BLACKPOWDER V2 TIPS FOR PLAYERS No 4: RISK TO COMMANDERS

RISK TO COMMANDERS.

After a question on the TGG Friends Group I thought I should clarify these rules.  This applies to command figures – brigadiers and higher ranking officers.  We are using the rules set out at page 74 of the BP2 book.

Importantly these figures cannot be individually targeted by shooting or attacked in hand to hand combat.  

If they are displaced by a moving enemy unit and there is no friendly unit within a normal move then they fall casualty.  This is very rare in fact I have never seen it happen.

They are only really at risk if they have joined a unit – either by giving a successful Rally or Follow me Order when they must join the unit involved or by being displaced to a friendly unit by enemy unit movement.  They are considered attached to the unit until the start of their next turn.

If the unit is destroyed then the commander is also removed.

If the unit suffers excess casualties (i.e. over their shaken level) due to shooting or hand to hand combat roll a dice for each excess casualty - any score of 6 results in the commander being removed as a casualty.

LOST COMMANDERS

There is no rule in BP2 about what happens when a commander becomes a casualty.  The convention we have used in previous games which we are using for TGG is that they are replaced by a substitute at the end of their side’s next movement phase.  This substitute has a command level 1 less than the original commander (usually 8 down to 7).  They are a less experienced subordinate or possibly a favoured nephew.

BLACKPOWDER V2 TIPS FOR PLAYERS No 3: CAVALRY CHARGING INFANTRY AND SQUARES

Introduction

I thought it would be useful to run through the rules for cavalry charging infantry and squares.

In TGG we are using the ‘Battalion Square’ rules described at Page 88 of the rules.  These squares are formed by the individual infantry battalions.  The large multi-unit ‘Brigade Squares’ described at Page 91 of the rules are not appropriate to Napoleonics as they are formations from nineteenth century colonial actions. 

A Battalion Square can be formed by a unit in the command phase or as a reaction to a charge if a unit has the ‘Form Square’ special rule.  All the Napoleonic infantry battalions have the ‘Form Square’ special rule which is probably better called ‘Must Form Square’.

Unengaged units that have the ‘Form Square’ special rule even if disordered must as their charge response attempt to form square when charged by cavalry to their front.  They have no choice in this matter. If charged to their flank or rear they cannot respond to a charge.  A unit that attempts to form square as a response to a cavalry charge cannot deliver closing fire – attempting to form square is its charge response. 

A charging cavalry unit must have enough movement to reach the charged infantry unit.  The cavalry unit moves until it is 3” away from the infantry unit.  The infantry unit using the ‘Form Square’ response tests to form square by rolling 2 D6.  On a score of 12 the infantry unit forms square but is disordered.  On a score of 2 the infantry unit does not form square, becomes disordered and receives the charge at the halt.  A disordered unit that successfully forms square is still disordered.

Cavalry can only declare a charge against or charge home on a disordered or shaken square.  The cavalry get no charging bonus including any from Special rules in the combat.  Cavalry must charge home if able to do so.  If they cannot charge home the cavalry unit can use whatever movement it has left to move back or move around the side of the square as preferred.  I must admit I have never seen this move around option used in a game.

Other important things about Squares

A unit cannot move or come out of square if enemy cavalry are within 12”.

A square can make 1 move per turn at half speed towards its base line and this is a free move like for march columns.

A square has 1 shooting dice per face.

A square fights with no more than 2 dice per face.  If engaged on multiple faces the total dice used in combat by the unit cannot exceed its hand to hand value.”
.

A square gets +3 combat result when fighting enemy cavalry, but this is negated if also fighting enemy infantry.     

Squares cannot be supported but can support.

A square ignores all break tests results other than Break.

My final tips

Cavalry should charge infantry in their flank.  It is very difficult to beat even a shaken square that cavalry can charge home on.

If your cavalry move back and remain with 12” of a square, try to ensure you have units to fire at the immobile square in your next turn.  Squares are vulnerable to artillery and also musketry as they have few firing dice.

Shake the enemy infantry before you countenance sending in your cavalry in frontal attacks.

BLACKPOWDER V2 TIPS FOR PLAYERS No 2: OPTIONS FOR VICTORIOUS UNITS

Introduction

For my second set of tips I decided to deal with the options for Victorious Units. This section of the V2 rules has significant changes from V1.  A Victorious Unit is one which has been in Hand to Hand combat, and all of whose opponent enemy units either Retire or Break.  It can do the following actions see Pg 72.

ADVANCE UPON THE RETIRING ENEMY

SWEEPING ADVANCE

SWEEPING ADVANCE AND CHARGE

DO NOTHING

CHANGE FORMATION

FALL BACK

OCCUPY BUILDINGS

The first 3 three options are new or amended compared with version 1 of the rules. See Pg 73.

ADVANCE UPON THE RETIRING ENEMY

The unit moves back into contact with the retiring enemy unit.  It must have a normal move that allows it to do so.  So, infantry cannot Advance Upon Retiring enemy cavalry.  A Victorious Unit can do this even if Shaken or Disordered.  The engagement continues in the following turn with the advancing unit counting as having won the previous round.  If there is not enough space to move or the Retiring unit has retired through Friends, then the ‘Advance Upon’ cannot occur.

SWEEPING ADVANCE

This is only an option following the first round of a combat where the unit charges or counter-charges and the enemy either Retire or Break.  The unit can make a move to its own front up to its usual move distance without contacting the enemy.  Disordered units cannot make a Sweeping Advance.

SWEEPING ADVANCE AND CHARGE

This is only an option following the first round of a combat where a cavalry unit   charges or counter-charges and the enemy Break.  The unit can make a Sweeping Advance to its own front and charge an enemy unit.  This creates a new combat engagement which is worked out immediately.

Units which are Disordered or Shaken cannot make a Sweeping Advance and Charge.  Cavalry units can only make a Sweeping Advance and Charge once during a turn.  However they can make a Sweeping Advance and Charge followed by a Sweeping Advance.

The enemy being charged by the Sweeping Advance can only respond by Holding their Ground or Turning to Face if cavalry.   So there can be no response of closing fire, counter-charging, evading or forming square.  This makes Sweeping Advance and Charge very dangerous.

Note that British Heavy cavalry with the Gallop useful rule, if able to do so, must always make an Advance Upon the Retiring Enemy, a Sweeping Advance or a Sweeping Advance and Charge move, even if this takes them off the table.

BLACKPOWDER V2 TIPS FOR PLAYERS No 1 DISENGAGING

I thought I would let you see the tips for players that I produced for the players before The Great Game in Glasgow.  Here is the first of the four of them.  The others will follow over the coming days.

Introduction

It may be glorious to get all of your units heavily involved in the action but that may well not allow you to get to day 2 of the Great Game with some of your units intact.  We want as many players as possible to get to Day 2.  This is not tactical advice on formations/reserves etc. - its all about what you can use in the rules.

It is important to know how you can withdraw your units and how to recover their strength.  Firstly understand when to retire your units which have heavy casualties especially once they get to a Shaken state i.e. Casualties equal to their stamina, as any further casualties from shooting will make them take a Break test and they are vulnerable in hand to hand combat.  Secondly understand how to recover casualties from units and make full use of it

Note that units in Hand to Hand combat cannot be Ordered including Rallying Pg 67.

How to disengage

Retire under Initiative

A unit which is unengaged can use an initiative move to retire facing the enemy Pg 36.  They can interpenetrate friendly units with no penalty Pg 37.  You can also attempt to order them to make multiple moves away from the action but that is not guaranteed.

Disorderly Retreat

An unengaged disordered unit within proximity range of the enemy can use an initiative order to make a Disorderly Retreat Pg 51.  This allows them to retire facing the enemy but they do not recover disorder at the end of their turn – their disorder lasts to the end of their following turn.  Best to represent this with a 2^nd disorder marker and simply remove 1 at the end of their turn.  This is new in version 2.

Fall Back

A unit which in hand to hand combat makes all of its engaged opponents Break or Retire can make a move to its rear even if disordered.

How to Rally

Infantry battalion and cavalry regiment commanders plus Brigadiers & Divisional Generals can issue a Rally Order to one of their units each turn if it is within 12” of the command figure.  “Rally round me lads!” Pg 34.

If successful the commander moves to the unit, joins them and removes a casualty from them.  It is the last command that the commander issues in the Order phase.   A unit with one casualty cannot be given a Rally order so the final casualty can never be removed.

The command figure remains with the rallied unit until the end of their opponents turn.  This does make the commander risk being a casualty if the unit suffers excess casualties pg 74  or being lost if the unit breaks as the result of a break test pg 74.

The other way to lose Units

Also remember that units which Retire from Hand to Combat have to make a full Retire move and if they end up on top of a friendly unit at the end of their move they get to make a 2^nd Retire move.  If this 2nd move also ends up with them on top of another friendly unit they Break and are Destroyed.  So be aware of the available space behind your units.

REICHARDTSWERBEN: SAXONY AUTUMN 1757– THE 2ND YEAR OF THE 3RD SILESIAN WAR

In the autumn Donald Adamson and I combined to buy Angus Konstam’s 28mm Front Rank Reichsarmee.  Donald and I both already had figures suitable for the Seven Years War.  I had 2 brigades of AWI Hessian and Brunswickers who could be employed on the Prussian side.  Over the winter I added appropriate cavalry, staff and Grenz units to my Reichsarmee contingent.  So we decided that once I had cleared my entire table from the debris of various projects that we would put on a Seven Years War game.  I finally achieved this in early February.  John Perkin brought along his French units to bolster the Reichsarmee. The first wargames book I bought was Charge or How to Play Wargames in 1967.  So the Seven Years War has always been one of my favourite periods and finally I have the toys to play it in 28mm.

The field of battle - Prussians on right - Sud Farm  in foreground - in distance the walls of Reichardtswerben

We played the game over 2 Wednesdays.  It was a fictional scenario based on the campaign in Saxony in 1757.  Sorry no prizes for guessing the historical inspiration.  We used Black powder with our alternative turn sequence with some additional 18^th century rules listed at the end of this report.
Players day 1 Allied French John Perkin,  Reichsarmee  myself,  Prussian – Donald Adamson and Iain Gale.
Players day 2 Allied French John Perkin,  Reichsarmee  Tim Watson,  Prussian – Donald Adamson and Colin Jack, Umpire Myself.

Donald - Frederick the Great,  Iain - Seydlitz

John - Charles de Rohan, Myself  - Saxe Hildburghuasen

Here is a link to my photos on flickr
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmLrG3r9

The scenario
Near Reichardtswerben Saxony autumn 1757 – the 2^nd year of the Third Silesian War.

The allied French and Reichsarmee are moving slowly eastwards to join the Austrian forces in Silesia.  They are facing a force under Frederick II of Prussia which has marched from Silesia to face this incursion into his vital milch cow of Saxony.

The armies are near the small fortress town of Reichardtswerben where the Prussians camped the previous night.  The Allied commanders (Charles de Rohan duke of Rohan-Rohan, and Joseph Maria Frederick Wilhelm of Saxe Hildburghausen) are confident in their numerical superiority and have decided to manoeuvre their forces to the south of the town turning the Prussian left either to bring on a battle or at least threatening their supply lines to the east. 

The allies have 4 infantry brigades 2 French and 2 Reichsarmee with supporting cavalry, artillery and numbers of Croats.  The Prussians have 3 infantry brigades, cavalry and artillery.

As the allies begin their advance they realise that part of the Prussian army has moved south from Reichardtswerben bringing on the engagement they were seeking.

Donald massing on Schloss Ridge

Reichsarmee take position around Sud Farm

Day 1 struggle for the Wald Forest

What happened

The allies decided to use the French contingent to screen the advance of the Reichsarmee as it carried out the turning movement.   The advance did not get far as they discovered the Prussian army arrayed against them.  The Prussians engaging the French with one infantry brigade whilst their other 2 infantry brigades took on the untested Reichs infantry.  The Prussian commanders on the first day of the game, Donald and Iain, proved to be hesitant concerned due to their perceived numerical inferiority and missed their opportunity to strike a heavy blow with their ‘Superbly Disciplined’ infantry on the poor quality Reichsarmee. They made a single brigade advance on the Wald Forest which was held by the ‘Freshly Raised’ Imperial infantry and then withdrew having lost a single unit.  Their only cavalry attacked bounced of the target Reichsarmee battalion due to their disordering fire. 

On the second day of play there was a more general engagement with the Prussians launching a major attack on the Reichsarmee.  The highlight was the crushing attack of the left flank Prussian cuirassier brigade which shattered the Reichsarmee Dragoons.  However the Cuirassiers were than scattered by the gallant Hungarian Hussars  (they of the fiercer moustaches!).  Luckily the Prussian Grenadiers had carried the Sud farm and this success prevented their left flank from collapsing.  At the end of play the Prussian Army had suffered heavier losses than their stunned opponents who claimed the day.

View from north - French occupy the Waldberg - but Prussians are resolute on the line of the ridge

Walls of Reichardtswerben - defended by Prussian soldier's wives and a flock of sheep

The exhausted players after 2 days of action.

Orders of Battle

Prussian Army

3 Infantry brigades of 4 Battalions
2 Cuirassier Regts
2 Dragoon Regts
Cuir Regt & Drag Regt
3 Artillery batteries
3 Btn guns

Allied Army

2 Reichs infantry brigades of 4 battalions
2 French infantry brigades of 4 battalions
2 Grenz detachments (small units)
2 Reichs Drag Regts
2 Austrian Hussar Regts
2 French Horse Regts (small units)
2 French Dragoon Regts (small units)
4 Artillery batteries
2 Btn guns

Command Levels

The Prussian CinC was rated 9 and their brigadiers rated as 8. Reichsarmee and French commanders were rated 8 except the 2 French infantry commanders who were rated 7s.

PERIOD SPECIFIC HOUSE RULES – mainly from Last Argument of Kings

Cavalry which become Disordered by closing fire retire disordered one move.

Infantry in combat with cavalry get a +1 combat resolution if they have a flank which is secure against cavalry even if the flank is not supported by a friendly unit,  The flank is secure i.e. by a building or terrain impenetrable to cavalry.   

Artillery, other than battalion guns, once deployed cannot be manhandled or relimbered but can turn in place as a move.

Infantry in line cannot use more than 2 moves.

1745 AND AYE THAT!

On Monday Donald Adamson and I took forward a long term objective as we played the 1745 Campaign from ‘The Last Argument of Kings’ supplement.  I supplied the table and basic terrain and Donald provided all the troops.  The battles were fought with15mm figures and so we halved the movement and ranges in the Black Powder rules.  We used our usual alternative sequence for the rules – Initiative Moves, Shooting, Commanded Moves and Melee plus some specific amendments for the 18^th century.

Donald took the part of the Hanoverian player and I was Bonnie Prince Charlie.  I rolled a 4 when I unfurled the Jacobite Royal standard at Glenfinnan giving me 5 Highland regiments so I decided to forego a reroll and marched at once to Edinburgh to meet the Sir John Cope’s army at Prestonpans.

Donald deployed his 4 infantry units in historical order with his 3 guns on their right and his 2 regiments of dragoons split to on either flank.  My right wing of 3 Highland regiments under Lord George Murray rapidly advanced and engaged Donald’s left of 2 battalions and Hamilton’s dragoons.  One infantry unit broke and fled from the terrifying Highland charge.  While the other retired and was destroyed in melee as the Highlanders followed them up.  The Dragoons repeatedly retired and then ran from the field.  My other 2 highland units screened this attack from the movement of the Hanoverian right wing.  I lost the Camerons in hand to hand combat but the arrival of the victorious right wing broke all the remaining Hanoverian units.

Prestonpans - Jacobites mass against Hanoverian left

Donald as General Cope prepares his victory message!

First Hanoverian Btn flees from the terrifying charge

Second  Hanoverian Btn broken in melee

Colonel Gardner leads his Regt home in rout

Once we did the recovery rolls I had lost no units whilst Donald had lost 3 infantry units and all his guns.  The survivors one infantry unit and the dragoons retired to join Field Marshal Wade.  I rolled badly on the Jacobite Victory table and got an upgrade to a single unit – I made a highland unit tough fighters. 

I decided to leave enough troops to effectively besiege Edinburgh and Stirling giving me another roll on the Jacobite Victory table – yet again an upgraded unit.  With only 2 units available to march into England I abandoned that plan and stayed in Scotland – giving me another roll on the Victory table –yet again an upgraded unit.  Luckily for me Donald’s Royal Navy Blockade roll was the worst he could get and I received 2 full units of Irish Piquets, a French Horse Regt and enough arms and money to make my last 2 Highland units tough fighters.

Facing an invasion of Scotland by Field Marshal Wade I decided to take the option of making a stand near Stirling and so brought on the Battle of Falkirk.  My Jacobites had their original 5 Highland regiments, now all tough fighters, the 2 full units of Irish Piquets, the French Horse Regt and 3 guns.  Donald allowing me to use the guns captured at Prestonpans – a true gentleman.  Donald as FM Wade had 14 Line infantry units, a Horse Regt, 3 Dragoon Regts and 4 guns. 

Being massively outnumbered but knowing my Highlanders Terrified all the units in the opposing army I decided to launch all the Highlanders supported by the French Horse at the Hanoverian left wing – consisting of 6 Dutch infantry Regts, a Horse Regt and a Dragoon Regt.  The Piquets and the 3 guns I deployed as a delaying force on my left wing.   So it was a bigger version of my Prestonpan’s plan.

It started well with the Highlanders and the French horse advancing a single move but then it all went wrong.  The British and French Horse met in melee and the French were pushed back 3 turns in a row before they broke.  Some truly abysmal dicing by me.  This continued and from turn 2 onwards I never managed to get the Highlanders to move.  Even using the Bonnie Princes rerolls and then his increasingly desperate follow me attempts.  Truly appalling!  The Highlanders just took more and more shooting hits without scoring much in return from the 3 Dutch battalions in the first line (they were deployed in 2 lines) and the 4 Hanoverian guns.  It was very sad.  One Jacobite highlight was a British Dragoon Regt charging a Highland unit in the rear and bouncing off!

On my left 6 British Infantry units and 2 Dragoon Regts broke the gallant Irish Piquets (2 regiments).  Watching the utter fiasco of the completely stalled Highland attack the Bonnie Prince turned his gallant steed and rode quickly for a French ship at Montrose.

It was good fun – Prestonpans was very historic and Falkirk turned into an even grimmer Culloden.

Link to all my photos on flickr
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmJMUZfH

Falkirk - the Jacobites massed to smash the Dutch wing of Wade's army

Irish Piquets doomed struggle

Highlanders stuck on the front of the ridge - immobile - Charles Edward thinking of best road to Montrose

Given the strength of the Hanoverian forces in England the Jacobites need very good rolls on the Jacobite Victory table to stand any chance of invading England.  Which I never got.  Also, they need to deploy more troops to besiege Edinburgh and Stirling Castles than the garrisons can deploy (1 Hanoverian unit is held to be in each garrison) – that commits 3 of the Jacobite units.  That rule needs changing and I think you need to set a minimum size of force that the Jacobites have to attain before they can even think of invading England.  Also another option is to give the Jacobites a +1 for each subsequent roll on the Victory table.  In addition, there has to be some option for the Jacobites avoiding Wade’s army, as happened historically, when invading England (perhaps a role of 4-6?) – If I was the Hanoverian player, I would always get Wade to march to Carlisle – what else would he do!

Anyway, great fun, and more than enough to make us want to do it again with suitable tweaks. Also we are now inspired to consider the 1715 Campaign.

JACOBITE 1745	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Useful Rules
Highland Clan	Musket, Pistol, Sword	Warband Infantry	7	2	4	3	First Fire, Terrifying
Lowlanders	Musket	Reg Infantry	6	3	4	3
French Piquets	Musket	Reg Infantry	4	2	4	2	First Fire, Reliable
Horse	Sword, Carbine	Cavalry	4	0/2	4	2	Mounted Infantry
Light Artillery	Artillery	Smoothbore	1	3-2-1	4	2

HANOVERIAN 1745	Weapon	Type	H_H	Shooting	Morale	Stamina	Useful Rules
Guards	Musket	Reg Infantry	7	3	3	4	First Fire, Reliable
Line Infantry	Musket	Reg Infantry	6	3	4	3	First Fire
Highland Infantry	Musket	Reg Infantry	6	3	4	3	First Fire
Yeoman/Recruits	Musket	Reg Infantry	6	3	5	3	Freshly Raised
Horse	Sword	Cavalry	8		4	3	Hvy Cav +1
Dragoons	Sword, Carbine	Cavalry	6/4	0/2	4	3	Mounted Infantry, Freshly Raised?
Light Artillery	Artillery	Smoothbore	1	3-2-1	4	2

Small units reduce Hand to Hand by 2, Shooting by 1 and Stamina by 1.

First Fire           Add1 dice to first shooting

Skirmish           Can adopt skirmish formation

Reliable            Add1 to Command Level

Terrifying          Charged opponents must take a break test

Mounted Inf      Can combine a mount /dismount to any move order, cannot be combined    with a charge. On foot they skirmish.



PERIOD SPECIFIC HOUSE RULES – mainly from Last Argument of Kings

Cavalry which become Disordered by closing fire retire disordered one move.

Infantry with secure cover on a flank count this as a support in combat resolution.

Artillery, other than battalion guns, once deployed cannot be manhandled or relimbered but can turn in place as move.

Infantry in line cannot use more than 2 moves.