1813 Campaign – Test Campaign

Germany Strategic Map

It has taken a long time, but we are finally ready to give the new campaign system a test play.   It is about six weeks since we completed the last campaign phase.  This has been by far the longest break in the campaign since it started in 2009.

When I started I thought that it would take a week or two.  I already knew what I wanted to do, and expected that I would just have to alter the existing maps.  But a bit like decorating the house, the more I did the more I realised I still had to do.   In the end I have had to redesign all of the campaign maps and rewrite the campaign rules.

It soon became obvious that the well tried campaign phase system would not work with the new concept.  This was disappointing because this has worked so well, and is a vital part of the previous concept.   Each of the five campaign areas have a stand alone campaign in sequence.   At the start of the mini campaign both armies are full strength and fully supplied.   A complete fresh page for each campaign.

The new concept will be an ongoing campaign in each of the five campaign areas.  The length of the campaign phase will be restricted to seven days.   Each army will start the phase with seven days supplies.  They will not receive any supplies during the campaign phase.  When they run out of supplies each corps will start to receive attrition casualties (10% of one brigade each day).  

The test campaign will be set in the Brunswick region of North Germany. At the start of the campaign both armies are deployed along the border of the region.   In future campaigns they will be in the same positon that they finished the last campaign.   Or at least the positions they were in after compulsory morale moves at the end of the campaign.

Brunswick Campaign Map 

The campaign map looks very similar to the previous campaign.   However it covers a much bigger area.   In the previous campaign each of the nine towns on this map would have been a campaign phase.   In this campaign they are one wargames table.

I expect the campaign to follow the same course as the previous one.   Both armies will have to establish depots (corps must be stationary for one day) and bring forward supplies from depots off map.

The main difference will be the seven day limit on each campaign.   The objective is to defeat the other army, simple as that.   Each corps will start with four days supplies, and new depots will have to be established within supply distance (three squares) by then or the corps will have to retreat to resupply.

There will be a constant balance between trying to hurt the enemy, whilst protecting your supply chain.   The side that gets this balance right should win, providing that they can also win the critical battles.

I am really looking forward to seeing how this test campaign works out.