Spicheren Turn Five

Situation after four turns

In the artillery phase, Frossard's gunners shoot at the Prussian infantry directly ahead of them, but come up well short with a roll of 2.

*****

I roll for reinforcements, receiving a brigade of infantry between the Saar river and Saarbrücken Wood.

My infantry, directly in front of the French artillery, open fire, but without effect. The brigade next to them is just out of range (German rifles only have a range of three hexes), but I successfully activate the unit, advancing it a hex so it can also fire at the artillery, and I am rewarded with a roll of 6, the hit being resolved as the compulsory loss of a strength point.

I am also able to activate my three-strength brigade, which advances two hexes to shoot at the defenders of the Stiring-Wendel ironworks, but no casualties are inflicted.

The rest of my infantry also advance, massing in the gap between the two woods

Frossard successfully rolls the 6 he needs for reinforcements, meaning an infantry brigade has responded in a timely fashion, and will arrive on the battlefield next turn, with a second brigade arriving two turns later.

He has less luck, however, with the brigades in the front line - both the unit in Spicheren and the one in the ironworks roll a 2 for firing, which is not quite enough despite a +1 modifier for having more than three strength points.

TOTAL LOSSES

French: one unit, 5SP

Prussians: 3SP