French 6th Corps at St Privat question

[cameronian]

They all did, when Bazaine boarded the train for Metz (before a shot had been fired) he said in an audible aside 'We are going to disaster'. By entrenching on the right and supporting Canrobert with the Guard, the French can hold the Prussians to a day one draw. Interesting to speculate what might happen on day two.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Okay, so, when do we try it?

[cameronian]

When I finish moving house, when I write the 1870 mod for FOB2, Autumn?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Top plan

[Leman]

Now I do like a bit of FOB2, although I got seen off last Tuesday playing British/Canadian intervention forces against the USA in the 1860s. The Union had lost the Civil War, the Confederacy had become embroiled in Mexico, the US had adopted German as well as English as an official language, and my nemesis turned out to be a certain General von Custer.

[Steve J]

Thanks for you comment Chris and to the other members of the forum. Very useful for a complete newbie to this period to be able to call upon your experience. I'm sure Dave and I will agree what seems best to us when we meet.

[cameronian]

I think FOB2 (which, interestingly incorporates a number of mods I had made myself to FOB1) is perfect for this period and for 1866. When I have more time - sorry, substitute more for ANY, I'll playtest our variant and try to get it better. I love the way it introduces real unpredictability but is underpinned by the historical strengths/weaknesses of the historical armies. Also the cards are pretty 

http://www.artscow.com/gallery/playing-cards/prussian-1866-1870-fob-w6znj4jr8ceb

http://www.artscow.com/gallery/playing-cards/austrian1866fob-u7as57cqj7e6

http://www.artscow.com/gallery/playing-cards/french-1870-fob-g1fgjpx03444

[Leman]

Yes, the period/nation specific cards are a real bonus. I am sorely tempted to try out my large base 10mm figures with the system by mounting a dice frame in the back corner. Furthermore they make a very good solo game possible.

[cameronian]

Well I bit the bullet last year and made dozens of 'distressed' bases so each attrition results in one good base being substituted for a casualty one. Looks the biz and easy to do.

[holdfast]

I am late to this discussion, but I wonder why anyone, let alone a Frenchman, would try to dig a shell scrape with his mess tin or bayonet when he had a solid 4 foot wall already made. The other advantage of using the existing walls is that you do not offer a view of newly turned chalk to the Prussians. So the Prussians think that the French line ends before St Privat, because the turned soil ends there.
When we played it we had a 16 feet by 5 feet table so using 'To the last gaiter button' we could play the whole frontage from the Mance Ravine to way north of Roncourt. We put the first 3 French corps out on the table at the start but we did not put the 6th Corps out. The impetuous Prussian player commanding the Guard, who was in his late 20s so had neither the time nor the inclination to research what actually happened, concluded that by attacking St Privat he would be able to turn the French flank. It does need some umpires and hidden unit markers to achieve this but our outcome was eerily similar to the reality.
I seem to recall that Henry Hyde took a lot of photos that may well still be on his website.

[Chris Pringle]

We put the first 3 French corps out on the table at the start but we did not put the 6th Corps out. The impetuous Prussian player commanding the Guard, who was in his late 20s so had neither the time nor the inclination to research what actually happened, concluded that by attacking St Privat he would be able to turn the French flank. It does need some umpires and hidden unit markers to achieve this but our outcome was eerily similar to the reality.

Was your young Prussian Guardsman miffed at being set up? Or delighted by the clever recreation of history? I can imagine him having either reaction (or perhaps even both). The former is a bit of a risk with scenarios with such built-in surprises.

[holdfast]

We always try to give historically credible roles, so our French were sclerotic cautious 50-somethings and all the Prussians were aggressive young things. (We had one aggressive awkward old cuss who would have been an ideal Steinmetz but he was needed as an umpire). In any scenario there is usually an attacker and a defender so it is fairly easy to decide which units are on the board and which ones are represented by a flock covered counter.
The Prussians had played before so knew that the situation could change with time. As it happens our Guard commander was overcome with admiration at the way the 'gotcha' moment played out, as well as being impressed that we were able to paint the picture so well.
Interestingly, on the other flank, at the Mance Ravine, our well-posted Frenchman was so alarmed by Steinmetz that he demanded - and got- some of the Guard, thus ensuring that it was not available when the crisis at St Privat occurred. With 4 players each side and 4 umpires there was a lot of room for misunderstanding, which of course would never happen in real life!

[Chris Pringle]

Sounds marvelous. Bravo!

[mollinary]

The original game Holdfast is referring to is on the forum thread FPW Battle of Gravelotte-St Privat dating back to 2010. Sorry, I am not technical enough to post a link!

Mollinary

[holdfast]

Well remembered. But I cannot believe it was 5 years ago.
Our Mance Ravine was a 'special' from Keith Warren and was spectacular.