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.