The Corinovans are in retreat, “B” division has been destroyed holding the coastal city of Viana and now inland, “A” division is dangerously exposed to isolation by the rampant Gombardian forces.
Remnants of “B” division and elements of “C” division in retreat, continued to try and intercept Gombardian thrusts on “A” division’s eastern flank.
My previous Fauxterre post covered the strategic situation that lead to this action.
The game
Essentially this is an escalating engagement and I simply used the scenario from Neil Thomas’ “An introduction to wargaming”. His World War Two rules reflect his simple yet interesting approach you can find in his more popular books like one hour wargames, C19th Century European warfare or ancient and medieval warfare.
The rulebook offers four scenarios
Encounter
Frontal assault
Surprise assault
Escalating engagement
I opted for an escalating engagement action reflecting the chaos of a rapid advance experienced by both sides.
I took the real world unit lists in the book and came up with two slightly different lists for the Gombardians – plenty of armour like Germans while the Corinovans were more likely to field infantry like the French.
I used my own table for observation – everything had an observation rule to help cause friction that’s required for a solo game.
The scenario set victory conditions based on three shared objectives – the winner having two or all three at the end of the game. I had a count down variable tracker but this had not expired when one side patently had run out of forces.
The three objectives were the
Town
Sawmill
Orchard
Both sides quickly acquired either the sawmill or town.
It remained simply to fight it out for the orchard.
As the table was created first before selecting the scenario it was also the case that the opposing forces diced for arrival points.
Each side had 9 units and deployed 3 units to start but I also applied scenario requirements that all six remaining units arrived on an improving odds dice throw each turn.
Here is some of the key action.
The base cloth can use its grid but today I am using Neil Thomas rules with measured distances Gombardians enter the town The walled orchard – soon to be the centre of attention In the distance an old sawmill nestles beneath the hillThe gombardians venture cautiously through the townThe Gombardians enter the orchardUnknown to them the Corinovans had entered the orchard at the same time in some strength, fighting eruptsThe gombardians already had one of the three objectives- the townMore gombardians pass through the town while the Corinovans have already taken the third objective – the old sawmill. Both sides have to secure the orchard to meet their orders
The action now centres on the walled orchard
The gombardians are beginning to wear down the Corinovans in the orchardThe Corinovans launch an attack past the orchardMore gombardians arriving through the town A defiant single soldier from the first gombardian assault hangs on frustrating the Corinovans The newly arrived gombardians decimate the Corinovans attacking past the orchardThe Corinovans benefit from some excellent barrage though, in turn decimating the gombardians
The battle moves toward a conclusion
The gombardians are now driven back to the town areaA few Corinovans hold the orchard and so have secured the “two objectives” orders. The gombardians have failed and decide to withdraw leaving the town in the possession of the Corinovans.
The Gombardians had arrived with armour which fits the scenario of a fluid front in the campaign situation. But they did not have enough infantry to take on the Corinovans in the congested orchard area.
The army lists therefore helped create an asymmetric game and the armour heavy force on this occasion lost.
Colonel Ansaldi was fretting – having gained so much from the raid on Austrian storehouses he was worried that none of his scouts had been able to stay in touch with the Imperial troops known to be in the area. What he would give for a decent squadron of guides…….
Meanwhile not far away Colonel Albrecht considered the recent reports, nearby Austrian Hussars were watering their mounts. They had ridden hard to report finding the raiders. Now we shall obtain some satisfaction from those Sardinians thought the Colonel……..
Colonel Ansaldi cursed as the nearby hill was clearly occupied by troops – and they were not friendly – Austrians! To arms, to arms, went up the shout.
Looking South the Austrians were well placed on the hillThe Scenario 25 straight from One Hour WargamesThe random force generator gave Blue (Sardinians) only infantry while Red (Austrians) gained some Cavalry to support their infantry
The Sardinian force consisted of 3 infantry units and 1 skirmisher unit. The Skirmisher unit headed for the Austrians on the hill
The Scenario Set up required one unit of Austrians on the table before the Sardinians arrived from the south west heading north. The Zone 1 was the required deployment area for the one Austrian unit, in this case some skirmishers (note I used 4 bases per unit for both line and skirmisher foot troops)
Already a brisk firefight had broken out between the two sides.
There was no time time to lose and anyway there was only one direction the Sardinians could take and that was straight past those Austrians on the hill.
Despite orders there was hesitancy on the part of the Sardinians who still traded fire with the lone Austrian unit. Now other forces appeared – infantry and cavalry!
Cavalry and Infantry appeared from the north on the main road the Sardinians had avoided. (the rules included random arrival of reinforcements)Things are not looking good for the Sardinians
Panic breaks out in the Sardinian ranks. I used the solo rules chance table which offered confusion, ammunition shortages, demoralisation, initiative, rallying and enemy panic.
the skirmisher firefight was prolongedsome good luck (chance) means the Sardinians move swiftly past the hill.The Austrian Hussars close in on the Milan GuardIt looks like the Sardinians are moving clear.
The Sardinians continue to push on with their escape.
The Hussars clash with the Milan GuardIt all hinges on whether the Hussars can hold up the escaping Sardinians
The Austrians continue to press with a further charge by the Austrian cavalry despite them being demoralised.
The Sardinian firing slackens off – Colonel Ansaldi sends a runner to find out what is going on. (chance intervenes)
Suddenly there are Austrians everywhereMore Austrians troops arrive on the Main Road from the South. Aiming for the road was now a problem for the SardiniansMore chance favours the Austrians whose Infantry march rapidly up the road while the Cavalry catch the Sardinian SkirmishersThings are looking bleak for Colonel Ansaldi as the Milan Guard break before the Hussars repeated attacks
But finally the Austrian cavalry also retreat as things are just too hot. Meanwhile the Austrian fire is good and effective and they continue to press the Sardinians.
The Hussars break while the Austrian Infantry close in on the remaining two Sardinian unitsThe Sardinians must exit the road northwards with two units to secure victory. Despite the Piedmontese Infantry driving off the Hussars, the Sardinian Skirmishers fail to reach the safety of the woods before being crushed by the Austrian Cavalry
Now on the point of victory the Austrians seem confused. Yet with a final effort they corner the Sardinians.
The Piedmont Infantry leave the field while the second Milan Guard unit is decimated by the pursuing Austrians.Its all over as Blue force Sardinians fail in their mission to exit two units northwards on the main road.
Colonel Albrecht curses his cavalry – they are blown and clearly fit for nothing as some of the Sardinians are still making good their escape. He calls for some scouts.
Later Colonel Ansaldi manages to regroup his shattered forces and with poor pursuit from the Austrians is able to restart his march back to Sardinian lines by a new route. Later many more of his dispersed men come in.
The solo rules regarding random confusion, demoralisation, panic and ammunition shortage added that “unknown/unexpected” element to the game that a real opponent usually brings. The interventions were not gigantic but did chip away at each forces potential.
Early on the Sardinians were stalled, then gained initiative before the Austrians finally gained lots of initiative to enable them to hem in the Sardinians even with a hesitation at the end.
Next up the Sardinians, having continued their march, encounter more Austrian forces intent on preventing their escape.
General Stute of the VinAlban Army was in command of a weak advance guard pushed out to ensure no surprises as the VinAlbans marched south into Zarland.
General Stute cuts a fine if lonely figure on the Arensburg – not to be confused with Kloster Arens located eastwards across the valley of the river Hase.A rather accurate map (for once) supplied by the Vin Alban Company of Military Surveyors
General Stute’s force descends along the road into the valley of the river Hase. Patrols on either side are already alert to possible enemy activity.
The early morning mist makes it difficult to see the forces involved
They cross the river bridge below Kloster Arens, a rather imposing set of buildings set on the edge of the valley.
General Sumpf of the Royal Zarland Army had been rashly sent (in his opinion) to secure the Arensburg which controls a key road junction west of the river Hase.
in foreground golden cards are Zarlanders, green in the valley are VinAlbans.
General Sumpf had let his force stretch out on the road as his officers had pushed on hard. The men had risen well before daybreak and only now were the mists lifting on what would surely be a clear sunny yet cold day.
The River Hase is crossed by a stout bridge – good for artillery, the river is fordable while a wooden bridge (local name old sawmill bridge) permits foot soldiers and cavalry a dry crossing further south.
The Kloster Arens masked the river valley General Sumpf needed to cross to reach the Arensburg.
Suddenly his troops leave the road in a hurried but directed manner. The General is soon informed – the enemy are in the valley. His leading troops have secured the ridge and Kloster Arens.
As they turn the road corner at Kloster Arens, the 13th Nurtberg Infantry collide with the VinAlban column ascending the valley side. The VinAlban 1st Artillery battery was in the lead and promptly deployed.
The VinAlbans are surprised by the appearance of the enemy troops on the ridge and around Kloster Arens yet continue to march up the valley side. They react by dispersing, trying to form a battle line in and around Kloster Arens.
General Stutes VinAlban force is in a vulnerable position – he already regrets not securing the ridge before crossing the valley: No cavalry and no skirmishers in an advance guard, what was General Geflugel thinking?
He reflects on the exchange a few days earlier with that pompous staff officer Major Heinz Grimble: “What do you mean they are all second battalions – more like depot battalions – get out of my sight Grimble!”
Right now he could do with the 1st Battalions he thought he was getting.
A sharp action commences and it is the VinAlban 1st artillery who claim the first success deploying swiftly at the head of the VinAlban column as it climbed out of the valley. The Zarlanders are too close, fail to react and suffer a great volley of canister – yet they are close enough to rush the gun and capture it driving off the VinAlban artillerymen.
The 13th Nurtberg Zarland Infantry take serious damage from the 1st VinAlban artillery
Overreaching themselves the victorious 13th Nurtberg Zarland Infantry are confusingly attacked by the 13th VinAlban Fusiliers and sent in chaos back over the ridge and beyond the Kloster Arens into South Wood. The VinAlbans almost have the ridge.
In turn the 13th VinAlban Fusiliers attack the Zarlanders with instant success
Then the 13th VinAlban Fusiliers in their turn met a withering fire from the Zarland 6th Dirkheim Artillery.
Now the 13th VinAlban Fusiliers are on the receiving end. The 6th Dirkheim Artillery shatter the advancing VinAlban column.
It was now 10.00 am and the Vin Albans (12th VinAlban Fusiliers) were also on the ridge to the north of Kloster Arens. Here they were soon thrown back by the Zarland 5th Gellenstein Cavalry and 12th Maulhadt Infantry Regiment.
The VinAlbans seek to control Kloster Arens with the 12th Fusiliers advancing round the marshland while the 11th Fusiliers take Kloster Arens itself. The 12th Maulhadt Zarland IR and the 5th Gellenstein Zarland Cavalry repel the 12th Fusiliers.
By 11.00 am the tenuous VinAlban hold on the ridge around Kloster Arens was proving stronger than General Sumpf liked. His 5th Gellenstein Cavalry had initially driven off the 12th VinAlban Fusiliers but these inspired troops decided to return to the fray.
Leaving the 12th VinAlban fusiliers to the care of the 12th Maulhadt Zarland IR the 5th Gellenstein Cavalry head off to secure the right flank of the Zarland ridge line
Today it is the 12th VinAlban Fusiliers who are up for the fight. They drive off the 12th Maulhadt IR who seem to have been preoccupied by the departure of the 5th Gellenstein Cavalry.
The Maulhadt 12th IR were promptly driven off by the VinAlban 12th Fusiliers
The 5th Gellenstein Cavalry now had no option but to return to the marshlands and again attempt to clear the enemy from that part of the ridge.
No reinforcements appear along the road from Vin Alba. Across the distant ridge the Zarlanders fought to keep their line. The Zarland 5th Gellenstein Cavalry are engaging the redoubtable 12th VinAlban Fusiliers
By now it was early afternoon and the Zarlander forces recovering from being strung out on the road were beginning to press home their local advantage and dislodge the VinAlbans from Kloster Arens. The 6th Dirkheim Artillery blast away at the Kloster Arens walled gardens much to the dismay of its owners hiding within.
The VinAlbans still just held on and the 12th VinAlban Fusiliers now saw off the 5th Gellenstein Lancers – much to General Sumpf’s disgust.
Woe for the 5th Gellenstein Cavalry as the 12th VinAlban Fusiliers send them packing.
General Stute had already dispatched couriers to his main body. And around 1600 the 11th Vin Alban Fusiliers quit the Kloster Arens as the 4th Zarland Infantry Regiment, the Benkendorf, broke in to the surrounding walled gardens.
The 11th VinAlban Fusiliers and the 2nd VinAlban Artillery are driven from the Kloster Arens
As General Stute withdrew his artillery and infantry, General Sumpf was content to secure Kloster Arens. The Arensburg could wait until tomorrow.
The heroic 12th VinAlban Fusiliers cover the retreat of the VinAlban advanced guard north along the ridge
Firing died away as the Zarlanders posted their pickets and found the best bivouacs before their main body arrived!
All quiet as the Zarlanders post their pickets and patrols
The narrative is drawn from the game – played solo/zero. In the next part I will detail the rules used.
I have revisited some grid based wargames rules I used with some success last year in my shieldwall battles.
This time they are dealing with post Napoleonic Warfare.
Rules: Table Top Battles now branded for GRID Wargaming by Mike Smith and I was using a 50mm grid style table just slightly bigger than the one used in the rules.
You will notice that I like asymmetrical forces wargaming which is essential if you are to enjoy solo campaigns.
Narrative: Zarland is in crisis with the succession challenged and neighbouring countries all seizing opportunities!
Davaria, located south west of Zarland, decide it is time apply some pressure and march on Zarland.
General Jacapo Guarnieri led a strong force to the border. Meanwhile the Regent dispatched General Jenthe Knees with a hastily gathered force to hold the river Plima. General Knees at least had the good fortune to discover the likely crossing point of the Davarians.
He bivouacked his troops around the village of Menas.
He had with him
4 units of Hussars
6 units of Infantry mostly untried militia
2 field guns
As the morning mist drifted off the river Plima General Knees viewed the arrival of the Davarians, who had been marching since just before dawn.
General Guarnieri had the following troops at his disposal. Many of his light troops were away foraging, sorting logistics and scouting. The irregulars were probably just sleeping under some trees!
4 regular infantry units
4 regular heavy cavalry units
4 field guns
General Knees ordered his Zarland cavalry forward to test the Davarian left wing marching against the north Menas bridge. He posted the rest of his forces on the defensive.
General Guarnieri ordered his troops forward to take both bridges and force a crossing. The river here was narrow but with steep banks, difficult to cross. The Davarians planned to keep their feet dry.
The Zarlanders on the right have put together a scratch force with many new or militia units. They are trying to hold the river and prevent the Davarian forces securing a crossing to exploit.The Zarland Hussars recklessly charge the enemy guns which are withdrawn. The success of the Zarland Hussars is shortlived as they encounter Davarian foot with some Davarian cavalry arriving on their flank.
Meanwhile the Zarland militia do well to repulse the Davarian Foot who try to rush the south Menas bridge.
Eventually the battle ends in stalemate at the south bridge as the Davarian Infantry can make no headway here. The north Menas bridge though is now exposed by the loss of the Zarland hussars who are driven off to the North West.
General Knees uses the cover of dusk to abandon his positions. The Davarian Commander General Guarnieri has secured his objective.
I used the standard rules plus elements of the solo rules section. The rules are a really useful halfway house for campaign battles where to set up a full game is not possible but dicing for a result is too blunt.
I have become a lot more amenable to grids – Peter Pig was my first enjoyable exposure (Rules for the common man) especially since I have simply never managed to like large hex wargames where I just feel its a blown up board game. Peter Pigs grids were almost invisible – excellent. Mike Smith’s grids are for me a happy compromise.
Sometimes things come together in the most unexpected way.
No sooner had I read the SWA (Solo Wargamers Article) by Brian Cameron than I stumbled across the Renaissance Troll and his post about Napoleonic imaginations and painting a couple of foot soldiers with those early flashy metal helmets boasting giant “bog brush” combs!
In my last post I mentioned I had rediscovered Donald Featherstones’ Advanced Wargames Section 6 Chapter 14 Franco Prussian scenario.
And I recalled that the first time I found this book I only had Airfix Napoleonics remotely usable. And they were duly rolled out to fight the battles. Interestingly I did have Airfix ACW armies – and I probably used them as well except I never used ACW for “imaginations” warfare.
I also never had it in my head that “imaginations” worked with Napoleonics that well either. For one thing then I was consumed by the actual history – no need for imaginations gaming in that period.
my “Imaginations” gaming came from “Charge or how to play Wargames”.
The last chapter 10 – Tailpiece gives some very sensible advice on avoiding multiple period wargaming – pure madness apparently (oh dear).
It also recommends creating “Mythical Powers” (D&D in 1967!) and their armies so as to avoid arguments about uniform accuracy.
So my “imaginations” gaming has been of the tricorne variety.
Zvezda Peter the Great Russians and Swedes in the background
Back to Renaissance Troll who posted that neat little post about “a new miniatures project”. Yes those 4 simple words can either send a shiver down the spine of you average wargamer or create a frision of excitment that must be assuaged.
Yep its both – the anglo saxons have yielded to the inevitable. They now shiver in some dark corner of my wargaming tardis (yes its that bad here – I had to get some more storage options beyond 3D).
And now in the bright uplands there appear some Napoleonics……
Warrior Metals originally based for Charlie Wesencrafts Practical Wargaming now rebased for Maurice.
Well yes and no.
“Yes” I did get my game using some 1970’s retro rules (post to follow) using a few Napoleonics and “No!”
my painting table now has Strelets Union infantry on it with some
absolutely ghastly other figures on the worktable – boy do they need work.
oh dear oh dear oh dear……………..
Postscript
Renaissance Troll mentioned they were reading David Chandler. I have kept just two books on Napoleonics.
I can recommend the following books if you can track them down.
A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars published by AMS Press Inc. It was originally published in 1964 having been compiled for the Department of Military Art and Engineering, The United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
Given I have always liked maps this book or rather atlas is an absolute cracker.
The second has an introduction in my copy by David Chandler. It is an adaption by Anne S K Brown of Henry Lachouques’ “Napoleon et la Garde Imperiale”. It is entitled “The Anatomy of Glory”. It is full of glory and is both gripping and draining. The later years of 1812 to 1814 are just relentless.
Enjoy you “imaginations” gaming whatever form it takes!
Many years ago, although it seems only recently to me, I bought several titles from the Warhammer Ancient Battles booklist – they included Siege & Conquest – all about the siege; Chariot Wars; the WAB basic rule set itself; The Chinese Warring States and all that plus Shieldwall. A fairly random mix you might say which is correct.
I never really bought into Warhammer or Games Workshop after I returned to wargaming in the late 1990’s. I dropped neatly into 15mm and DBA. The 600mm square tabletop battlefield, relatively small metal mountains that could be painted and a simple ruleset that was popular all fitted my constrained interests and time.
And yet despite plenty of enjoyment 15mm became a compromise and once the restrictions on table size were removed I returned to the idea of 25mm (old style) which I suppose is my roots. Despite buying some 28mm figures that size has failed to ignite my interest.
I have discovered that 20mm/25mm or 1/72 is the figure size that appeals to me: Sufficient in size for each individual warrior, painting repays in the visual look while the table top is of the order 6′ x 4′ or 1.8m x 1.2m which is my limit.
And my 25mm wargaming odyssey has taken me back to the past with 1/72 plastics displacing metals but in the modern style from prolific manufacturers such as Zvezda, Strelets, Hat, Ceasar and the occasional Orion, Mars, Emhar and ok even vintage Revell. But it is not all plastic – tumbling dice miniatures have offered up some really nice figures to compliment the plastics. And so to have SHQ, Newline and Irregular Miniatures.
One thing I have done since returning to the hobby is read and that includes reading rulesets. In fact reading them more than I play them!
You need only one ruleset to play wargames for any one period. So I can’t explain why I have dozens. Yet rulesets are personal statements. In their way they seem to me someones interpretation of history albeit through their take on gaming mechanisms. So they are still history books in a way and thats how I consume them.
I only have historic wargames rulesets – fantasy wargaming is something I left behind in the 1970’s – Sci-Fi I could never get my head round.
And fantasy was for me doing dungeons and dragons in the 1970’s before it all took off. And yet my historical interests have always been tempered by an interest in historical fiction. Not the Sharp novels ilk. More a case of a parallel universe where so much is instantly recognisable yet the story lines, characters, countries have different names.
Each to their own as they say.
Well being inclined to Anglo-Saxons at the moment I dug out the Shieldwall book which I kept because like Chariot Wars it felt like a well researched and back then a well designed package. I never played the WAB ruleset with Shieldwall. Just maybe I might give it a go now.
Of course it is approaching vintage (25 years plus) and oldhammer is probably in the Oxford dictionary as a particular type of old wargamer already.
The constant theme though is to enjoy reading history, enjoy imaginative history and paint miniatures and if with a fair wind play some games. In short it is escapism – taking pleasure in playing with imagination.
The Wargaming Erratic 