Referee's Notes
Terrain: Most of the buildings should be stone. Fields do not block line of sight, but are considered cover. The Chusnes River is not fordable, and may be only crossed at the bridge or the ford.
Victory Conditions: The game starts with the 0830 turn, and ends at the 1230 turn. Victory is determined by the following conditions. (Control of a village is determined by the side which has physical ownership of the most blocks in the city. If both sides have an equal number of blocks, then neither side has control.)
- Decisive French Victory: The French drive the
Germans back north of the Ecorcherie/Fillieres Road, and hold both
villages and Hill 374.
Tactical French Victory: The French drive the Germans back north of the Ecorcherie/Fillieres Road, and hold both villages.
Draw: Each side holds one village at the end of the 1230 turn.
Tactical German Victory: The Germans drive the French back south of the Ecorcherie/Fillieres Road, and hold both villages.
Decisive German Victory: The Germans drive the French south of the Chusnes River.
Additional Notes
The above battle is not an easy one for the French to win. They are faced with being hit by surprise and then having to react while their reinforcements are strung out behind them. On the other hand, the German infantry must advance to capture the towns needed to win the game, and are outnumbered about 2:1.
Historically, the Germans won a Decisive Victory. The remainder of the German 34th Division fell on the 40th French Division's other brigade, the 80th, south of the Chusnes, and drove it back as well.
For play balance, consider removing the 16th Jager Battalion from the game and placing at its starting point the 3rd Battalion of the 60th Infantry. This reduces the German infantry on the line Point D-Hill 374-Point E to two battalions, and makes it much harder to win.
Bibliography
"Infantry in Battle," The Infantry Journal, Washington DC, 1939.
Ambush In Alsace Lorraine August 22, 1914
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© Copyright 1993 by Greg Novak.
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