Riding into a new Wargaming Era (an imaginations game)

In this 19th Century battle the Sabaudians encounter the forces of the Empire. Charles Wesencrafts' Practical Wargaming rules were in use on ... Skiptothecontent CloseMenu BlogFeed ThehillofMoulet-ArlesattheGapofMoulet-Arles Yepcreaselinesshowupinpictures–atleastIknowthecentrelineofthebattlefieldthough. Thisbattlefieldisatakeonafewwherearoadjunctionprovidesthefocusoftheactionasforcescollideduetopoorscouting.Iquicklydrewamaplookingtocreateabottlenecktobefoughtover. OnthisscrapofpaperMoulet-Arlesappearsfromnowhere.Maybeitwilljustasquicklybeforgotten? Narrative Saveloniahasbeenwrackedbyinsurrectionandrevolution.Nothingnewhereastheregionhasbeenfraughtwithinstability.SabaudiaandSaveloniaoccupythewesternlandsoftheEmpirewhichhadseenbetterdays. YettheEmperorRaymondhasseenhisfortunesimproveinrecenttimesandfeelscompelledtoshowsomestrengthintheregion. MeanwhileKingNikolaofSabaudiaseesopportunitiestoexpandhiskingdomandinfluence. TheprovisionalgovernmentofSaveloniahadalreadyappealedtoKingNikolaforassistancesoitwaseasytoframehisresponseascomingtotheassistanceofdowntroddenpeoplesstilllivingunderthehardbootoftheImperialists. TheEmperororderedhisforcestomobilise. GeneralGutensteinmarchedsouthandwestthroughtheCrownlandsofPommardiaandthroughsomeminorduchiesbeforereachingtheborderlandsofSavelonia.Itisapityhismajestyhadnotthoughttobuildhisverynewfangledrailwayswherethearmyneededtomarch,theGeneralthought,ashisforcesstruggledthroughthemudundergreyanddarkeningskies. HehadsentaheadGeneralHartmannapromisingyoungofficer.GeneralHartmannhad2battalionsofriflemenalongwith2squadronsoflightcavalryplus2horseguns. HisordersweretoseizetheroadjunctionsaroundMoulet-Arles.Localguidesinformedhimtheareawasknownasthe“GapofMoulet-Arles”owingtoadenseforesttothewestandsomehighgroundtotheeast.threeroadscametogetheratMoulet-ArlesandjustoneroadledsouthwestintotheSavelonianheartlands.Hartmannnotedthathismapsdidnotshowthesefeaturesassignificant.Hepushedhismenonasthegreycloudsdispersedalittle. TotheSouthWestGeneralForlancursedtheweather,thepeople,theroadsandtheKingsLogisticsCorpsorratherlackofone. HisforceshadbeenlateleavingtheirconcentrationpointsandthentherevolutionariesinSaveloniahadbeencreatinghavoc.AtleasthehadcorralledtherebelliontojustthethreemajorcitiesintheGrandDuchy.ThishadgiventheProvisionalGovernmentsomeorder.ItwaslittletimeinwhichtopreparefortheinevitableresponsebytheEmpire. NowhehadwordofImperialforcesgatheringtothenortheast.HehadsentGeneralDucrotforwardtosecurewhatlookedlikeakeyroadjunctionatMoulet-Arles. GeneralDucrotwasyouraveragetimeservedofficeroftheEmpirewhohadoptedtomakehislatercareerwiththekingdomandfranklythisexplosionofactivitylateintheyearhadnotbeentoGeneralDucrots’likingwithhisplanstoenjoythespatownsoftheDrabzanMountainsnowputonhold. Andtheweatherwasturningbaditwouldseem. GeneralDucrotconsideredhisordersagain.TakethetworoadjunctionsofMoulet-Arlesdrivingoffanyenemy.HisbattalionofChasseurswerekeyandweresupportedby2squadronsoflightcavalryand2battalionsoflineinfantry.HisonehorsegunlefthimvunerablebutfromwhathehadheardtheImperialistswereonly“demonstrating”–abitofsabrerattling. AshecamewithinsightofMoulet-Arlestherainseemedtointensify,itcertainlydarkeneddespiteitbeinglatemorningalready. Ducrot’schasseursdeploynorthofMoulet-ArlestowardsPetitMoulet-Arles.HIslightcavalrypushwestbytheForezenMouletandtothewesthisothersquadronclimbthehill.Thefirstlineinfantrybattalionarrivesinthevillage.Jobdone! DucrotcarelesslyreconnoitresbeyondhisforcesasanEmpirecavalryforceridestowardsPetitMoulet-Arles WiththeSabaudianforcesalmostallinpositiontheImperialistsfindtheiruseoftheroadcongested ThelightcavalryundertheirrespectiveGeneralsfaceuptoeachother FirstbloodgoestotheImperialistsastheSabaudianLightCavalryhavetheworstofit HeavyRainslowsallactivityandtheheathasgoneoutofthebattle–literally Heavyrainnowsweepsacrossthebattlefieldandmovementallbutceases.BotharmiesmainforcesarecomingupbutwiththelightfadingfastGeneralHartmannconcludesthathisdayisdone.LeavingabattalionofriflemeninPetitMoulet-Arleshewithdrawsalittlewayawayandseeksneworders. LaterthateveningtheImperialistsretireleavingGeneralDucrotandtheSabaudianforcestoenjoythedubiousdelightsofMoulet-Arlesonaverywetandsoddenground. TheWargame Thenarrativewasbuiltlargelyfromthewargameoutcomeswithonlythenaming,originofthewaretc.beingnecessaryadditions. Settingupthegame WithmylatestwargamesfadbeingpostNapoleonicwarfareIjusthadtogetsomegamesin. Sotherewasadegreeofimprovisationnecessary. CurrentlyIampaintingarmiesforthe1850’sandwithnonecompletethatcouldnotbemystartingpoint.HelpwasathandthroughCharlesWesencraft’sPracticalWargaming(WPW).WhileIwaslookingathisFrancoPrussianrulesIrealisedtheywereabuildonhisNapoleonicrulesinthesamebook.AddedtothatIhadsomeNapoleonicFiguresreadytouseandthedecisionwasmade. ThiswasaFauxNapoleonicgame.ThankyouRenaissannceTroll! TheideaforthisgamewastheFrancoPrussianscenariosetoutinchapter14ofsection6entitled“howmanygenerals?”.AndthebookwasDonaldFeatherstonesAdvancedWargames(DFAW). Thescenariowrittenformultipleplayersseestwoforcescollidehavingsentoutadvancedgauards.Thequestioniswhocanfeedintheirmainelementsandreargaurdsmosteffectively. Alsoobjectivesaredefinedbytheongoingcampaign–soyoudon’tplayfastandloose“onegame”tactics. TheImperialForceswere AdvancedGuardledbyGeneralHartman(+1)withStaffOfficerKroos(0) 2BattalionsofJagers(M2,M2)2SquadronsofLightCavalry(M2,M2)2Horseguns(M2,M2) MainBodyledbyGeneralGutenstein(+1) 1BattalionoftheImperialGuardsmen2SquadronsofHeavyCavalry7BattalionsofLineInfantry2Fieldguns Rearguard Notspecified TheseforceshadbecomebrokenupandwereallheadingondifferentroadswhichconvergedatMoulet-Arles. Inthe“WPW”rulesstaffofficersprovidesomevariationandcontrolwhenplayingfacetofaceopponentsgivingeachstaffofficeratemporary+1ondierollswiththeunittheyarewith.Itweakedthisbymakingstaffofficersthemselvesvariabletointroducesomemorefrictionforsoloplay.AndGeneralswereincludedtoaccountforanydecisionstheymade. General/StaffOfficer6onaD6=+2General/StaffOfficer4or5onaD6=+1General/StaffOfficer1,2or3onaD6=0 SotheImperialforceswerewellblessedwithleaders TurningtotheSabaudianswehad TheAdavancedGuardledbyGeneralDucrot(0)withstaffofficerHautois(+1) 1BattalionofChasseurs(M3)2SquadronsofLightCavalry(M2,M2)2BattalionsofLineInfantry(M2,M1)1HorseGun(M1) TheMainbodyledbyGeneralForlan(0) 2BattalionsofGuardInfantry5BattalionsofLineInfantry2SquadronsofHeavyCavalry3Fieldguns TheMandnumbervalueforeachadvancedguardunitdenotestheirmoraleclassificationontheday.WPWassumesthattopnotchunitscanunderperformandrawunitsoutperformthemselvesonanyoneday.ThishelpswithCampaignsorthesortofnarrativegamingIdo.Notmuchusetothe“lists”gamersthough–fartooconfusing. SoM3denotesaunitintopform,M2averageconditionandM1–wellyouneedtorollyourdicehighwhentestingmorale! Idicedforalltheunitsinthemainbodies–whentheywouldarriveandbywhichroad(3optionsfortheImperialforces!) Intheeventthegameendedswiftlybecauseofsometimingdecisionsandtheweather. NowtherehasalwaysbeensomethingdifferenttomeaboutCharlesWesencrafts’rules.Maybeitisbecausebackthenmywargamesruleswerefrombasicallyoneauthor–DonaldFeatherstone:GavinLyall,TerryWiseandCharlesGrantallpassedmebyforexample. AnywayWPWgivesyouapackage–nothingoutrageous–itisacompletepackageandeverythinghasitsplace.WithDonaldFeatherstoneIalwaysfeltIcouldemphasiseruleaspectssacrificingotherswithlittlethoughttotheoverallgame.WithWPWIbasicallytakethemaspresentedandplaythem.YesIdotweakabitbecausesoloplayrequiresthatextrafrictionintheabsenceofanotherhumanplayer. Welltheweatherstartedoffwetandjustgotwetter.Ihadalsorandomlyfoundtheactionstartedpartwaythroughtheday.Soinsteadofsaytheexample12movebattledurationshowninthebookIreducedittonomorethan6moves.AndoncetherainhadsetinwiththeSabaudiansinpossessionofthecrossroadsitjustseemedlogicalthattheImperialforceswouldwithdrawandconsidertheiroptions. SothatendedmyfirstpostNapoleonicwargame.Andwasitadampsquib?ifyouplayonlytheindividualgamesthenabsolutely.Ifontheotherotherhandyouplayforcampaignsandnarrativesitwasgoodandinfactimmediatelysuggestsothercoursesofaction. WilltheImperialistsnowexploitthefactthattheSabaudianshaveconcentratedontheroadjunction.Maybetheywillattackfromanewdirection.OrmaybemaskthispositionandattackelsewheretodrawtheSabaudiansfromthecrossroadsaltogether.MaybethecrossroadsarenownolongerimportanttotheImperialists. FinallyIwillcoverafewotherpointsaboutWPC. FirstlyIusedwrittenorders–wellsimplepictogramsandcruciallyIwrotethematleastonemoveahead.Thisimmediatelyaddsmorefrictionforthesologameaswellasmakingthestaffofficerelementoftherulesevenmorepertinent. Theruleswerefortheirtime,inmyview,verygoodinapproachingcontrolandmorale.Thetextat180oddpagesisquiteheavywhenthebasicrulescanbecondensedintojustafew.Thisisespeciallysowhenyouconsidertherulescover6keyperiods(ancients,medieval,pikeandshot,EigtheenthCentury,Napoleonic,ACW/FrancoPrussian).Addtothatthreevariations–twolargescalegameoptionsandaskirimishoption. Thepointisthewholebookisalsothedesignphilosophyintothebargainwithexplanationalongsidetherelevantpartoftherules. Therulesarethereforestrippedofunnecessaryfeaturesyethavetherightblendof“keptrules”soyougetagoodfeelforthegame. Thefigureremovaltechniqueinthegame,withwhatwasthenanunusualmultifigurebasingapproach,iseasilyreplacedwithavaluesolutionsuchaspromotedbytheNeilThomasAMWorOHWrulesets.ThisallowsthefigurestostayonthetableandasCharlesWesencraftsayshimselfitisnotobviouswhichunitsaredegradeduntiltheydosomething.Herehismoralerulestakecareofthat–sobepreparedtomoveunitstotherearratherthanjustremovethem.Anditfollowsrallyingcanstillplayapartwiththosestaffofficerseffectivelyrepresentingtheeffortsofalltheleadersofthearmyatwhateverrankattemptingtokeepmenintheline. YoucanstillbuytheserulesherebeingpartoftheJohnCurryWargamingProject. Sharethis:TwitterFacebookLikethis:LikeLoading... Related Tags advancedwargames,charleswesencraft,donaldfeatherstone,FauxNapoleonic,johncurrywargamingproject,postNapoleonic,practicalwargaming,RenaissanceTroll Bylorenzoseventh Wargaminginanerraticstyle ViewArchive→ ← Intermission21a → Piedmontesemakeprogress LeaveaReplyCancelreply Enteryourcommenthere... 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