In this scenario, Prussian units are seeking routes for the invasion of France. Small French forts are defending those routes. We see in these pictures one such small fort and a bridge that the French are defending and the Prussians will seek to take and hold.
Order of Battle
Each side has one artillery unit, one cavalry unit, one skirmish unit and three infantry units. One figure represents a unit. One unit represents ten soldiers.
The French army is located at the fort with one infantry unit guarding the bridge. The French will move the cavalry, skirmishers and infantry to support the bridge when it is attacked. The Prussians enter from the east. They will move up the road except for the cavalry which will head for an unguarded ford.
The French are defenders. The Prussians are attackers. I played the attacker.
Rules
Rules are from One Hour Wargames. Units may not move and shoot in the same round. Hits are counted in the standard fashion. Game play is move first, shoot second. Cavalry can move 12 inches, skirmishers can move 9 inches, and infantry can move six inches. Artillery can only fire at targets it can see (line of sight). Cavalry is used most effectively in flank and rear attacks.
An events card deck was used to introduce random elements, surprise and suspense.
Battle Report
The Prussian skirmish unit reached the bridge first. At the same time, the cavalry reached the unguarded ford. The skirmisher began firing and the French units marched to support the bridge unit. The artillery units begin firing at each other.
The Prussian infantry now are in range of the French bridge unit and can fire. That unit is routed in the same round that the French cavalry unit arrives on the bridge. It fires but when the French infantry units arrive, the cavalry unit withdraws.
Before the French infantry arrives, it is attacked on the flank by the Prussian cavalry. The attack is repulsed. The Prussian cavalry regrouped a second time before the French infantry could get on the bridge, but the second attack was repulsed also.
The Prussian cavalry now races to circle a stand of trees so that it can attack the artillery from the flank.
By this time the first French infantry unit has been taken out of action as has the Prussian artillery unit.
The French cavalry assaulted the Prussian cavalry from the rear and wiped them out. The remainder of the French infantry units are routed and the Prussian skirmish unit is now out of action. But the Prussian infantry unit takes possession of the bridge.
The French cavalry unit rushes across the battle field and crosses the ford, allowing it to attack the Prussian infantry on the bridge from the rear. One infantry unit is taken out of action but the attack is repulsed. The remaining infantry units have rotated to face the cavalry unit, which now gallops away.
The Prussians have taken their objective at the loss of four out of six units. The French have lost four out of six and control of the bridge. However, the French artillery unit can pelt the bridge with impunity so if the game continued a few more rounds Prussian infantry units holding the bridge would be decimated.
Elapsed time: 24 minutes.
Conclusion
This game was enjoyable. The action was fast and I did not feel short-changed when it ended. The events cards are an important aspect of the game mechanics. The cavalry added movement to the game and that extended the duration beyond what it would have been had this just been a standard shooting match between infantry units and artillery.
However, I made a mistake in applying the game rules. The cavalry are not allowed to shoot during this era. The outcome probably was not affected. On the other hand, a more appropriate use of the French cavalry would have been to guard the infantry so that the Prussian cavalry unit could not charge them.
In a second play-through, the French cavalry protected the infantry. However, the die rolled against them. After a few head to head charges between the two cavalry units, The French cavalry were destroyed. The Prussian cavalry swung around to the side of the artillery and charged them, destroying the artillery unit. After ten rounds (23 minutes), the French were entirely wiped out, even though their tactics were better in this replay. The luck of the event cards and in the roll of the die make the outcomes of these battles uncertain, which is what makes solo play entertaining.
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