6x6 Challenge - 19th Century game number 6

The final game of my 19th Century 6x6 challenge was to be a pitched battle between the Ustoria and Greater Novia armies. The background to the campaign has both countries battling over the disputed territory of Scailand, sitting between lands of the Ustorian monarchy and the Novian states who have united politically under the banner of Greater Novia.

The winner of the campaign is the country with the highest public opinion. Opinion is influenced by press coverage of casualties and heroic actions on the battlefield. Entering this last game we have public opinion sitting at 15 percent for both countries. A victory here will be decisive!

Greater Novia was starting the game with 8 units due to 2 of their units getting bogged down. While Ustorian forces had 10 units in all, but 3 units were going to be delayed until game turn 5. All forces had to enter the game via the roads on their own edge of the tabletop.

The opening moves of the game sees both sides attempting to occupy the towns

Greater Novian troops control the central wood and redirect their assault on the far flank

Ustorian artillery are well positioned on the hill, but are on the wrong flank! As Novian forces make their flank move in the distance.

Greater Novian forces start to pressure the Ustorian left flank. Commanders on both sides were feeding in their reserves (in other words using their rally options to remove hits)

The Ustorian flank starts to fail, but the Novian forces were slow to follow up.

The delayed units finally arrive just in the nick of time. 

The late arrivals are rushed into the line.

The Greater Novian cavalry can be seen emerging from behind the woods to charge a very depleted infantry unit, which they were to successfully eliminate. 

The Greater Novian cavalry charge was soon met by the counter charging Ustorian cavalry. The Novian cavalry disorganised after their pervious charge were soon eliminated. Both cavalry charges were to feature heavily in Press reports and generate the old debate in the nobility and usefulness of cavalry.

The closing moves before both armies held firm after having 50 percent of their units eliminated.

So how did they fare in the press reports?

Greater Novia:
-20 for the loss of 4 units
+5 for a glorious action in capturing a town
+5 for past glories with a successful cavalry charge
This takes their public opinion to 10 percent.

Ustoria:
-25 for the loss of 5 units
+5 for a glorious action in capturing a town
+5 for past glories with a successful cavalry charge
This takes their public opinion down to 0 percent.

(Neither side had -5 points for a defeat, as both lost 50 percent of their units in the same turn.)

A campaign victory to Greater Novia in the last game as both sides came to the negotiation table to sort out a settlement over the Scailand territories.

I started these campaign games with some very simple rules based heavily upon the Neil Thomas Rifle and Sabre One-Hour Wargame rules. A number of ideas have been added and tried out in the games (and a few other mini-games played) and I now need to write up my notes. I have deviated from my usual grid-based rules, mainly because I have introduced variable movement.