The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-02-04
ne xzsss.spi.., n war came.

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It is SOMEWHAT remarkable that thii
game, or method of instruction, which hat
been In use in Germany for many years
has not only never been introduced, pu'
has been, until recently, almost unknown
in England. It was frat invented by q
Prussian gentleman, was was interested ~
the study of campaigns, and who founo
that the best method of acquiring know
ledge of the movements of troops was TO
initiate them on the map by means OF NOV
able blocks. He then endeavored to Work
out problems of evolutions, laying down
rules for the guidance of the sham armies
His son, Prussian officer, seized on the
idea and enlarged upon it, until the game
became an imitation of war fought ny
small blocks made according to scale to
represent battalions, companies, regiments
of cavalry, squadrons, batteries, pontoon
trains, and even skirmishers and patrols.
The game soon became popular among
Prussian officers, and was used in the war
schools as one of the principal means OF
instruction in strategy and tactics. Gen.
Eyre, hearing of its merits from Gen. Won
Blumenthal, sent for the necessary appara-
tus from Germany, and brought it before
the notice of the War Office. Here, how
ever, an instructor in the mimic war was
required, and Major RoerdaDz, the military
attache of the German Embassy, kindly
volunteered to explain it. Shortly after, at
the United Service Institution, before o
large audience, comprising many distin-
guished military and naval officers, he
again exhibited the game, and with great
which are somewhat complicated, but
pointed out in mastery manner the uses
to which it might be turned. He showed
how necessary is instruction in tactics, and
how few officers ever have opportunities Of
learning their simplest rules beyond the
evolutions of the drill book. At the same
time he pointed out how much might lie
acquired by learning to move troops over
carefully executed maps. The war game
aims at affording this instruction. The
apparatus necessary are maps prepared on
scale of six or eight inches to mile,
carefully contoured and distinctly colored
together with boxes of metal blocks to re-
cling every arm of the service, and made of
sizes on a scale proportioned to that Of the
map. This may be considered rs the ma
terial of the game the personnel consists
of at least six Otficers-viZ: a general of
each army, an officer to command the ad-
vanced troops on either side, and, above
all, umpire and his aide-de-camp.
These officers must not only be we'll ac-
quainted with the rules of the game, but
must be able to read maps, and must I'M
derstand thoroughly the principle of COM
handing and maneuvering troops. The.
umpire, above all, should be an officer we'll
instructed in every branch of the service
and of a decided character. The method
of playing is as follows: The map to re-
present the theatre of war, possibly fifteen
or twenty miles square, firmly stretched on
blocks, is placed on a table. 1t is first care
fully studied by the players, who may also
avail themselves of private maps for refer
ence. Short general directions are given
by the umpire, stating the purpose of the
xx,stl -
giving broad directions for each of the op-
posing generals. The troops, represented
by the red and blue blocks, numbering,
perhaps, ten thousand men on either side,
are handed over to the play rs, who place
them separately on the board in the posi-
tions indicated by the umpire as the loca-
lities from which the army are to commence
the campaign. The first practice, there
FORE is the arrangement of the outposts
and of the bivouac. Neither player sees
his opponents army, excepting as far as he
can ascertain its disposition by pushing for
ward patrols and advanced guards. The
umpire alone sees the whole disposition of
the forces. The time of year is settled
upon, as on its various conditions OF ths
tactics, such as the length of day, the state
of roads, etc, depend. Each player moves
i'll turn, the adversary leaving the room
until the move or moves are completed, and
the portion of the map occupied by the
troops out VI stSnt Vi his patTois Is covered
up. The moves represent the space over
which artillery, cavalry, and infantry can
march at the various PAGES of each arm, IN
given time, /, e., two minutes. Tho or
ders issued to the officer and officers in
charge of detached portions of the armies,
say the advanced guards, must be given
precisely ay the general, who can only
convey his orders by aide-de- camps moving
over the map at fixed rate of speed. AS
the armies approach each other and the
troops come under fire new phase Of the
game develops itself. The losses have to
be estimated, and these are calculated by
carefully prepared tables, the various cir
cumstances, such as troops being covered
by entertainments, or a wrong estimate of
distance, at which fire is opened, being
taken into consideration. The element of
chance, or rather of conditions which are
not governed by rules, is initiated by EN-
ploying dice the chance for and against
the particular regiment, squadron, or bat
terry being taken from the tables and then
settled by lot. Thus the action gradual
develops itself, as each portion of the
army comes on the battle field, aud it is
decided, as in real war. by the success or