We recently played a FPW game using Saga’s new VW rules. Paul Schneider and Ken Brate played the Prussians and I played the French. The scenario pitted a French division (beat up, reflected in the small size of the battalions, 3 or 4 stands per unit) reinforced by a cavalry brigade vs. a Prussian division with attached cavalry. The battlefield was fairly open in the centre, with woods on the left and a walled farmhouse on the right. There was a small river, which disordered the Prussian foot (their commander forgot to put them into extended order as they crossed).

One thing we quickly acclimated to was the deadly fire of breechloaders. Used to Napoleonic tactics, it took us time to get used to the high casualties when firefights developed at close range. In order to utilize your forces effectively, you must have either skirmishers out front or have your units in extended order to cut down on losses. We learned this the hard way, by marching close order lines up to 100-150 yards (4-6" in 25mm) and blazing away - with predictably bloody results. Units lost stands very quickly, forcing morale checks and causing much gnashing of teeth, especially for the Prussians, facing the superior range of the chassepot rifle.

Another thing you do not want to do is be in columns when long-range artillery finds your units. One notable Prussian unit came under long-range French artillery fire and quickly found itself being forced to redeploy into extended order. Rifle fire can also cut a column to pieces. Napoleonic tactics are deadly...for anyone trying to use them!

My own French Guard battalion, of very high morale, was meant to anchor my line. I had just painted a unit of Foundry 1st Empire Old Guard in greatcoats as 2nd Empire Guard (can't find the right figures, so adapted). They looked good and were fresh. Unfortunately, the Krupp artillery found their range and I watched them being ground into nothingness under the unrelenting barrage. Finally, I had to pull the survivors back to the rear to keep them from being totally destroyed. The Prussian artillery is very good.

The French mitrailleuse proved adequate for their intended role. I did not attempt to use them as artillery batteries, as the contemporary French commanders did, but instead used them to hold a section of my line as a strong defensive unit. In this, they proved an excellent weapon. Two sections of them destroyed any Prussians not going prone or in protective cover (mitrailleuse get double dice when firing). Wary Prussian jaegers managed to stay at long range, however, and skirmished with the gun crews, cutting them down until some French foreign legion chased them off.

The cavalry arm also proved interesting to use. A premature French cavalry charge was shot to pieces by Prussian needle guns, however, a late charge into the exposed flank of a Prussian unit proved deadly. Likewise, a Prussian uhlan unit charged a French artillery battery, survived the canister fire and butchered the crews. The French general in the heat of battle forgot to give the artillery a Fire and Flee order, which would have saved them.

In the end, the Prussian centre smashed the French centre. Superior numbers and artillery fire prevailed, even though the French had badly bloodied the Prussians. A great battle, fought to a conclusion in 3 hours with 180-240 figures per side.