Franco - Prussian War: playtesting for Beaumont 1870! p.2

The Cartographer is generally correct...

...but it's hard to make a game board from it! 

By L.C. Bruno, from [CLICK]

How to adapt a real battle to the table?  And in this case, to my rules?  I start with the history, then look at the best game scenarios that can be found [if any] and finally focus on the considerations of running the game itself, such as player commands and seating, and how they will sit around the table, etc.

Beaumont [CLICK] battle Considerations:

1. A Surprise attack, then a second follow-up attack - which attack?
2. Commands: Prussian, Saxon and Bavarians v. French Corps
3. Classifying troops: Quality at the second attack?

Game Considerations:

1. Table Size and game room - creating comfortable space
2. Commands and Player spread
3. Player numbers: +/- 2, as host and I can play or not.

An excellent wargame-eye-view of the battle:

from "1870" by Bruce Weigle from Grand Tactical Rules [CLICK]...get these rules!

And my simplified version of the map:

This takes some effort but in game terms, a three level build-up is sufficient.

The mad genius of the game's host: 12x6' wood table, insulation shaped, with the smaller hills in styrofoam, secured with painter's tape. This is from Table East, with Beaumont to the left, and Yonch to the center-right a bit back:

Same view, pretty much built at this point:

View to Table South, Beaumont in distance. The "island" of hill at center is the Bois de Givodeau, a steep hill with a substantial forest on it.

And finally, covered with the felt cloth, which has a bunch of flocking laying upon it, dampened a bit with a spray bottle of water to help it settle.  We did this two days before the game, which allows the whole thing to settle and sharpens the heights a bit as a result, making them more clear.  Unfortunately, the hills aren't as obvious to the camera, but below is looking to Table North, with the top six trays across the table being French, and the near five trays being Prussian / German. 

The tall hill with the shadowed tray is the Bois de Givodeau, the closer tray is Le Fays, both French. Close upon Le Fays, is the Saxon Division at Letanne. To the center left is the buildings of Yoncq surrounded by three French trays. Finally, there's a couple French trays to top left, the lost 7th Corp, and way at the top right the 12th Corps trying to help.

The rules and of course, a Gamer marches on his stomach!  Hopefully, his stomach won't squash any miniatures...

More playtesting of the rules was needed, but there wasn't enough time.

The game played OK, with a bit of time to get used to the rules, and the French retreating onto the main objective, Yoncq. The Prussians struggled to assemble a coordinated attack and place their significant Artillery advantage effectively.  Once they got moving, they made steady progress onto the main plateau of the Bois de Givodeau. 

The Prussian left pursued the withdrawing French aggressively and then attacked with all their available cavalry, which was destroyed.  The Artillery and infantry were left behind, and were still wandering towards Yoncq when the game was called.

Overall, the players struggled to figure out the difference between this period and Napoleonics. Firepower is decisive, but you can't take ground without Close Combat. The players on the right, the Saxon and French fighting through Le Fays and up the Bois de Givodeau peak were just starting to get things figured out by the end of the evening.

"You can take the Gamer out of Napoleonics, but you can't take the Napoleonics out of the Gamer" may be the truism here. Interestingly, lots of the leaders on both sides in 1870 can be accused of still being focused on Napoleonic thinking. Of cousre, the best leaders on both sides quickly adapted, even the French ones - they mostly fought for the Republic.

More playtesting to be done!