Sunday 6 October 2024

New Campaign Supply Rules


Campaign Map


During the Jean campaign phase I will be play testing new rules for the French supply system in Spain.

The main difference is that the French will start the campaign with sufficient supplies to allow them to attack all nine towns held by the Spanish in Jean military region, plus one day in reserve. As soon as they run out of supplies the campaign will end.

The French must detach one infantry brigade to garrison each town they capture. In addition each army (of three corps) must detach one cavalry brigade to patrol their supply routes.

The more supplies that the guerrillas can capture, the less time the French will have to reach and attack all nine towns.

Initial Deployment
The map shows the location of each HQ, corps, garrison and guerrilla brigade at the start of the Jean campaign phase.

The French have three armies, each of three corps. They have detached 6 infantry brigades to garrison the six towns east of the Jean-Hellin border. They have also detached 3 cavalry brigades, one from each army, to patrol their lines of communication and supply.

The Spanish also have three armies, each of three corps. In addition they have 15 militia brigades to garrison each of the 15 towns and cities on the map. When a town is occupied by the French, the militia garrison becomes a guerrilla group. They must operate within the nine squares surrounding their town and their task is to attack French supply columns. The nine militia brigades west of the border are still in garrison, the six east of the border have moved to nearby villages and operate as guerrillas.

French Army
At the start of the campaign each corps has 4 days supply
Each friendly town has 3 days supplies
The main depot receives 9 days supplies each day

The campaign will last a maximum of 10 days
The main depot starts the campaign with 90 days supplies

To resupply a corps must halt for one full day
It must be within one days march (3 squares) of a town.
It can resupply up to 4 days, providing the town has sufficient supplies

Spanish Army
There is no Spanish supply system and consequently no convoys
Each corps will be supplied by the nearest town
The town will collect these supplies from nearby farms and villages

The Spanish have a maximum of 3 day supplies per corps, or independent brigade. This is to reflect their lack of a formal supply system. This is one less than the French, and means they must resupply more often

At the start of the campaign each corps, and militia brigade, has 3 days supplies.
Resupply for regular troops is the same as for the French

Militia brigades in garrison will always maintain 3 days supplies
When the town is occupied by the French the garrison becomes a guerrilla brigade
They must always remain within the nine squares around the town

Guerrilla Brigades
Their role is to attack French supply columns
They can only do so if there is no French corps within one days march (3 squares)
Or a cavalry brigade within one square
They must be adjacent to the convoy to attack it

Due to limited supplies they can only ambush a convoy once in four days
Day 1 – move to set up ambush
Day 2 – attack the convoy
Day 3 – return to their village/hideout
Day 4 – rest and resupply

Attack Convoy
Guerrilla brigade roll 1D6
Minus 1 for each casualty

1 or 2 Guerrillas lose 10% French save convoy
3 or 4 No casualties French save convoy
5 or 6 Guerrillas take convoy French suffer 10%

4 comments:

  1. Thistlebarrow,

    This looks like it is an interesting development. I will follow how it works in the forthcoming campaign.

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Bob

      There are a lot of changes in this phase, not only a longer campaign with a potential for 9 battles rather than 6, but also a new limitation on the French depending on limited supplies. Perhaps I should have tackled one but not both together. But once I get an idea I want to get into it without delay. At least it should be an interesting campaign. And if it does not work out I can always change back to the previous format.

      regards

      Paul

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  2. One forms the impression that the French Army in this campaign will always be operating with very thin margins. Weakened by detachments, they must hope their qualitative superiority over the Spanish will be enough to see them through. I'll bet that won't be a 'gimme'! This will be a tense campaign, by the look!
    Cheers,
    Ion

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ion

      I have always found it difficult to balance the French and Spanish armies. I may well have gone too far in this campaign phase. The real problem is that wargames are not like real life. If the French have cavalry, but the Spanish have none, extra Spanish infantry battalions do not help much. Terrain does help a lot, as does extra artillery.

      In Spain supplies played a much more critical part than in Germany. But it happened over a period of weeks and months, and that would make for a very boring wargame campaign.

      It will be very interesting to see how this campaign develops. I quite expect to have to adjust the rules again when it ends. But that is all part of the enjoyment of playing campaigns rather than "one off battles".

      regards

      Paul

      Delete

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