October ‘79

Military Modelling – Playest “Rearguard Action”

 October ‘79
Military Modelling – Playest “Rearguard Action”

C. S. Grant relates the fighting of last month's Rearguard Action.

Saltau Ridge provides the long feature upon which the Prussian rearguard had decided to make its stand in order to buy time for its main force to marry
up a day's march to the north. (This of course is the same scenario outlined last month.) The forces of
the rearguard were made up of:

These forces were positioned as shown on Map No.. 1, with the command divided between Peter
Sheppard and Rob Waldren. They now eagerly awaited the arrival of their pursuers at X.

Meanwhile, the French forces, late of the Grand Duchy of Lorraine, were given the following orders:

"You command the advance guard following up the retreating Prussians. The enemy rearguard
appears to be making a stand on the Saltau Ridge, presumably to cover the passage of his main force
over a ridge a day's march to the north, where intelligence indicates it will link up with another army.
You must drive off his rearguard position during the day (24 periods) in order that our pursuit can
press on to prevent the union of the enemy's forces."

For this task, the French advance guard was constituted as follows:

This not inconsiderable force was commanded by Ray McGarry, Andrew Green and Ian Osbourn. These venerable
gentlemen, arriving to the south of the ridge could only see the forward slopes with the Prussian units 1, 2 and 3 on
them. They were quick to appreciate, however, the possibility that the reverse of the feature could show quite a
different picture. In the early daylight, the following French plan was made. A regiment of light cavalry, T would skirt
round the south-east side of the ridge and scout round the feature's eastern flank and then report back. Similarly, a
regiment of light cavalry would cover the other side to the north-west but supported by all three regiments of heavy
cavalry, with a view to exploiting any weakness. This would turn the flank if possible and break out north. The infantry
would attack the ridge frontally supported by artillery fire. The wood south-east of the ridge 'concerned the French,
and suspecting a concealed enemy, a regiment of infantry would clear it in open order.

The Prussians resolved to maintain a degree of flexibility in their plan in order to meet situations as they arose. In
general, they would keep as much of their forces hidden as long as they could, deploying the third gun onto the
eastern height and reinforcing this point with earthworks, while building another earthwork to guard the eastern flank.

With plans prepared and orders given, action could begin. The French began to deploy onto the table with the cavalry
protecting their flanks. At the same time a Prussian messenger was despatched from the ridge in the direction of the
wood to the south-east. This cunning ruse, for the wood was empty, increased the fears of the French who had
already resolved to clear it. The Knyphausen Grenadiers, 1, deployed into open order on the forward slope as a
precaution against artillery fire. The Prussian third gun was also coming into sight, moving over the crest to join the
other gun, 3. With this came a half of the pioneers, 8, and their wagon, no doubt intending to strengthen the
defences.

Map 1 shows the Prussian dispositions at the start of the battle. Only those units shown in unbroken outline can be seen on the table (1, 2 and
3). The French arrive from X. Map 2 shows the situation in period 5 with the French cavalry deploying west in force and the infantry advancing

up the centre with one unit about to clear the wood. The Prussian earth works shown by a zig-zag line are well under way and a second gun
had arrived on the eastern crest. Units 7 and 5 on the Prussian flanks have now been seen.

Shortly after the arrival of the French, another Prussian messenger was dispatched, this one going first to the Raczynski Infantry, 6, and then on to the 1/2
unit of pioneers, 9, behind the western crest. The French, having been greeted on arrival by the Prussian artillery fire, in their turn took little time to
unlimber their guns and return fire. As the plan unfolded, the Chasseur de Fischer, 'I' moved round the north-west of the wood as the" Prussian messenger
speeded back to the ridge. At the same time the La Marine infantry, B, were moving cautiously towards the woods in open order. The Hussars de St.
Victor, J, were meanwhile leading the heavy cavalry north-west and the infantry still in column, advanced up the centre.

The activities of the second Prussian messenger, of course unseen by the French, had caused the Raczynski Infantry to move forward still in dead ground
and the pioneers to commence an earthworks facing south-west and in dead ground behind gun, 2. The other Pioneer detachment was now working
around the two guns on the eastern summit.

By period 5 (Map 2) the French heavy cavalry were moving north-west behind the Hussars, though suffering some casualties as they passed across the
front of gun, 2. At this point, the Ahlefeldt Cuirassier, 7, had moved round the west shoulder of the ridge presenting its front to the approaching clouds of
French horse. In the centre, four regiments of French infantry, still advancing in column, presented an impressive array below the Saltau Ridge though not
unscathed by artillery fire. The fifth regiment was starting to move cautiously through the still suspect wood and the Chasseur de Fischer, having just
 October ‘79
Military Modelling – Playest “Rearguard Action”

sighted the Ostergotland Infantry, 5, to the north-east of the ridge, were halted.

As the French drew closer, the Raczynski advanced onto the skyline to the east of gun 2, and along the western height of the saddle. Beneath them and to
the south-west were the Gendarmerie du Roi supported by the Grenadier a Cheval, while to the west were Les Mousquetaires. The Hussars St. Victor
were edging forward and round the feature towards the Ahlefeldt. The Prussian artillery fire had taken its toll however and after a bad morale, Les
Mousquetaires halted in some disorder and confusion. Further punishing fire caused this fine unit to retire a period, and as the continuing fire exploited this
weakness, they broke. Despite this reverse, the remaining French cavalry advanced with the Grenadier a Cheval, F, crossing over to support the
Gendarmerie du Roi, while the Hussars St. Victor placed itself near the flank of the French infantry now deploying into line. The French guns had set up
near the south edge of the table to get into action quickly and were causing some damage on the ridge where digging continued.

At the eighth period (Map 3) the La Marine infantry were emerging on the north side of the cleared wood while the Chasseur de Fischer had pulled back to
the east side of the same feature. In the centre, the infantry, now in line, were making steady progress and the Picardy, despite heavy casualties from
canister, pressed closer. The French guns concentrated on the east height and the Pioneers fell casualty as they worked to finish the defences. With the
change of target, the Knyphausen Grenadiers resumed close order.

The French now prepared to deliver the assault. The infantry began to mount the eastern crest as grape and musketry ploughed into them. The Navarre
Infantry, E, lost several officers including the Colonel, while a period later the Picardy suffered a similar fate. For the former, however, it was too much —
they wavered and halted. At the same time the Gendarmerie du Roi charged uphill against the Ahlefeldt on the western flank. The latter unaccountably
were caught off guard and took the charge standing and came off the worse. After a second period of melee, the Ahlefeldt broke with less than half their
strength remaining and were pursued by an exuberant Gendarmerie. This was the signal for the Grenadier a Cheval and St. Victor Hussars to exploit the
collapse on the west flank and follow up. With the western side of the position in trouble, the Chasseur de Fischer and La Marine Infantry advanced on the
east end of the ridge. Things had gone less well for the French in the centre and the exhausted Picardy and Navarre infantry fell back down the slope of
the ridge broken up by the artillery and musketry fire. (The latter from the brave Pioneers behind their defences). To their left the Normandy and Royal
Vaisseaux were having more success. Their fire had taken a heavy toll on the Knyphausen and Raczynski Infantry, the former having suffered a
staggering 25% loss from the first enemy volley. By the twelfth period (Map 4) these two Prussian regiments were in tatters and withdrew over the crest
and away.

The right flank of the rearguard was destroyed and turned with only a weakly-manned gun and a few sappers remaining. With this collapse, the French left
began to wheel east, down the ridge, to take out the eastern crest. This position, manned only by a battery of guns, a few Pioneers and the Ostergotland
Infantry on the eastern side was now being taken in the flank from the west. Seeing the Chasseur de Fischer and La Marine infantry now advancing from
the south-east they knew that they could not hold and so began to fall back. Its withdrawal would already be difficult as the French cavalry were heading
north to cut them off.

In Map 3 Les Mousquetaires have broken and are retiring but the Gendarmerie du Roi are about to charge the Ahlefeldt Cuirassier (G and 7).
The wood has now been cleared by La Marine infantry (B). The Raczynski infantry (6) have come up onto the crest. Map 4 shows the
conclusion, period 13. The Prussian right and centre is broken. Although two French infantry regiments (A and E) are retiring those remaining
(D, C and B) supported by the Chasseur de Fischer (I) will be more than enough to crush those Prussians remaining.

Conclusion

The battle was undoubtedly a victory for the French attacker; the rearguard had failed to buy the time necessary for the main army. All those taking part
agreed that the problem had been immensely enjoyable and despite taking only just over half the time allowed (13 out of 24 periods) to reach a decision,
there had not been an overwhelming disparity in forces. Indeed, if the Ahlefeldt cavalry had shown a bit more dash, they could well have routed the
Gendarmerie du Roi and delayed the French breaking through on the western side of the ridge for some time. Nevertheless, I think that the addition of
another cavalry regiment, probably a light one, would give the defenders a sporting chance against the attacker's four. At least it would provide a degree of
flexibility in the cavalry arm.

I think that it is also worth noting that the speed with which the French won was due more to the clear plan, speedy deployment and sense of urgency,
than to any lack of resources on the part of the defender.

A final observation concerns the nature of the terrain and its connection with the problem. I must confess that when I prepared the problem I hoped that
the defenders would make better use of the dead ground and deliberate reverse slope deployment. This would enable him to use surprise to overcome the
imbalance of forces as well as the concealed interior lines to provide local superiority. Instead, they met the enemy advance with almost their entire force
exposed and strung out along the ridge.

If the Raczynski infantry for example had remained six inches behind the crest in line, the French infantry would have had to climb the hill under fire from
the gun only. When they came too close, however, the gunners could retire back, leaving the gun to be repossessed later and as the infantry crossed the
crest, or charged over it to take the gun, they would be met by a devastating first volley from the undetected and unharmed Raczynski infantry.
Furthermore, this regiment could well have its own line of earthworks with the help of pioneers. Ah well, it did not happen, but perhaps we will see if
another time.

Despite this, Saltau Ridge provided a good problem and a most enjoyable battle. Next month, the editor permitting, will see a quite different approach to
 October ‘79
Military Modelling – Playest “Rearguard Action”

the advance guard/rearguard battle. Until then —good fighting!

MM