Moltke Tactical Problem 3
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- This series are short presentations of the tactical problems Field Marshal Moltke presented at the Prussian Army Staff College which includes his solutions and commentary from General Staff Officers. Moltke coined the phrase (in the German of the day, of course) that "No plan survives first contact with the enemy." He believed fighting effectively was exploring a series of options and these options were explored in his Tactical Problems. These problem were published by the Prussian General Staff.
In these videos we look at these problems, and their solutions, with the lens of playing wargames well.
This video is about the question, and solution for Problem 3
He's got 66 problems and a Bis(marck) is...actually an extra credit one.
He's the only General Bismarck didn't outmaneuver.
Thank you for a great lesson.
I enjoy researching these. Glad you liked it!
This videos are amazing ❤
Thank you!
Hey! I got this is one right! 😂
Nice! With repetition the patterns start to come together.
I guess I am not seeing his point of view correctly with position 2 being the superior option. To me it fails to properly utilize natural observation areas, and natural chokepoints. Even though giving a rough layout of the advanced guard's composition, the problem assumes 1. That the advanced guard commander cannot deploy thoughtfully, and 2 the enemy also doesn't have a vanguard. So, assuming the enemy doesn't have their own advanced guard out there, deploy cavalry around Herste for observation-only of the enemy so that way they can easily fallback to Driburg if pursued, but here they should be able to observe if the enemy attempts to move around your right, or if the vacate north to your left. Occupying the ridge east of Driburg with 1 full regiment, and the artillery, along route 64 (a well developed route according to the map shown) allows you to deny it to the enemy and put them in a choke point near Driburg. Assuming each regiment is only 2 battalions, take battallion A from the other regiment and place them in that narrow chokepoint east of Altenbreken. Battalion B stays in reserve of the first regiment ready to manuever where needed. From this deployment of Position 1, the advanced guard can still utilize the good roads of Altbreken to Schwaney to communicate with the main body, and easily redeploy should an enemy out-maneuver occur. By deploying along the ridge with a foreward of the cav at herste, they could observe as scouting and screening force. This more foreward deployment allows for the main body at Paderborn to know where the enemy is, and allow use of terrain and roads to better position against them. Using the Buke/Driburg area as a temporary deployment zone looks more flexible to me using this map. The enemy will have to either march along probably poorer roads for at least an additional 8 km to flank left or right of your advanced guard, and still march the remaining 40km to engage the main force. A march that can easily be delayed or thwarted outright by use of terrain, infrastructure, and given the described unit compositoon of the advanced guard. I really don't see postion 2 as tenable as a screening position, but better as a rearguard position if your Western Division is pulling out of Paderborn. Genuinely curious as to how position 2 is more flexible to you, than your opponent.
I really like the detail of your thinking! These were designed to provoke this level of analysis, so top marks for the consideration of the options.
Thanks!
With pleasure!
Moltkr was a zealous student of Karl Von Clausewitz
He was a scholar of warfare for sure.
My first reaction was "Put them on the lower mountain ridge to the north-west, because there is a road going through it which the enemy has to go through, which can act as a choke-point."
You are thinking in terms of terrain which is always where Moltke starts. That's the way to go.
Not enough info.
@@bunk95 it’s what we have to work with, unfortunately.