The Battle of Fraise - A fictional campaign game: Part 1 The Prelude

Being a firm believer that war games where players consider their tactical tabletop decisions within a broader strategic framework makes for more interesting events and dilemmas, I cobbled together some rules and a map together for the Rejects to test.  All in the knowledge that there will probably be amendments and additions along the way.

The map for the campaign is as follows:

It's a little basic.  I used the free version of Worldographer to produce it- see here.  I clearly need to hone my skills.

The campaign is fictional, but nominally set during the period of the French Revolutionary Wars. The French, commanded by David, Steve and Surjit, are pitted against the Austrians led by Lee and Ray.

The two sides are blind to the others' organisation and movement. So, I cannot reveal too much as the campaign is live. However, what is known is that the French enter from the west, and Austrians from the east. Both may choose which road(s) to enter on.

The victory conditions are:
The first side to have lost half its strength points will have to retire from the campaign.
OR
The winner is the first side to reach 5 victory points, which are awarded as follows
1 point per battle won. 
2 points for the enemy line of communication cut and held for a week (seven campaign turns)

As it currently stands, we are on Turn 6 of the campaign.  This is the first battle accepted by both sides.  The Austrians have also had their line of communications cut.

Having bumped into Steve's command at hex 07.10, just east of Comté, Ray pulled his command back to Fraise and called upon Lee to send reinforcements.  In the meantime, Steve edged forward further east towards Fraise and worked on establishing a defensive position along the Comté/Fraise road.  With more troops now available,  Ray and Lee moved to contact Steve at hex 08:10.

The was the generated map for the hex location of the map.  The French (Steve) deploying anyway on the western half of the table.  The Austrians (Ray) arriving on the road from Fraise on the eastern side.

apologies for the image quality

Once a map has been generated for a particular hex that terrain remains for the campaign. 

Now I have just been struck by a thought.  I could add a campaign order that permits scouting to include surveying a hex if no enemy found.  Hmmmm... I'll ponder that.  It could certainly add that idea of commanders knowing and seeking to choose where to fight.

For those of you that may be interested, the campaign orders that each player can give their commands - either full corps or separate divisions are:

Move
Prepare defences and scout
Rest the command and scout - commands are obliged to rest at least one in seven days, more if force marching, or less commands will become fatigued.
Move with march to the sound of the guns

That's a little introduction to the Battle of Fraise.  Fingers crossed the next instalment will be the battle report.

Trasimene - The Return Match

The Rejects reassembled at Jonathan's (Palouse Wargaming) virtual home to swap sides and refight the Battle of Trasimene.  The first ended swiftly with utter Roman humiliation in two turns and less than two hours.  So now that we all knew it and the rules a little better, how would this one play out?

Steve and I were now the Carthaginians, with me taking the defile and Hannibal.

Lee and Ray were the Romans with Lee as Flaminius and Ray in the defile (where most Rejects believe he should be!!).

Very few pictures and limited report I'm afraid  See Jonathan's post for a fuller and probably more balanced account.

Steve started by advancing his line, but without being able to successfully charge except with light horse on the right flank pushing at Roman skirmishers.  Likewise, the defile saw the heavy spears advance but failed to contact with one and saw the other pushed back by Roman light troops.

Flaminius took the opportunity to move away from the lake and form a line, making a conscious decision not to combine the heavy infantry into large units.

The start of turn two saw, what was to me, the defining moment of the game.  The Romans' were able to win the initiative.  Flaminius (Lee) quickly took the opportunity to stand his line and remove the disorder from all of his units.  This now presented quite a formidable wall of infantry in front of the Carthaginian centre and right.

Nonetheless, Steve made more advances on the far right with his light cavalry.  Perhaps even developing a future threat to the Roman flank.  In the centre, he threw his warbands against Flaminius's infantry.  The result was a little mixed.  A breach had been made in the Roman line.  However, the warbands were becoming exhausted in the process.

Meanwhile, in the defile an assault by the Carthaginian heavy spears was thrown back in utter disarray.  Ray rightly took advantage to tear forward with his heavies.  After a long attritional melee, he wiped out one heavy spear unit but was so worn down that it was pushed away by the light infantry on the far left.  However, Ray kept up the pressure and, like a juggernaut, engaged my light infantry, beat them back then turned to deal out death to my remaining heavy unit in the defile.  Fortunately, the Romans were repulsed, giving the spears a reprieve.

Hannibal's heavy spears decided to come out of reserve and advance towards Flaminius' line, having decided that the battle was going to won by the lake not in the defile.

With a concentration of skirmish shooting against Flaminius' right, things were looking less bleak for the Carthaginians.  Hannibal then advanced his Scutari into contact with Roman heavy infantry.  With their point blank weapons and capable meleeing, damage was being inflicted on Flaminius' line.  Indeed, the Roman general was pushed back to the shores of the lake... but not in it!

Flaminius, perhaps galled by the shooting and the Scutari, charged the Triarii on the Roman right to engage Hannibal and his heavy spears on our left by the hill.  The Roman infantry were beaten back, pursued then destroyed. Seizing the moment, Hannibal took the fight to the medium cavalry emerging  from the defile by the lake. The combat was deadly, forcing the cavalry off the battlefield.

With Hannibal's triumphant advance, the battle was won. Rome was defeated... but it was a close battle.

Final thoughts
The Romans played a good game. In winning the initiative at the beginning of turn 2 the game swung heavily in their favour, reinforced by their successes in the defile and in re-ordering the line along the lake shore.  With their good organisation and successes in the defile, it really looked like a Roman victory was developing.

The Carthaginian Scutari caused a lot of damage on the Roman infantry.  Plus, using the ranged weapons of the skirmishers and light infantry induced disorder and a nervous tension in Flaminius' line.

At the key moment, Hannibal and his heavy infantry was at the right place at the right time to receive Flaminius' attack by the Triarii, and to then follow through.

The Romans, Lee and Ray, played well and took good advantage of the turn two initiative win.  However, good and timely dice rolls were more evenly distributed this time.

At three turns and around two and a half hours of play, this was a longer game.  It was also a more balanced one with more consideration and reflection required by the players.  A close and intriguing encounter.

Well done Jonathan.  Thoroughly enjoyable.

Swift and Brutal... The Battle of Trasimene AAR

Jonathan Freitag of Palouse Wargaming hosted the Rejects in playing the Battle of Trasimene.  Hop over to his blog to get a fuller and better balanced report.

The title "swift and brutal" aptly describes the game and my part in it.

Steve and I were the Romans, with Steve as Flaminius and the vanguard under my command.

Lee and Ray commanded the Carthaginians.

The start of the battle.

Flaminius, having survived the initial attacks out of the mist was able to organise some sort of defence.  Meanwhile, the vanguard was being squeezed in the defile showing an inability to respond.

Flaminius made a bold move to damage Hannibal's centre...

... made a breakthrough...

... and ended up back where he started after being repulsed!
Meanwhile the vanguard took the fight to the Carthaginians and faltered.  In response, Hannibal's heavy spears charged, and won, and pursued, and won, and pursued and won, and.... well you get the idea.

And so, with only two turns played the Romans suffered a swift and brutal defeat.

Steve as Flaminius played well.  Alas, I did not do so in the defile.  Kudos to the Carthaginians.

A quick but entertaining evening of remote gaming.  Well done and thank you Jonathan.

Next week we will swap sides and once again enjoy Jonathan's fine company as host and umpire.

Freshly Painted Revolutionary Infantry

Just off the painting desk (ie the dining room table) a unit of French light infantry, carabiniers, for the Revolutionary Army in Italy.

The figures are all Trent Miniatures.

The pictures are not as crisp as I would like, but here goes.

I've been priming a load of FPW infantry, but next up for the brushwork are Revolutionary Wars Austrian infantry.

A Happy Recipient

I was indeed a very happy recipient when Jonathan at Palouse Wargaming Journal, knowing my interests, very kindly and generously sent me a package.

The first item was French Revolutionary Wars Austrian infantry.  These 28mm figures from Eureka Miniatures will fit in nicely with my own collection.  Effectively they will add either one large unit or one with some spares.  Either way, I am thrilled to have them and will be shuffling the painting queue accordingly.

The figures representing Austrian infantry up to about 1798 when the Kaskett was replaced by a helmet.

Image courtesy of Osprey Publishing.

Knowing that I have an interest in and collection for the Franco-Prussian War, Jonathan correctly thought that I might enjoy reading through the rules set, 1866 by Bruce Wiegle.  I strongly suspect that Jonathan is trying to ensnare me into starting this as a project.

Well, he has touched a nerve there.  I can't promise anything, but temptation levels are high.  Plus, already being in possession of a Prussian army, half the hard work has already been done... mmm this sounds like I'm talking myself into it... we'll see, I already have more unpainted figures than I can reasonably expect to paint in my lifetime.

As for the rules, I have read them through a couple of times.  I can't say that they are my cup of tea.  There are plenty of mechanics to give the period flavour, but don't excite me personally.  However, the chronology, contextual information and especially the scenarios are a pearl of great price all by themselves.

Whatever I do, I will have fun contemplating and reflecting.

Thank you Jonathan.

AAR - Battle of Provins 4th February 1814

Last weekend, Postie hosted a monster fictional game set in the context of Napoleon's defence of France in 1814.

An army commanded by Marshall Victor was set the task of defending a line of hills against an Austro-Prussian-Russian force of superior numbers.

Surjit, Steve and I commanded the French.  The allies were led by Dan, Lee and Mark.

The French were deployed on the right. The allies on the left were poised to attack.

You will excuse me if most photos and comments refer to my command at my end of the table... and if my recollection is incomplete.

Dispositions at the start of turn 1.   The far flank had cavalry facing each other.

Allied infantry advanced all along the line. Slowly bringing them into artillery range. Whilst on the far flank, the cavalry jockeyed for position before the inevitable charges.

The situation at the end of turn 1.

Opposing cavalry face each other and seek to gain position for advantage in the charge.

My heavy battery opens up as the Russian infantry draw into effective range. At columns the effect is devastating causing a unit to recoil in disorder.

The advancing allies approach so that they can bring their numbers to bear as they prepare to assault the French positions on the hills.

The positions at the end of turn 2.

The cavalry now seem poised to hurl themselves at each other.

With the infantry closing up, close range musketry fire rippled up and down the line.

My division bring up columns to break up any Russian charges.

Meanwhile, the far flank resounds to the thunder of pounding hooves as sabre and flesh clash.

The red arrows indicate cavalry units in retreat or rout.  The black arrows represent pursuit or breakthrough charges.

As you can see from the images from the Boney-drome, honours were vaguely even.  Perhaps to the Austro-Prussian advantage.

However, after much standard winning and losing (honours definitely to the allies here) both sides' front line cavalry were somewhat depleted.  It always strikes me that in most games we play large cavalry actions rarely end up with anything except an indecisive conclusion.

Lots of empty space where now lie the remains of many troopers and their steeds.

Back on my flank, having gained the initiative I decided to take the fight to the Russians rather than await their assault.  So, off the hill my brave lads flew at the advancing columns. 

French success was more forthcoming as a number of the Tsar's columns were thrown into disorder and rout.

But all was not so gloomy for the French on the cavalry flank as Surjit's cuirassier brigades coming out of reserve appeared to shore up the flank and induce some nervous tension.

With the winter sun now setting, the fighting died down leaving both sides to reflect on the engagement.

The positions at the end of the game.

The French had kept control of the line of hills despite being outnumbered.  When Postie had finished totalling the victory points he gave the French the laurels.

Analysis.

This was a BIG game.  So, it was just as well that the two sides were set up to enable them to engage quickly and up and down the line.

The Austrians in the centre weren't quite able to get their grenadiers into the fray.  Possibly thanks to a spoiling action by a couple of Surjit's infantry units that were thrown forward.

Steve, in charge of the French horse, played for time sufficiently to charge with the best prospects and to allow the reserve cavalry to reach the flank.

I think the decision to take the fight to the Russians on my flank stalled and broke up their formations.  Plus, some deadly artillery and musketry helped.

With another one or two turns the Austrian centre may have caused some serious trouble.  However, their losses somewhat addressed their initial numerical advantage.

A very bloody, hard and entertaining game.  Well done Postie.