Wargame Rules Review – Seventh Wargame

Start of wargame

It is very unusual for us to fight a seventh battle in a campaign phase.   Normally we fight one battle for each town, and then decide the winner based on casualties, routs and supply situation.

In this campaign, possibly due to the new rules, it was really hard to decide the winner at the end of the sixth game.   So I decided to fight a seventh game, mostly because I wanted to see if I could resolve fighting for a large built up area.

I used a little artistic licence to rally routed brigades at the end of the sixth battle, and also to redistribute battle casualties within a corps.

The French started with 9 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigades and 2 corps artillery

The Russians has 10 infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigades and 2 corps artillery

The Russians put 4 infantry brigades in the city, and divided the remainder on either side

End of wargame

The French had a formidable task.   They had similar numbers to the Russians, and most brigades on both sides had 10% casualties.   The sheer size of Bayreuth made it very difficult to attack with infantry.

However the attacker does have the initiative, and can reinforce the corps tasked with the main attack.   This is done by taking infantry, cavalry or artillery from the other two corps and putting them under the command of the CinC.   He can then commit this reserve at a critical time and in a critical place.  

In this game he supported 10^th (Young Guard) corps on his left.   However this did not work as well as expected, mostly due to the very effective Russian gunners.

It also allowed 1^st Russian corps to attack his right flank.   They routed the French cavalry, artillery and half the infantry.   But a determined counter attack by the remaining two French infantry brigades held the Russian advance.   The result was a draw.

In the centre the French did force the Russians to abandon the southern half of Bayreuth.   But the Russian artillery prevented them from occupying the two sectors, and they were never able to attack the northern half of the city.

At nightfall the Russians still hold half of Bayreuth

They have three infantry brigades and two artillery batteries operational

The French have five infantry brigades, but no cavalry or artillery

The Russian gunners prevent the French infantry from holding half of city

 

The French have lost 5 infantry, 4 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (2500 men)

The Russians have lost 13 infantry, 5 cavalry and 1 artillery casualties (5800 men)

The French have 5 brigades in rout; the Russians have 9 brigades in rout

The Russians were declared the winners.

Comments

The Russians had a considerable advantage in their artillery.   Both batteries had 12 pdr guns, which gave them a plus 1 advantage.   Neither had any casualties, unlike the French artillery who both had 10%.  Repeated attacks on the Russian guns were driven off, mostly because the French cavalry had casualties from previous battles.

The French advantage was their superior skirmish skills.   Most of their infantry were B class; most of the Russian infantry were C class.   The French required a roll of 5 or 6 to inflict a casualty on the garrison.   The Russian infantry required a 6, and if they had 10% casualties could not hit the French at all.   It was this advantage which forced the garrison to retreat from the southern half of the city.

At nightfall both sides had fought to a standstill.   The French infantry still outnumbered the Russian by five brigades to three.   However they had lost all of their cavalry and artillery, and the Russians still had two artillery batteries.   Each had 10% casualties, but still prevented the French from entering the city.   Without cavalry or artillery the French had no answer to the Russian guns.

So despite an apparent French win, having caused more Russian casualties and routed more brigades, the Russians won because it would be near impossible for the French infantry to attack in the face of such effective artillery.

The French were also running very short of supplies.   Normally they would have regrouped and resupplied after the first day of fighting at Bayreuth.   By attacking again on the second day they used up their final supplies and would have to withdraw in order to resupply.

Another very enjoyable game and a fitting one to decide the winner of the Bayreuth campaign phase.   It was also a real test of our new rule system, with all forms of combat taking place and extensive morale testing.

Wargame Rules Review – Sixth Wargame

Start of wargame

 

Another strong defensive position for the Russians

The French advance is constricted by the farm, pass and woods

And the area directly in front of the Russian army is very exposed.

 

The French start with 10% casualties on 8 brigades

This includes all three of their cavalry and artillery brigades

There are also three infantry brigades absent on garrison duty

 

The Russians start with 10% casualties on 10 brigades

All three cavalry brigades have casualties, but none of the artillery

One infantry and one cavalry brigade is missing due to casualties

End of wargame

The Russian gunners routed two artillery and one cavalry batteries

Despite this the French pressed home their attack and won the day

This was largely due to intense infantry skirmish and melee fighting

 

Almost all of the Russian infantry were C class skirmishers

In addition they lost one point when deployed in buildings or woods

This is because only one quarter of the brigade could skirmish on each edge

 

Almost all of the French infantry were B class skirmishers

When attacking woods or buildings they needed 5 or 6 with 1D6

 

Both armies started the battle with considerable casualties

This meant that they were likely to fail a morale test for further casualties

This in turn meant that supporting brigades (within 4”) often failed their morale test.

 

Comments

In all of these test games I have deployed the defending Russian army in front of the town which is the objective of the battle.  

This was to test the various combat rules in a relatively open battle. 

 However it does mean that even if the attackers win, they will not reach the town before nightfall.

 

The obvious answer would be to fight a second day for each battle.  

However this would not allow sufficient time for both armies to rally their routed and shaken brigades.  

Nor would they be able to concentrate their surplus casualties in one brigade. 

This allows brigades with 20% or 30% to replace all but 10% of their casualties.  

This results in one, or more, brigades taking on all of the surplus casualties and being removed from the game.  

Where there are infantry, cavalry and artillery casualties it can result in one of each brigade being affected.

 

During this game I resolved this problem by creating a siege.   However this was not fought as a game, but became a paper exercise.  

The number of supplies held in the town at the end of the game would determine how many days the siege would last.

 

I will give some thought to deploying the defending army either side of the town.  

This would mean that the town would be in the front line, and each game would be a combined siege/battle. 

I think it might make the defenders too powerful, because attacks on the town could only be done from one side, giving the defenders a big advantage. 

Normally the attackers must attack at least two sides at once, and thus reduce the defence factor of the garrison.

Wargame Rules Review – Fifth Wargame

Start of wargame

Good defensive position for 2^nd Russian army

The woods on the left, and the inn on the right, help the defence

The French have to cross hills in the centre and right

This will greatly slow down their advance.

 

Both armies start the game with heavy casualties.

5 Russian brigades have 10% casualties

There are also one cavalry and one infantry brigades missing

This is due to concentrating surplus battle casualties

 

8 French brigades have 10% casualties

One infantry brigade is missing due to surplus battle casualties

End of wargame

The French have captured the woods on the left and the inn on the right

However they have failed to attack the Russian centre

This is because they lost both cavalry brigades trying to capture the Russian guns

The Russian cavalry were also routed by French artillery fire

But the delay halted the French advance in the centre

 

The Russian centre and right withdrew closer to the town in good order

The woods delayed this withdrawal, and resulted in the main Russian casualties

 

At nightfall the Russians were redeployed around the town

But they had suffered 4 infantry, 3 artillery and 1 cavalry casualties

They also had five brigades in rout

The French suffered 1 infantry and 2 cavalry casualties

They had two brigades in rout

 

Comments

At this stage of the campaign all corps have suffered battle casualties

This makes their brigades morale very brittle, and more likely to rout

It is particularly difficult to attack when this happens

The defender can fire on the attacker as they move into artillery range

 

The attacker must weaken the defending infantry with artillery fire

Or he must take out the defending artillery with his cavalry

Both are difficult if his artillery and cavalry start with casualties

 

At long range 9 pdr guns require 6 with 1D6

12 pdr guns require 5 or 6 with 1D6

The Russians had two 12 pdr batteries

The French had only one 12 pdr battery.

 

The French had better cavalry, but both brigades had 10% casualties

They charged the left and centre Russian artillery

Both received casualties, both failed their morale

One brigade routed, the other was shaken

The shaken brigade was counter charged by a Cossack brigade and routed.

 

Once more dice played an important part in this game

The French had better dice and rolled four sixes

The Russians had poor dice and rolled four ones

This added to the “ebb and flow of the game, but did not dominate play

 

We are now comfortable with the new rules and the game flows much better

However we are also very nervous when rolling dice!

 

We both feel that the new rules add a lot to our enjoyment of our wargaming

Wargame Rules Review – Fourth Wargame

Start of wargame

Another open battlefield, but with woods on both Russian flanks

This type of terrain gives an advantage to the defenders

Especially in this game, when the Russians have less cavalry than the French

Russians are deployed in the middle of the table

French will arrive at the bottom at the start of move 1

Both armies start the game with medium casualties

This means brittle morale for both sides

 

The Russian CinC has taken command of both cavalry brigades

However they are both Cossack and one has 10% casualties

He had kept them in reserve in the centre

 

The Russian artillery are superior to the French

They have two 12 pounder batteries, which add plus one when firing

None start with casualties

End of wargame

 

French have three cavalry brigades to Russian two brigades

They are also better quality.

However they have only one 12 pounder artillery battery

Two of the three batteries start with 10% casualties

 

As the French advance they come within range of the Russian guns

However the Russian gunners roll very low dice, and fail to inflict any casualties

The French artillery open fire, but the infantry and cavalry remain out of range.

 

The Russian infantry withdraw to the second line of woods, to avoid artillery fire

This allows the infantry to advance on both flanks

However they must weaken the Russian artillery before the centre can advance

 

The Russian cavalry advance to support the centre

The French artillery on the right cause 10% damage to the Russian gunners

They fail morale and are shaken

Worse still the Russian cavalry are less than 4” behind, and also lose casualties

They fail their morale and rout.

 

The French cavalry advance in the centre, the Russians fail to inflict casualties

The cavalry charge and the gunners seek safety with the nearby infantry

 

All three Russian artillery and cavalry are all now out of action

This allows the French infantry in the centre to advance

The Russians start to withdraw towards the town, leaving their artillery behind

 

Comments

This game has highlighted the increased importance of the dice roll

The Russians rolled low for both artillery fire and morale tests

Morale was already low due to previous battle casualties

Five French brigades, and six Russian, started the game with 10% casualties

This meant a minus 1 on each combat or morale throw.

 

The Russians should have won this game.

They had more infantry

They had better artillery

They had a strong defensive position

 

The French had more, and better, cavalry

But they also had battle casualties and hence brittle morale

So they did not dare to risk the Russian artillery in the centre

The flank attacks would almost certainly take too long

Particularly as the Russian infantry withdrew rather than risk a fight

 

The game was decided by a particularly good French dice throw (a six)

And two particularly poor Russian throws (a one and a two)

 

It could just as easily have gone the other way, and the French lost

 

This is the result I was looking for when I changed the rules

Neither side made any tactical errors

Without the dice the game would almost certainly have ended in a draw

Wargame Rules Review – Third Wargame

Start of wargame

Much more open battlefield, though both sides have obstacles and strong points

This type of terrain is not much of an advantage to either side

Russians are on the right, French on the left.

Both armies start the game without casualties

 

All three French corps have orders to advance, but the main attack will be in the centre

The French CinC starts the game without any brigades under command

But he is well placed centre rear to take control, or add support, as required.

 

The Russian flanks are secure, but the centre is thinly spread

The CinC has not taken brigades from the flanks to strengthen the centre

End of wargame

The heaviest fighting has been in the north, and both sides have suffered heavy casualties

At nightfall the French have taken the village and routed 2^nd Russian corps

 

Fighting still continues at nightfall; however the French have the advantage

 

The Russians have counter attacked in the south, but the fighting is undecided

They still hold the woods, but the French hold the fortified farm

 

At the end of 12 moves the French have lost 5 infantry, 5 cavalry and 5 gunners

They also have four brigades in rout

The Russians have lost 15 infantry, 5 cavalry and 1 gunner

They have eight brigades in rout

The Russians are still fighting, and they still hold the town

So they can claim a victory

But it is hard to see how they can continue to hold once the French have regrouped

 

This was a much faster flowing wargame, and we are both enjoying the new rules

 

The Russian artillery are better than the French (plus 1) and battered the French gunners

They require 5 or 6 for a hit, and managed to rout all three French corps artillery

They have the advantage that they fire first, as the French advance and unlimber

And they managed to throw very good dice at this critical time

The French gunners managed to throw particularly poor dice, which did not help

 

Cavalry melee are similar to our previous rules.

Unless they roll a one or a six, both sides suffer 10% casualties

Brigades are shaken or routed quite easily, but they also rally more often

 

Infantry combat are much more interesting

They can skirmish, volley fire or melee

We both check carefully how good each brigade is at each type of combat

The Russians are poor at skirmish, but average at volley or melee

The French are much better at skirmish, and tend to hold back to use this advantage

An infantry brigade can move a maximum of 6” each move

Skirmish range is 4” and volley range 2”

They can advance half a move and skirmish or volley, providing they are in range

 

The advantage lay with the Russians for most of this game

However in the last three moves it moved to the French

This was enough to break the Russians in the north

But not in the centre or south, where they continued to fight at nightfall

 

After three games we are both finding how best to use the new rules

We draw a poker chip to decide the sequence of movement for each corps

And whilst learning the rules we both discuss options for the corps moving

This helps us both to consider how best to use each corps

It also helps us both to learn the new rules

 

For the first time it felt like a proper wargame, rather than a rule learning process.

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!

Wargame Rules Review – First Wargame

Start of wargame

 

The only way to really test the rules is to play a full length wargame.

 

The two armies started off 18” apart; this was well out of maximum artillery range which is 12”.

 

Counter artillery fire should have been ineffective, as the firer needs a roll of 6 on 1D6.   12 pounder guns add plus 1, 6 pounder guns minus 1.   Two of the three Russian guns are 12 pdr, so they had a considerable advantage.   They put it to good use by causing 3 casualties to the French gunners.   This allowed the Russian guns to dominate the game.

In the north the Russian gunners prevented a frontal attack by the Polish corps.  Instead they had to concentrate on the farm, and failed to take it by nightfall

In the centre the French cavalry won the opening melee and allowed their infantry to take the woods and break the Russian centre.   We tested skirmish, musket and infantry melee rules, all worked well.   All gave a much faster and cleaner out come.

In the south the Vistula lancers lost their melee, but their artillery drove off the Russian cuirassiers.   The artillery was ineffective on the woods, and the fighting was mostly infantry skirmish and melee.  Again the rules worked well.

By the end of move 8 the Russians had lost 12 infantry and 4 cavalry, and five brigades were in rout.   The French had lost 2 infantry, 2 cavalry and 3 artillery casualties and had one brigade in rout.

With four moves still to go the French had clearly won the battle.   The Russians still held their right flank and the town.   But they had lost their centre and left flank.

It is still early days, but I am very pleased with this first game using the new rules.   They are much easier to remember, having only 1D2 instead of 2D6.   This does give extreme results with 1 or 6, but that is what I wanted to achieve.

It is also easier to rally shaken or routed brigades.   This is a good thing, because it allows the losing side to rally a second defensive line.   But in this particular game the Russian casualties were so much greater than the French that the winner was obvious.

Brigades defending farms or woods tended to do better than with my previous rules.   This was largely because it was so much easier to rally them when casualties were received.  It was also because Jan used her three elite grenadier brigades to hold the farm and both woods.   I only took them because I had taken care to position my best skirmish brigades to lead the attack.   In both wooded sections this worked.   However both elite defenders and most effective skirmishers took casualties.   So it will be interesting to see how both perform in the next game.   Both will retain at least 10% casualties, which will reduce the elite grenadiers to trained troops.  And the A class skirmish brigades will be reduced to B class.  

End of wargame 

The Russians hold at the top, but are in retreat in the centre and bottom

 

White stars indicate where fighting has taken place during the last two moves.  

Green stars indicate Russian brigades in rout

Blue stars indicate French brigades in rout