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A couple of months ago I visited the magnificent Fort de Mutzig. I have many photos and information to share with you regarding one of the first modern (made of concrete and reinforced concrete, not simple masonry) fortresses of the late 19th century static defense dogma, ie the defensive doctrine that lead to the more famous Maginot and Siegfried lines of the early 20th century. Such fortresses are portrayed in the Pride of Nations game as "post-industrial fortresses" for important cities and regions. Assaulting them un-breached is certain suicide.

Pride of Nations allows for units to be added inside a fortress, including garrisons, artillery, even disappearing turrets! All things I could see in this fortress. I even noticed a Fahrpanzer, something I will show you in photos later (which is in the game as well).



(more to come, all photographs are mine, you are free to use them as you wish)

I didn't heard about this fortification, sounds really interesting Kensai. Awaiting for your next pictures!

Great.

Keep them coming

As you enter from the parking area you understand that there are only few points of access that are not covered by guns. You can also notice the old riveted doors that probably wait for reparation.



This is the other side of the corridor, surrounded by high concrete walls. They form with the previous an "L".



Last, where the angle of these two corridors is formed you have the entrance to the fortress tunnels. Notice that we are already "behind the lines", this is obviously not the part facing the front (which is way better protected by high-caliber guns). Nonetheless, you see the slits for machine guns that protect these two approaches in case the enemy has overwhelmed the fortification. In the first picture of the first post, we are at point 3.



(is there a way to place a spoiler tag for the photos so they won't overwhelm the visitors?)

Was this particular fort ever assaulted ?

Very good picture!

As far as I know, no, never assaulted. The entire fortress was given to the French after the Germans retreated from Alsace. It was obviously retaken in 1940 but at that point had lost its strategic significance.

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As you enter, you can see some maps that explain the situation by the late 19th century. We see the German Empire in respect to its neighbors and the various defensible points, natural or man-made. Fort de Mutzig was a very important choke point in the Vosges mountains. If you survey the place in Google Earth or ever have the opportunity to visit it, you will understand what I mean. There is no other entry point in the valley between the Vosges and Black Forest, but in front of the cannons of Fest Wilhelm II.

Small off topic curiosity. As you see in the picture: the village near Mutzig, Molsheim, is where the atelier of supercar manufacturer Bugatti is now based. Just in case you want to visit the region... cannons and über cars!

This is how the slits look from the inside. You can also notice the standard machine gun of the era.

Great photos and information - I recently played the PoN Franco Prussian War scenario, so I know just where this area is. Keep them coming.

As we move along rooms I think it is important to give you some information regarding what we visited and some explanations.



For example, this is the "anti-panic" construction of the casemate, as explained in step 2. In the previous posts we were in step 1, obviously. The posters with the maps were step 3.



Some more posters:

I just reached 1880 in my 'Victorian Game of Thrones' and I think this tech opens the road to create my own virtual Forts de Mutzig!

This tech in game explains perfectly the engineering decisions behind the future fortress (which obviously I cannot build yet).

The dungeons that connect the various parts of the fortress.

The continuation of our journey!



The halls and tunnels were really long and at various levels. You can become disorientated if not attentive. We are on spot 4 now.

I live less about 30 min from that fort and never visited it ( even never heard of it! in france the maginot line is getting all the attention) despite driving more than once though Mutzig to go to my grand parents, looks very interesting. Obviously time to correct that ! Thanks for posting.

(J'habite à 30 min en voiture de Mutzig, ville par laquelle je suis souvent passé pour aller chez mes grand parents et pourtant j'ai jamais visité ce fort dont j'ignorais l’existence (trop de ligne Maginot dans le coin qui monopolise l'attention), il est vraiment temps que j'y passe quelques heures ! Merci de ton post très intéressant.

The air vents. Notice one is used for incoming and one for outgoing gasses. This way they could have better aeration in case of gas attacks.





Electric wires for communication inside the various stations.



A primitive iron alarm in case other means fail.



The beds!

Wash your hands after!



A scene of daily life in the underground barracks! World War 1914-15.

Alarm, ventilation system, pump.



Oil lamp of the era.



Fahrpanzer!!



Fahrpanzer from the inside. It is rather tiny, actually, but its role is to protect a forward recon trooper. Some models have guns, other only the observation slit.

Some communication tubes between rooms and stations of the fortress.



A breach-loaded gun and its ammo rack.



Some other supplies and a sign.

They had some nice dioramas of sunken guns. These cannons are present in Pride of Nations as defensive positions that nations can build when they have reached the necessary technology and make the city/fort that have them quite difficult to assault.



The oldest one installed was this.



This is its control gauge to raise or lower it.



These are its characteristics. These were the first to be installed on Fort de Mutzig.





Check out a video of its operation in the diorama.

The ammunition of the turrets. Do not recall if it was of the turret I just cited or one of the newer models.



Another turret. The cannon can actually be retracted inside the dome.



Party like it's 1893...

Some really nice dioramas of the fortifications.

Telegraphic station?



Sink?



Tools?



Drilling?

A long hall...



The next part of the walkthrough. Photos will be coming up.

The Bakery.

The Generator

I am not done yet.

Some photos of the Medical Station (Lazarett) of the Fort.

More from the medical station.