As far back as any in der Wuetend-Zwergenkoenighreich can recall, Spring always brought with it raids across the border with das Elfenreich. There was a brief respite when the der Elfenkoenich was deposed.
"Too busy fighting amongst themselves" was the popular belief.
Now that the Ogre had declared himself "Kaiser", Elfen forces have come in force. Not to raid, but to conquer.
This is the setting for a game using "Charge! or How to Play Wargames" by Brig. Peter Young and Col. J. P. Lawford.
I've made some adjustments to taste. Light infantry fire follows the procedure from "The Wargame" by Charles Grant. "Charge!" does a very good job of portraying elite light infantry such as the Rifles, however I am looking at fielding some rather less stellar types.
Also to add to the fantasy feel of the thing I have instituted saving throws. 6 for an elf, 5 or 6 for a dwarf to be removed as a casualty. Casualties before saves are counted for melee resolution and prisoner counts.
To play the game on my 4 foot wide table I have taken all of the game measurements and reduced them by 25%. The same goes for the units. Rather than "companies" of 16 rank and file, mine have 12.
Finally, the dwarves, stout things that they are have a max move on foot equal to that of a battalion in line, while all elves and the dwarven cavalry use the standard game measurements.
With all of that out of the way, how went the day?
As the dwarves I was in a bit of a pickle. I diced for the order of my reinforcements before play with the idea that couriers would come and go to keep the current field commander up to date on relief. The elves receive their reinforcements as the result of a dice roll at the start of each turn.
The game started with only light forces on the table. One battalion of dwarven jaegers start in the hedge lined field. The second unit of its Freikorps was marching up the road to the assembly point at start.The mounted element of Freikorps von Roten Bart, a regiment of Hussars.
I knew that a unit of heavy cavalry would arrive soonish up the main road. After that a regiment of infantry would appear on my right. Then there would be a bit of a lull before my second infantry regiment and my guns came up.
Hopefully the elven reinforcements would be similarly spaced out. At the start of each turn I rolled to see if any enemy troops arrived that turn.
The action started with the eleven light infantry advancing on the fields while their hussars made straight for my reinforcing jaegers. Dwarven movement being slow as it was meant there was a good chance of the lads being caught out in the open.
My hussars moved to threaten the eleven lights who had remained in close order due to the threat.
The elven hussars, The Hussars de Juenes, made to run down the jaegers in the open. Luckily the Bayrum and Anthill Dragoons arrived in the proverbial nick of time.
Margraff Frederick von Bayrum sent his squadrons in, two up and one back and toppled the Hussars.
The Hussars de Juenes lost their colonel and four troopers in the melee with an additional two being captured in the confusion of their retreat.
In the center the first elven line infantry regiment arrived behind the light troops and began to deploy.
My first infantry regiment arrived on my right leaving me in the odd situation of having my cavalry in the center and infantry on both flanks.
As the dwarves I was in a bit of a pickle. I diced for the order of my reinforcements before play with the idea that couriers would come and go to keep the current field commander up to date on relief. The elves receive their reinforcements as the result of a dice roll at the start of each turn.
The game started with only light forces on the table. One battalion of dwarven jaegers start in the hedge lined field. The second unit of its Freikorps was marching up the road to the assembly point at start.The mounted element of Freikorps von Roten Bart, a regiment of Hussars.
I knew that a unit of heavy cavalry would arrive soonish up the main road. After that a regiment of infantry would appear on my right. Then there would be a bit of a lull before my second infantry regiment and my guns came up.
Hopefully the elven reinforcements would be similarly spaced out. At the start of each turn I rolled to see if any enemy troops arrived that turn.
The action started with the eleven light infantry advancing on the fields while their hussars made straight for my reinforcing jaegers. Dwarven movement being slow as it was meant there was a good chance of the lads being caught out in the open.
My hussars moved to threaten the eleven lights who had remained in close order due to the threat.
The elven hussars, The Hussars de Juenes, made to run down the jaegers in the open. Luckily the Bayrum and Anthill Dragoons arrived in the proverbial nick of time.
Margraff Frederick von Bayrum sent his squadrons in, two up and one back and toppled the Hussars.
The Hussars de Juenes lost their colonel and four troopers in the melee with an additional two being captured in the confusion of their retreat.
In the center the first elven line infantry regiment arrived behind the light troops and began to deploy.
With such a strong force of infantry before him, Von Roten Bart pulled his hussars back just out of musket range to await developments.
A bit of a lull ensued with the Hussars de Juenes retiring and the Bayrum and Anthill Dragoons reforming in the center.
Saved from the thread of enemy horse, the second jaeger battalion once again advanced to support the first.
It was at this point that the Elven heavy cavalry arrived on the field.
My first infantry regiment arrived on my right leaving me in the odd situation of having my cavalry in the center and infantry on both flanks.
The Zwergteufel Regiment arrives.
Roten Bart withdraws his Hussars to form a reserve.
Markgraf Frederick reforms his dragoons. Note the elven prisoners being led into captivity.
The hedge field is beginning to look like Fort Apache.
The elven line makes for the stone field while the Hussars de Juenes reform.
The elven heavy cavalry takes up position opposite my right.
Oh...and the elven gun have just arrived on my left.
And that is the state of play after four turns.
More to come.
Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for stopping by!
Bob
UPDATE:
I've been humbugged!
The second elven line regiment has appeared on my left. A strong column of infantry and guns are now advancing. The only unit directly opposing them at the moment is battalion of Freikorps jaegers.
Even worse it is no apparent that the elves had no intention of storming the fields. Rather they have set up a double envelopment. Infantry and guns on me left, and heavy cavalry screened by light infantry on me right.
Fortunately my guns have come up and just in the right place, although they face some danger of being overrun.
My second infantry regiment should be appear up the main road soon and so be thrust right in the thick of things.
As can be seen my other infantry regiment is on my far left and well out of the fight due to their fairly slow movement rate. Once those troublesome Tirailleurs get into that wood the Zwergteufels will be in for it.
Perhaps a grand charge against the elven cuirassiers is in order in an effort to buy time?
Looking good there chief - are you using a modified THW mechanism to handle the opposition?
ReplyDeleteThankee. As it happens, no. I started out just playing both sides, more interested in seeing how things worked. Should I use three smaller companies, or two full Charge! strength, to scale down the game? That sort of thing. Finally I realized this elf army had deployed and I had forgotten to make any plan for an AI. What to do? Fortunately Programmed Scenarios for Wargames has a Crossroads scenario. Terrain layout is different but as one might expect it does focus on securing a crossroad...so he is home and a few dice throws and the devious plan came into being.
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