Background
The Battle of Gitschin or Jičín (German: Schlacht bei Gitschin) was a battle of the Austro-Prussian War on 29 June 1866, ending with a Prussian victory over the Austrian forces. There is a memorial there today at Jičín in the Czech Republic.
On June 29, 1866 after having won at Münchengrätz, the Prussian Elbe army and 1st army each sent an infantry division towards Jičín. From the north, the Prussian 5th Division, under Ludwig Tümpling, advanced towards Jičín. After using his artillery batteries to soften up the Austrian position Tümpling attacked the center and right. The cannon fire startled the Saxons, whose advance brigade was still four kilometers from their designated position in the battle line. By 6:00 PM Poschacher’s brigade was able to hold off attacks on their hill position by the Prussian 9th Brigade, and Abele had been able to stop the Prussian 10th Brigade’s attack on the Privysin heights. At 6:00 PM advancing from the west, advance units from the Prussian 3rd Division, part of Elbe army and led by August von Werder, attacked Ringelsheim but were held off.
The next Prussian attack was directed at the center-right position at the hamlet of Zames where they encountered the Veronese 45th regiment of Piret’s brigade, which they easily drove off. 9th Brigade was able to occupy the hamlet in the center of the Austrian position with two battalions. Neither Piret’s brigade, nor Leiningen’s reserve, were sent in to plug the hole in the Austrian center, leaving the Prussians in control of the center of the Austrian line. The feeble counterattacks by hussars from 1st Light Cavalry Division were easily held off by the Prussians. The Austrian artillery, bombarding the hamlet, then set Zames aflame, forcing the Prussians holding the hamlet to attack forward towards Dilec. The advancing Prussians were then able to beat the Saxons to Dilec and occupied the town at 7:30 PM. To plug this hole and to aid the faltering Saxons, Piret decided to attack the Prussians on his left but Piret was easily held off by the Prussians, reinforced by Tümpling’s reserve battalion, and their use of the superior Dreyse needle gun to smash the Austrian storm columns, which then collapsed and fled. Simultaneously Werder’s attack towards Lochov, in order to outflank Ringelsheim, caused the collapse of the Austrian left as well, and the Prussians were able to push Abele and Ringelsheim back to Jičín, which they eventually occupied at 10:30 PM.
At 8:00 PM the Austrian staff received Benedek’s new orders, which had been sent by horseback, announcing North Army’s about face and his order for Iser army to join him. Given these orders Prince Albert of Saxony despite pleadings of the Austrians to use his battle fresh troops to counterattack the Prussians, decided to withdraw his five brigades from the field, causing the Austrians to start a disorganized retreat as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gitschin
The Game
We have recently jumped into 19th century European wars as our newest endeavor. This time around, we opted for the battle of Gitschen using Balance of Power rules from Crusader Publishing and the Gitschen scenario from WARGAMING IN HISTORY VOLUME 8: THE AUSTO-PRUSSIAN WAR OF 1866: THE OPENING BATTLES by John Drewienkiewicz and Andrew Brentnall. We laid out the battlefield and forces in rough accordance with the map and OB provided. The rules were played mostly straight from the book. However, we noted that there was no allowance for prone infantry (needed to represent Prussians of the period) and the longer range of the Austrian Lorenz rifles. This was quickly resolved by adding two inches to the Austrian musket fire range and by allowing Prussians units to go prone as a formation change. When prone, the unit counted in cover (1/2 CV when targeted), but provided a +1 to melee when attacked by infantry. That did the trick and we were off to the races (or at least racing to Koenigsgratz).
All Austrian forces on the table were on Reserve orders, except the two forward Brigades that were on attack. All Prussian Brigades were on attack. The Saxon Brigade was off table and would be available when the Austrian player rolled below the turn number on a 2D6 (game master made this roll in secret). The Prussians had an additional Brigade off table (what if intervention by the 10th division) that was available the turn after the Saxons were available (also on 2D6 under the turn number).
Early Game. The Austrians advanced their forward brigades quickly in line to shoot up the Prussian infantry facing them. Discipline fire resulted in the Austrians giving much better than they got (some would say very lucky die rolls!). However, the Austrian reserves sat back unable to receive new orders (that’s what happens when everyone is speaking a different language!). After the initial fusillade, the fire died down and the power of the Needlegun started to turn the tables. In a desperate move to obtain local superiority somewhere, the Prussians directed the center brigade to their left flank to support the advanced guard brigade. The Austrians began getting their reserves going and directed them into the center to attack the Prussians (which managed to leave the area!).
Mid Game. Both flanks turned into fights for attrition. Just before things became too desperate, the Prussian supporting brigades intervened on both flanks and turned the tables on the Austrians. The Austrians (and the late arriving Saxons) were able to control the center of the field (where there were no Prussians), but their flanks collapsed resulting in a break in army morale and a historical Prussian victory.
– Manteuffel