Howdy,
On February 3rd, I had the pleasure of hosting a playtest for the Stallupoen scenario at the Lost Legions game shop in South Charleston, West Virginia, USA.
Historical background: As the Great War (WW1) began, the French and Russians agreed launch simultaneous offensives on the 15th day after mobilization. In the east, the Russian 1st Army moved across the border into East Prussia. The German war plan had been to await the Russian attack and then counter attack.
However, the commander of the German I Corps decided (on his own authority) to move forward and attack the Russian forces in the open field. What became known as the Battle of Stallupoen resulted. The German I Corps attacked the Russian 20th and 3rd Corps. Historically, an inconclusive German victory that led directly to the Battle of Gumbinnen, three days later.
The Game: The battle was portrayed as a bathtubbed composite. A division was represented by a battalion.
Photo 1 – Terrain looking NE
Photo 2 – Terrain looking NW
Photo 3 – Terrain looking SE
Photo 4 - Terrain looking SW
Photo 5 – German on-board deployment at start
Photo 6 – Russian on-board deployment at start
Photo 7 – First contact, South of Stallupoen
Photo 8 – German reinforcements
Photo 9 – Russian reinforcements
Photo 10 - In the south, the Russians shift north
Photo 11 - German move forward in the north
Photo 12 - First clash in Stallupoen
Photo 13 - Russian reinforcements
Photo 14 - More Russian reinforcements
Photo 15 - Contact north of Stallupoen
Photo 16 - Russians draw the Germans in, in the south
Photo 17 – Shaken!
Photo 18 - Russian reinforcements move forward in the south
Photo 19 – Russian reinforcement arrive in the south
Photo 20 - Key move in the north, furstest with the mostest
Photo 21 - Germans take control of Stallupoen
Photo 21a - Meanwhile, north of town
Photo 22 - Germans try to flank in the south
Photo 23 - Russians counter attack Stallupoen
Photo 24 - Heavy German casualties in the north
Photo 25 – Southside
Photo 26 – At twilight, German center holds
Photo 27 – Carnage in the center
The Germans had two battalions, each supported by a 77mm field gun battery. A 150mm battery was attached to the regimental/corps HQ. The Russians had four battalions. Each regiment/Corps had a 76mm field gun battery. Germans – Experienced, 9 with Russians as Trained, 8.
There were three victory conditions:
(1) Terrain points – 1pt for farm, 2pts for town; 6 terrain points total.
(2) Inflict casualties – on troops
(3) Inflict casualties – guns
It was a tie for terrain points, each side having three. The Germans were awarded conditions 2 & 3 – a German victory. Most importantly, the players had fun.
Happy gaming,
JAS
adds a machinegun platoon to his WWI Brits.
