Campaign Rules for Walled Towns

The walled city of Burgos

As expected these rules proved difficult to write.   I wanted them to be easy to understand and also easy to administer.  

The most difficult part of the campaign to get right is wargaming the battles, and transferring from the map to the table and back again.   Because the whole aim of the campaign is to produce interesting wargames it’s really important to get this right. 

I have always felt that there is no point in having any scenery on the table that can not be fought over in the wargame.  This is one of the main reasons I have avoided fortified town and cities in the campaign. 

An unfortified town consists of two (town) or four (city) build up sections.   Each of these can hold one infantry brigade, and there are good rules for attacking or defending such.   A fortified town must mean that it can only be taken by siege.   Clearly this would not happen during a normal battle.  

Each campaign phase usually lasts about ten campaign days.   This would not be long enough for an historical siege.   More important I do not believe that the campaign commanders would want to engage in a long, and boring, siege.

Equally important I did not want to deprive each commander of one quarter of his army in a siege, and then the possible loss of it at the end of the siege.   If this happened he would also lose the campaign.

So I needed rules which would encourage a commander to risk leaving his army isolated, but would not be completely without risk.

This is the first draft of the rules

The attackers must have at least the same strength as the garrison

The garrison will roll 1D6 to test morale each day.

Plus 1 - Gifted commander

Plus 1 - Each A class infantry brigade

Minus 1 - Poor commander

Minus 1 - Each 10% casualties

Minus 1 - Each C class infantry brigade

Minus 1 - Out of Supply

Result

6 - attackers receive 400 casualties

5 - defenders receive 400 casualties

4 - defenders receive 400 casualties and retreat

3 - defenders receive 400 casualties and rout

2 - defenders receive 800 casualties and rout

1 - defenders receive 1200 casualties and rout

Garrisons will not receive supplies or reinforcements during siege

Note – 400 casualties is 10% of one infantry brigade.   It is the standard result of one “hit” during the wargame.