Sci-Fi Squad Hammer games, rule additions, and terrain

It has been quite some time since I last had any of my Warhammer 40K collections on the tabletop for a game. In recent months, my Star Wars Legion forces have been my focus for my sci-fi gaming, they are the new and shiny project at the moment. For my Star Wars games, I have been using the Squad Hammer Core rules. These provide an enjoyable and flexible set of rules for my solo sci-fi wargaming, and I thought I would give the rules a go with my Warhammer 40K forces.

Space marines advance. One of the last factions I painted more than a decade ago.

For a number of years I collected Warhammer 40K and I have quite a few armies to choose from:

• Ultramarines
• Sons of the Sword Space Marines (a chapter of my own creation)
• Necrons
• Orks
• Tyranids
• Tau
• Chaos Space Marines
• Imperial Guard

For my game, I chose the Sons of the Sword Marines and Necrons. Playing on a 4' x 4' tabletop, I kept things small and manageable, with each side fielding around seven to nine units.

After the first game, I started thinking about how to bring more of a 40K narrative to the tabletop by incorporating some of the special rules that give each faction its character. My initial idea was to use chance cards, but I decided instead to create some army-specific tables to roll against.

A player could spend one of their orders to roll on their faction’s table. In the Squad Hammer Core rules, players get to roll two D6 and choose the higher result when determining how many units they may activate that turn. With forces of about seven to nine units per side, sacrificing one order to roll on a chance table felt like an interesting and hopefully balanced trade-off.

To capture the right feel and narrative for each army, I delved into my old Space Marines and Necron codexes. They are not the latest editions, I bought them more than fifteen years ago when I was collecting them and occasionally playing using the official 40K rules. They provided plenty of inspiration for some special rules and abilities I wanted to include.

Some of my old Codexes which still sitting on the book shelves. I particularly like the front cover of the Necron codex, very atmospheric.

Below are the initial special rule tables I used. If an order is used for a special rule, a player rolls a D6 and consults the table to determine which special rule will be used. The rules allow units in some cases to make an extra action in addition to any order they receive during the turn. A roll of 1 always results in a wasted order. 

Space Marine Special Rules Table:

1. Communications Disrupted – The order fails to get through.
2. Bolter Discipline, Brothers! – The Emperor steadies their aim. Add 1 to all target acquisition dice rolls.
3. Advance, Brothers! – One unit may make a free move or charge.
4. By Bolt and Blade! – One unit may make a free shot.
5. The Emperor Protects! – One unit of the player’s choice may remove 3 hits.
6. Storm from the Heavens! – A gunship screams overhead. Select one enemy unit within range of a friendly unit; it immediately takes D6 hits as strafing fire rakes its position.

Necron Special Rules Table:

1. Signal Interference – No special orders are issued.
2. Advance of the Deathless – The silent ranks glide forward without pause. All warrior units may make a free move, but cannot charge.
3. Resurrection – One unit of the player’s choice may remove 3 hits.
4. Disruption Field – Enemy units cannot return fire during this Necron player's turn.
5. Veil of Darkness – A unit within one bound of a Necron Lord or Monolith may deep strike anywhere on the tabletop. Use scatter dice to determine the exact position.
6. Death from the Skies – A Doom Scythe appears overhead, its death rays slicing through the air. Select one enemy unit within range of a friendly unit; it immediately takes D6 hits.

After a couple of games, I decided to add another twist to the special rules (which I had started to call Special Tactics). A player could now spend two orders instead of one to roll two dice and choose the special rule that best suited their situation. If doubles were rolled, they could be rerolled.

A game underway.

In addition to playing a few games, I took advantage of a very wet weekend to paint up some cheap Halloween skulls I had purchased a while ago for a couple of dollars. The intent was to use them as scenery pieces for my sci-fi or fantasy games. 

The original skulls sanded and gaps filled.

Painted grey, with a couple of washes added before they were dry brushed with a light grey and bone colour.

I did consider mounting the skulls on bases, but leaving them loose gives me far more flexibility in how they could be used. For example: singly with rocks piled around to block line of sight, grouped together as a larger terrain feature, or by carefully placing the rocks they can be used to create a vantage point for a unit.

Three skulls with rocks piled around to create a large feature.

Placed individually to create blocking terrain or objectives.

Additional rocks can be added to create a platform that can be used as a vantage point for snipers.

Next I will be adding some psychic rules as I hopefully get other W40K armies on to the tabletop.

Creating a morning attack scenario and battle report

Last week I posted about a remote game I played, hosted by Jon from Palouse Wargaming Journal. The game was the Battle of Quistello, 1734. Unfortunately, because I forgot to take screenshots during play, I had to recreate the flow of the game afterwards using a simple map and a few cut-out counters based on memory (you can read the post here).

The map and counters used to describe the ebb and flow of the remote Battle of Quistello.

As mentioned previously, the map got me thinking about creating a simplified scenario of the battle, with around 8-10 units per side (roughly a third of those used in the remote game). This past week I have been playing a few quick games, slowly refining and adapting the scenario. For the testing I used a variation of the One-Hour Wargames (OHW) Horse and Musket rules which are quick and straightforward using my Marlburian paper armies 

The Marlburian paper armies. These stand at approximately 42mm tall. I increased the size when photocopying them, it makes them easier to cut out and the wonderful artwork by Peter Dennis is easy to see.

My ad-hoc approach to creating the scenario started with laying out the terrain features on my 6 foot by 4 foot tabletop, running a test game, and then making adjustments. The terrain setup went through three iterations. The first scenario iteration closely followed the layout from the original remote game, with some compromises for table size and figure scale. I was using 42mm paper soldiers, whereas the remote game used (I believe) 15mm figures. I also matched the proportion of reserves as closely as possible to the original battle briefing provided by Jon.

The scenario had three objectives:

1. The farm on the defender’s right flank
2. The village on the defender’s left flank
3. The town to the defender’s rear

Victory conditions were: holding or capturing two objectives counted as a minor victory, while controlling all three secured a major victory.

Tabletop layout for the first iteration of the scenario. The objectives highlighted with a black circle and troop entry points are A and B for Blue force and C for Red force.

In the second iteration, the objectives were placed more symmetrically, rather than being concentrated on the defender’s left flank. This made the choices of attack and defence less obvious. The canal was also repositioned, set at a right angle to the river instead of running diagonally across the table, dividing the centre from the defender’s left. This adjustment was simply a “let’s try it and see” change, but it did not really improve or add to the scenario.

The defender’s forces were split into three equal groups, with any odd units assigned at the defending player’s discretion, but no more than one unit being added to a single group. Off-table reserves entered from the defender’s two tabletop corners, one unit per corner per turn, beginning on turn 3. So, on turn 3, a unit would arrive at each corner, and so on in subsequent turns until all reserve units arrived.

The tabletop layout for the second iteration of the scenario.

In the third iteration, the canal was once again positioned diagonally across the table, giving any defenders in the town some protection in hand-to-hand combat. By this stage, I had also settled on the rules for the on-table defenders. They could not act until: an enemy came within 12 inches, they were attacked, or until turn 3, when they became free to move and shoot. The later battle report is based on this version of the scenario.

The arrival of reserves remained mostly the same, with one unit appearing at each corner from turn 3 onwards, but with the added restriction that faster units had to arrive before slower ones. The order being: cavalry first, followed by infantry, and finally artillery.

The victory conditions were further simplified. The attacker must capture and hold two objectives by turn 15 to win. Otherwise, the defender is victorious.

The tabletop layout for the third iteration.

In all versions of the scenario, I added small clumps or copses of trees around the river and canal crossings. This prevented attackers from making crossings too easily and forced their lines to break up as they advanced. All units deducted 3 inches of movement when crossing rivers, while artillery could only cross via bridges.

In total, I played six games to test the different scenario variations. A couple of games were ended early when changes, such as placing the canal at right angles to the river, did not work out. While others went the full course. As expected from using the Battle of Quistello as the basis, the scenario proved challenging for the defenders.

Notes on OHW Horse and Musket War Rule Adjustments

• Dragoons replace skirmishers. They may dismount (costing half a move) and fire with D6–2. When mounted, they can charge, causing D6 hits, but are less effective than cavalry, who inflict D6+2 hits.
• Artillery must remain stationary once they have fired, reflecting the difficulty of moving guns in this period.
• Formations are less flexible: units may pivot only once at the start or end of their move.
• Flank/rear charges and enfilade fire: instead of doubling hits, roll 2D6 and take the higher result.
• Elimination thresholds. Infantry are eliminated at 15 hits (standard OHW) while Cavalry, artillery, and dragoons are eliminated at 8 hits. This makes frontal cavalry and dragoon charges against fresh infantry generally unlikely to succeed, unless the infantry are already weakened.
• Army Resolve: Once more than half of an army’s units are eliminated, all remaining units immediately suffer 2 additional hits.
• Commanders (typically three in play) may join a unit to perform one of the following actions:

1. Get a free movement, including a charge.
2. Rally the unit, removing D6 hits.
3. Direct an infantry attack, allowing the unit to fire twice.

• Once joined, a commander remains with that unit and cannot take any further action. Only one commander may be attached to a unit, and only one commander action may be taken per turn.

The Scenario - Morning Attack

Situation

The Red Army has marched overnight and is launching a surprise attack across a fordable river on the Blue Army, which is camped north of the river. Red’s objective is to seize control of the farm, village, and town.

Army Sizes

• Both sides field 9 units.

Deployment

• Blue Army: Deploy 3 units north of the river (running east–west) all within 12" of the bridge.
• Red Army: No units deployed at the start of the game.

Reinforcements

• Turn 1: All Red units enter from the southern table edge.
• Turn 3: 2 Blue units arrive—1 at each corner of the northern table edge.
• Turn 4: 2 Blue units arrive—1 at each corner of the northern table edge.
• Turn 5: 2 Blue units arrive—1 at each corner of the northern table edge.

Special Rules

• Rivers and canals are fordable by infantry, dragoons, and cavalry, but not artillery. Crossing deducts 3" of movement.
• Blue units cannot move or shoot until: a Red unit comes within 12 inches, they are attacked, or it is Turn 3.
• Blue reserve units must arrive in the following order: cavalry or dragoons, infantry, and artillery.

Game Length

The scenario lasts 15 turns. The Red player moves first each turn.

Victory Conditions

Red Victory: Control at least two of the three objectives (farm, village, town). To control an objective, no Blue unit may be within 3 inches of an objective. Otherwise, the Blue Army wins.

Inspiration

Based on a remote game hosted by Jon at Palouse Wargaming Journal. The scenario draws from the Battle of Quistello (1734), during the War of the Polish Succession, where Austrian forces surprised the Franco-Piedmontese by crossing the Secchia River, capturing supplies, prisoners, and forcing a retreat.

Map

Tabletop layout for Morning Attack.

Table for selecting army units.

Battle report

The game is being played with my Marlburian paper armies, with the French as the defending Blue force and the Allies as the attacking Red force.

Order of Battle

The French rolled 5 on the table for selecting units. They will field the following:

• 4 Infantry units
• 2 Artillery units
• 1 Dragoon unit
• 2 Cavalry units

The Allies rolled a 2 on the table. They will field the following:

• 3 Infantry units
• 1 Artillery unit
• 2 Dragoon units
• 3 Cavalry units

Both armies will have 3 commanders. One French commander starts on the tabletop, while the other can arrive at the same time as any reserve unit.

Tabletop sets with 3 Blue army units positioned within 12 inches of the bridge.

The Allied forces advance swiftly towards the river. Cavalry on both flanks forded the water with little delay, while in the centre their infantry pressed forward under the cover of supporting artillery fire. The surprised French defenders along the river responded with musket fire and began to refuse their right flank as Allied dragoons threatened their position.

Opening moves as the Allied units arrive.

The Allies press forward in the centre while their cavalry on the flanks ford the river.

The Allied cavalry rapidly pressed forward, advancing on the farm and towards the town. By this time, French reserves had slowly begun to appear on the flanks, but all three objectives are currently controlled by the Allies. In the centre, a unit of dragoons charged the French infantry, who mounted a stubborn defence under their commander’s rallying efforts. Gradually, however, their centre began to take casualties, allowing the Allied infantry to start crossing the river.

Allied cavalry advance towards the town, while French reserves start to appear.

On the left flank Allied cavalry attack the French infantry and hold the farm.

In the centre Allied infantry start to make headway and begin crossing the river.

More French reserves entered the field as a cavalry clash broke out around the farm. Allied dragoons pushed into the town and waited for their infantry to arrive. On the Allied right, a brief cavalry skirmish quickly ended, leaving French infantry and artillery facing off against Allied infantry near the village.

A cavalry clash on the Allied left flank.

Infantry push up in the centre while infantry face off on the Allied right flank.

French cavalry and infantry soon gained the upper hand near the farm, overwhelming the Allied cavalry and routing them, leaving the farm in French control. In the centre, the last French infantry unit, being unopposed, began marching back towards the town. While cavalry from the farm also moved towards the town, which is defended by a single unit of Allied dragoons.

Near the farm the French gain the upper hand.

With the farm in their control, the French start to advance towards the town.

On the French left, their infantry hold firm against the advancing Allied foot, preventing them from supporting the single dragoon unit in the town. Overwhelmed by combined French infantry and cavalry attacks, the dragoons were swept away, leaving the town firmly in French control. With their numbers dwindling, the Allies are forced to withdraw, holding only a single objective.

French hold off the advancing Allied infantry who are trying to support the dragoons in the town.

The dragoons are routed and the Allies lose control of the town and another objective. They now only hold one objective, the village on the right flank.

Wrap up

The battle ended in a French victory. Their stubborn defence ultimately secured the day. Although the Allied cavalry and dragoons advanced swiftly, they lacked sufficient infantry to consolidate and hold their objectives. A more focused effort on just two of the objectives, the village and the town, might have been the better approach. 

This was the second play through using this last version of the scenario. In the previous game, it was the Allies who claimed the win.

Battle of Quistello 1734 - a remote game and some quick map making

This past week I played a most enjoyable remote wargame hosted by Jon of the Palouse Wargaming Journal. The scenario was the Battle of Quistello, 1734, set during the War of the Polish Succession. In the battle, Austrian forces carry out a night march, crossing the Secchia River, and launch a surprise attack on the Franco-Sardinian positions. 

While the battle is very one-sided, as the Austrians catch the French-Piedmontese force by surprise, the scenario has various victory conditions to make it an interesting game.

A photograph from the game (provided by Jon)

Jon provided an excellent briefing document that included the battle’s background, a summary of the battle, full orders of battle, photographs of the tabletop and initial deployments, as well as the scenario victory conditions.

A photograph of the tabletop from the briefing document.

A photograph of the initial deployment from the briefing document.

Jon has run this game several times in recent weeks with other bloggers, and there have already been a number of battle reports posted. So I decided to approach this game report a little differently, mainly because I took very few screenshots during the game as I was so engaged in the game I simply forgot. So after the game, I set about drawing a map and creating counters to represent the forces, so I could show the flow of the battle as it unfolded using the map.

The battlefield map.

The map measures 5 by 4 inches and was based on a photo of the tabletop. I first sketched in the roads, rivers, and canal, then added a few trees and the French encampments. Once drawn, I lightly rubbed a mid-brown pastel across the surface and smudged it to give the map some texture and make it look less stark.

Starting positions.

The map with the counters above, shows the Austrian positions as they prepare to launch their attack after an overnight march. The counters were first drawn, coloured in with pens, then pasted onto card, and finally cut out once the glue had dried.

Game Report…

In the opening moves, the Austrian infantry bypass Quistello and its garrison, cross the Secchia River, and attack the first unsuspecting French encampment.

The Austrians pressed their advantage against the surprised French, while their cavalry moved against the isolated French garrison in Quistello.

The first French encampment is overrun, and its troops fall back. Austrian forces begin to take up positions along the canal, while further to the rear the Quistello garrison is routed. Eventually, the French do manage to reorganise and advance their cavalry from the second encampment.

Finally, the French-Piedmontese forces positioned near the Po River engage the advancing Austrians along the canal, while cavalry clashes occur on the flank near the village of Mirasole.

The Piedmontese infantry launch a counterattack, while Austrian cavalry continue their melee on the right flank. On the left, the French are steadily giving ground.

On the right the Austrian cavalry turn the French-Piedmontese flank and an Austrian victory is assured.

End of Game…

The game was called on turn 7, around the point when the Austrians had broken three of the French-Piedmontese brigades and had also turned their flank near the Po River. While the account may seem one-sided, the Austrians had still suffered casualties, one brigade was broken, and a second was on the verge of collapse. The Austrians gained significant momentum in the opening turns, catching the French completely by surprise, and preferred to take casualties to maintain that early momentum. It was not until mid-game that the Piedmontese infantry began to engage fully, that the Austrian momentum began to slow down.

Next Game…

I was thinking after using the map and counters to describe the game, whether it would be possible to scale down the game to a more compact One-Hour Wargaming style scenario using around 9 units per side. The remote game was played using 26 Austrian units and 23 French-Piedmontese units, and I am unable to field that many units. For the game I will be using my paper soldiers from the War of the Spanish Succession which are currently set up on the tabletop.

War of the Spanish Succession paper soldiers from the book by Peter Dennis. These figures were enlarged when printing and stand 42mm tall.

Using Jon’s briefing notes as a guide, I set up the tabletop. The Blue force is defending and begins with two infantry units and one artillery unit already deployed. All of Red force’s units enters on turn 1 along the table edge, but must divide into two groups, with half appearing on either side of the road (see point C in the photograph below).

The tabletop set up for the scenario

Order of Battle

Blue Force (Defending)

• 3 Cavalry units
• 1 Dragoon unit
• 1 Artillery unit
• 4 Infantry units

Red Force (Attacking)

• 3 Cavalry units
• 2 Dragoon unit
• 4 Infantry units

Reinforcements

• On turn 3 two blue cavalry units arrive at point A.
• On turn 4 two blue cavalry units arrive at point B.
• On turn 5 two blue infantry units arrive at point B.

Victory Conditions

The objective is to occupy the farm and the two villages. Controlling all three counts as a major victory, while holding two is a minor victory.

I plan to play this game solo a few times, which may result in some changes to my scaled-down scenario. I will do a battle report of the last game along with any changes in my next post. 

The Siege of Stonemarch - An English Civil War solo siege wargame

Continuing the English Civil War siege of Stonemarch from the previous post which has the game report where Colonel Ezekiel Hartwell’s Parliamentarian army is investing the town, and a Royalist supply column successfully breaks through an outpost to reach the fortified town. Lifting the town garrison's morale.

Defensive preparations for Stonemarch.

The garrison of Stonemarch is commanded by Sir Edmund Darnell, a seasoned soldier who has wasted no time in strengthening the town’s defences. In addition to the earthworks, constructed earlier in the war, a fort has been established on high ground beyond the town, its position made stronger by the natural protection of the river and surrounding marshland.

Colonel Ezekiel Hartwell and his engineers survey the town.

After surveying the ground, Colonel Ezekiel Hartwell and his engineers decided to begin their first parallel on the high ground south of the town, keeping clear of the river and marshland. The fort by the river poses a significant obstacle. Its cannon threatens to disrupt any bombardment of the town through counter-battery fire, and will have be assaulted and captured before any effective bombardment of Stonemarch’s defences can begin.

The tabletop setup.

The rules used in the game…

For this game I am using a variation of the pen-and-paper game "Siege Works" by Solo Wargame. They were purchased from Wargame Vault last month and I have adapted them for use on the tabletop in the English Civil War period. 

It is a solo, resource-based game where you play as the besieger, allocating limited resources to siege activities in order to capture the town. The activities resources can be used for, include:

• Digging parallels and trenches (saps) – Each successful dice roll equates to 6 inches of earthworks constructed on the tabletop.
• Establishing gun positions – These require 12 inches of completed parallels before they can be sited.
• Guard Lines – Resources can be assigned as guards to repel enemy sorties. Sorties may cause casualties, delay progress, or even allow messengers to slip through to relief forces and shorten the time you have to capture the town.
• Bombardment – Guns can pound the walls to create and widen breaches. In this game, until the fort near the river is taken, bombardments are limited to a maximum of one per turn. You really need two bombardments over turn to make inroads in the ramparts.
• Launching assaults – Attacks may be made from a trench within 6 inches of a wall. Wider breaches improve the chance of success, and multiple breaches allow several assaults, increasing pressure on the defenders. However, defenders can inflict casualties, draining your resources, and may also have countermeasures such as mines.
• Planning and reconnaissance – Improves your chances of success, for example by allowing dice re-rolls.

Each turn, your progress can be disrupted by a dice-driven events table. In the original pen-and-paper game Siege Works, each Napoleonic siege scenario has its own unique table of events. For this English Civil War adaptation, I selected the following events:

1. Messenger through the lines – A messenger reaches a relief force, reducing the game’s timeline by one turn.
2. Accurate cannon fire – Limits the number of bombardment attempts and gun batteries that can be established this turn.
3. Sortie (temporary setback) – Reduces available resources for the following turn. Can be ignored if guard lines are in place and a successful dice roll is made.
4. Sortie (lasting impact) – Reduces available resources by 1 for the rest of the game. Can be ignored if guard lines are in place and a successful dice roll is made.
5. Desertion and disease – Permanently reduces resources by 1 for the game.
6. Enemy countermeasures (e.g. mines) – May be applied once against assaults, subtracting 1 from all assault dice rolls.

Hopefully, the above summary of the rules will give you an idea of how the siege game is played and help when reading the game report.

 A variation of the pen-and-paper game "Siege Works" by Solo Wargame has been used for the game. 

When setting up the tabletop, I measure from the earthworks to determine where the first parallel should begin, ensuring the second parallel can be constructed two trench lengths forward from the first parallel and within another two trench lengths of the walls. All trenches and parallels are built in 6-inch increments.

The measuring stick shows where the first parallel will be built.

Game Report… 

For this game report I have opted to write it from the Parliamentarian perspective, which works out well as this is a solo game with any Royalist action being generated from the event table. I also used ChatGPT to reword my game notes to those of a 17th century commander writing their diary.

An account of the siege of Stonemarch from the diaries of Colonel Ezekiel Hartwell.

The siege did now begin in earnest with the laying of the first parallel. Our engineers, having well surveyed the ground, chose the higher ground as most advantageous for the work. The soldiers fell to their labours with great diligence and spirit, little dismayed by the occasional shot of cannon that the enemy discharged from their fort and town walls.

Construction begins of the first parallel.

By the close of the first week our men had brought the first parallel to completion and did set their hands to the opening of a sap. In like manner, our engineers and gunners had sited a battery wherein was mounted a great piece of ordnance, which the soldiers, in their rough humour, have christened "Long Tom" for the notable length of her barrel. Being ever watchful of the enemy’s malice, I maintained a stout guard line, which did handsomely repulse a sally the foe made in hope to hinder our labours.

A Royalist sortie.

As the second week did commence, we had thrust our works forward apace, and so set ourselves to the making of a second parallel. Yet many of our number were stricken with grievous sickness, which the men ascribe to the unwholesome damp rising from the river and the marshy ground that lies nearby. This did somewhat diminish the hands fit for labour, but by God’s favour it stayed us not from finishing the said parallel. By week’s end, our second battery was likewise in place. The enemy, seeking once more to trouble our endeavours, made a sortie upon our defences, but our watchful guard met them with resolute courage and drove them back without loss.

Saps push forward from the first parallel to begin the second parallel.

Gun emplacements to established.

By the third week our men were busied in driving saps toward the fort, which I judged of prime importance to gain, for its ordnance might grievously hinder and diminish the effect of our great guns upon the town’s earthen ramparts. The soldiers laboured with much diligence, and before the week was out we had likewise thrust a second sap to within musket-shot of the town’s defences. Though our adversary made no sallies against us in this time, there was much stir and movement discerned upon the fort and the town walls. My engineers counsel me to look for mines and other trickery when at last we press the assault.

Saps are dug to with musket range of the fort and town ramparts.

In the fourth week we set upon the fort with assaults, and by God’s favour at length carried it, striking no small blow unto the enemy’s courage. Yet the victory was dearly bought. Our devious adversary had laid mines beneath the approaches, which when fired wrought grievous slaughter amongst our troops. Moreover, they issued forth in a fierce sortie, and by reason that many of our guards had been drawn off to give strength to the storm, their onset did us much hurt. By the week’s end our poor soldiers were sore spent and in pitiful condition. Nevertheless our great cannon had by then opened fire upon the town’s ramparts, which I trust shall weaken their works and cast down the spirits of the defenders yet further.

The fort is assaulted.

The fort is captured and occupied by Parliamentarian forces.

With the fort now in our possession, all our labour in the fifth week was bent upon the battering and breach of the town’s walls. Mindful of the late mischief wrought by the enemy’s sally, I ordered strong guard lines to be ever kept, which proved most prudent; for the foe did adventure another sortie, yet were handsomely repulsed by our men. By the week’s end our engineers declared the first breach to be made, and were well advanced upon a second with supporting saps. Yet if this success did strike fear into the hearts of our adversaries, they gave little outward sign, but rather kept busily upon their ramparts, preparing such counter-devices as might oppose our further progress.

The town ramparts and assaulted.

Our men were sore spent, and the thought of raising the siege did trouble us, when word was secretly brought by our spies that the enemy’s spirit within the town was much diminished, their courage failing fast. Thus, at the dawning of the sixth week, I did call my officers together and bade them stir up the hearts of their soldiers for a final assault. Our cannon was set to work widening the breach, and the thunder of the guns gave fresh life to our weary troops.

With voices lifted high, they rushed forth and mounted the ramparts with resolute fury. Their foe, unable to withstand their assault, gave ground apace, so that our men soon held a goodly portion of the earthworks. Not long after, the gates of the town were thrown open, and the garrison's commander yielded the place into our hands.

Assault on the town's ramparts.

The ramparts are stormed.

Wrap up...

This was a very close game, with Parliament reduced to its last remaining resource by the end. Had the final assault failed, they would have been forced to abandon the siege. I am not entirely sure the scenario that I set up was well balanced, as Parliament was very fortunate that all their attacks reduced the Royalist morale factor rather than inflicting casualties on their troops. The inclusion of the fort certainly added interest to the game, but in hindsight the fort might have been too advantageous to the defenders without providing the attackers with some additional resources to compensate.

Next, I may see about trying some of the smaller sieges of the English Civil War, such as fortified manors, to see whether these rules are suitable or adaptable for such scenarios.