Wagon train game

 

 Feeling slightly better today (friday) I thought I would set up the table for a small game.  That took most of the morning,  having to rest every few minutes!   What game to play?  I wanted to continue with my Crimean forces.  Something small but interesting.  I decided on Charles Grants wagon train tactical problem.  Grant's book "The Wargame Companion" is one of my favorite wargame books and the one I reach for when I need inspiration or just a enjoyable read.  So I have wanted to fight this one out for a long time.  I will also use this game as an explanation of how I have been fighting solo battles.

  My table is smaller then what is recommended so I modified the terrain to give me more room.   I also added a number of wagons, four to be exact.  If you're going to be escorting a supply train it should look like one.  The escort are two British infantry regiment (33rd and 23rd).  The 93rd Highlanders would march to the rescue on turn eight based on a dice roll. The attacking Russians would have one battalion of infantry and one cavalry regiment.  Making another adjustment, I added a second Russian cavalry regiment.  This was because of the British rifles and poor quality of the Russian cavalry.

The British supply train and escort enter the table on the road at the bottom of the picture.  They have to exit off the table on the road at the top of the picture.   I wrote down three formations for how the train would be configured and rolled to see which one I would use.  A battalion in front and at the rear of the Wagons.  Off you go now.

The Russians rolled two dice per unit.  The first dice was for where they would appear on the table.   On the right side of the picture the bottom right is "X", Middle of table " Y" and top right is "Z".  Second dice is for which turn they arrive.  Infantry and one cavalry both arrive on turn three, with infantry at    " Y" and cavalry at "Z".  The second cavalry arrive at " X" on turn five.

  All this done I placed my troops on the table.  Since nothing would happen until turn three I moved the troops up to that position.    At this point I stopped as it was getting late would continue the game tomorrow.

Stay turned for more!

"...a thin red streak topped with a line of steel..."

 

    "...a thin red streak topped with a line of steel..."

             William Russell, dispatch to The Times.

   Its a rainy, chilly day here in New England.  So the perfect time to get out the figures and play a quick game.  Being in a Crimean War mood I think its time to play out that most  iconic of all Crimean actions;   the stand of the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders at Balaclava.

The Battle of Balaclava ( 25 October 1854)  A Russiancolumn attempted to get between British forces besieging Sebastopol and thir supply base at Balaclava. Best known for the "Charge of the Light Brigade"  but also for 'when a single Scottish Highland regiment, the 93rd Highlanders, remarkably halted a Russian cavalry charge.

 Four Russian cavalry squadrons, numbering around 400 men, advanced on some 500-600 Highlanders. At this time, infantry were not thought to be able to withstand cavalry in the open, and woul usually form squares. On this occasion, the regiment deployed in line and fired three volleys, which inflicted terrible damage on the Russians, who halted and withdrew. An act of great courage and discipline, but also helped by a development.  The 93rd was one of the regiments in the Crimea which had been issued and trained with the new pattern 1851 service rifle, which boasted improved accuracy, range and rate of fire.  In addition a battery if artillery was nearby to lend their fire power.

The phrase "The Thin Red Line" is a misquote.  William Russell wrote in his dispatch to The Times a "thin red streak with a line of steel.". In later accounts he changed it to " The Thin Red Line" which is how it is remembered today.

The game:

On the first turn the Russian commander won the initiative roll to go first.  He sent his Cossacks Regiment to swung to the left and out flank the British position.  The Lancers and Hussars entered the board in double line headed towards the 93rd. (The rules are a simple I Go U Go.  Each side rolls for initiative with high side getting first go. Each of your regiments or batteries do one action (move, change formation, fire or remove a morale point).  To move roll two dice (or more depending on formation) and that is how far you can move.)O

To advance quicker the Russian spent command points to move a second time.  (  Every unit has a commander (i.e. Colonel). He has so many command points (CP). More if he and the regiment are good, less if mediocare or poor.  Better units can do more at critical times. But when your CP are gone they are gone

Here is how it works: after the free move You may then spend a CP and do something else. Fire, remove a Morale marker or what ever.  BUT for every action there is a reaction and the enemy now gets to react against that unit and can either return fire at you or change position/facing.   But only against the enemy that spent that CP.)

The Royal Artillery opened fired on the Hussars causing casualties but more importantly put a morale chip on them. (  Morale is a sneaky system that most folks don't think a lot about until it bites them!  Since you subtract 1 pip from every die roll morale effects everything you do. Move, shot or fight it ties into morale.)

Turn Two:

The Russians won the initiative roll and continued their charge, again paying a command point to move a second tine.  

But now they were in range of not only the Royal Artillery but the rifled muskets of the 93rd.  The Highlanders fired a devastating volley; six hits and another morale chip! (Firing is simple. You throw 1D6 per stand for Infantry and 2D6 per artillery stand. Cross refinance with the firing chart for weapon vs. target and this gives you the chances for a hit. Since there is a possible saving roll you might not lose all those figures hit. .  Watch out for double 6's as they can cause a morale marker to drop onto your unit. The save chart also brings a little of the old "national modifiers" into the mix. With Russians, who get saved on a 5 or 6 no matter how many stands are left you have to beat each one with a stick until they are all dead. You get that steady, dogged feeling you read about. The British start with a high save chance (they dodge bullets like the bat man said the rules author) but as they loose stands save chances go way down so they wither away. A little fragile.)

The Russian move brought the Hussars to within two inches of the British.  Paying yet another command point they attempted to charge into close combat.  But the rifle fire caused two more hits and another morale chip.  There were now as many chips as stands so the Hussars routed away.

Turn Three:

The Russians won the initiative roll to go first.    (Close Combats takes getting used to since it is very different from most rules. You do not charge like in other rules. You move within 2' of the enemy. THEN, you would have to pay a Command Point or wait till next turn to close and fight. This gives the defender a chance to do something. Like blast the enemy with a close range volley that causes casualties or mabey a morale marker.  It is actually hard to close into close combat due to small arms fire.  But when you do it can be devastating.)

Charging forward the Lancers arrived within two inches if the 93rd. They paid a command point and charged into contact (after the 93rd fired at them).  But in the close combat the Hughlanders easily defeated the lancers.  (Uphill, and more stands) and the lancers turned about and routed.

The Cossacks seeing this also turned about to head for home.  But not before the Royal Artillery score another series of hits on them.

A fine field day said General Colin Campbell!

Conclusion:

Again a entertaining game in a cold rainy day.  This worked fine solo, but I doubt it would be much fun in a multiplayer game.  But thus us the joy if solo war gaming.  You can recreate moments if history, no matter how one sided they are without worrying if your friends will return for another game.   In addition I thought to write thus up s an explanation if his the rules worked.

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Take the cross road! A Crimean Action

 

For club game night I hosted a "Charge of The Light Brigade" game.  A Russian infantry and cavalry division attempted to capture a cross road to disrupt the Allies supply line.  A British Infantry and cavalry division with a French reinforced brigade attempted to hold that same cross road.  Victory conditions were capture and hold two of three buildings by end of game and/or reduced other side to less then 50%.

The battlefield.  The Allies are set up on the right of the picture and the Russians are set up on the left.
The three buildings represent the village.  

The battlefield from the opposite side.

The Russians (John and Warren) brought their entire Cavalry division, all four batteries and eight infantry battalions onto the table.  Another eight battalions were held in reserve.  The cavalry set up on their left flank and was to turn the allied flank while the infantry marched against the village.  All infantry was in march column formation for the race to the village criss roads.

The Allies (Phil and Kevin)  set up on their side with French on the right and the British in the center and left.  While the French commander choose to guard his flank with the cavalry the British commander placed his guns and cavalry in his center.  A most unorthodox formation!  But, it enabled them to get into two of the three buildings first so perhaps it was not so unorthodox after all!  The Allies were first into the village and quickly meet up defensive positions.  Artillery batteries were quickly in lumbered.   

  One unusual aspect of the rules I use, "The Charge of the Light Brigade" is the turn sequence and command points.  The game is a "I Go U Go" but with a twist.  Each infantry battalion, cavalry Regiment and artillery battery has a certain amount of command points (CP).  Better units have more;  sluggish or poor units have less.  Thus a Guards battalion could have 12 CP;  A Russia battalion 8 CP and poor Johnny Turk has 4 CP.  When it is your sides turn each unit may do one operation.  Move, change formation, fire, etc. Its free!  After that, each unit may do a second operation but it costs 1 CP.  So you could move again or fire again or close into close combat.   BUT if you do this the other side gets to react to it.  They can shot back at that unit.  If a battery is limbered it can unlimber.  Then, if you want you can do a third thing but it now costs 2 CP.  And the other side can react to it.  This can go on indefinitely, with each extra move costing more CP.   But once you run out of CP they are gone forever.  BTW if your battalion commander is killed you loose what CP he has.   So use them wisely and be careful! 

The Russians quickened their pace and moved forward.  They also brought their reinforcements onto the table.  But the British countered with very effective long range rifle and artillery fire against the massed columns.

On the Russian right, a column closed on the Highland Brigade.  The Highland commander cooly  directed their fire and decimated first one then a second Russian battalion.  The survivors routed back causing a chain reaction not morale checks.  

Another unusual part of the rules is moral and morale markers.  Due to casualties or other bad things happening your regiment may get a moral marker.  You can use a free move to remove it or just drag it around the board with you.  But for every marker you get, you subtract 1 from every dice roll you have to make.  And since you roll dice to move, fire,  check moral, etc this can quickly cause headaches!  As the Russian quickly found out.

On the Russian left, the cavalry division closed in on the French cavalry.  The commander chose to place his cavalry regiments one behind the other to support the first line. 

 Outnumbered, a Zouave battalion (including Mr zigzag)  drew up to support the Chasseur d'afrique.  As the Russian cavalry charged forward they took heavy fire and ran into both the French cavalry and  battalion.  This was too much and the Russian cavalry Regiment routed back into its supports.  Again this caused a massive retreat on that flank.

Times up gentleman.

The clock on the wall rang out that time was up.  With both flanks gone and the Allies secure in the village they conceded the battle.  In the words of the Russian commander, " although we lost a lot of poor  peasent soldiers tonight, at least they are now in a better place. " How thoughtful!  

Thank you to Kevin, Phil, John and Warren for playing in my game.  All agreed it was a fun game and a good time.  And its great to once again have in person events and club game night.

Charge of the Light Brigade rules

 

I have been ask a number of times what rules I use for the Crimean War. They are "Charge of the Light Brigade." A home brewed self published rules from the author David Raybin so possibly only a few of you have tried them.   I will state right off I am a big fan of these rules. I like simple rules, but with a twist. I like regiments to look like regiments.  And it is important to me that that a group of colorful miniature soldiers represents such and such a regiment.  I want a game I can play in a evening, gives a period "feel" for the time period played, have fun with and come to a conclusion.  "Charge of the Light Brigade" does all of these. Here is a essay on how they play.

The rules are a simple I Go U Go but with a difference.  Each side rolls for initiative with high side getting first go.  If you won the roll last time you add one to your roll.  Each of your regiments or batteries do one action (move, change formation, fire or remove a morale point).  To move roll two dice (or more depending on formation) and that is how far you can move.   After all your units have moved  you may spend a command point (CP) per unit and that unit may do a second thing.

  Here is something that sets this set of rules aside from all others. The author has taken the simple move/counter move system and twisted it. Every unit has a commander (i.e. Colonel). He has so many command points (CP). More if he and the regiment are good, less if mediocare or poor. Russians often get around 8 (sluggish, dull)  while British line get 12 and elite Guards might get as many of 16.  Better units can do more at critical times. But when your CP are gone they are gone.

OK, now it is your turn, and every unit on your side has done one free action. You may then spend a CP and do something else. Fire, remove a Morale marker or what ever. It gives you a chance to take advantage of something or react to what is happeneing on the table. BUT for every action there is a reaction and the enemy now gets to react against that unit and can either return fire at you or change position/facing.   But only against the enemy that spent that CP.   In a past game a Russian battalion removed a Morale pip by paying a CP. The British reacted by firing at the unit and puting 2 morale pips right on back (darn good shooting with the Guards who rolled four 6's). So you spends your money and takes your chaces.  This portion of the rules is what gets a lot of comments and attention from people who  have played this game for the first time. And rightly so. It is simple, inovative and fun. But I would recommend a GM to run the first few games you try to ensure you all stay on tract and not move ahead.  To track CP I put a sticky note under the command figure stand with the number of that units CP.

  Firing is simple. You throw 1D6 per stand for Infantry and 2D6 per artillery stand. Cross refinance with the firing chart for weapon vs. target and this gives you the chances for a hit. Since there is a possible saving roll you might not lose all those figures hit. Yes, the dreaded saving roll.  But here it takes the place of all those calculations you have to do with other rules.  Watch out for double 6's as they can cause a morale marker to drop onto your unit.  Each infantry stand has four figures. Once all four figures are gone you remove the stand.  Until then the stand fights on.

To me, the neat thing about this system is that you forget about calculation, tables and charts. Hits, saves and morale are all tied into each other. The save chart also brings a little of the old "national modifiers" into the mix. With Russians, who get saved on a 5 or 6 no matter how many stands are left you have to beat each one with a stick until they are all dead. You get that steady, dogged feeling you read about. The British start with a high save chance (they dodge bullets like the bat man said the rules auther) but as they loose stands save chances go way down so they wither away. A little fragile. Poor Johnny Turk never gets a save

Morale is a sneaky system that most folks don't think a lot about until it bites them! You get a morale pip for any number of things (crossing an obstacle, being fired at or having friends route past you). Since you subtract 1 pip from every die roll morale effects everything you do. Move, shot or fight it ties into morale.

In a past game a Russia commander with three morale markers on a regiment found out fast that he could not shoot, or save casualties with that unit. With morale markers, once you get into trouble it comes fast and furious. To me this is a superior system then used in many rules. The unit is effected, and everything it can do is effected.

Close Combats takes a bit getting used to since it is very different from most rules. You do not charge like in other rules. You move within 2' of the enemy. THEN, you would have to pay a Command Point or wait till next turn to close and fight. This gives the defender a chance to do something. Like blast the enemy with a close range volley that causes casualties or mabey a morale marker.  It is actually hard to close into close combat due to small arms fire.  But when you do it can be devastating.

  I really love these rules. The game feels like the Crimean to me based on my reading.  Also for a I Go U Go both sides get to do something so no sitting around. In my games Russians tend to form columns (or at least reinforced lines) and try and close with the British quickly.  (One player has nicked named them "Zulu's in overcoats.") Russian artillery is better then the allies and there is a lot of it.  Russian cavalry is, well, sluggish.  The British tend to want to shoot at things. And shoot a lot. Cavalry is small but very aggressive.  By the way small numbers of cavalry will not damage infantry who can usually shoot them down before they close. Many of my games have seen a single British battalion stopping massed charge like at Balaklva.  The French are interesting as their line have muskets while elite troops like Zouaves have rifles and  more CP.  So each army is very different from the other.  You have to work with what you have and get the best out of them.

Action on the Bulganak River, 19 September 1854

 

Following their landed at Kalamita Bay on 18 September 1854, the Allied Army started south towards the port of Sebastapol.   During the March the armies became strung out over a great distance and the British and French forces had become separated.  Being outnumbered significantly by the Russian cavalry it proved very difficult for British patrols to locate the Russian forces, and so the Allies moved blindly forward.    The main Russian field army was positioned on the high ground overlooking the River Alma. The Russians had deployed a detachment forward of the main position under the command of General Kiriakoff, consisting of numerous cavalry and Cossacks regiments, two Infantry regiments (eight battalions) and artillery.

On the afternoon of 19 September the allied army reached a small river, the Bulganak, beyond which was a ridge that blocked the view to the south. On the summit of the ridge sat a group of Cossacks. At this point the British army was stretched out over several miles.  The British sent the Light Cavalry Brigade with a Horse Artillery battery to scout  the ridge.  

The battlefield before them consisted of a shallow river and ridge line beyond it.  From that ridge   the ground dropped away to a valley, beyond which was a second ridge. The British cavalry commande could see Russian Cossacks on the ridge but nothing beyond it.  He sent back for reinforcements and moved the cavalry forward to investigate.  He knew the British Light Division was near by for support.

At this is the point the historical narrative ends and our table top battle begins . 

The British Light Cavalry Brigade and Royal Horse Artillery advance into the valley.  Confronted by Russian cavalry they move forward to engage the enemy and give time for the Light Division to arrive.  

The Russian cavalry spend extra command points to move to contact (each unit has command points to do extra things.  Once spent they are gone.  Better units have more pounts, poorer units less).  In the ensuing melee the British cavalry is sent running from the field!  The Royal Horse Artillery keeps the Cossacks at bay and soon the 1st Brigade of the Light Division has arrived.  They take position on the Heights.  During this time the Russian commander has advanced his infantry across the valley determined to push the British off the field.

Deployed along the ridge line the British await the Russian assault.  The 1st Brigade of the Light Division firm line with artillery support.  The 2nd brigade  is just crossing the stream.  Lord Lucan arrives to try and rally the cavalry after Cardigan's folly.  

Meanwhile the Russian cavalry fall back behind the infantry and artillery numbers up to move forward to get into better range. Both regiments advance steadily maintain spacing.  The masses infantry makes a noble sight.   At this point aged veterans from the peninsula campaigns must be feeling deja vu which is not helped by Lord Raglan mumbling about the French coming in in the old way.

On the Russian left flank four battalion converge on the British.  The 7th Royal Fusiliers and Royal Artillery opened a devastating fire which killed one of the battalion commanders.  But not enough to stop the masses columns who closed and drove the Fusilier back.  In the center the Royal Welch Fusiliers held firm and stoped the columns while the 88th delivered a heavy fire that also stoped the attack on that flank.  Raglan moved the 19th Regiment to protect the British right flank.  The brigade and Division commanders rushed to rally the Fusilier regiment and organized a counter attack.

The British 88th drive back the two battalions in front of them but things were coming unglued. 

 The Russians continued their relentless advance.  They Drive back both the 19th and 7th Fusilier as well as over running the guns.  In addition the Russian cavalry double times it's movement to get into the fight on the left flank.  

The British flank uncovered, Russians mounted a counter attack also by the line and almost no reinforcements available the British commander orders a withdrawal.  The masses of Russian columns were too much for the British this time.  

Conclusion: This was a most enjoyable scenario that in have wanted to fight out for a while.  And I will return to it again.  I think the key to the Russian victory was aggressive use of their artillery (which is very good) and paying extra command points to move extra.  This gave them less time under fire and closing to close contact quicker. Due to the small size of the table and the large number of regiments I did not enforce the six inches between Russian columns rule.  

 I should have had the British use their command points to fire extra times.  The key for the British is to get a number of morale  markets onto the Russian columns to reduce their effectiveness. Remember that for each market you subtract 1 from every due roll.   But it was great fun getting these rules and figures out again.  I think another battle or two in the next month would be grand.  Perhaps the attack of the British 1st and Light Division at the Alma.  Or the French attack on the Russian position at the Akma.  We shall see.

One other thing I learned from this game was my table space here at home is too small.  I have two folding tables which create a six foot by five foot table.  I think this works for small games (see Hobkirk Hill) but not for this number of regiments.  I felt the board was too crowded.  Let's see what a second table can do!