THE HISTORICAL BATTLE
Acting as judge, (the judge cannot assume a playing role in the periscope game, a necessary drawback to this style of game) I invited veteran wargamers McLeod and Ralph Reintertsen to play a historical battle between the French and Russians in the summer of 1807. I chose Heilsberg because I doubted either player would be overly familiar with the historical battle. While one player did correctly guess the battle, this had little effect on the tabletop encounter.
The historical battle occurred on 10 June, 1807 in East Prussia. The Russian counter-offensive had spent itself and now Napoleon was straining every nerve to trap the retiring Russian host. Murat caught Bennigsen outside of Heilsberg. Heilsbergwas a strongly entrenched position. Undaunted, Murat attacked in late morning and drove the Russian outposts from Launau (see Map 1).
Innovative wargamer Norman MacLeod introduced our group to a new type of tabletop wargame the periscope game. Opponents never get the helicopter-eye view typical of conventional wargames. Rather, their observations are limited by what they can see through a periscope. The judge positions the scope at table height, calls the gamer to the table, allows him the opportunity to gaze at the battlefield through the scope, and then sends him to another room. At this point the gamer writes orders redirecting his troops. No other game system I've played recreates the 'fog of war so well. The scope simulates a general's eye level view of the battlefield. A gamer's observations are restricted by undulations in the terrain, treelines, and mixed cotton-steel wool smoke. He find s himself looking through the scope to count flags looming above the smoke in order to assess enemy strength, judging an advancing line's progress by the forward movement of the smoke cloud, and making myriad other decisions based on very realistic information inputs. I recommend trying a periscope game. The following battle account describes a Napoleonic battle I hosted using the periscope approach.
His pursuit to Bevernick brought his troopers under heavy, pinning artillery fire. The arrival of Soult's IVth Corps allowed Murat to clear Bevemick at about 3:30 P.M. Still, a Russian counterattack routed Murat's Reserve Cavalry. Only the timely arrival of Savary's fusiliers of the Young Guard stabilized the situation. Soult pressed forward, only to be enfiladed by guns firing from the south bank of the River Alle. Soult struggled forward in repeated attacks but made little progress. The battle degenerated into one of sheerattrition. Eagerto display his talents before the Emperor, as soon as his Corps arrived on the field, Lannes launched an ill-fated late evening attack that lost some 2,284 men while achieving scant gains. Nightfall brought an end to the fighting around 11:00 P.M.
Everyone expected the battle to resume the following day. Instead, the Emperor made a careful reconaissance and decided to outflank the Russian position rather than to continue expensive frontal attacks. His flanking maneuvers caused Bennigsen to retire via Bartenstein on the night of 11 June. His decision provided Napoleon with a technical victory. French losses were some 10,600 while Bennigsen lost about 8,000. Two days later occurred the decisive Battle of Friedland.
ORDER OF BATTLE
Overshadowed by Friedland, researching Heilsberg's OB and order of arrival proved somewhat difficult. However, I make the situation out as follows:
Start: 11 A.M.: Bennigsen with five infantry divisions, two cavalry divisions, 220 guns, cossacks. 70,000 total; and Murat with the Cavalry Reserve, one light, two heavy cavalry divisions (LaSalle, Nansouty, Espagne), IVth Corps cavalry. 10,600 total.
3 P.M.: Soult IVth Corps arrives with the Divisions of Leval, Carra-Saint Cyr, Legrand). 26,300 total.
4 P.M.: Savary's Young Guard. Two fusilier regiments, one battery. 1,500 total.
4:30 P.M.: Napoleon and staff arrive on the field.
5:30 P.M.: Division Verdier (Lannes) and Reserve Corps Cavalry with a total of 8,000 men.
6:30 P.M.: Half of Oudinot's corps and his corps artillery, approximately 4,000 men.
9:30 P.M.: Dusk.
10 P.M.: Dark
11 P.M.: End
PLAYERS' BRIEFINGS
Both:
Yesterday at Guttstadt (off map west) Bagration fought a successful rearguard to slow the French pursuit. Bennigsen then retired to a position around Heilsberg. The French pursuit continues today. The River Alle is unfordable.
B<>French
(McLeod): You are Marshal Murat. Your task is to chase and damage the retiring Russians. The Emperor has given you some 50,000 men to accomplish this task. Two additional corps are maneuvering to the north to try to cut off the Russians from Konigsberg. Your Cavalry Reserve has reached Launau, which is held by the Russians. Strung out in road column toward Guttstadt are Soult, Lannes, and Ney. Bring the Emperor news of your success. (Judge's note: in fact neither Ney nor the two flanking corps will arrive in time to help today, but don't tell Murat!)
Russians
(Reinertsen): You are General Bennigsen. Your army has reached the strong entrenched camp at Heilsberg. The French are in hot pursuit. You have stationed the reliable Bagration with two divisions across the Alle to defend your line of communications which runs to Bartenstein. Your seven remaining divisions are in camp just west of Heilsberg. The main French effort appears to be along the Guttstadt road. You may outpost Launau with a force of any size up to one division. Your objective is to defend Heilsberg. (Judge's note: Bagration will not cross the river to help Bennigsen, but don't tell Bennigsen!)
THE GAME
In past periscope games, the judge had conveyed information to the players using written messages and selected views. This involved a great deal of time-consuming writing. As judge, I decided to convey most information through views and add only occasional verbal messages. The players had to provide written orders, supplemented by sketches and verbal instructions. Since I didn't know where any combats would occur, I took my ping pong table, separated the two halves to permit access all around the table, and left them empty. I would set up appropriate terrain features once the rival forces encountered one another.
Bennigsen chose to outpost Launau with cossacks and gave them the orderto "cover the road to Guttstadt and report enemy movements and forces. Fall back only if pressed." He also sent out numerous patrols in all directions and a heavy cossack scout force to swing around Launau Forest. Murat ordered a cautious scout of Launau while sending LaSalle on a flank move through the Launau Forest (see Map 1).
Using two scopes, I prepared the first views by setting up the terrain and troops. From the Russian side, Reinertsen viewed the terrain. Across the table was a second periscope utilized by McLeod. (Mechanical note: the judge does not have to position the scopes across from one another. For example, depending on the situation, one player might be lookingalong the north edge while his opponent's scope is placed along the east edge.) I told the players that what they saw was what their tactical commanders were seeing. In other words, I made the assumption that the tactical commanders correctly described events and dispatched a courier to headquarters with the news. While strictly unrealistic, as will be seen, the periscope game generates so much fog of war that this bit of unrealism is acceptable in the interest of playability. Alternatively, the judge could actually send reports simulating subordinates' reports. Past games have used this approach. The drawbacks are two: the judge must spend much time writing; the players spend the corresponding time waiting. Lastly, players thoroughly enjoy looking through the scope. The more views the better!
Returning to the game, McLeod saw cossacks in front of a small village. Reinertsen saw a deployed light cavalry brigade. As judge I performed all time/distance calculations. I have a chart listing march and deployment times. While the first view occurred at 12:15, it took couriers time to carry intelligence up the chain of command. Consequently, Reinertsen was powerless to change anything at Launau until a courier could return from his headquarters. Meanwhile, Murat (McLeod) rode up to direct the attack personally.
Following orders, the cossacks retired before Murat's advance. Again, this information came to the players via the scope: McLeod saw his troopers riding through the village with cossacks falling back, Reinertsen saw the reciprocal view from across the table. Murat continued and cleared Bevernick at 12:45. His progress exceeded that of the historical Murat.
A French check occurred in the Launau Forest (see Map 2).
As judge, I had to make a decision. The rival march orders had the French penetratingthe forest while the Russians skirted it to the north. I performed time/distance calculations, took into account the scouting nature of both forces' orders, and determined that they would confront one another. Alternatively, I could have had them bypass one another, but I didn't think that result realistic. This is a bonus of the periscope game. No player could complain about my decision since neither knew anything about it!
Consequently, my invaluable assistant, David Saslaw, set up the next encounter on the adjacent, second table. A word about the mechanics of the views: I use 2 foot by 2 foot terrain boards. They allow me to arrange rapidly a new view. Conventional terrain can serve as well. What is important to remember is that you only need to set the terrain for what the players can see through the scope. Thus, you don't have to take time to set up terrain outside of their fields of vision. I showed the players where on the map the next view took place and brought them to the table.
McLeod saw LaSalle's Division redeploying before a large cossack force, Refnertsen saw the reciprocal view. Since neither commander was personally present, they assumed a spectator role. Referencing their written orders, I determined that the unexpected presence of a Russian force required LaSalle to make a decision. I assign initiative ratings to all generals. LaSalle was a very able leader, but he failed initiative! When McLeod saw his general balk before cossacks he began muttering about 'relieving him of command'. He then fell to writing orders.
To repeatthe mechanics, I told the players where and when the view they were looking at took place and then told them when news of it arrived at their HQs. Thus there was always a delay from intent to action.
Events near Bevernick influenced McLeod's orders. Bennsigen had grown alarmed atthe speed of Murat's advance. He issued an orderto his light cavalry division to "form up your division to cover the road by placing your right on Lawden Wood and your left on the River Alle. Force the French van to deploy." When Murat confronted this blocking force he notified LaSalle: "I am in contact with a large Russian cavalry force of regulars 1,000 yards south of Lawdon. Move toward the flank of this Russian force at once.", (see Map 3).
So a race ensued. As judge I could see it unfold. McLeod waited for LaSalle's flank attack, Reinertsen did not know that LaSalle was descending on his light cavalry's flank. By the narrowest of margins the Russians escaped. Following orders, once they forced the French cavalry van to deploy, they began a retirement by brigade.
At this point both players were glued to their scopes. Murat (McLeod) was personally present, Bennsigen (Reinertsen) was back at Heilsberg with his main force. Seeing the Russian cavalry withdraw (my assistant Dave would actually move figures while the players watched - here's another bonus of the system, it begins to create a sense of a Napoleonic movie!), Murat urged his lead brigade to charge. Placing himself at the head of the charge, Murat galloped forward and in so doing made a mistake. The Russian covering force fought his first brigade to a standstill. The balance of the Russian force had its backs turned and stood vulnerable. Then Murat realized his error. His supports stood motionless, without orders, some 400 yards to the rear. In the excitement of combat Murat had momentarily forgotten them. By the time Murat extricated himself from the combat, galloped back, and issued orders, the opportunity was lost. The Russians escaped clean. Fifteen minutes later, LaSalle struck the now vacant Russian flank.
An amusing incident now occurred well to the French rear. Reinertsen had directed a substantial cossack force to interdict the road to Guttstadt. Vigilant French cavalry patrols had sensed this movement and reported to Murat. McLeod - still in the role of Murat - sent messages to his infantry: "To Lannes; there may be some cossacks harrassing you from the NN E. You know how to deal with these people." And indeed they did. Events along the French LOC had no bearing on the battle.
The failure to mousetrap the Russian cavalry coupled with Soult's arrival on the field led Murat to conceive a grand tactical flanking maneuver. He sent Soult's infantry north of the Launau Forest and Lawden Wood toward Grossendorf. Once there they were to turn south toward Heilsberg. Meanwhile, Bennsigen perfected his defensive perimeter. Map 4 shows the situation at 4:30 when Napoleon reached the field. At this point McLeod changed personnas, henceforth he would be Napoleon rather than Murat.
Examination of Map 4 shows that some 40,000 French confronted 70,000 Russians. If this had been a conventional game, the Russians would have realized their great superiority and probably have crushed the French. They certainly would have detected Soult's flank march. Instead, neither player really yet knew what he was up against. Napoleon could only wait the results of Soult's maneuver. As time passed, Bennsigen grew increasingly alarmed. The French counter-reconnaissance screen successfully prevented him from knowing what was happening outside his perimeter. He ordered one of his light cavalry brigades "on a sortie to scout -- launching themselves from between the 2d and 3d Infantry Divisions and skirting the Lawden Wood to the north. "Report enemy movements."
Doomed
The sortie turned out to be a doomed effort. Bennsigen did not realize that the chosen cavalry brigade had suffered badly during the day's previous encounters. Here was another realistic effect of the periscope game. The players had imperfect knowledge about the status of all their units. In the event, the weakened Russian cavalry brigade failed to penetrate the French cavalry screen. The players watched the combat through their scopes.
By 5 P.M. Napoleon had found a hilltop from where he could examine the Russian westward-facing line. He judged it too formidable to assault. He worried that Soult might confront a similarly formidable Russian position around Grossndorf and sent Soult modified orders: "As soon as possible, let me know what you find to the north of Heilsberg. If the Russians have entrenched, inform me but do not assault (instead throw out a skirmish line and indulge in desultory long-range cannon fire whilst feeling their flank). But if you do not encounter entrenched positions, assault towards Heilsberg at 8 P.M."
At this point we had spent about 3.5 hours playing our game. There had been numerous small cavalry combats and the divisional-sized cavalry action that almost, but not quite, led to a battle. No infantryman had yet squeezed the trigger. As judge and host I had the sinking feeling that my battle recreation might not yield a battle! However, players' decisions now produced some unexpected action.
From a hilltop vantage point adjacent to the Guttstadt-Heilsberg Road, Bennsigen could see French forces drawn up outside of cannon shot. In fact they were Savary's people supported by a brigade of corps cavalry. There were no other French troops in this area, but Bennsigen did not know this. Dissatisfied with the failure of his earlier cavalry recon, he ordered Kamenskoi's entire divison (#1 on Map 4) forward in a recon in force at 6 P.M. The Russians lumbered forward and easily brushed aside Savary. However, afteran advance of some 800 yards the division halted. Again, by the narrowest, decisive action had been avoided.
When the Russian advance stopped, Napoleon gambled that matters here had stabilized and cantered off to visit Soult. He arrived to find the Marshal taking up position south of Grossendorf. Soult indeed confronted an entrenched position and so, following orders, had not assaulted. Through his scope, Reinertsen saw a figure on a white horse (the recently arrived Emperor) surveying the Russian lines. Earlier he had identified the Emperor on the western front during Kamenskoi's recon. He concluded that this figure was not really Napoleon, but rather someone pretending to be the Emperor!
Consequently, he reasoned that the threat from Grossendorf was a bluff and the real threat was to the west. He ordered Kamenskoi to hasten back to his original position and prepare a defense. He also decided he would welcome an assault from the west. the encourage the French he ordered his powerful grenadier division and heavy cavalry division to retire 600 paces east behind a ridge toward Heilsberg where the French could not see them, and then return to their position one hour later. He believed the departure of the Russian reserve would tempt the French into a mistaken attack. As the all-seeing judge I found these maneuvers very instructive. I felt I was observing players making reasonable, though erroneous, decisions much like those made by historical generals. Such mistakes simply do not occur in conventional games.
Still 8:15 had arrived and it appeared that a serious engagement would not take place. I was thunderstruck when McLeod issued his next orders: "to Soult; Make your best preparation and attack the enemy to your front... bear in mind that a heavy cannonade starting at 8:30 or later will signal Lannes to attack."
To LaSalle: "You have done well so far today, but the Emperor has not yet had the pleasure of witnessing it. You will now cooperate fully in an attack commanded by Soult under my own eyes. I am confident that you and your troopers will rise to the occasion."
So the players returned to their scopes and watched the battle unfold. On the secondary front (the western front), Lannes made an expensive pinning attack and actually captured a hilltop redoubt just as night fell. But he lacked the strength to exploit his success and suffered heavily from Russian canister-firing batteries. On the Grossendorf front, Soult launched a careful advance that experienced some success against the weary Russian light cavalry division. But the situation never caused Bennsigen great alarm because, by the happiest of chances, the attack came while the Russian reserves were withdrawn from the western sector (recall Reinertsen's feint to draw a French attack, since he was personally present with the reserve when Soult attacked, he was perfectly positioned to issue new orders and use the reserve to backstop the Grossendorf front).
The game ended an hour after full dark. Before allowing the players to see the entire table I requested orders for the next day. Napoleon called in his supporting corps - two from off the map north and Ney still toiling forward from Guttstadt - and hoped the Russians would hold their ground. earlier in the day Bennsigen had recalled Bagration from across the Alle. Informed that Bagration would reach Heilsberg in the early morning, Bennsigen prepared a grand thrust toward Lawden Wood to separate the two French wings. It was clear to all that the next day would see a major battle. I commented: "the decisive battle of Friedland is occurring two days early." The refight of Heilsberg had cost the French about 6,000 and the Russians about 4,500 -- fewer than the historical battle but roughly the same ratio.
Thoughts
This then was the periscope game. About six hours of real time elapsed. The players had taken in views showing five different cavalry combats and infantry combat along two separate sectors. Because the periscope game places heavy demand upon the judge -- I was quite exhausted by battle's end -- we rotate the host role. In the coming months I can look forward to periscope games designed and hosted by Reinertsen and McLeod.
The game mechanics continue to evolve with experience. If you want to try this experience you do not have to limit yourself to the Napoleonic period. In any event, I suggest you experiment before inviting players to participate. Lighting levels, glare, background scenery, the use of cotton 'smoke' are all important influences on what the players see. One suggestion that arose from Heilsberg is to spray-paint cotton with brown colorto use as dust clouds. These would be placed behind terrain features to indicate realistically the approach of troops.
A problem I have not solved relates to comfort. The players had to crawl around the table to avoid seeing too much as they approached the scopes and had to stoop and kneel to view the action. Since we are no longer spring chickens, everyone felt somewhat sore by battle's end (judicious medicinal use of alcohol is recommended). I am considering borrowing a friend's video camera and using it instead of the scopes. Then the players could sit in comfort and view the action on a television screen.
For the present, everyone who has experienced the periscope game pronounces it an unsurpassed gaming experience.
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