Franco-Prussian Rules: Grand Unveiling

The Dogs of War have been unleashed!
looks like a shepherd v. poodle confrontation...


So the group gathered at 7pm, we ran thru the rules after some chatter and commiserating, and started about 7:30. We had two players for each side, so the South battle was set aside, I ran the game and assisted.

TABLE NORTH BATTLE
The terrain in the central portion of the North was the most restrictive. It did have flanks vulnerable to some exploitation, however, and the Prussian right can drive into the large gap to the right, between the French left and their nearest friendly force in the center [trays are for setup purposes].

The forces were even in the most important Unit type, infantry, but the Prussians have advantages everywhere else:

French
8 Line Battalions
1 Artillery Battery - rifled
1 Chasseur Battalion - Skirmishers [more like 3 companies]
1 General, 6" Command Radius [CR]

Prussian
8 Infantry Battalions
2 Krupp Batteries [which are about twice as good as French rifled batteries]
2 Jager Battalions, Skirmishers [more like 3 companies, ea.]
2 Light Dragoon squadrons
2 Generals, 12" CR

So the Prussians have twice as many guns, skirmishers, and the generals and guns are twice as good, plus cavalry support. Their infantry quality is also better. Overall,  it's a force designed for attacking with plenty of maneuver elements and firepower supporting a strong infantry core. 

Below, view South down the line. The Prussians shift right a bit and advance head-on into the stream, as their cavalry rapidly move to the left. Prussians are new to the rules [but not to gaming] while the French are led by a playtester.


Below, a bit later in the game. Looks like Napoleonics...both players need to spread out and use the generous infantry range to support maneuvering. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to visit this side as much, in which case I'd have reminded the Prussian that the Jagers move thru terrain freely.

Another view, same time and place.

French left, Prussian right - attack still developing, but the Prussians are in range and starting to turn the French left. Thing to note is that occupying towns is hazardous without proper support. The opposition can concentrate a lot of firepower if they can even partially encircle a town.

Eventually, the French left did get turned out of the town, and the Prussians began to exploit the space, but it wasn't easy.

TABLE CENTER BATTLE
Prussian View. They have the South [right] side of town, the French the North. Racing to reinforce the town are six more infantry battalions, two Krupp guns, a skirmisher, two generals and two hussar squadrons. A cavalry brigade is to the right ready to exploit the open field to front right.


French Side. Looking down slope, and a bit North, the French have six Infantry Battalions, a Rifled Artillery Battery and a Skirmisher to rescue the two battalions holding half of the town. Maybe they can even take the town??



Center battle develops. The Prussians have seized the Northwest portion of the town, and both sides race reinforcements forward to continue the fray. At far right, the jagers [actually, Bavarians in sky blue who do not blend in as well as "real" jagers would!] hold a wood, using their superior range to trade shots with a French battalion. Cavalry skulk behind the woods!


Center - left, North side of town to is to the right. Presently, the near portion is occupied by the Prussians supported by a Krupp battery, a farther battalion and a distance cavalry squadron. But, French Battalions are racing forward with "revanche!" on their mind, it seems.


Center. French have counterattacked the cautious Prussians and seized one Prussian town, but three Prussian battalions and a battery are massing to drive them off.

At bottom, another Prussian battalion and some cavalry squadrons await orders.

The French general was actually a bit more aggressive. The Prussian sat back a bit and didn't use the resources at hand to mass firepower and exploit the initial taking of a French portion of the town. Eventually, the French were staged for their own counterattack.

TABLE SOUTH BATTLE.
Looking down slope straight at the Prussians, the French have a rifled gun and four cavalry [two lancers, two hussars...because I think they look cool, not b/c they are different from any other cavalry in the game]. 


Looking up slope at them is a strong Prussian Cavalry Brigade, with 4 squadrons, 2 Krupp Batteries, and a General.

South side develops very slowly. The Prussians hardly move up, so I push a squadron to the left just to make them think. The Krupp batteries are dangerous but aren't set up on the right level to really damage the French. The cavalry don't advance and the French aren't quite ready to, either.

Below, French Hussars taunt the Prussians from the other side of the stream. Eventually, they at least had a bit of a rumble and the French came off the worse, largely due to a failure to roll well as the fight was straight up even.
Overall, the South saw little action with the Prussians not maximizing their significant advantage in firepower to hurt a French squadron or two and then run them over.

Overall, the players caught on pretty quickly as the game doesn't use any unusual or complex mechanisms. It's really how the traditional  mechanics are put together that make it both Franco-Prussian and interesting to play! Reviews were good, and it seems that people feel it won't be a disaster to play as some rule sets have been in the past.

Some useful suggestions were made which will have to be digested and considered carefully. They'd like faster movement, one range band differentiated, and one player didn't care for the decreased effectiveness of artillery firing at the same target. Will tinker with these for next time.

In the North, the Prussians successfully executed a point attack, taking the left town and turning the French position. In the center, a Prussian attack wasn't followed up aggressively so a French counterattack stabilized the situation. Most importantly, there was some serious chewing on the rules and the period.

So, we will call this a win, if not for either side, rather for the Period in General!