Description

The Battle of Reichshoffen, also known as Froeschwiller or Woerth, was one of France's early disasters in the disastrous Franco-Prussian War. It is most notable for a desperate and futile charge by the French cuirassiers and for a children's song that begins C'était au soir d'la bataille de Reichshoffen.

The scale of Reichshoffen 1870 is the same as Solferino 1859 (600 meters/hex, 1 hour/turn, units are brigades). The rules vary only slightly: French defensive fire and Prussian artillery are both more effective than in the earlier game, reflecting the two nations' technical advances in small arms and cannon, respectively. French heavy cavalry have two opportunities per game for a charge à la mort, which can strike anywhere within five hexes of a French headquarters - usually without effect but useful if saved for just the right opportune moment.

Other rules changes are based on the armies' command problems. The French army has no commander-in-chief. Marshal Mac Mahon, the hero of the Battle of Magenta, "although physically present on the battlefield did not direct the battle". As a consequence, French formations can act effectively only by passing initiative tests. (Optional rules give the Marshal a chance to be slightly or fully effective.) On the Prussian side, there was quite a lot of initial confusion; brigades cannot launch coordinated attacks until the commander-in-chief, Prince Frederick William, arrives on the scene halfway through the action.

The battle begins at 8:30 am and lasts for 10 hourly turns. The victory conditions are simple: The Prussians must occupy four villages in the center of the map; otherwise the French win. The map is slightly less than half the old Vae Victis standard, sharing a sheet with the one for Magenta 1859. The counters must be mounted and cut apart.