried! Is his flank about to get turned?


Prussian 3rd and 4th Grenadiers of the Guard advance on the gap between Roncourt and Saint Privat as the Saxon's fail to organise! Meanwhile, THAT French unit decided to take matters into it's own hands! Supported by a mitrailleuse battery, which immediately scored 5 hits and jammed (only to unjam on the last turn), they ALWAYS do that!


As the French retire from Saint-Marie-Aux-Chiens, forced out after steady artillery bombardment and fire from a brigade of Prussian Guards who had formed line (with an average of6 hits a turn, most disordering, even with a 2+ save, the French struggled). The Prussians try to charge with the Guard Uhlans, but mysteriously, they 'fail to engage'. Eventually, they are shot away by the Guard inside the village and rout!

The French line force the the 4th Guards back, the 3rd Guards make it to 300 yards of the gap, but a division's worth of firing stops them in their tracks, the Guards 2nd Division is forced to retire! The French line suffer outside the village. Beyond the rest of the Guard form up outside French artillery range, waiting for their own guns to support.


The heat of the action! (Pink = line, disorder = fire markers)


Saxon line is sniped at by Chasseurs a Pied and artillery. (The cavalry bottom centre are actually Saxon infantry, honest, told you I had to wing it)!


1st and 2nd Guards, supported by the Guards Hussars, knowing the Saxons are advancing on Roncourt, attempt to storm the farm of Jerusalem. This fails, and the French of Tixier's division actually pass an order test and advance down the murderous slope to flank them! 

The Prussian Guards Jagers in the far distance were meant to lead the way, but got left behind by the Guards foot! They also strayed into teh beaten zone of IV Corps, and paid for it!

The final turn, the Guards cannot advance any more, their 3rd Brigade lay in tatters to the North of Roncourt, 1st Brigade was in trouble West of Jerusalem, 2nd Brigade was still in Saint -marie-Aux-Chein, where there were no generals to get them moving! The Saxon's had caused enough hits from artillery on THAT French line regiment to cause it to rout! The Saxon's second Division has arrived formed up with it's first, and seven units of foot (or wooden blanks that should be foot) were preparing to assault Roncourt. The French Chasseurs a Pied held a charge from the Saxon Leib-Guard! 2d6 vs 7!

As night fell in teh game (if I had arrived at the club earlier, the Saxons would have been in Roncourt) As it was 10:45 we called it. Word reached the Guards and the Saxons of von Steinmetz's defeat at the Mainse Ravine, and the fight went out of them! The French held Roncourt and Saint Privat, and victory was theirs!

The French had two infantry rout, and lost one gun battery, in exchange for stopping the Guards, quite a win!

After action thoughts:
The Prussians were severely hampered in the second half of the game as their divisional commanders were not good enough to get their artillery massed in significant numbers to support the guards attack. The Guard commander never used his 'Valient' re-roll once! The French in villages were very very difficult to shift, but the Prussians coming in piecemeal was fatal! It allowed the French (with sharpshooter ability) to concentrate firepower on individual regiments! Maybe next time the Guard might have 'Elite' which allows a chance of lifting disrupted! The Saxon's rolled 9, 10, 11, 9 on their first four turns on table, if they hadn't been in assault colomn, they might never have moved!
Great game, The Prussian Guard commander, who had been really frustrated by events at times, was gracious in defeat and really enjoyed the game. The French did not gloat too much (only about half an hours worth). When Dave was told the actual, historical, result of the battle (and the fact I had walked it) he stood aghast. The results, with a few more turns, might have been historical. Or not!

[petercooman]

Nice report!!

[Techno]

Yes indeedy ! 
Cheers - Phil

[Steve J]

Nice report and really interesting to compare this BP game with our BBB one.

[KTravlos]

Jolly good show

[Leman]

Terrific stuff Will. Sights like that convince me not to mess with my 60x60 basing. Reckon I can use it for BP and FOB2. Nice to see the SL house in use as well.