FPW - Battle of Bitche, part 1

So Thursday night at the club we had our second encounter as we build up to a large club game. This time Neil G would be against Thom. Neil was supposed to be commanding the Bavarian 1st Corps, but I got the boxes mixed up. So no Bavarians. We quickly switched the commands over and gave Neil XIV Corps, Andy would now have the Bavarians for his future game. Thom took command of the French 1st Corps with an additional Cavalry division.

For this game the French are the aggressors as they try to break through the Prussian positions at Bitche. The Prussians are actually outnumbered and need to hold for 8 turns. The maps was produced using AI, obviously before the Bavarians were replaced.

We have managed to play through the first 3 turns. So far the French have gone for a rather unsubtle strategy of just heading straight towards the enemy. The Wurtemburger's and Badener's just simply awaited them. The river has proved a bit of an obstacle to the french, the cavalry on their left failed to find a crossing point.

The set up

French chasseurs looking for a suitable crossing

Wurtemburg Division awaiting the enemy

Baden artillery deployed to cover the bridge

1st turn saw the french approach the river looking for crossing points

Sometimes it is better to take the bridge

Wurtemburg Jagers advance to deploy

Baden troops and artillery running low on ammo (rolling lots of 10's)

The french begin to struggle across the river

The last of the chasseurs trying to cover the advance

Wurtemburg Jagers also beginning to suffer heavy casualties

The thin blue line against the french

The remains of a pinned french regiment blocks the bridge, forcing their comrades to get their boots wet

Finally getting across the river

The game is evenly poised for next week. Both sides have been rolling some high dice for shooting, even at range causing some significant casualties. The only melee so far has been between some french hussars and a Wurtemburg line regiment. The hussars were simply destroyed in the engagement.

Next week will be interesting. The French are starting to get their infantry across the river and bringing the Chassepotte into effective range. The Baden line regiments are already feeling the effects. However German artillery has already successfully destroyed a number of the french batteries.