Getting the Supplies In : Action and Wash Up

Yesterday I outlined the set up for a test for a scenario using the Twilight of Divine Right rules and 10mm armies for the 30 Years War.  Today comes the report on what proved a swift game, together with some reflections on setting up the scenario.

Each side had two players, Gareth and I commanding the Protestant forces, our two sons the attacking Imperial cavalry.  As the Protestant troops were already set in position, it was up to the Imperial commanders to decide how they would deploy their forces while their opponents sat back to enjoy sausages, coleslaw and potato salad.

The Imperial set up had to take account of a large wood in the middle of the table which prevented them from moving directly towards the supply column.  They had to assign forces to 3 commands, two of which had average generals and the other a good general.  Average generals can allow one unit or group to re-roll a failed action test or take an extra action.  Good generals can help two units or groups.  The Protestant side also had three generals, the two commanding the cavalry wings being rated good, the infantry commander average.  Both sides would find themselves having to make a lot of use of their generals, giving the Protestant side a significant advantage through having two good commanders.  

The Imperial Deployment : Command 1 is all the regiments of Gallopers, aimed at the rear of the supply column.  Command 2 has a front line of 2 Harquebusier Regiments backed by the 3 Regiments of Cuirassiers heading towards the head of the supply column.  Command 3 is the Croat Cavalry and Dragoons.  I am not sure that the Imperial Command had really thought through what to do with this lot.

Both wings of the Imperial force moved forward vigorously at the start while the central body of light cavalry and dragoons followed on behind the Cuirassier wing.

The Dutch style cavalry on the Protestant left moved forward slowly so as not to risk losing their commanded shot, leaving the support line sitting on the road.  They would need to get off this before the Imperials could attack if the supply train was to have anywhere to go.

In the centre, the supply train crept along the road while the infantry tried to turn to face the foe.  The leading regiment failed its action test and General Brandt took the gamble that they would still have a chance in the next turn.  The next unit failed its test as well.  Brandt used his re-roll and this unit passed.

Having used up his only re-roll, Brandt could only puff his cheeks in frustration as the third unit also failed its test, the only consolation coming from the rear-guard managing to turn into line.

Thanks to a general's re-roll, the Protestant left wing cavalry were able to move as a group and turn to threaten the flank of the Imperial Gallopers if they moved further towards the supply train but again the Protestant cavalry had to move slowly to avoid risk of losing its commanded shot in the front regiments.

With the Imperials having moved so quickly, they were now within range of the field guns in one of the redoubts, who bombarded a regiment of Harquebusiers - which would make it take an action test in the next turn.

Responding quickly to the threat from the Protestant left wing cavalry, in their turn the Imperial Gallopers turned to face them.  In the distance, the other wing advanced untroubled by the Protestant guns but then failed to get an extra move even with two attempts by their Commander.  The Light Cavalry followed on, keeping back a little.

And in their turn the Protestant left (just out of shot) advanced slowly to narrow the gap with their opponents but not to charge (Dutch cavalry get no advantage from a charge unless their defensive fire has halted an enemy charge first).  In the centre, Brandt managed to get his leading regiment into line but the third remained resolutely in column.  The right wing cavalry moved forward to open up the road for the supply train, which continued to inch along the road.

The Imperial Harquebusiers advance up to firing range against the Protestant right wing, backed by the Cuirassiers.  Beyond them, the two Dragoon regiments are coming up alongside while the Croats have wheeled about and are heading towards the fight that is brewing on the far side of the field.

The Imperial Gallopers charge the Protestant left.  As the Dutch style cavalry have defensive fire, the Gallopers must pass an action test at -1 on their rolls.  Both pass so they can charge in!  The Dutch will now get -2 on their morale rolls for being charged by Gallopers and their commanded shot are no assistance.  Both pass!

Over on the other side, the two leading Protestant cavalry regiments were also forced to take morale tests by the Harquebusiers firing on them.  Both failed!  Here we made our first big mistake, not remembering that cavalry that fails a morale test must fall back, either behind a support line if available - as it was in this case - or 6 base widths' move.  We left the regiments in place.

Still unaware of our mistake, the Protestant horse elected to charge the Harquebusiers.  As Dutch cavalry they would get no advantage from it but it would put an end to being exposed to their enemy's superior firepower without being able to reply (the Harquebusiers would get +1 on their morale tests if fired on by inferior shot, and even with the commanded shot, the Protestants were clearly inferior on a fire rating of 4 to the Harquebusier's 3 (lower being better)

The infantry advanced alongside their cavalry to be able to fire on the leading dragoon regiment.  In the morale tests, the dragoons failed their test and lost a morale point.  As they were still mounted, they should have fallen back, but again we forgot this.  One of the Harquebusiers failed its test as well, and then failed a re-take allowed by General Verdugo attaching himself to them.  Again, we forgot to withdraw them.

Finally against the Protestant left, the large galloper regiment also failed a test and we also failed to move it back!!

Little movement was possible in the next turn.  The Imperials dismounted their lead dragoon regiment to return fire on the Protestant infantry while turning the other to be able to move with less constraint. The Croats moved to support the Gallopers in their melée.  The dragoon's fire almost worked.  Brandt had to intervene to allow his regiment to retake and pass its morale test.

For one brief moment the Protestants thought they had won a crushing victory on the left, with both leading Imperial units routing.

Exulting turned to humble pie as the other Imperial commander noted that we had failed to take account of the support line giving +1 to the defeated men, our second mistake, which led directly into uncovering our first set of mistakes in not previously withdrawing cavalry that had failed a morale test!  

Chastened, the Protestants unrouted the Imperials and placed them behind the support line as was required since, despite not being routed they had not passed their morale tests.  The Croats who had come to give support to the Gallopers were beginning to wonder if they had come to the right address.

Things now began to go wrong for the Imperials all along the line, starting with the dragoons who were routed by a charge from the Protestant infantry.

One of the Harquebusiers lost a morale test and fell back behind its supporting Cuirassiers

Verdugo raced to help the other harquebusier regiment retake a failed morale test, rolled a 4 and so died!

Adding to the mayhem, the Imperial cuirassiers trying to work around the flank found themselves within range of the Protestant light battery as well, so were forced to take a morale test rather than an action test.  They failed.  With Verdugo dead they could not re-roll.  With no supports they had to retreat a full 6 base widths.

Finally, Protestant infantry having advanced to pour a volley into the back of the Croats,  wearily the Imperial commander rolled the dice - and got the highest score he had had all evening!  A slight consolation prize.

We decided to call it a night at that point.  Although the supply train was still about 5 moves away from safety, there seemed nothing more the Imperial cavalry could do to seriously trouble the Protestants without a lot more luck than could reasonably be expected.  12 turns had been completed - 6 by each side.  Our feelings of dissatisfaction with the way the scenario had played out were assuaged by some excellent custard pastries that Gareth had kindly brought.

CLOSING REFLECTIONS

Clearly I should have spent more time refreshing myself on the rules before play began, rather than thinking about how I was going to use the fancy new visual aids of colourful arrows and action bursts to make photographs more self explanatory - and save myself time fiddling about with graphics programs to modify pictures after the event.

More important, I should have spent more time thinking about the terrain from the Imperial perspective.  While I do think they could have thought through their approach better - they overestimated how fast the supply train could move, so focussed on trying to head it off rather than try to attack the rear - the big wood in the centre did limit their options considerably.

Even more important, what became clear is that the combination of cavalry, infantry and guns together with better rated commanders on the Protestant side was far too powerful for the  Imperials.  Even with the Harquebusiers outgunning the Dutch cavalry and even if we had played the game properly and made the front line fall back, the Imperials would still have faced close range artillery on one flank and infantry fire on the other, making it unlikely that even the Cuirassiers would have been able to push back the Protestant right.  On the left, the Gallopers were clearly outclassed, even with help from the Croats, while the Dragoons were just practice dummies for the Protestants pike and shot.

So, back to the drawing board for a scenario for the next club meeting on 23rd March.  There will be time for one more test before then next Tuesday evening.