Miniatures · Wargame

Polemos: Franco-Prussian War

POLEMOS - FRANCO PRUSSIAN WAR

2–8 players—

About the game

What is Polemos: Franco-Prussian War

POLEMOS - FRANCO PRUSSIAN WAR

When Emperor Louis Napoleon declared war on Prussia in Summer 1870 he was at the head of an army that most contemporaries regarded as the leading military force in Europe. No doubt he had plans of recreating the Glory of his illustrious namesake Uncle. What actually happened was a campaign that saw the Prussians invading France and the Imperial army capitulating at Sedan. Louis Napoleon abdicated and the French carried in the war under the auspices of the Third Republic.

As a wargames period, the FPW remains largely unexplored. There seems to be a general myth that the uniforms are boring, the battles one-sided and that information is just too hard to get to those of whose language skills do not include French and German. As it happens, nothing could be further than the truth than these stereotypes. The French can have a large variety of brightly dressed and colourful units, ranging from the Imperial Guard to the Zouaves and the North African Turcos. You can even field the French Foreign Legion! The Prussians number a significant contingent of allied German troops who all add their own colour and variety to the army, especially the large contingent of Bavarians. Infantry battalions still fought carrying their colours into action and the deployed armies make a brave show on the wargames table. The Prussians may have their superb artillery arm, but the French Infantry were armed with the Chassepot rifle. Tactics were in state of flux as armies were coming to terms with the change from Napoleonic tactics to ones more suited to the greater range and lethality of rifles and artillery. No greater example of this can be seen than the presence of Cavalry units whose purpose was still to charge the enemy with cold steel as their fathers and grandfathers had done.

If you've not considered 1870 before then it is well worth a second look!

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