Scenario 14: Redux

 When I played this scenario last, Kaptain Kobold quite rightly pointed out that I was making the job of the attacker more difficult by using rules that required the game to stop once an Exhaustion Point was reached. Yesterday, after a small delay to deal with 2021 related issues, I played it again using a version of the OHW rules for Horse & Musket, set on a grid. The rules are only really changed by using a grid to measure movement and range.

The tactics and forces were identical to the first attempt, except this time there was no requirement for a figure to represent the Commander of either force. For anyone unfamiliar with the scenario, the Commander of the violet coloured force must hold both the hill and the town (keeping two units close to each); the Commander of the yellow coloured army only needs to capture one of the objectives in order to win.

The Battle underway - Violet's Skirmishers occupy the woods

Yellow's cavalry unable to attack Infantry in Square go off to bother some artillery

Artillery and Infantry fire have cleared the hill, at a cost 

The race to reoccupy the hill

Army Violet regain control of the hill

before being reduced to nothing

Although Violet held the town, they had lost the battle

Yellow are victorious, though they have lost half of their numbers

Scenario 14: Static Defence

The Violet Army General has been ordered to hold the ruined village AND the hill and must keep two units within two grid squares of each. The Yellow Army General must take either objective.

I used the Portable Napoleonic Rules; 15 turns maximum and Exhaustion Point (EP) at 30% casualties. Apologies for the poorly lit pics, shadows etc. It's dark here, even in the daytime!

Violet's opening position

 

Army Yellow arrives in column, concentrating on the hill

Turn 1

Turn 2 Violet was able to bring 1 battalion from the village

Turn 3 Yellow's artillery opens up

Turn 4 Fire fight begins

Turn 5 Violet's guns are hitting Yellow's flank. cavalry are sent to silence them

Turn 6 Violet's Infantry battalion emerge from the village to meet the cavalry

Turn 7 Yellow's cavalry, already reduced by artillery fire, charge the enemy

Turn 8 With their cavalry lost and infantry battered Yellow are perilously close to EP

Turn 9 Yellow are at EP. The attack has failed

It took until Turn 13 for Army Violet to reach EP and the Game's End.

Despite throwing his whole force at one objective, the Yellow General proved (once again) that a frontal assault like this requires more troops (and better dice rolls).