Walter Schnaffs/Krupp Bashing QRS

Leman (Andy) · July 06, 2023, 06:24:00 PM

Some ideas for an alternative Walter Schnaffs approach, called Krupp Bashing, were prepared by Pierre for the Mill 16. The ideas looked worth giving a go, but the tables in the Mill were not necessarily in game play order. I printed the relevant pages, cut out the tables which needed to be rearranged, and added three from the SB pdf edition. This gives a very handy QRS in the sequence of gameplay, needing relatively little reference to the rulebook once pregame setup has been carried out. I've photographed them and loaded them to flikr, but they are not yet available there to post. Will do when they are ready.

Leman (Andy) · July 07, 2023, 03:23:48 PM

Still waiting for side 2 to appear. I think flikr must have reverted to working on steam power. However Saturday morning it decided to upload the photo, so here is side 2:

Leman (Andy) · July 12, 2023, 03:00:14 PM

Not sure what's been going on over the last few days. I have tried to load photos via flikr, but nothing appeared on flikr. Today I thought I would give it another go but just with one photo. Lo and behold, it instantly uploaded, so here is the battlefield for my first try out of Krupp Bashing, before any reduction of the French defefenders.

First time ever I thought I would have a go at using a fort. However the SB fort is designed for C20th use, so I took out all the machineguns, one of the artillery pieces and removed two French battalions rather than four. However, the Prussians were totally out of luck in this game: they were unable to relocate a single piece of terrain, despite rolling 5; the French only lost 3 bases in the pregame; the French lost 6 units to the reserves, but actually managed to bring 3 on at the end of turn 1; the fort and the towns proved to be very tough nuts to crack. Prussian assaults on the towns were thrown back and the fort proved very resiliant against Krupp artillery fire. The Prussians were very badly weakened. It came to a point where I had to dismantle the game. At that point the French had 108 victory points and the Prussians had 7!!! Time to withdraw and reconsider their campaign approach. I will make the next game more open a la Mars le Tour.

A look at the fort, which includes a French fortress gun, purely to remind me about the grand battery asset.

I also did the same with a battery of Krupp siege guns. Painted up about 5 or 6 years ago but his was their first use.

Finally another example of Prussian bad luck. In an assault you get all those sixes, then the enemy gets the same number of fives. After saving rolls the result is still a draw, thus the French defenders count as winners and the Prussians can't move and also take additional casualties. In the following turn the Prussians were driven off, with two units routing after morale was taken. The same was happening to the Prussians on the opposite wing making it impossible for them to concentrate for another assault as I ran out of table time.

Colonel Kilgore · July 12, 2023, 04:42:28 PM

Very nice table, Andy!

I'm also impressed by your Persian flying carpet

Simon

Leman (Andy) · July 13, 2023, 11:44:17 AM

Specially commissioned for a quick getaway.

Actually, as luck would have it, I now have a two week table window to try out the game again with a more open terrain. Don't think the French will have it quite so easy unless they make good use of their extended chassepot range. The Prussians may well go for the maximum 8 guns.

martin goddard · July 13, 2023, 09:45:51 PM

Very nice.
I do like the big guns Andy

martin

Leman (Andy) · July 14, 2023, 08:27:07 AM

Thanks Martin. They are pretty, but I only know of one scenario where I can use them in the field. It is a winter scenario near Belfort that Bruce Weigle put together in his 1871 rule book. However, they do make a handy table edge marker for off table fire. Similarly the two gun French entrenched battery serves the same purpose.

Leman (Andy) · July 15, 2023, 03:08:53 PM

Having uploaded some more photos to flickr you can see that this battlefield has all the SB features: small wood, chateau, crossroads and small hill as objectives, plus the other 8 pieces of terrain. Once again the Prussians were unable to shift any terrain. This time I have highlighted the French depletions and also the town as it is adjacent to two objectives, most likely leading to this being the most contested area. The Prussians have deployed to try and swamp this area. The French have not had as much luck moving reserves onto the board as in the previous game.

I have now played three full turns, taking the clock down to 9, which looks promising for the French. However they did capture the chateau, but then the Prussians were able to launch a successsful assault from two sides, giving them a massive advantage, and throwing out the French who's morale has left them outside looking in with no opportunity to launch a further assault in turn four, even though they have now been reinforced. Meanwhile, the build up of Prussian troops for an assault on the crossroads resulted in the Prussian troops also being forced back through morale. They will now have to re-establish that assault, with time running out fast. They are considering using their cavalry as a distraction if it can successfully cross the battlefield to the rear of the French lines, although there is French cavalry there which could thwart such hopes. All in all this is building up to being an exciting game.

Colonel Kilgore · July 15, 2023, 03:45:17 PM

Thanks for the commentary, Andy, these are colourful forces.

Simon

Leman (Andy) · July 17, 2023, 05:51:02 PM

The two most contested areas turned out to be the crossroads and the chateau, both of which ended the game being hels by the Prussians, along with the small wood which they acquired in the first turn. At the end of the day though the Prussians only managed to snatch a minor victory, thanks to destroying 3 complete units of French line (although one was reservists) and holding three objectives. They did though only hold three row three squares, and lost a fair number of cavalry and infantry bases, although no actual units. A good, and very enjoyable, 6 turn game.

Camulogene · July 17, 2023, 06:23:54 PM

Nice table, Andy.
Thanks for the report!
Pierre

Colonel Kilgore · July 17, 2023, 07:47:27 PM

I think you have said previously that these are 10mm, Andy - do I have that right?

Simon

Leman (Andy) · July 20, 2023, 09:43:33 AM

Yes indeed Simon. Predominantly Pendraken, but I do like the Red Eagle 10mm range as well, especially the cavalry and the mitrailleuse - both those in this game are Red Eagle. The other thing I like about the Red Eagle figures is they are very robust and thus wargames friendly (apart from the lances of both the French and Prussians - the French lancers in this game are Pendraken). I have even used a few Irregular 10mm. Their WWI Russian cavalryman makes an excellent mounted Prussian officer. I use mounted officers on a circular base as half bases. Another Irregular figure I like is an infantryman helping a wounded uhlan from the field.

Colonel Kilgore · July 20, 2023, 12:56:36 PM

Thanks Andy. I do like Pendraken. But the thought of doing scenery etc. in a whole new scale is a bit of a turn-off.

Simon

Leman (Andy) · July 20, 2023, 05:46:46 PM

I can appreciate that, but I have a number of periods in 10/12mm, and some in 6mm, and in this instance the 10 mm figures are fighting around 6mm scenery. My favourite in 6mm currently is Total Battle Miniatures, Battlescale, Leven Miniatures and Timecast. Sometimes I even use the heavy duty Irregular scenery. Here is the wounded uhlan. This may be from Irregular's 10mm WWI range.