From: Todd Wilson Subject: GAME: Battle of Lobositz (GDW) Query Fellow consimers, I have a question for anyone who can remember playing the old Series 120 game, The Battle of Lobositz (GDW), or for anyone else with a knowledge of battlefield tactics. How can Frederick the Great win this battle? For those not familiar with the game, Lobositz was designed by Frank Alan Chadwick and the exact same system was employed again in his game, The Battle of Prague. Prague was my very first consim, and I have played it _many_ times. The game system is quite simple, typical S120 stuff, but it does provide a basic tactical game which is easy and FUN. Most units represent regiments, battalions and wings. Basic distinctions exist between infantry, cavalry, and artillery (most notably the ability to fire up to four hexes away), with cavalry further distinguished by weight. There are even a few light infantry units that are treated as skirmishers if stacked by themselves who are governed by special rules that can make them a real nuisance to the enemy. The turn sequence includes Movement, Rally, Offensive Fire, Defensive fire, and Melee phases, first for the Prussians and then the Austrians. Combat consists of offensive fire for phasing units that didn't move, defensive fire by the non-phasing player, and finally melees initiated by phasing units that have survived the defensive fire. Losses are represented by numbered chits that are placed under the unit until the number surpasses the units strength. With these losses the morale of each unit is likewise reduced. Morale checks are required before a unit can melee, first by the attacker, and if they pass, the defender must check. Any unit which loses a melee, or a defender failing his pre-melee defensive check, will lose one SP and the the unit will become demoralized--fleeing to the rear until rallied and panicing other units whose hex it passes through. I think it's safe to say that the combat mechanics make the game a real blood bath, and with a small map most units seldom have more than two or three chances to rally before leaving the map. All in all it requires a player to use his units wisely. In particular Lobositz is interesting since most of the battlefield is covered with fog at the beginning of the game. For the first three hours (8 hours total) the fog slowly clears, beginning at the highest elevations and working its way down to the main battlefield. Units in the fog remain inverted unless adjacent to an enemy unit. Besides not being able to see the enemy, artillery may not bombard through it unless adjacent. I think this fog rule would be really interesting in a two player game, but I've been playing solitaire so the effect is not as great. Having said that, the fog does add a little more suspense since I haven't a perfect memory. Terrain in this game is crucial, with the fighting mostly funneled by the Elbe to the north of Lobositz and streams/marshes/woods to the south. Coalition troops south of the streams/marshes are unable to move across to the town until the Prussians move units next to the streams. The Prussians must go on the offensive to win, yet not be foolish since hasty attacks against artillery and infantry (esp. if in town hexes) will always result in heavy causalties. In this sense it's a lot like what really happened, with Frederick taking a pasting when he charged unknown forces in the fog. The Prussians win varying degrees of victory depending on how much of the map they control. A minimum victory requires the Prussians to take Lobosch Hill AND all eleven hexes of the town Lobositz...not an easy task! Having completed three solitaire games of Lobositz, Frederick has lost them all using three quite different approaches. In each game I've set-up the Austrians the same way, with skirmishers on Lobosch Hill to the west, the majority of the infantry and artillery in front of the town (with a few cavalry units for quick counter attacks), and almost all the cavalry south of the streams with some infantry/skirmishers to protect them. The first game saw aggressive flank attacks before the fog cleared, but the Prussians took too many causalties and by game end they hadn't taken a single town hex. The second game involved cautious maneuvers until the fog was gone so as not to release the Austrians south of the stream/marsh obstacles, and although better the Prussians were only able to take seven town hexes. In the third game the Prussians tried an early cavalry attack to pin the Austrian right against the Elbe (preventing their retreat and stopping them from protecting Lobositz which has THE important victory hexes) while reserving the infantry for their use in the inevitable house to house fights. This approach didn't work either. The cavalry attack stalled the first turn and some (too many) Austrian infantry units were able to escape the trap and make their way back to Lobositz. Once again Frederick's men took only four of the town hexes. This game is much more balanced then Prague (for that game I cut the number of turns in _half_ so the Austrians had a chance) and as such Lobositz is a far more enjoyable experience. It just seems like there are too few infantry units, and too little time for the Prussians to take the town. Does anyone have a winning strategy for the Prussian player, or is this just a lopsided game? If you have any thoughts on the subject, please let me know. Thanks in advance, Todd =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= K. Todd Wilson Box 2412, Golden, B.C., CANADA, V0A 1H0. towilson@cln.etc.bc.ca Work: 604-344-6317 Home: 604-344-7295 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-= From: David Fox Subject: Re: GAME: Battle of Lobositz (GDW) Query LOBOSITZ was one of my first wargames ever- I think I bought it when I was 14- and I've probably played it 40 times. The best Prussian strategy to me seems to be: - Send in the cavalry first, much like Freddy did historically. They'll take some big hits but should rout a few Austrians in return. - The key to clearing Lobositz is to use the artillery at close range to blast the defenders in the houses, then clear the inner town hexes with infantry, while using the cavalry survivors to screen the remainder of the Austrian army across the stream. - Lobosch Hill is easily cleared with three battalions of infantry, but do it quickly, as you'll need those troops to reinforce the assault on the town. - Then, once the fog burns off and the Austrian main body gets rolling, hang on grimly. If the Prussians have taken most of Lobositz by now , they can win. If not, it's curtains. A tough game for FtG, but well worth trying. Good Luck, David From: Gerry Germond Subject: Lobositz What a coincidence! The Richmond Area Gaming Enthusiasts just played Lobositz two nights ago (Tuesday the 22d). For us, the battle went pretty much as it did historically, except we didn't take the town either. I was beginning to seriously doubt the balance myself, but the other three players think it to be balanced, echoing David Fox's recommendation that the Prussian artillery ("death rays") be used to do as much damage to the town's defenders as possible. Reckon we'll try it again in the future. Gerry Germond