Wargaming a small English Civil War action

Since returning from holiday (and catching up on some of the inevitable backlog of gardening tasks) I decided to try playing a few small English Civil War (ECW) actions. The idea is to use these actions as lead-in games to a larger battle, with any success in the smaller actions providing advantages in the larger game. This is an approach I am considering using in a future ECW campaign which is one of my goals later this year.

English Civil War game underway.

Before any small action game is played, both players select one option from the following tactical list:

• Skirmishing – In the main battle, the player may choose the table edge they deploy from.
• Foraging – In the main battle, once terrain is known, the player may swap one unit type (for example, exchange an infantry unit for cavalry, or vice versa).
• Seek Out Battle – In the main battle, the player may deploy after their opponent.

The winner of the first small action keeps their chosen tactic. (In the case of a draw neither player gets a tactic.) Both players then select again from the remaining options for the second small action. Once both preliminary games are completed, the main battle is played with the tactical advantages.

The smaller actions are played on a 4 x 4 foot tabletop, using the following sequence.

1) Decide Forces

Using the One-Hour Wargames (OHW) approach, each player rolls a D6 on a Force Selection Table to randomly generate a force of five units. If both players roll the same, then re-roll until they differ.

A force selection table that determine a 5 unit force composition.

Each force includes a commander, who may be used once per game to rally a unit removing D6 hits. I am using a variant of the OHW rules for my games.

2) Decide Terrain and Objectives

Rather than rolling dice to determine terrain and objectives, I made six tabletop setup cards showing terrain layouts and objective locations. The cards are shuffled and one card is drawn at random.

The winner is the player holding the most objectives at the end of the game.

The setup cards were quickly put together. If they prove successful, I plan to add a few more cards to the deck each time I use them. Over time, this will allow me to tailor the card decks to reflect the terrain the armies are marching through.

3) Decide Deployment Edge

Both players roll a D6. The higher scoring roll chooses their preferred table edge and becomes the defender. The other player is the attacker and deploys from the opposite edge.

Setup the tabletop.

4) Defender Pre-Action Events

The defender rolls a D6:

• 1, 2, or 3 - One unit is bogged down and does not appear.
• 4, 5, or 6 - Two units are delayed and arrive on turn 5.

Units are selected using the following priority order: 1) Artillery, 2) Infantry, 3) Cavalry, 4) Dragoons.

5) Attacker Pre-Action Events

The attacker rolls a D6:

• 1, 2, or 3 - One unit is delayed and arrives on turn 5 (use the same unit priority list as above).
• 4, 5, or 6 - One cavalry or dragoon unit must be deployed within 9 inches of an enemy unit.

6) Defender Deployment

The defender deploys first, placing all units within 12 inches of their table edge.

7) Attacker Deployment

The attacker then deploys any infantry within 9 inches of their table edge and cavalry and Dragoons  between 9 and 18 inches.

Note: Attacker pre-action events may override these restrictions for one unit.

8) Start the Game

The defender activates first.

Example Game Setup

Both the Parliamentarians and Royalists selected the Skirmishing tactic, each hoping that success would give them the advantage in the main battle by allowing them to choose the most favourable table edge for deployment.

The forces for this small action were determined by rolling on the Force Selection Table. Parliament rolled a 4, giving them an initial force of two infantry and three cavalry units. The Royalists rolled a 3, resulting in two infantry, two cavalry, and one dragoon unit. These initial force selections can still be adjusted with the pre-action events causing units to be delayed or unavailable.

Dice rolls for the force selection (Royalist red and Parliament black). 

The six tabletop setup cards were shuffled and one was drawn at random. A dice-off determined that the Royalists would be the defenders, allowing them to choose their preferred table edge. The 4' x 4' tabletop was then set up accordingly. In this scenario there was a single objective - control of the crossroads.

The Royalists won the dice off and as defenders chose the table edge to deploy (red circle).

With the deployment areas confirmed, the tabletop was set up.

Next, the pre-action events were resolved. The defending Royalists rolled a 3, meaning one infantry unit was either bogged down or too far away to join the action. Parliament rolled a 1, so one of their infantry units will be delayed and would arrive on turn 5.

Deployment followed. The Royalists placed their units within 12 inches of their chosen table edge. Parliament as the attacker then deployed, with their cavalry positioned 9 to 18 inches from their table edge and their infantry following up behind, within 9 inches.

With forces deployed, the game was ready to play with the defending Royalists moving first.

Both forces are deployed.

Game Report

The Royalists, having sighted Parliament’s cavalry, moved forward quickly to meet the threat. On their left flank the dragoons advanced and took up a strong position behind a hedge. One Parliamentarian cavalry unit dashed forward to engage the opposing Royalist horse, while the remaining Parliamentarian cavalry and infantry were slow to respond. After an initial exchange of musketry, the Royalist dragoons were charged. The lone Parliamentarian cavalry unit which found itself engaged by two Royalist cavalry units in a fierce melee was hoping support would arrive quickly.

A lone Parliamentarian cavalry unit bravely charges forward.

The remaining Parliamentarian units are slow to engage to defending Royalists.

The Dragoons are putting up a good fight from behind the hedge.

After a brief fight, the dragoons, secure behind the hedge, forced the Parliamentarian cavalry to withdraw and regroup, only to find themselves now confronted by advancing infantry. On the opposite flank, the first Parliamentarian cavalry unit was routed, and a second cavalry unit was committed to the fight.

The Dragoons drive off Parliament’s cavalry who retire and regroup. While the cavalry melee continues as a second Parliamentarian cavalry unit engages.

Parliament’s cavalry are driven off.

The Royalist forces having held firm after the cavalry onslaught were confident of their position. By this stage of the action both commanders were heavily involved in rallying wavering units. Then a fresh Parliamentarian infantry unit arrived on the field. Seeking to capitalise on their cavalry’s earlier success, the Royalists advanced their horse. The last remaining Parliamentarian cavalry unit, which had previously regrouped after attacking the dragoons, charged the advancing Royalist cavalry. After a short melee it was routed, leaving the Parliamentarian position untenable, and they chose to retire from the field.

Fresh troops arrive for Parliament.

With their cavalry lost, Parliamentarian forces opt to retire.

A small victory for the Royalists, earning them the advantage of choosing their deployment edge in the upcoming main battle. But first, another small action must be fought out on the tabletop.