I don’t believe that the enemy intends to move toward St. Avold. Their capture of that town would not solve their problem: the arrival of our reinforcements within the next 24 hours. I believe they still intend to stop our reinforcements from assembly
5th Division will continue to delay the enemy in order to buy time for II Corps to assemble.
4th Division will move to the vicinity of Sarralben and prevent the enemy from interfering with II Corps assembly.
3d Division will act as our reserve, ready to relieve 5th division if they become combat ineffective.
On 3JUN, I intend to move II Corps south along the river and attack the enemy on their right flank IOT relieve the pressure on 3,4, &5th divisions.
joking answer: have the cavalry ride forward to feign the arrival of reinforcements and hopefully push the enemy back.
A guess: St. Avold seems like the logical direction for the enemy to go, but they likely know our assembly areas are on or behind the river. I would actually warn 3rd and 4th ID (those are infantry, right) to try to form a line anchored on Saaralben to the right and 5 ID on the left to prevent a wide right hook. The cavalry already in the area of St. Avold and 5 ID's pinning action should suffice - they need to make quick gains in these early stages, meaning they may simply try to avoid resistance. Prolonging the battle to bleed the enemy of momentum is our primary concern.
Comment: Love these problems. Not having ever served in a military, doing anything remotely military-like, or being any kind of outdoorsy is a big disadvantage here!
Plenty of people online roleplaying or writing scenarios of their own - fantasy war, modern war, sci-fi war, you name it, though I've seen it most in Warhammer 40k.
I would continue to gather my troops at St Avolds. In the mean time, I would confine to cause panic in the enemy ranks via sniper fire. If I get more chances, I'd send my cavalry out to wipe out infantry squads. I would attempt to find that accursed artillery and counter fire.
If I can, I'm going to see if I can scout out where their main body is, and hit it with the artillery.
If I can help it, I'm going to avoid getting bogged down and remain mobile.
I think that the enemy is trying to capture the Saarland cheaply, by attacking from a direction that avoids Metz. My intentions for the next day's fighting are that we shall hold and reinforce our positions, such that they find themselves with no meaningful gains and in relative disorder after a few days' advances, and thus easy prey for our counterattack in strength once the other corps have deployed.
I assume the sound of artillery is good news - our guns in Gross Tänchen giving the enemy what-for - provided I still have no intelligence to the effect that the enemy has brought guns further forward over the boggy ground than I'd thought possible.
My orders are that the cavalry division shall move southwest from St. Avold with most of its strength, to ascertain and if possible interdict any attempts by the enemy at flanking around the north of GT, with squadrons to be detached specifically to ensure the roads from St. Avold to Metz and GT remain clear. If the enemy should be present in force, the protection of our lines of communication to these points is their priority. The infantry divisions are to spend today and tomorrow proceeding down the road to GT via St. Avold, to reinforce our position there and by securing the road to allow the cavalry to push further west and threaten the enemy's own flank all the more.
I decide that the Saar-towns do not need my assistance - advance companies are already deployed there, the distance from GT to them is a good day-and-a-half's march under ideal conditions, and marching over wet ground while opposed is not ideal conditions. The other corps will likely in any case but inevitably if GT holds out be adequately deployed before the enemy can send forces against them.
I don’t believe that the enemy intends to move toward St. Avold. Their capture of that town would not solve their problem: the arrival of our reinforcements within the next 24 hours. I believe they still intend to stop our reinforcements from assembly
5th Division will continue to delay the enemy in order to buy time for II Corps to assemble.
4th Division will move to the vicinity of Sarralben and prevent the enemy from interfering with II Corps assembly.
3d Division will act as our reserve, ready to relieve 5th division if they become combat ineffective.
On 3JUN, I intend to move II Corps south along the river and attack the enemy on their right flank IOT relieve the pressure on 3,4, &5th divisions.
joking answer: have the cavalry ride forward to feign the arrival of reinforcements and hopefully push the enemy back.
A guess: St. Avold seems like the logical direction for the enemy to go, but they likely know our assembly areas are on or behind the river. I would actually warn 3rd and 4th ID (those are infantry, right) to try to form a line anchored on Saaralben to the right and 5 ID on the left to prevent a wide right hook. The cavalry already in the area of St. Avold and 5 ID's pinning action should suffice - they need to make quick gains in these early stages, meaning they may simply try to avoid resistance. Prolonging the battle to bleed the enemy of momentum is our primary concern.
Comment: Love these problems. Not having ever served in a military, doing anything remotely military-like, or being any kind of outdoorsy is a big disadvantage here!
I'm glad that you like these. Between my hard-drive and my shelves, I have more than a hundred waiting for a chance to be published.
Excellent, inspiration.
Plenty of people online roleplaying or writing scenarios of their own - fantasy war, modern war, sci-fi war, you name it, though I've seen it most in Warhammer 40k.
I would continue to gather my troops at St Avolds. In the mean time, I would confine to cause panic in the enemy ranks via sniper fire. If I get more chances, I'd send my cavalry out to wipe out infantry squads. I would attempt to find that accursed artillery and counter fire.
If I can, I'm going to see if I can scout out where their main body is, and hit it with the artillery.
If I can help it, I'm going to avoid getting bogged down and remain mobile.
After all, it worked so well for the colonists.
March to the sound of the guns?
I think that the enemy is trying to capture the Saarland cheaply, by attacking from a direction that avoids Metz. My intentions for the next day's fighting are that we shall hold and reinforce our positions, such that they find themselves with no meaningful gains and in relative disorder after a few days' advances, and thus easy prey for our counterattack in strength once the other corps have deployed.
I assume the sound of artillery is good news - our guns in Gross Tänchen giving the enemy what-for - provided I still have no intelligence to the effect that the enemy has brought guns further forward over the boggy ground than I'd thought possible.
My orders are that the cavalry division shall move southwest from St. Avold with most of its strength, to ascertain and if possible interdict any attempts by the enemy at flanking around the north of GT, with squadrons to be detached specifically to ensure the roads from St. Avold to Metz and GT remain clear. If the enemy should be present in force, the protection of our lines of communication to these points is their priority. The infantry divisions are to spend today and tomorrow proceeding down the road to GT via St. Avold, to reinforce our position there and by securing the road to allow the cavalry to push further west and threaten the enemy's own flank all the more.
I decide that the Saar-towns do not need my assistance - advance companies are already deployed there, the distance from GT to them is a good day-and-a-half's march under ideal conditions, and marching over wet ground while opposed is not ideal conditions. The other corps will likely in any case but inevitably if GT holds out be adequately deployed before the enemy can send forces against them.