Annexation of Chiraz - Game #2 - Crossing the River Cressay - The Game

...and so on to the game...  

As a reminder [clicky to see the "Set Up" post] the scenario DG and I were to play is slightly different to that described in the Chiraz Campaign book..

In our scenario (which came from "Scenario's for Wargamers" where it is number 18 "River Crossing") the French (DG) already have a small force (one battalion of foot) across the river, which they then need to reinforce.

The Allies (me) have to try and stop them, but the Allied force arrives in 3 parts and the full force doesn't arrive until after move 14.

So the table is as follows...

Allied entry point is A

The Game:

So the following shows the position about the end of move 1; DG has his artillery by the ruined bridge, covering the approaches to the village...  Dorrington's in the mid-foreground...

A few moves later and the next regiment (Saintonge - by the yellow dice) is about to cross...  somewhat handily I remembered I had a D3 from Salute some years ago which was perfect for measuring the random arrival across the river (it's a D6 marked 1,2,3 twice).

The artillery is already pounding away, but my gun shows shaken (yellow pin)..

Dorrington's (Cross of St George) is about to enter the built up area/village - on the other side of the village my cavalry, in column, is about to bypass the village..

Apologies the break in coverage, game was too exciting! This is about move 8 (below)..

Dorrington's are firmly in control of the village having seen off Derring's, but my cavalry (Schombergs.. "The Black Horse") have finished their circumvention of the village, and have already seen the Foix regiment off (I caught them in column and they broke when testing to stand)

Move 16 (below) and all is change.. I would say that this was a significant turn for the Allies...

Top left and force B is approaching the village - the Heidebrecht regiment has steam rollered into town, still in column because of terrain, and has seen off Dorrington's (red pin = rout). Their next target is Champagne, they have Derring's providing flank support..

At the bottom of the picture, most of DG's troops are across - next to cross is St Pouanges (the cavalry). Arco - his cuirassiers - have failed to change formation to line (blue pin) and are milling around somewhat... 

To the left, the last of my forces have arrived, the cavalry are already engaged (having seen off Agenois who can be seem routing next to Arco)

My cavalry are about to start causing mischief!

In the next move, Schomberg went for Arco, and Cadogan's went for Agenois, with mixed results....

Move 18 (below) or so, I think, and the end of the game is approaching though it was to rumble on for a number of further turns...

My cuirassiers can be seen in the wheat field where their threat is keeping the attention if both DG's Cuirassiers (Arco) and Regiment Foix (by the pine tree)

My remaining artillery has deployed by the wall (top left), and Lord North and Grey's Regiment is covered by the broken ground while waiting am opportune moment ...  that open ground is a bit of a killing field as DG has it well covered by his artillery.

Heidebrecht and Derring's have pushed both DG's regiments out of the town but have come to a fighting stop (both Derrings and Champagne opposite have shaken pins)

The Austrian composite Grenadier battalion is pushing forward hoping to cause DG's cavalry to charge!

End of game (move 27 - below) my cuirassiers are almost full strength and there are two routed units within charge reach. My Grenadiers have broken but Lord North and Grey's regiment is still there...  just...

Heidebrecht - secure in the village - almost full strength points and dominating the bridgehead...  On the other hand, DG's artillery are doing the same...

Post Match Analysis:

• I lost more casualties but I think it safe to say I had the stronger end position, and a couple of extra moves would have seen DG lose Foix and Arco... having said that we agreed a bloody draw...
• We played 27 moves - but the rules we use (Will McNally's SYW Rules amended by me for War of the Spanish Succession - check my WSS Project Page for the details) move pretty quickly - in essence Side A Moves/Side B fires/Melee and then vice versa. Each move is 10 minutes in real time so that equates to about 4 and a half hours - a brisk little engagement..
• I planned on DG's forces being able to get across the river between 8 and 24 moves, as it turned out I don't think DG threw higher than 2 all game so his forces were over in less than average numbers...
• The roads/lanes were a major PITA for the Allied players cavalry! I began to know how the Sherman tank commanders in bocage country must have felt..
• Beverages on the night were Fullers "Wild River" [clicky] and later a cup of tea ably supported by a brace of Co-Op Truly Irresistible Chocolate and Brazil Nut Cookies..  well ...  you'd be foolish not to, right??

Casualties:


Allies:

Force A:

Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Cavalry	Schomberg	5	5
Infantry	Dering's (c/w Battalion Gun #1)	5 1	5 1
Light Artillery	No.1	5	5

Force B:

Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Hvy Cavalry	Alt-Hanover Cuirassiers	5 4	5 4
Infantry	Heidebrecht Regiment	5 4	5 4
Infantry	Imperial Grenadiers	5 2	6 3

Force C:

Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Cavalry	Cadogan's	5	5
Infantry	Lord North & Grey's Regiment	5 2	5 2
Light Artillery	No. 2	5	5

27 strength points lost (60% casualties)

Franco Bavarian:
 

Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Infantry	Champagne	5 3	5 3
Infantry	Agenois	5	5
Infantry	Foix	5 4	5 4
Infantry	Saintonge	5	5
Infantry	Dorrington	5	5
Cavalry	Regiment de St. Pouanges	5	5
Heavy Cavalry	Arco	5 4	5 4
Light Artillery	No. 1	5 4	5 4
Light Artillery	No. 2	5	5

25 strength points lost (56% casualties)

Warfare 2013

Sunday was Warfare at Reading, traditionally DG and I's last show of the year, but always enjoyed... of the three we usually go to (Salute & Colours being the others) this is by far the smallest, but because it is predominantly a competition weekend it always has a an excellent buzz...  it's also hosted in a leisure centre so there's usually something going on on the civilian side as well - this year it was cheerleaders, and before you all get excited, not one of them was over 10! 😁

All in all, an excellent venue and event...so without further etcetc, what did we get up to??

First off, new to me, Empress Miniatures [clicky] had a very spiffy stand, and I loved these for fairly obvious reasons (that ECW project is just SO close)...

Should I win the lottery or the Premium Bonds I shall cast all caution to the wind..

Lovely figures, 28mm I'd guess, very accurate anatomically...

They really caught my eye..

...and the damage?? £7 for four, or £1.75 each, but they do four pack value deals for £22 (£1.38 a figure), and regimental deals for £35 (28 figures - so £1.25 a figure). Lovely...

Steve the Wargamer is not know for splashing the cash at these events but this time was to be different with the following purchases:

They are WWII early war British:

• Peter Pig 15mm  - two packs of riflemen, one command, one Bren's, one 2" mortar
• Essex - one pack of riflemen, one 3" mortar

..and to back them up, some soft transport, and some armoured perambulators ..I love the early war British AFV's - Heath Robinson doesn't even begin to cover it..  (I purposefully didn't buy the MkII Matilda, by the way, as it would dominate the table too much)...

These were prompted by my recent reading of the "To Lose a Battle" [clicky] book about France in 1940 which I loved - they will form the basis for a small composite British force that I can use in Rate of Fire [clicky] games. I have a mind to put together three infantry sections, with a little support, that can provide support for their French Allies...  Jut need a little anti tank support (2 pounder) and they're good to go, but I doubt I'll be able to stop myself buying some Bren carriers!

So having picked myself up following this unusual spending, I then had time to concentrate on the games - some OK ones this year - but (for me) one run away success....  as usual, I ignored anything hex based (hexes are the work of the devil), anything in 6mm scale (they are counters, not figures), most ancients games (bit Dark Aged out)...so the following is my own hideously partisan, skewed, and generally cantankerous view - but hey, it's my blog...

So in fifth place we have this Japanese samurai game - no idea who put it on, but I was talking to the organiser and they were using his own rules...

In fourth - a very simple looking game which just caught my fancy...  this was the (fictional, I think) Battle of Latek Nek presented by the Wargames Association of Reading, and set in German East Africa in WWI. It also featured a Rolls Royce armoured car, and was thus guaranteed to get my attention!

Not sure what it was about the game, but it just looked....  "nice"...

Really must dig out my copy of "Shout at the Devil" [clicky]

In 3rd place, "Jackson Springs the Trap at Chancellorsville", which was a participation game believe it or not.. presented by the hosting club Newbury and Reading Wargames Society this was 28mm ACW action - and very fine it looked too..

Think they were using a summarised version of "A House Divided" rules

In second place - and this won best Demonstration game - a 54mm (!) Stalingrad game "Attack on the Tractor Factory" put on by the Huntingdon club

Very effective, and lots to look at and see...

Huge amounts of work gone into this...  the figure groups were little diorama's each on their own movement tray....

Counters prove the game was being played...

The factory - complete with part ready T34's

Excellent.....

...but in first place - this was by the Christchurch club and featured Napoleon in Egypt in 28mm...

Streets ahead of the other games...

Been a huge fan of this period ever since I saw an article years ago by Charles Grant illustrated by the inestimable Bob Marrion....

Picture courtesy Caliver Books

If I was ever to return to Napoleonics (and that would be a 30 year gap!), this would be the theatre for me..  simply superb.....  so much colour, so much variety...  hussars on camels for goodness-sake!

My game of the show - hands down...

Roll on 2014!!

Annexation of Chiraz - Game #2 - Crossing the River Cressay - Set Up

Game two in the Annexation of Chiraz campaign comprising 5 linked scenarios ... or my interpretation of it anyway….

In campaign terms this battle takes place the day after the attempt to capture the powder mill (read here [clicky] and here [clicky] for how that went when DG and I played) so is treated in isolation in that the effects of the 1st game do not flow to this game....

In summary - we find that the attack on the powder mill was intended primarily by the French as a bluff in order to lure the main Allied force away from their primary thrust which is to develop a bridgehead, and river crossing. This is to allow them to conduct military operations with the aim of taking control of Chiraz, and stopping the marital hopes of the stadtholders son and the daughter of the Duke of Chiraz in their tracks...   (cue boos and hisses from the wings )

The scenario as described in the book is straight forward, but not what I would call a "game"... it is primarily one player building a pontoon bridge, and the other player stopping him - the actual scenario/game mechanics of building the pontoon bridge are very clear, but I have to say my heart sank a little...  in game terms it's the WWI equivalent of a trench assault pre-tanks...  it is clear which side will win as the French have overwhelming numbers including artillery, and the Allies have two battalions of militia and a squadron of cavalry so ultimately the game is (just?) about attrition (and presumably the effect of those on future games)...so I turned to my trusty copy of "Scenario's for Wargamers" for some inspiration and hit upon number 18 "River Crossing"..

So the scenario is slightly different but fits the overall theme of the campaign..  in this scenario the bridgehead has already been formed, the French have a small force across the river which they need to reinforce. the Allies have to stop them but do not have all their forces available to them immediately, they arrive at random times throughout the game and from random directions...

So the scenario map is as follows, and I've modified it per the map in "Scenario's for Wargamers"  number 18 "River Crossing"..

Which on my table translates to this:

So:

• The Allied starting force enters at point A, their reinforcements arrive separately at B and C. They arrive in column of march, with cavalry at the head, and in single line. The arrival times are calculated based on distance to town - to make life interesting I may suggest a 1D3 random element...  or not!
• Force A is already on the table,
• Force B arrives on table move 10
• Force C arrives on table move 14
• The French bridgehead force (one unit) can deploy within one move from their crossing point/bridgehead. 
• The French have pontoons/boats enough to carry one unit at a time - the flow of the river is variable, and it takes 1D3 (ie. half a D6 rounded up) moves for each unit to cross from one side to the other. The next unit starts its crossing the move after the previous unit has arrived
• The French crossing point can be anywhere between the ruined bridge, and where the scenario map shows the pontoon (yellow box in the map)...

Orders of Battle:

Allies:

Force A:

Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Cavalry	Schomberg	5	5
Infantry	Dering's (c/w Battalion Gun #1)	5	5
Light Artillery	No.1	5	5

Force B:

Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Hvy Cavalry	Alt-Hanover Cuirassiers	5	5
Infantry	Heidebrecht Regiment	5	5
Infantry	Imperial Grenadiers	5	6

Force C:

Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Cavalry	Cadogan's	5	5
Infantry	Lord North & Grey's Regiment	5	5
Light Artillery	No. 2	5	5

Franco Bavarian:
 
Dorrington's are the bridgehead force...

Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Infantry	Champagne	5	5
Infantry	Agenois	5	5
Infantry	Foix	5	5
Infantry	Saintonge	5	5
Infantry	Dorrington	5	5
Cavalry	Regiment de St. Pouanges	5	5
Heavy Cavalry	Arco	5	5
Light Artillery	No. 1	5	5
Light Artillery	No. 2	5	5

"The Blood Crows".. a review..

In summary, "a triumphant return to form"! 😀

Just finished the latest Simon Scarrow, which features the imortal duo Cato and Macro, this time in a return to 'normal' army life after the last few books where they have served mostly in a political surrounding int he midst of the power struggles surroiuidng the meperor in Rome...  for me it was a very welcome return... the [political shennanigans were beginning to tiore slightly, but here we have Scarrow at his best depicting life on the Roman frontier for the average Roman Legionary...

Cato, now promoted Prefect (effectively third in command of a Legion), has been given command of a remote frontier fort (somewhere on the Welsh border I think) garrisoned by a cohort of the II Augusta, and an auxilia of Thracian cavalry (which he has personal command of). Macro, promoted to senior Centurion has been given command of the cohort.

Not surprisingly, not all is as straight forward as they like - arriving in London we find that the much boasted of "conquest of Britain" is actually far from complete, and Caractacus [clicky] (who they met in previous books, the last time they were in Britain) is still on the loose and still fomenting trouble amongst the remaining free tribes who haven't submitted to Rome's rule. In addition, they find that the current commander of the fort they have been given command of has been killed in slightly suspicious circumstances, and that there are dark rumours about the behaviour of his second in command who has taken control of the fort, and who has trained the auxilia of Thracian's (known as the Blood Crows) in particular to high levels of discipline and may have overstepped the mark in taking total war to the local population...

Against this background, Cato and Macro march north, hearing more and more stories and rumours of Quertus the centurion commanding the fort, until they finally arrive at the fort to discover the truth... and also Caractacus...

A cracker - well recommended - 9 out of 10.

==============================================

Bit quiet round here at the moment, but only because duck like, all is movement below the surface..  DG is down this weekend so i am working up the scenario for the second game in the Annexation of Chiraz campaign....  again I ma having to go off piste for this, as the scenario as described, while being eminently worthy, is not what you'd call a game...  more will become clear..

..and the rason DG is down??  One word....  "Warfare"!!

The Desolation of Smaug

Out on 13th December... can't wait!