Unless something crops up in the meantime, I hope to take part in my second online Portable Wargame battle against Gary Sheffield. As he organised the first one, I have taken on the task of putting together the scenario for the second.
I have chosen to set the battle during the Seven Weeks War, and it will involve two balanced forces of Prussian and Austrians trying to seize a bridge over a river.
SEIZE AND HOLD! AN ACTION FROM THE SEVEN WEEKS WAR
Scenario
It has come to the attention of both the senior Austrian and Prussian Army Commanders that at least one river crossing has been left unguarded by the opposition, and both army commanders have ordered forces to seize and hold the bridge as quickly as possible. The opposing forces are advancing on the bridge over the river in column-of-march, and will only appear on the battlefield as and when the activation system allows them to appear. Each column is marching along the road towards the bridge, and enters the battlefield at A9 (Prussians) and N2 (Austrians) on the following map.
There is a ford that is passable by infantry (but not artillery) across the river at H11.
Notes about the weapons used
Notes about the map
The Prussian force are commanded by General Baron von Sapt (an Average commander), and comprises:
The Austrian force are commanded by General Kretzmer (an Average commander), and comprises:
The game uses the card driven Turn-by-Turn turn mechanism as laid down in THE PORTABLE NAPOLEONIC WARGAME book.
The names of the units are all made up ... and are named after characters in the novels of Anthony Hope or John le Carré.
I have chosen to set the battle during the Seven Weeks War, and it will involve two balanced forces of Prussian and Austrians trying to seize a bridge over a river.
Scenario
It has come to the attention of both the senior Austrian and Prussian Army Commanders that at least one river crossing has been left unguarded by the opposition, and both army commanders have ordered forces to seize and hold the bridge as quickly as possible. The opposing forces are advancing on the bridge over the river in column-of-march, and will only appear on the battlefield as and when the activation system allows them to appear. Each column is marching along the road towards the bridge, and enters the battlefield at A9 (Prussians) and N2 (Austrians) on the following map.
There is a ford that is passable by infantry (but not artillery) across the river at H11.
Notes about the weapons used
- The Prussian infantry is armed with Dreyse needle guns (Rifles) and their artillery is armed with muzzle-loading, smooth-bore guns.
- The Austrian infantry is armed with Lorenz rifles (Muskets), and their artillery is armed with breech-loading, rifled guns.
Notes about the map
- The blue grid areas are the river.
- The grey gird areas are the road.
- The trees indicate grid areas that are wooded.
- The darker green grid areas are hills.
- The darker grey grid areas are occupied by buildings.
- The darker blue gird area is the location of the ford.
The Prussian force are commanded by General Baron von Sapt (an Average commander), and comprises:
- 1st Tarlenheim Jager Battalion (Elite, SP4, Rifles)
- 2nd Hentzau Jager Battalion (Elite, SP4, Rifles)
- I/3rd Strelsau Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Rifles)
- II/3rd Strelsau Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Rifles)
- III/3rd Strelsau Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Rifles)
- I/4th Zenda Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Rifles)
- II/4th Zenda Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Rifles)
- III/4th Zenda Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Rifles)
- 1st Battery, Strackenz Artillery (Average, SP2, Smooth-bore field artillery)
- Total SP = 40 SPs; Exhaustion Point = 14 SPs
The Austrian force are commanded by General Kretzmer (an Average commander), and comprises:
- 1st Fiedler Jager Battalion (Elite, SP4, Muskets)
- 2nd Mundt Jagers Battalion (Elite, SP4, Muskets)
- I/3rd Esterhase Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Muskets)
- II/3rd Esterhase Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Muskets)
- III/3rd Esterhase Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Muskets)
- I/4th Sachs Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Muskets)
- II/4th Sachs Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Muskets)
- III/4th Sachs Infantry Battalion (Average, SP4, Muskets)
- 1st Battery, Riemeck Artillery (Average, SP2, Rifled field artillery)
- Total SP = 40 SPs; Exhaustion Point = 14 SPs
The game uses the card driven Turn-by-Turn turn mechanism as laid down in THE PORTABLE NAPOLEONIC WARGAME book.
The names of the units are all made up ... and are named after characters in the novels of Anthony Hope or John le Carré.
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Looks good! I look forward to the battle report.
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteI’m hoping that a full battle report will appear later this week.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteIt will be an interesting Napoleonic scenario - possible to see some future photos of the battle action between Gary and yourself. Cheers. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteI hope to have the battle report written and available later this week.
All the best,
Bob
This is obviously a big week for PW 7 Week War games. Tonight a group from Sheffield Wargames Society will be starting a Skype multi-player game of the Battle of Nachod designed by John Armatys!
ReplyDeleteSimon
Simon,
DeleteThe war has a lot If interesting actions, but it tends to be ignored by most wargamers.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob -
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing the characters of 'The Prisoner of Zenda' reincarnated in this vital action. I was half looking, on the Austrian side, for one Graf Rudi von Starnberg, he who played such a part in the affairs of Schleswig and Holstein as narrated by one Harry Paget Flashman. Maybe another time...
I have an idea that the Austrians and their Imperialist allies did rather well in that war, until the whole thing went belly-up at Koeniggratz.
Looking forward to seeing how they go this time...
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteI have used Strackenz as the background to several wargames:
https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-invasion-of-strackenz.html
https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-strackenzian-revolution.html
https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2013/06/last-stand-in-strackenz.html
The battle was an interesting one, and was a close run thing. I won’t preempt the battle report I will be writing, but I think that you will find the result to be in line with your comment.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob -
DeleteI enjoyed the trip back to memory lane - and the long-forgotten 'Battle of Strakenz'!
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteI’m glad that you enjoyed your ‘trip’ to Strackenz!
All the best,
Bob
I think Neil Thomas also did a lot to help this period with his 19th century book with scenarios from this war amongst others.
ReplyDeleteSimon
Simon,
DeleteHe did, as did John Drewienkiewicz and Andrew Brentnall in their WARGAMING IN HISTORY books.
All the best,
Bob