72 
MINUTES OF PEOCEEDINGS OF 
otherwise might not be appreciated in timing their arrival on the scene 
of action. 
The two points in which the “ Kriegs Spiel” is at a disadvantage 
are, (1) that the players see more of the ground than they would in 
reality—for instance, they can see what is going on on the other side of 
a wood; and (2) the moral condition of the troops is not taken into 
account—and on this, as we know, the fate of battles mainly depends. 
The latter disadvantage—the more important one—applies to field 
manoeuvres also. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, the cc Kriegs 
Spiel” is undoubtedly a very useful means for illustrating minor 
operations of war, marches, and preliminary movements before battles, 
and is therefore well adapted for instructing younger officers ; but long 
and desultory operations in a battle should be avoided, as they tend to 
weary the interest of the players. 
Much depends on the umpire, and the value of his opinions after the 
game is finished. 
There remains to be alluded to, a form of “ Kriegs Spiel ” recently 
introduced, and one which has found great favour, especially among 
the artillery and engineers at Berlin, called the “ Festungs Kriegs 
Spiel ” in contradistinction to the other form we have been describing, 
which is called the “ Feld,” (Field) or “ Taktik ” (Tactics) “ Kriegs 
Spiel.” 
The “ Festungs ” (fortress) or “ Belagerungs ” (siege) Game has for 
its object the illustration of the defence and attack of a fortress* 
Similar maps are used as for the other game ; but in addition to the 
blocks representing troops, there are blocks to represent earthen bat- 
teries, obstacles, and all the other paraphernalia of sieges. 
More players are required, and they are divided off to the attack and 
defence. 
In this way the siege of a fortress, from the time the enemy’s out- 
posts come in sight of it to the time of breaking ground, the formation 
of the parallels, zigzags of approach, and batteries, can be exemplified. 
It will be easily seen how practical this game may be made. For 
instance, at a certain time it becomes necessary for the player charged 
with part of the attack on a fortress to throw up a battery. He inti¬ 
mates his intention to do so to the umpire, to whom he must give a 
written description of the work, with dimensions of the parts, &c., its 
armament, the working party, its reliefs, the tools, and so on. He 
must consider the means of transport to bring up this material; if by 
rail, he must specify the tonnage, &c.—in fact, just as he would have to 
do in a real siege. 
The following significant fact speaks for itself as to the value of this 
game. A little more than two years ago, the officers at one of the 
military schools at Berlin studied the attack and defence of the fortress 
of Metz, of which fortress and its environs they possessed very excellent 
and detailed maps on a large scale. Within a year, many of those 
officers formed part of the force which actually invested that fortress, 
and from their previous study of the ground, they found themselves 
well acquainted with every hill and road in its vicinity. No better 
illustration can be given than this of their practising in peace what they 
may have to do in war } and its manifest advantages. 
