WARGAME 1st Schleswig-Holstein War (Flensburg 1848)

With it being such a lovely Saturday I decided to fight a garden war-game, and I don't mean cut the grass. It was time for some of my gunboats to steam into action, guns blazing, and deliver a knockout blow on these rebellious German-speaking Schleswig folk. The year is 1848.

Now I must confess, these rules took five minutes to compile, which matches my attention span for anything involving mathematical calculations. The war-game is inspired by a real action that occurred near Bogholm (try not to laugh) on the Flensburg Fjord on April 7, 1848.

Having been ordered to secure the fjord, a Danish flotilla took up their station, only to discover illegal Schleswig flags (upside down Dutch) were clearly visible on the land. And these Rebels had also constructed a fortified battery of artillery.

My wargaming flotilla comprised three gunboats, one whaleboat, and a civilian steamship. The opposition had two field guns and appropriate crew. There was also a fishing boat and a merchantman that could be useful, but both were unarmed.

THE FIRING BEGINS

I allowed the Schleswig battery a first move/fire advantage. Using a Britains matchstick firing 25pdr as my  judge, and at a distance of about eight foot for both sides, their two guns missed the ships.

MOVE TWO. Both sides now fired. The Danish having three shots per move scored a hit on the redoubt. A follow-on dice throw confirmed a hit on a Rebel gunner, and a reduction point on the redoubt.

I began to think the redoubt was a large and easy target? MOVE THREE. One of the Schleswig guns scored a hit on a gunboat, it actually stayed on the deck! A hit allows the player to decide whether he prefers a hit on the gun, or the hull, there are advantages and disadvantages in choosing either option as the results involve throwing a dice. Well, I went for the hull, this had the chance of knocking out the engine, but it also contributes towards a three-hit rule, that the gunboat would then start to sink.

MOVE FOUR. Two direct hits on the same gunboat! While still able to fire this go, it was still going down in the next.

MOVE FIVE. A Schleswig gun hits another gunboat, forget the Danish guns, go for the hulls! The Danish whaleboat successfully picked up the sinking ship's crew. MOVE SIX. The Danish are now reduced to two dice throws, and score a hit on the redoubt defences. MOVE SEVEN. Two perfect hits on another gunboat! MOVE EIGHT. A third hit on the redoubt takes down a gunner and removes all defensive value from the position. Obliged to test their morale, the Schleswig folk hold their position. And the battery scores the required third hit on another gunboat, which begins to take on water. MOVE NINE. The Danish are now down to one working gunboat and gun, but there are no further hits from either side...... I think it's all over. The civilian transporter rescues the crew of the second sinking ship.

RESULT

A Schleswig Victory, unlike the historical event. Surprisingly, no Danish fatalities, and only two for the Schleswig Volunteers. I think the number of hull hits (to sink) might need to be increased to four? Lucky for the Danish no magazines exploded, but that is reliant on the enemy targeting the guns and throwing a follow-on dice of D6, otherwise a D5 will knock out the gun, and lesser scores take out one of the four crew. This was a fun game to play, its only defect was my necessity to go and find the expended matchstick rounds, and move to opposing firing positions. This fast play matchstick firing game would work even better with guests, and not necessarily wargamers, IMHO.

MGB

PS. A useful source of information, and mentions the Flensburg action.

FLADENS HISTORIE

https://www.navalhistory.dk/English/History/1848_1864/TheWars1848_50.htm  

                                                                        PART TWO

Well, it is Sunday, it has rained during the night, and there has been showers this morning. In a brief break I hurriedly took out the c1900 collection of ships for a photo shoot. This is the first occasion I have had to see them all out, and in proper daylight. These ships were constructed for service on the gaming table, but also robust enough to serve outside, even if the ground is damp. The only things that would be damaged by a sudden downpour are the flags and the toy soldier bases. Here is a record of the collection. All ship designs are very strongly influenced by 1860-1910 tin toys, which look so appropriate next to shiny lead soldiers.

Additional Photos

And here are two 20th century ships. Two more, belonging to the Soviet Navy, are in storage, one of which is going to be scrapped and rebuilt in wood.

MGB

Replies to Friends

Thank you, Brad. The blog was created to record the collection, and I wanted to view the entire fleet at sea. When we had that break in the rain on the Saturday, I could not resist a traditional matchstick war-game. And it was fun! Now it is time to prepare an English roast dinner to complement the visual spectacle, huzzah! 

Hello Tim. Thanks for the kind words. I can confirm my gaming plans are to use the fleet again in any viable garden (might be moving house this year). I'm tempted to suggest toy ships in the garden is the perfect medium for matchstick wargaming, after all, the guns have a splendid range, and the ships make a lovely target. When it comes to rules, a high score must be a good score, and I'm no accountant.

Thanks Donnie. It was a morale boost to wargame in the garden, and it has strengthened my interest in the 1st Schleswig-Holstein War. Last night a member of my family picked up a load of Timpo 1960s solid Confederates. These figures are not the most popular for ACW wargaming, but they are fairly nondescript, and they will make useful mid-19th century irregulars... Schleswig volunteers. Most of those used in the redoubt are converted Timpo.

Thank you, MJT. It was just good to see their colours in real daylight, and I don't mean the illuminating mid-grey light that we have for most of the year in the UK. Yes, the game was fun, and setting it up was quick and easy. I am painting up a store of ensigns, although each ship has an official listing and crew, many linked to the original tin toy manufacturer, it was nice 'shipping' a Danish flotilla with appropriate flags.

Thanks Quinn. Unlike our Australian brothers, we have no reliability in our sunny weather, so I made the best of it! I think the search for a perfect set of rules is a holy grail never to be found. Simple rules, and a well thought out scenario (actual historic battles, wargame campaigns, or diced terrain are vital here as they reject point-balanced games),  this is where effort should be directed. In the 1970s I picked up a complex Napoleonic set of rules, it almost put me off wargaming, it was Featherstone that restored my confidence to game with my toy soldier collection.