Wargame Rules Review – Second Wargame

Start of wargame

A completely different type of battlefield for the second game

The Russians are on the right, the French on the left

The Russians occupy a line of hill in front of the town of Kulmbach

 

The French guns can fire at any troops on the hills, providing they are within long range (12”)

However if the Russians are not lining the edge the French gunners require 5 or 6 with 1D6

 

The Russian CinC has taken command of infantry, cavalry and artillery from 5^th corps

The French CinC does not have any brigades under command at the start of the game

End of wargame

The French have taken the northern hill and north half of pass

The Russians still hold south half of pass and have routed the French in the south

Blue stars indicate French brigades in rout, Green are Russian brigades in rout

 

The cavalry on both sides have taken a hammering

Only one French brigade (in the centre) and one Russian (at the bottom) remain

This is because the rules make it easy for cavalry to continue melee for two or three rounds

They usually continue until one sides has 30% casualties, which is an automatic rout

 

Brigades rout easier in these rules, but they also rally easier

So a retreating corps can often rally brigades and turn to fight again

To rally requires 3-6 with 1D6

A routed brigade with two casualties is minus 4

Having a commander and a formed brigade within 4” adds 2

 

The artillery did not play a significant role in this game

At long range (5-12”) they require 4-6 to hit cavalry, and 3-6 to hit infantry)

In this game they rolled a lot of low dice

 

I am particularly pleased with infantry v infantry combat

An infantry column can move up to 8”

If they wish to skirmish or volley fire it takes half a move

Skirmish range is 4”, musket volley range is 2”

An attacking infantry column must decide whether to skirmish, volley fire or melee

It will usually depend on their ability at each type of combat

Infantry brigades are A, B or C for skirmish, volley fire or morale (melee)

An A brigade gets plus 1, a C gets minus 1

A light infantry brigade would be B for morale, C for volley fire and A for skirmish]

They are most likely to skirmish and would need 3-6 for a hit.

 

Both games have been slower than usual as we have to learn the rules as we play

We usually only manage one move in half an hour, previously it would have been two moves.

 

Despite this we have been very pleased with the new rules

It may well be our age, but we find it much harder to remember new rules than we did 15 years ago!