| Borny-Colombey - August 14th 1870
This scenario is developed by Bill Haggart. Order of Battle: FRENCH ARMY, Marshal Bazaine - Army Commander in Chief (83,500 infantry and cavalry, 43 batteries), Marshal Bazaine - Army Commander in Chief (83,500 infantry and cavalry, 43 batteries) III Corps, CC General Decaen, CC General Decaen 1st Division, General Montaudon (DC)- Exhaustion=9 (DC)- Exhaustion=9
1st Brigade: N/A
2nd Brigade: Genral Clinchant
2nd Division, General de Castagny (DC), Exhaustion=9 (DC), Exhaustion=9
1st Brigade, Genral Nayral
2nd Brigade, General Duplessis
3rd Division, General Mettmann (DC), Exhaustion = 9 (DC), Exhaustion = 9
1st Brigade, General de Potier
2nd Brigade, General Arnaudeau
4th Division, General Aymard (DC), Exhaustion = 9
1st Brigade, General de Bauer
2nd Brigade, General Sangle-Ferrieres
IV Corps (part), CC General de Ladmirault
2nd Division, General Grenier (DC), Exhaustion = 9 (DC), Exhaustion = 9
1st Brigade, General Bellecourt
2nd Brigade, General Pradier
3rd Division, General Count de Lorencez (DC), Exhaustion=9 (DC), Exhaustion=9
1st Brigade, General Count Pajol
2nd Brigade, General Berger
Cavalry Division, General de Clerambault (DC), Exhaustion=5 (DC), Exhaustion=5 1st Brigade, General Bruchard
2nd Brigade, General Maubranches
3rd Brigade, General de Juniac
Imperial Guard (part) 1st Guard Division (part) General Deligny (DC), Exhaustion=13
1st Brigade, General Brincourt
2nd Brigade, General Garnier
II Corps (part) 1st Division, General Verge (DC), Exhaustion=7
1st Brigade, General Valazé
2nd Brigade, General Jolivet
2nd Division (part), General Bataille (DC), Exhaustion Ex=5
1st Brigade, General Pouget
2nd Brigade, General Micheler
The Prussian Army, General of Infantry von Steinmetz--Army Commander in Chief (67,500 infantry & Cavalry, 34 batteries)he Prussian Army, General of Infantry von Steinmetz--Army Commander in Chief (67,500 infantry & Cavalry, 34 batteries) I Corps, CC Genral of Cavalry Baron von Manteuffel 1st Division, Major General von Bentheim (DC), Exhaustion =12 (DC), Exhaustion =12
1st Brigade, Major General von Gayl
2nd Brigade, Major General von Falkenstein
Divisional Artillery: 1st Foot Dvision, Art. Regt. #1
2nd Division, Major General von Pritzelwitz (DC), Exhaustion=12
3rd Brigade, Major General von Memerty
4th Brigade, Major General non Zglinitzzki
Divisional Artillery, 3rd Foot Division, Art. Regt. #1
1 Corps Units
2nd Foot Division, Art Regt. #1
3rd Cavalry Division (part): Major General Graf von der Goeben (DC), Exhaustion=3
6th Brigade, Major Gen. von Mitus
7th Brigade, Major Gen. Count zu Dohna
VII Corps, General of Infantry, von Zastrow 13th Division, Major General von der Osten-Sacken (DC), Exhaustion=9 25th Brigade, Major General von Gayl
26th Brigade, Major General von der Goltz
Divisional Artillery, 1st Ft Division, Art Regt. #7
14th Division, Lt. General von Kamecke (DC), Exhaustion=8
27th Brigade, Major General von Francois
28th Brigade, Major General von Woyna
Divisional Artillery, 3rd Foot Division, Artillery Regt. #7
VII Corps Units:
2nd Foot Division, Art Regt. #7
IX Corps (part) , CC General of Infantry von Manstein 18th Division, Lt.General Baron von Wrengel (DC), Exhaustion=12 (DC), Exhaustion=12
35th Brigade, Major General von Blumenthal
36th Brigade, Major General von Below
Divisional Artillery, 1st Foot Division, Art. Regt. #9
1st Army Cavalry: 1st Cavalry Division, Lt. General von Hartmann (DC), Ex=5
1st Brigade, Major Gen. von Luderitz
2nd Brigade, Major Gen. von Baumgarth
Map: Click here for a full sized map. Terrain Notes: 1. The map has four levels: River Bottom (green), valley floor, and two levels of hills. The river bottom was tranversable to infantry and cavalry, but not to artillery. They must cross at bridges. The streams are fordable along their entire length for infantry and cavalry. The River Moselle is not fordable. All levels are treated as slopes for line of sight and movement/combat purposes. 2. All woods are open. 3. The outlying Metz forts St. Julien and Queuleu were both unfinished at the time of the battle. They are both town-sized and treated as works for units inside. They both have 2 points of Rifled Siege Artillery and are treated as permanently stationary batteries. They may fire perpendicular to their East face (Queuleu is South East, St. Julien is NorthEast) in a 45° arc from the center of the forts. The forts may be captured, in which case the artillery is destroyed. the Fort artillery can be targeted and destroyed by artillery fire against the east face of each fort as though they are in works. Setup: The Scenario starts at 3pm and ends at 8 pm, six turns. The Prussians move first. All troops are within 8 inches of their designated locations unless in road column, in which case the center of the road column of units must be on the location indicated at the beginning of the scenario. All Corps units may be placed anywhere within any of the locations designated for Corps divisions. No units may be within artillery or rifle close range at the beginning of the game: French:
Prussian:
Scenario Notes: Unlike most of the Franco-Prussian War engagements, this is one where the French enjoy superior numbers against the Germans, while occupying excellent ground. The Prussians have a difficult battle, but a nearly unbeatable strategic advantage so that the outcome of the battle is a foregone conclusion. However, it makes for a unique and challenging battle. 1. The French II Corps and the Prussian VII Corps are the only troops to have been previously engaged, at Spicheren. Both showed a marked reluctance to engage in the careless courage they first displayed and characterized the other, less fire-tested corps at Borny-Colombey. This is the reason for their lower exhaustion level. 2. The outlying Metz forts St. Julien and Queuleu were both unfinished at the time of the battle. They are both town-sized and treated as works for units inside. They both have 1 point of Rifled Siege Artillery and are treated as permanently stationary batteries. They may fire perpendicular to their East face (Queuleu is Southeast, St. Julien is Northeast) in a 45° arc from the center of the forts. The forts may be captured in which case the artillery is destroyed. The Fort artillery can be targeted and destroyed by artillery fire against the east face of each fort as though they are in works. 3. On the 3pm turn only von der Goltz's brigade (the 15th and 55th Regiments) may move. They must move a full move and be at least 8" closer to some enemy unit at the end of their move than they were at the beginning. All Prussian units may fire the first Prussian turn and move normally all subsequent turns. General von der Goltz, seeing the French retreating into Metz was determined to stop them, advancing to engage them against the expressed orders of a now hestitant Steinmetz. The following day, Goltz was congradulated by the King for his 'disobedience.' Steinmetz had been severally reprimanded for his disobeying orders at Spicheren. 4. Furia Francese: To simulate the French troops extrodinary ability to successfully counter-attack almost at will against the Prussians without unbalancing the game, the French have 15 shock points for the scenario, which may be spent like money during the combat portion of the game turns. On melee counter-attacks during the Prussian combat phase, the French can designated any infantry unit as having a shock value for that combat only--at the cost of one shock point. By spending two shock points during the French combat phase, the French player can calculate a single melee combat as though their unit(s) enjoyed a shock factor. No more than two melee resolutions per combat phase (either Prussian or French) may use the French shock points. Only 15 shock points can be spent and all expenditures are cumulative during the scenario. Only infantry may use shock points. 5. Victory Conditions: Like most of the early battles of the Franco-Prussian War, Borny was one that neither side had planned or wanted. For the French, the battle delayed the Army's retreat for twelve precious hours, practically assuring that the Imperial French Army would be trapped at Sedan. To increase the interest while providing for some strategic possbilities, the French player may choose the victory conditions without the Prussian player's knowledge. The French player writes the choice down at the beginning of the game, revealing it at the end to calculate victory. The Prussian player will probably divine the French player's victory choice during the game, but when? Victory Condition Choices: A Strategic Victory: The French Player receives one point for every sp retreated off the board through Metz at "M" on the board. They lose one point for every sp lost in combat OR left on the board beyond a 6" radius of the table edge at "M" at the end of the game. The side with the most points wins. The fort sps do not count for calculating victory. Units within the 6" of "M" with enemy units between them and the "M" edge of the board are considered lost. "Between" is calculated as though the French unit is routing. If the Prussian unit would be "routed through", it is then inbetween the French unit and the board edge. These Victory conditions assume that the Bazaine realized the danger of envelopment his army faced, and attempted to retreat as fast as possible. The French 2nd Division/II does not have to come on the board, but if it does, it will count as another 13 sps for the victory calculation. A Tactical Victory: The French Player receives one point for every Prussian sp loss inflicted minus every French loss suffered. In addition, the Prussian player receives -10 points for occupying each of the following locations: Mey, Fort St. Julien, Vallieres, Borny, Grigy, and Fort Queuleu. If French are cut off from the "M" edge of the board, they are counted as eliminated. The French win if the final count is a positive number, the Prussians, if a negative number. Being "cut off" for the French is calculated as a straight line from the French unit any length to the "M" edge, using 'rout through' determination as above. These victory conditions assumes that Bazaine decided to stay and win the battle. This is "sort of" what he actually did, only Bazaine did not seem to have any particular goals in mind when he decided to stay . . . . The Prussian units will take serious losses to win either set of victory conditions, but they can't be careless. The goals are to block the French from retreating in the first scenario and to inflict casualties while capturing victory point locations: Only two or three will insure a win. Any victory that generates more than 15 points, negative or positive, as a final count is a significant victory. The French hold most of the cards this time, and will benefit from keeping the Prussian guessing as to their intent. For instance, bringing on the 2nd Division/II can help the confusion. However, any retreat can not be delayed long. |
