Spicheren Turn Four

Situation after three turns

Frossard's artillery fail to score a hit.

*****

I roll for reinforcements, but unsuccessfully.

My left-flank infantry finish off the remaining defenders on the Rotherberg, which is not all-bad news for the French as it means they can now roll for reinforcements each turn. But first I activate all my other units, advancing them towards the the main French defensive line. One unit gets within range of the artillery, but shoots wildly.

The French defences from Spicheren to the Stiring-Wendel ironworks will be a tough nut to crack

Frossard begins by rolling for reinforcements from his reserve brigades to the west of the battlefield, but fails to throw the necessary 6 (French staffwork in the Franco-Prussian War was much poorer than that of the Prussians, and French troops were far less likely to march to the sound of the guns).

His infantry in Spicheren shoot at my furthest-forward brigade, scoring a hit that is resolved as the loss of a strength point. The infantry in the ironworks also shoot (remember, French infantry have a range of four hexes, one more than the Prussians), and also score a hit, which again destroys a strength point.

As predicted, my Prussians will certainly not get this part of the battle all their own way

LOSSES

French: one unit, four strength points

Prussians: three strength points