[Strv102r]

Ett litet sidoprojekt som trillat in. Compass Games avser ge ut ett spel om det fransk-tyska kriget 1870-71 baserat på Victory games the Civil War som jag ju just spelat. Jag hoppade på och håller på att skriva ut, klippa och klistra brickor, och dem är det många av, och kartan har kommit på posten. Det är designat av Milan Becvar och utvecklas av Don Johnson. Har hunnit läsa reglerna och konstaterar att det klart har likheter med The Civil War, men det finns också en del skillnader. Ett nytt system för belägringar bland annat, och ett för de stora skillnaderna i artilleri som ju var så avgörande om jag uppfattat det historiska förloppet rätt. För den som vill läsa mer finns en länk till tråden på Consimworld.

http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX?14@@.1dd57c14/0

[Strv102r]

En av de bilder som förekommit på Consimworld och visar främst de preussiska uniformerna, men även en fransman. Sista kriget där båda parterna hade paraduniformer i fält. Eller rättare sagt, inte gjorde någon skillnad mellan parad och fält.






Fler fransoser.





Och lite bajrare.

[magnus lindström]

Nästan så man får betrakta början av första världskriget som paraduniformer också. Fransoserna är snarlika och tyskarna drar en luva utanpå hjälmarna

[Strv102r]

Nästan så man får betrakta början av första världskriget som paraduniformer också. Fransoserna är snarlika och tyskarna drar en luva utanpå hjälmarna

Vad gäller fransoserna så är det ju helt rätt, men tyskarna hade ju bytt till fältgrått och britterna till khaki liksom ryssarna.

Nedan kartan med setup för GT1.








Närbild på det inledande operationsområdet.




Och det tyska operationsmålet.

[Strv102r]

Texten är tagen från testrapporten, således på utrikiska, men är så klart tvättad på kommentarer om spelystemet etc.

The initiative rolls heavily favored the Germans with 9 and 11 in initiative difference the fist two segments. The German 1st army arrives with one corps and quickly attacks the French 2. Corps east of Metz. The Germans are pulsed however, but with all that difference they could rally and bring up a second corps and destroy the French 2nd corps. The 2nd army is following behind and the third moves in with two corps from the north against the French army of the Alsace and one corps from the east that seizes Strasbourg. Macmahon reacts with his army and falls back from the advancing 3rd army. The French 5th corps is now close to being surrounded in Bitche but it stays in place as the fortress it occupies lies on the German future supply rail roads. The French have managed to build up some forces and strike back however. The army of the Rhine is now deployed with one corps and one cavalry divison each in Metz, Thionville and Phalsbourg. It concentrates on Steinmetz 1st army and beats it badly. The army of the Alsace concentrates two corps west of Strasbourg and bring up another two corps from the south and attacks the Bavarian corps in Strasbourg. The Bavarians decide to take refuge in the fortress so the French besiege them. End of GT1.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 2

The German reinforcements pour in, especially to 2nd army that concentrates towards Metz where the army of the Rhine has withdrawn more than a little frightened by all the Germans that appear. The 1st army tries to recuperate and moves to besiege 5th corps in Bitche. The Emperor Napoleon wants to strike the 2nd army before it is concentrated however and the army of the Rhine sallies from Metz to attack and manages to catch the 2nd army before it is fully concentrated.  Both armies have three corps but the French have clear superiority in cavalry and beats the Germans, but not by a wide margin. The army also manages to rally before the Germans react. The 2nd arny concentrates and strikes with six corps to destroy the upstart French! The French manage to react and pull back into the safety of the fortress of Metz however. Further east the French realize that fixing units in a siege around Strasbourg only allows the 3rd army to mass on the besieging forces so they lift the siege and retreat. One corps of the 1st army moves south towards the army of the Alsace´s main body to protect the flank. It proves counterproductive as the army of the Alsace´s main body attacks the lone corps, but the corps manages to react and retreat. The army of the Alsace´s main body is now slightly vulnerable to an attack from the 2nd army, and so it falls back again. The 3rd army attack the exposed 7th French corps of the army of the Alsace and hurts it badly at 5-1 odds. The French react by pulling the entire army of the Alsace back. The 3rd army pursues however and attacks the now combined 6th and 7th corps but these react and pull back. The army of the Rhine expects to be besieged at any time and sends a corps to another fortress up north, to Thionville, to better protect all the routes to Paris. The 2nd army arrives shortly thereafter. There ar now three sieges going on, but Metz makes no progress.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 3



The 3rd army continues against the French 6th and 7th corps. Initially these manage to react and retreat but soon they are caught up with and in two battles the corps, and the cavalry division, are reduced to mere skeletons that seek refuge in the fortress Langres. The third army has by then already shed one Bavarian corps to besiege Vesoul and now sheds the other Bavarian corps, and a division, to besiege Langres. Meanwhile, the main body of the army of the Alsace has moved to Luneville and then north to strike to single German corps besieging Phalsbourg. The 1st army sends three corps to intercept the army of the Alsace and succeed. The odds are quite even however, since the two corps in the army of the Alsace are stronger than the three sent by the 1st army. The Germans are repulsed with even losses, but the French move towards Phalsbourg is checked.  Both sides manage to ray and then the Germans try again, with the same result. By now the German assault doctrine has changed. The army of the Alsace falls back to Toul. The 3rd army now approaches from the south and with the three German corps from the 1st army now being used to form the 4th army the only remaining maneuver element of the French army falls back to Vitry le Francois. Here it is joined by the two corps of the army of the Rhine that garrisoned Thionville, the 4th and the rebuilt 2nd corps. Now the 3rd army approaches from the south east and the 4th from the east. The army of the Alsace is about the same strength as the 4th but stronger than the 3rd since that now only has two corps after shedding the Bavarians for sieges. The French takes inspiration from Farsalos and Stonewall Jacksons Shenandoah Valley campaign, spiced with Napoleon I success using interior lines and attacks the 3rd army to defeat in before it can coordinate with the 4th army. The French succeed and defeat the 3rd army at Chaumont, badly crippling it! Unfortunally the French do not use the success like Ceasar, Jackson or Napoleon I, but act more like Braxton Bragg after Chickamauga, and let the initiative slip to the Germans that quickly rally the 3rd army and attack with the 3rd and 4th armies combined... The army of the Alsace is beaten and retreats pursued by the 4th army and in two  pursuit at Troyes and Noget battles the army of the Alsace is destroyed. The victorious 4th army marches towards Paris, but the sacrifices of the Army of Alsace may not have been in vain since the 4th army now is to weak compared to the garrison of Paris.



4th army approaching Paris.






3rd army area of operation with sieges going on at Langres and Vesoul.





1st & 2nd armies area of operations with sieges at Bitche, Metz, Toul, Phalsbourg and Eblesttstadt

[Strv102r]

Game turn 4:
Most German forces are tied down in sieges and the 4th army lacks strength to attack or besiege Paris. Time is spent building a supply depot net for the upcoming new offensive on Paris when additional forces have been freed up by surrendering fortresses. The newly formed Army of Paris with its two corps decides to strike the 4th barmy before it can react or be reinforced by the new XIII corps that is marching to the west. The Army of Paris succeeds in catching the 4th Army at Fontainebleau, but the battle is a draw leaving both demoralized. Again the Germans react fast and rally and reinforce with the XIII corps and counterattack. The Army of Paris gets hurt and withdraws into Paris. The losses have negated the reinforcements of the XIII corps however, succeeding in buying time for Paris. The 4th army withdraws slightly outside the three hex range from Paris. A bit gamey... A screen is formed to the south with cavalry and two detached corps. The French are sending their marine units to Tours where they and reinforcements rebuild the 1st corps while the 2nd corps is rebuilt Bourges. The 3rd army also forms a screen to the south while 2nd army sends cavalry to the west. The new French 1 corps leaves Tours and moves to striking distance from the German screen southwest of 4th army. The game turn ends with the surrender of Bitche, Eblesttstadt and  Phalsbourg. Minor forces are freed up, except the 1st army, but that only has two corps left now, and those are mainly Landwehr.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 5:

The French spend most of the time bringing in reinforcements in Paris and building a new army south of Paris, the 1st Army of the Loire. The German 1st army quickly moves to northern Paris and starts a siege while a corps from the 2nd army besieges Vitry le Francois. The 4th army cannot besiege the southern part of Paris due to the threat of the new French army however. After some passive play from both sides the 1st corps of the 1st army of the Loire moves north and destroys the German VI corps at Orleans. Again the initiative rolls favor the Germans as they can strike back with the 4th army, destroy the French corps and rebuild the VI corps by redistributing forces. At the end of the game turn Metz and Langres surrenders freeing up the 2nd army and one Bavarian corps.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 6:

The French spend most of the time bringing in reinforcements in Paris and reinforcing the army south of Paris, the 1st Army of the Loire. An embryo to a new Army of the Alsace(?) is formed in the south east. The 2nd army besieges southern Paris. The Franc Tireur start become active but German cavalry and infantry corps manage to suppress them so far. At the end of the game turn Vesoul surrenders freeing up one Bavarian corps.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 7:

Once more a rather eventless game turn. The French build their forces while the Germans consolidate. Vitry le Francois surrenders but new sieges are started at Soissons, Belfort and Neuf Brisach. The Franc Tireurs tie down forces but are continually hunted down and suppressed.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 8:

The French form the army of the North west of Paris and the army of the Alsace in the south east. The 1st army of the Loire then sends one corps to attack the weak XIII corps, that is destroyed, while the rest of the army gathers for a coming massed attack on the 4th army. The army of the North moves west while the German cavalry falls back in front of it. The Army of Paris awaits the signal to sally and destroy the German 2nd army together with the army of the North... The Germans have other plan however. The 4th army masses with four corps and attacks the army of the Loire before the corps that destroyed the XIII corps can recover. The French are forced to retreat in an even battle but Germans press on since they can recover faster. In a series of battles the army of the Loire is reduced to a mere skeleton that retreats to Bourges. The Germans have lost as well but still have a force to use. The French detached corps has to return to reinforce the parent army to allow Bourges to be held. In the meantime the German cavalry has delayed the army of the north that is also weakened by a need to leave something behind to protect the rear from German cavalry raids from the north. The move to relieve Paris is aborted as it gets closer and a sober comparison of strength is made. The 2nd army is too strong even for the combined armies of Paris and the North. The army of the North pulls back somewhat to a better defensive position. The army of the Alsace (just below the pic) attacks a lone Bavarian corps but fails miserably and is repulsed in two battles. The 3rd army moves to support if necessary.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 9:

The French reinforce the army of the Alsace and attack again. The Germans react and fall back to a field fort with a cavalry division in Dijon. The Germans in their turn reinforce the 4th army and attack Bourges. The 1st army of the Loire retreats after a battle. After that the XIII corps is rebuilt and advances on Tours but the French strip forces from the army of the north and forms the 22nd corps in Tours. After that both sides turn passive. Soisson, Neuf Brisach and Belfort surrenders.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 10:

The game turn starts with a cautious French advance on a wide frontage  by the Army of the North with three corps aiming at attacking the 1st German army that besieges northern Paris. The German 3rd army opens a new offensive aimed at the Army of the Alsace hoping to catch it and destroy it to be able to move to Paris to aid the 1st Army. The French fall back over a river, into a forest and digs in. The 3rd army attacks anyway but is repulsed with some loss. In the north the French most northern corps liberates Rouen and chases the German cavalry screening Paris to Beavous. The Germans have no choice but to move the 4th army north, the 1st army of Loire is still very weak and the 2nd army of Loire is just forming in Tours with only one corps. The XIII corps falls back from the doorstep of Tours to Salbris to be able to keep an eye on both the armies of Loire. The 4th army quickly moves north and attacks the French northern corps in Beauvous and deferats it. It retreats to Rouen and the 4th army follows. Before the 4th army can finish the corps off it reacts and falls back over the river where one other corps of the army of the north meets up and they dig in. The 4th army is too weak to attack two sizable corps so it stays in Rouen. A new standoff has occurred. The threat to the 1st army is removed however so it looks like a success for the Germans after all.

But the French have started to move north south of Paris with the armies of the Loire to expoit the absence of the 4th army. Division Keller deploys to protect the XIII corps east flank but an attack by the first army of the Loire destroys it. The 3rd army has to abandon its watch on the army of the Alsace and move into the old area of the 4th army and leave only cavalry to keep an eye on the army of the Alsace. Before the 3rd army arrives XIII corps falls back to the forest at Fontainebleau with the 2nd army of the Loire following cautiously and liberating Orleans, but has no time to dig in before the 1st army of the Loire strikes. The Germans hold however and the French are repulsed with some loss. Now the 3rd army arrives and attacks the demoralized French weak army and destroys it! The Germans follow up with a new offensive with the 3rd army towards Bourges but the army of the Alsace gets there just before the Germans. The two armies meet again, but this time the French are not dug in in a forest behind a river. The Germans attack and throw the French out of Bourges. The French cavalry now abandons the south eastern part followed by the German cavalry.



 
What started out with good prospects in the north turned out disappointingly but opened new possibilities south of Paris when the defense in the south east held firm. The disaster at Fontainebleau not only ended the move to Paris but also led to the abandonment of the south east without a fight.

[Strv102r]

Game turn 11:

The French start and reinforce the army of the Alsace that is also renamed the 1st army of the Loire since the Alsace is, well, lost...  They also dig in. The 3rd army attacks but is repulsed. The focus shifts to Paris. The army of Paris moves into northern Paris, sallies and defeats the 1st army! The siege of northern Paris is broken.  The Germans react by concentrating both the 1st army and the 4th armies for a counterstroke, but they are repulsed! The French army of the north now advances and retakes the terrain 4th army has evacuated. The 2nd army leaves two corps to keep southern Paris under siege and attacks the army of Paris. The French decides to stay put and accept battle rather than retreat inside Paris again to relieve pressure on southern Paris. Wise choice... The 2nd army is repulsed! Bur the siege of southern Paris still progresses to stage 4.