ONE HOUR WARGAME SCENARIOS - Part 3

This third battle is OHW 23 Defense in Depth. Bob chose to defend, so I was on the attack. The objective was for me to exit half of my forces from the opposite side of the field I entered from, with the defense needing to delay me for the 15 turns of the game. There are a few special rules: The Defenders have 4 stands of Irregular Infantry that may move through woods as if it was open ground. The Attackers may not enter woods. These rules were significantly as it meant I could not use the ford at the central woods. It also meant I could not assault the Irregulars if they were inside the woods, and as they were at a -1 in close combat it would prove important. 

The Brown Markers Indicate the Ford Crossings. The Attackers Advance Directly to the Bridge with Infantry and Artillery as the Defenders had Chosen not to Start in the Town. The Defenders did Deployed Irregulars in the Woods that are Able to Provide Harassing Fire Against Both Fords. Their Artillery is Placed on the Hill and Able to Provide Supporting Fire Against all Three River Crossings. The Attackers Sent up Both a Significant Part of Their Infantry and All Their Cavalry to Force the Eastern Ford.  

With no Direct Defense of the Ford the Attackers Rushed Across Suffering Fire from both the Artillery on the Hill and the Irregulars in the Woods. The Defenders Moved Foward to Contest the Bridge Crossing and for the Time, Checked the Assault on the Western Side. 

At the Bridge the Defense had Strengthened, Including Throughout the Town. To the East More Troops Poured Across the Ford and Began to Assault the Irregular Defenders with Both Their Cavalry and Massed Infantry. A Company of Infantry was Sent to Pin the Irregulars in the Woods, Preventing them from Firing and Forced to Either Assault Out, or Maneuverer to a Different Location. 

At the Bridge Massed Fire had Forced the Defender Away and Back into Town, while in the East, Casualties were Build up on the Attackers, Forcing a Number of Companies to be Withdrawn from the Main Fighting. 

In the East Things Began to Turn Against the Defenders with the Attackers Cavalry Making a Successful Charge on the Artillery and Their Infantry Steadily Forcing Back the Defending Irregulars. 

At the Bridge the Attackers have Finally Crossed but are now Surrounded on Three Sides, However Reinforcement are Close at Hand to Continue the Advance as Time is Now Become a Major Issue. 

The Bloody Struggle for the Town can be Seen by the Number of Orange Markers that Indicate Hits Taken by Units.  

In the East the Final Struggle for the Hill. Once Lost this Would Leave a Major Gap that the Attackers Would Use to Race Off the Field. 

At This Critical Moment in the Battle Fate Would Take a Hand in the Way of the Much Needed "Rally Cards" for the Attackers. With There General Now in Direct Control of the Assault He Rallies Both Units for a Further Push. The Defenders are now on the Brink of Collapse Shown by the Three Hits They have, At the Forth Hit They Will Rout from the Field. 

In the East the Last of the Defenders is Overcome and the Attackers are Able to Exit the Main Body of Their Troops, but it is Still not Enough if the Defenders at the Town can Hold Just a Short While Longer. 

The End Comes Swiftly. With Two Defending Companies Routed the Final Defenders are Quickly Overwhelmed by the Attackers Numbers. With the Road now Open the Attackers are Able to Exit Enough Units to Win the Battle.

This was a real struggle by both sides. The Defense came within two turns of holding out long enough for the win. The attackers were aided in no little part by getting both of their Rally Cards back-to-back and able to use them to force the road through town open. Without these the battle could easily have swung to the defenders. 

We have now given these rules a good shake down. There are still some little tweaks we may try, but things are running smoothly. We will play a few more scenarios and if we don't come across and major errors a campaign is coming soon. 

RATHER NOISY ON THE WESTERN FRONTIER - BARKING MAD PART 1

The Battlefield Looking North

 I am starting a new series of battles this Spring that are unconnected but will still influence troop quality for the Fall Campaign. This battle has the United Packs Commonwealth (UPC) holding a central hill position against a massed combined arms force from the Wolfenstein Empire (Empire). The UPC's left flank is secured to an extent by a very soft sandy beach and the Great Lake. The Empires goal is to drive the UPC off the hills by nightfall, and the UPC's is to prevent this. All the UPC players know that I am stacking the odds in favor of the Empire, so are up for a hard fight. 

The Two Sides Facing Off. The UPC on the Left, Empire on the Right. 

UPC Light Infantry Advancing to Take the Woods on Their Left Flank, While Massed Squadrons of Empire Cavalry Move to Flank the Hill Position. 

The Full Weight of the Empire's Forces can be Seen Moving to the Attack Against the Hill. Things are not all Going the Empires Way as UPC's Reinforcements Make an Early Appearance. Even with These Troops the UPC is Outnumbered. 

The UPC's Snarler's Battalion of the Line, Along with Supporting Artillery Protect the Hill and the National Colors Against the Onslaught of Empire Grenadiers, Line Infantry and Flanking Cavalry. 

On the Empire Left Two Full Line Battalions Begin Their Advance up the Hill Supported by a Mass of Artillery. The UPC's Longstrider's Battalion Seeks Protection on the Reverse Side of the Slope. In the Background can be Seen the UPC's Reinforcements Rushing to Their Comrades Aid. 

The Tip of the Spear. Snarler's Battalion Looking into the Teath of the Empire's Main Attack. 

With Their Initial Assault Repulsed the Empire's Massed Cavalry Turn from the Hill Assault to Instead Holdup the UPC's Advancing Reinforcements. 

The Empire's Second Line of Infantry Presses Forward on Their Right, as on Their Left Command Failure Halts the Attack on the Left Side of the Hill at a Critical Moment.  

With Cold Steel and Courage, the UPC's Cavalry Advances Against the Empire's Left to Attempt to Stabilize the Situation. 

Combat Occurring Across the Entire Field with Empire Cavalry Attacking UPC's Infantry Reinforcements, and the Key Hill Line Holding on as Empire Pressure Slackens. 

With the Empire Left Still Stalled the UPC Infantry Defenders are Able to Switch Their Focus to Helping Their Brothers on the Opposite Hilltop. 

The Empires Great Strategy of Turning the Right Flank of the Hill with Their Cavalry is Lost as Their Focus Becomes the UPC Forces Infront of Them. 

The Battlefield Ablaze with Fight Going on Across its Entirety. Massed Vollie's of Musket Fire have Seen Off Most of the Empire's Cavalry. In the Center the UPC has Beaten Back the Empire's Assaults and is Now Supporting Against the Cavalry's Flank. In the Distance can be Seen the UPC's Cavalry Firmly in Control of the Key Hill Objective. 

A Closer View of the UPC Right Flank with Their Cavalry Firmly in Control and all Threats to the Hill Line Repulsed. 

Another decisive victory to the UPC. The Empire came to the battle with one hand tied behind their back, having two Dithering Commanders, one on each flank. They seemed to have a great plan, but lost focus along the way. The first was the cavalry switching focus to the enemy not yet in the fight, instead of continuing on with the flanking assault that was gaining real headway. Their first line had been repulsed, but they had plenty more troops to keep the pressure up with. The less obvious problem was not sending their C-in-C to keep their left flank advance going. This was a critical part of the battlefield, and they left it to chance that this would not stall. A minor problem was the infantry brigade on the right flank would have been better used in the center, where just one more push could have seen them still pulling off a close victory. 

Congratulations needs to be given to Snarler's Battalion, who held off over three-to-one odds, including a converged Grenadier Battalion, even though they had been the focus of the Empire's initial bombardment and started the battle in a worn state.