Minifig Medieval Mayhem

This weekend I decided it was time to have a medieval wargame with my old collection of MiniFigs. It seems like it has been a while since these miniatures have graced the tabletop.

A flank attack scenario from One-Hours Wargames is set up.

Minifig cavalry on the charge pay no heed to their hypothetical colour schemes.

Over the past year or so, I've tried various activation systems with my medieval games, where units roll dice to determine if they can activate. The required score varied depending on the number of hits they have taken. This system has worked well using a variation of One-Hour Wargames rules where the games have 6 to 8 units per side. However, this weekend, I wanted to organise the armies into 3-4 commanded groups or "battles” made up of different troop types, which would require a different activation approach.

My usual army organisation based on troop types with each unit consisting or two bases.

The army organised into “battles” with mixed infantry types. Each base is a separate unit.

In recent remote games with Jon of Palouse Wargaming Journal, he uses rules that will often use a dice pull activation system. Where each commander and their associated units are activated when their army's coloured die is drawn from a bag. The turn ends when all dice are drawn. At the start of each turn, the number of colored dice placed in the bag corresponds to the number of commanders in an army. The number of dice used are reduced as commanded groups are eliminated during the game. I enjoyed this activation approach because it creates a level of suspense and encourages decision-making as players try to determine which units to activate first to gain an advantage or hopefully momentum if they successfully drawn twice.

A dice bag was found.

When applying the dice draw activation method in my medieval game, for example, an English army consisting of three "battles" and a commanded group of bowmen would have four red dice placed in the dice bag. While a French army with three "battles" only would only have three white dice placed in the dice bag.

Over the weekend, I tested this activation method in one game and for the following game introduced a variation by incorporating a single green die. When drawn, this green die immediately concluded the game turn. To accommodate the possibility of an early turn end, I modified the combat rules from one-sided melees to simultaneous melees, otherwise some units in melee would not have to opportunity to fight back.

A second game is set up.

Out of the two activation methods, I am favouring the approach that allows all units to activate. One reason for my preference is the scenario where a group of knights initiate a charge towards the enemy army but are forced to abruptly halt due to the green die being drawn in the next turn, leaving them paused mid-charge. I find there are enough challenges with the dice draw allowing the opposing army to a cause interruptions to the best laid plans.

Another close up of a the 1970’s painting style - one figure seems to be wearing a kaftan!

Over this week I will be hopefully playing a few more test games in the evenings before updating my home brew rules with my scribbled notes.

Playing around with chance cards

Wargaming activities were limited this past week due to a trip to Wellington, New Zealand, with the wife to catch up with our adult children and celebrate a birthday. While waiting at the airport and travelling on the flight I was thinking about the use of chance cards in my wargaming. I do enjoy using using chance cards in my wargames whenever possible as a means to easily add friction and uncertainly to my solo gaming. My go to approach for using chance cards is from "One-Hour Wargaming" by Neil Thomas, where a chance card is drawn during each player's turn. (As an aside the cards also help me track the game turns.)

A medieval game setup with the chance card decks for each player in the foreground.

A chance card is drawn by each player at the start of their turn. The cards are divided into three categories:

• 5 neutral “no effect” cards that have no impact on the game.
• 5 negative cards that introduce unfavorable effects to a player.
• 5 positive cards that provide advantageous outcomes for a player.

A player’s chance cards

A typical set of chance cards will have:

• 5 x no effect on the game

• 2 x initiative cards that enable an addition action
• 2 x rally cards to reorganise an number units
• 1 x enemy panic card which causes hits to be applied to an enemy unit

• 2 x no ammunition cards that limit the number of units shooting
• 2 x confusion cards that limit the ability to move units
• 1 x panic card where a friendly unit must take additional hits

However, one of the challenges of using chance cards is as the game progresses one can soon determine the likelihood of good or bad events occurring, and what they may be, based on the cards that have already been drawn from the player’s chance card decks. 

While waiting around doing nothing at the airport, I was thinking through some different ways to address the predictability of the cards as the game progresses, while keeping the balance between players. To help minimise the ability to predict cards I landed on this approach and tested it out this weekend. 

Step 1 - Add additional positive and negative cards to the player’s chance card deck.

Each player as 8 negative chance cards and 8 positive chance cards. Essentially I just added 3 extra cards one for each type of event described on the chance cards. Players shuffle their negative chance cards, then select 5 cards taking care not to see them. They then do likewise with their positive chance cards. These cards are then added to the 5 “no effect” cards and shuffled to create their chance deck. Repeat the above to create the other player’s chance card deck.

Step 2 - Shuffle the positive cards and discard 3 leaving 5 cards. Do the same with the negative cards. Then combine the 5 positive, 5 negative, and 5 no effect cards into one deck and shuffle. 

This approach provides both players with equal distribution of negative and positive changes, but they cannot be sure of the type of change. Having played a couple of games I am quite tempted to add a “no effect” card into each group of 8 positive and negative cards so there would be chance of only having 4 otitides or negative cards. This will create unbalanced chances for players, but nothing too drastic.

Another photo of the game to wrap up.

Medieval game and a video

This post has a quick 2-minute video of the Hundred Years War game played out this Sunday. My Daughter, who was my opponent, is a keen Vlogger and she took the video so we could later edit it into a short video. The game used some modified One-Hour Wargames (OHW) rules which I have been testing over the last few weeks.

Medieval forces make it to the tabletop again

The game used OHW scenario #24 - Bottleneck. In our scenario, the French are tasked with moving the English out of their path and clearing the road. While their forces are greater, the French are blocked by a seemingly impenetrable forest on their left flank and marshland on the other. Can the English maintain their position on the road or will the French overwhelm them?

We used double the number of units stipulated in the OHW scenario. So 6 units become 12 units, and 4 units became 8 units. The orders of battle:

English

• 4 mounted men at arms
• 2 men at arms on foot
• 2 bowmen

French

• 6 mounted men at arms
• 4 levy
• 2 bowmen

There are no photographs of the action as we were videoing the game see below...

The French, commanded by my Daughter, attacked quickly using their mounted units with their levy and crossbow units following closely behind. Some English mounted units counterattacked to support the first line of defence, but they had to eventually give ground to the French foot units. A final English charge by their mounted reserve men at arms was enough to further delay the advancing French. This allowed the retiring English foot to hold the road by the end of turn 15. A close and enjoyable game.

The Battle of Auberoche 1345 and some medieval rule changes

Over recent weeks I have been gradually painting a few more additional units for my generic Medieval armies. Additionally, I have been messing around with activation modifications to the One-Hour Wargames (OHW) Medieval rules. The draft of these can be found at the end of this post. So the time seemed right to consider another scenario for the tabletop. Searching through "Wargaming Ancient and Medieval Period" by Donald Featherston the Battle of Auberoche looked quite interesting, and also a bit of a challenge to wargame given the disparity between the force numbers on each side. 

Set during the Hundred Years war, the Battle of Auberoche was fought on 21 October 1345 between an Anglo-Gascon raiding force of 1,200 men commanded by Henry, Earl of Derby, and a French army of some 7,000 commanded by Louis of Poitiers whose forces were besieging Auberoche.

Tabletop with initial unit deployments

Wargaming Ancient and Medieval Period

The Earl of Derby gathered together a force of 400 men-at-arms and 800 archers to raid the french positions, catching the unsuspecting french while in camp early evening. The Anglo-Gascon archers emerge from the woods and fired into the camp while the Earl of Derby and his men-at-arms charged the French who were desperately trying to prepare for battle. The beleaguered garrison see the attack charged out to join the battle with every available mounted men-at-arms. French were never able to recover from the initial surprise and had to flee the battle.

The French camp

Anglo-Gascon forces appear from the woods

Having read the chapter about the battle I remembered there was a scenario in One-Hours Wargames (by Neil Thomas) roughly based upon the battle (#22) called Ambush. It is one of the scenarios from the book I have yet to play, so I setup the tabletop. To win the Earl of Derby's force of 4 units must eliminate all 6 French units by turn 15.

I opted to choose the order of battle rather than have it randomly created:

Anglo-Gascon Force

• 2 x Bowmen
• 2 x Mounted men-at-arms

One mounted men at arms units is positioned in the castle as the besieged garrison which cannot be attacked. They can leave the castle on turn 6.

French Force

• 1 x Mounted Men-at-Arms
• 1 x Foot Men-at-Arms
• 2 x Bowmen
• 2 x Yeomen/Levy

To factor in the element of surprise French units cannot move or shoot until turn 3, and keep to a minimum the number of men at arms units using yeomen units as many French units were unable to put on their armour.

The Game...

The raiding Anglo-Gascon force under the command of Earl of Derby moved quickly to take advantage of the delayed reaction of French forces until turn 3. Their archers eliminated one unit of yeomen and inflicted many hits on another yeomen unit. The Earl of Derby charged towards their unorganised counterparts.

With all French units facing the castle, the bowmen and mounted men at arms appear.

On turn 3 the French command were reorganising their lines and quickly realised they were on the verge of having half their force dead or routed. The biggest threat was the mounted men at arms who were making short work of their counterparts. To counter this man at arms on foot were positioned to continue the melee.

The French begin to organise their defensive lines after being surprised.

Men at arms on foot prepare for the upcoming melee.

Just as the French had stabilised their position, their foot man at arms had forced the Earl or Derby to retire and their crossbowmen had eliminated one of the Anglo-Gascon bowmen units, mounted men at arms charged out from the castle to join the fray. They charged into the French men at arms who turned to receive them. The Earl of Derby was able to regroup and charge back into the melee, which turned the tide  in favour of the earl's forces.

Just when the French think they have seen off the raid, the castle garrison charge out.

The French men at arms stand their ground, but they will soon be assailed on all sides.

Having lost their men at arms and attached commander the remaining French crossbow unit began to retire from the field of battle harried by two exhausted mounted units.

History repeated itself and a victory to the Earl of Derby and his Anglo-Gascon raiding force.

Draft rules used...

The game used a variant of Neil Thomas’ One-Hour Wargames Medieval rules which include the use of an activation mechanism for movement, shooting, and combat. In combat any failed activation in forces a unit's retreat. As the game progresses and unit hits mount, the chances of activation decrease, and can be further compounded if a commander is lost.

Another change was to the movement and shooting allowances, which were increased from 6" to 8" and 12" to 16". The One-Hour Wargame scenarios are set for a 3x3 foot tabletop and I tend to use a 5x4 foot tabletop so the increased allowances reflect the larger playing area. Additionally all my units have two bases with a combined width of 8".

Units Types

The game uses the following units types:

• Yeomen
• Mounted Men at Arms
• Men at Arms
• Bowmen (longbow and crossbow)
• Commanders (attached to a mounted or foot Men at Arms)

All units need to be consistently based with the exception of Commanders who can be an individual figure.

Sequence of play

Players take turns trying to activate their units. Once they have attempted to activate all their units the other player has their turn to activate.

Activated units can perform one of the following:

• Move
• Shoot
• Melee (Hand-to-hand combat)

To activate a unit roll a D6 and multiply the score by 4. If the score is greater than the hits taken by the unit being activated, the unit performs the action. Units that fail an activation test are in disarray and cannot move, shoot or engage in combat. 

The activation D6 score is reduced by 1 when the army’s General is lost.

The game ends after 15 turns.

Movement

Movement Allowances. Units may move up to the distances listed below during their turn:

 

Foot units - 8”

Mounted units - 16”

Turning. Units turn by pivoting on their central point. They may do so at the start and/or end of their move.

Terrain. Units are affected by terrain as follows:

Woods. These are impassable to all units

Towns. Mounted units may not end their moves in a town.

Marshland and lakes. These are impassable to all units

Rivers - These may only be crossed via bridges and fords

Roads - Units moving by road increase their movement distance by 4” if their entire move is spent on the road. This bonus may not be received if charging.

Interpenetration. Only Skirmishers may pass through other units (and vice versa).

Charge Moves. Charges are resolved by moving the attacking unit into contact with its target. They are subject to the following restrictions:

Turning. A charging unit may turn once, at the start of its move. This evolution may not exceed 45 degrees.

Limited Engagement. Only one attacking unit may contact each face of the target (these being Front, Left Flank, Right Flank, and Rear).

Fighting. Combat is resolved during the Melee Combat phase.

Covering Fire. A unit cannot be charged if it has been fired upon by another unit during a turn.

Shooting

Only Bowmen may shoot, the procedure for which is as follows:

Adjudge Field of Fire. Units may only shoot at a single target within 45 degrees of their frontal facing.

Measure Range. Bowmen have a range of 16”.

Assess Casualties. Bowmen roll a D6. The final score gives the number of hits the target acquires, which is modified as follows:

 

Cover. Units in woods or towns only suffer half the registered number of hits (any fractions are rounded in favour of the unit shooting).

Armour. Men at Arms on foot acquire half the number of hits ((any fractions are rounded in favour of the unit shooting).

Melee

The procedure for Hand-to-Hand Combat is as follows:

One sided combat. Units only inflict casualties during their own player turn.

Assess Casualties. Units roll a D6. Men at Arms on foot and Yeomen use the unmodified score, Mounted Men at Arms add 2 to the result, and Bowmen subtract 2. The final score gives the number of hits the target acquires, which is modified as follows:

Terrain Advantage. Defenders in woods, towns, on a hill, or defending a river crossing, only suffer half the indicated number of hits (rounding any fractions in favour of the attacking unit).

Armour. Men at Arms on foot acquire half the number of mandated hits (rounding any fractions in favour of the attacking unit).

Flank of Rear Attacks. Units engaging the enemy flank or rear +2 to the registered number of hits.

Movement Within Combat. Hand-to-Hand Combat only concludes with the elimination of one of the contesting sides or a forced retirement due to a failed activation. Units may however turn to face an attack upon their flank or rear, but only if they are not simultaneously being frontally engaged.

Failed Activation Within Combat. Any unit already in combat failing an activation test, must retire a 12" and face away from the enemy. Any blocking friendly units are pushed back with the retiring unit. If retirement is blocked by impassable terrain or enemy units, then an additional 2 hits are taken for every 4" they cannot retire.

Elimination

Units are eliminated upon the acquisition of more than 16 hits.

Commanders

Commanders must be attached to a mounted or foot Man at Arms unit, and remain attached throughout the game. If the unit is eliminated, then they are eliminated too. Units with an attached Commander are able to re-roll their activation and combat dice, but must accept the scone score.

The loss of a commander reduces all activation dice roll scores by 1.

A Medieval Game

After spending a fair ration of this week's free time messing around with some Sci-Fi skirmish rules with some progress, but not quite what I am after. So it was time for a change. One set of armies I have not played with for quite a while, since completing a campaign last year, was my Hundred Years War armies.

Game Setup

The game set up had a slightly stronger French force surprising the English. Not all the foraging English units arrived in time for the battle. To add to the their woes, the French have selected the better side to defend with a village to protect their left flank. An awkwardly placed wood on the English left flank forces them place a few units well out on their flank to protect against any French mounted units skirting around the outside and threatening their flank.

The tabletop setup with Minifigs HYW figures

First Moves

With their superior numbers and better position the French make the first move. Their mounted men at arms charge towards the English centre supported by men at arms on foot and mounted knights.

The French assault on the English centre begins.

As the attack progresses the English left flank units move across in support while their bowmen occupy the wood.

The attack viewed from the French lines 

While the French attack is becoming fragmented from the English bowmen and English supporting mounted men at arms. It is not without success, breaking the English line and eliminating a unit of men at arms on foot.  

The English mounted knights (with commander) counterattack successfully sealing the gap in their lines and putting the French attack on the back foot.

Buoyed by their successful counter attack the English push ahead as the French attack looks in a perilous state.

The French mounted knights charge in putting an end to the English counter attack which had over stretched itself. In the ensuing combat the English commander is unhorsed and is carried away hurt. 

The attack quickly resumes as the English reorganise and word is passed along the lines that their commander survives.

At the risk of losing their remaining units in the attack, the French retire their centre. The English line holds.

Flank Attack

With the English line weakened and a wounded commander. The French now opt for a flank attack using forces positioned in the village.

English bowmen are forced out from the woods, but not without causing French casualties.

The flank attack progresses slowly, but the English are not in a position to launch any counter attacks this time. 

The English line starts to see the threat to their flank grow.

A gallant charge my mounted men at arms against the French commander came so close to paying off, but it was not to be and they are exhausted as a force and removed from play.

Pressure continues to mount on the flank.

The Game is over and the English retire from the field of battle.

A fun game. I use a mash up of Lion Rampant rules and One Hour Wargaming (OHW) Medieval rules. Applying a simplified sequence activation and rally from Lion Rampant and combat mechanisms from OHW to determine hits.

Meanwhile on the painting front another English Civil War unit is completed as I attempt to complete 1 unit per week. I am now within a few units or having a sufficient mix of units for a 6 unit aside OHW game.

ECW foot unit

Hundred Years War Campaign Finishes

After the last Hundred Years War game, which was an English major victory, the French forces were forced to retire away from the waiting ships. Leaving the way open for the English army to escape to the waiting ships.

The next campaign moves were going to be critical for the English as their army elements would be reducing in number and exposed to an attack. To move the English need to roll 3+ and French 4+. The dice rolls went the way of the English and two army elements with their baggage successfully boarded the waiting ships, while the third inched (quite literally) closer to escape.

The way to the ships is open 

So would their be a final game? No, the dice favoured the English again and the third, and final, army element made it to the ships. Unfortunate campaign activations have been a fairly consistent theme for the French who on more than one occasion had an opportunity to wreak some havoc on the English army, but for the some unlucky dice rolls. I must confess I was hoping for one more game out of this campaign.

The English army slips away

The book "War Game Campaigns" by Donald Featherstone was the source of inspiration and map for what turned out to be a most enjoyable campaign. The campaign rules were not used from the book, but a much simpler set were made up as the aim was to string together a series of games. Part of the 6x6 challenge to play 6 games using Lion Rampant rules (which did get some modification as the campaign games progressed).

The English ready to board their ships

The main objective of the campaign was to provide context and interest to the games, which they did. Here are some initial thoughts:

• The terrain drawn in each campaign square influenced the number and type of tabletop terrain features. This proved successful and the resulting dice generated terrain posed some interesting choices for the defender who always got to choose the side they wished to defend.
• The game set up worked out. It had the defender always deploying their first line of defence with 50 percent of their available units. The attacker then placed all their units in two lines. Then the defender placed all remaining units in a second defence line behind their first defensive line.
• The campaign stopped me from overloading the tabletop with too many units (a failing of mine). The more interesting games often had the fewest units.
• I allowed myself the latitude to make up some of the rules as the campaign went. For example, what to do with major vs minor victories. Allowing the victor of a major victory to determine the path of retreat for a defender.
• Campaign attrition worked out well. Another rule made up and based on some useful post comments. Where after every 3 games armies could field one less unit, unless the army element was accompanying the baggage (when the rule did not apply).
• The same campaign approach could work just as well with a campaign dealing with a relieving force trying to get to a besieged garrison.

What next? While I am still working through my longish running AWI campaign which is about two-thirds of the way through. I now need to give some thought to a WW1 1917-18 campaign for another 6x6 challenge.

Hundred Years War Campaign - Game 10

The last battle (game 9) was a draw so all army elements remained in the campaign square. The next campaign moves may see both sides getting some much needed reserves from nearby campaign zones. However, after the campaign activations, neither side was able to gain additional support, and we have Baron Bechard again facing two English army elements under the command of Prince Riddick.

As both sides had remained in the campaign zone they were allowed to prepare defences. A combination of stakes and pavises was allocated to both sides determined by an average dice roll.

French and English forces remain in the same campaign square after a drawn battle

The terrain was generated by the usual dice rolls and a well placed river with only two crossing points was to the advantage of the defending French.

The main English force

The French in prepared positions

Both side position one unit to cover the wooden bridge

The French were able to field:

• 4 x foot men at arms
• 1 x foot sergeants
• 3 x crossbow

While the English took to the field with:

• 1 x mounted men at arms
• 3 x foot men at arms
• 3 x archers
• 2 x foot sergeants

The games opening moves saw both sides happy to exchange volleys of arrows in an attempt to wear down the opposition. The English were able to concentrate their archers and won the opening phase of the game forcing the French line back from the bridge.

English archers advance to exchange volleys with their opposite number

Missile fire forces the French left flank to give way

The next phase of the battle saw the English move forward on both bridges. The French had moved the crossbow unit defending the wooden bridge across to support the defence of the stone bridge.

English foot sergeant unit advances on the undefended wooden bridge

The main English attack was advancing to cross the stone bridge

The English assault moved swiftly across the stone bridge. Some poor activation rolls by the French allowed the English men at arms to cross the bridge relatively unscathed.

French face attacking English. While in the background Prince Riddick moves his single mounted unit to his left flank.

Soon all French reserves were involved in a fierce battle to throw back the attacking English

The first assault by the English was successfully forced back by the defenders lead by Baron Bechard.  Of particular note was the remaining crossbow unit which shot volley after volley of bolts to deplete the attacking English.

French defenders put up a strong defence

The main English assault is thrown back across the stone bridge

With the defenders wakened after the first assault, the English regrouped and moved their archers into position to support the next assault. Meanwhile the English mounted men at arms had crossed the wooden bridge.

The English army prepares for a second assault

The English are able to coordinate their attacks on both flanks

The combined attack from both bridges was too much for the gallant defenders who ceded the field of battle. Included in the casualties was the brave Baron Bechard, who was slain in the confusion of the final melee.

A major English victory

So Prince Riddick was able to pull off a major victory. An important win for the English who can now determine the path of retreat for the French and open the way to the awaiting ships. The next campaign moves will determine how much of the English army escapes.

The English get 1 campaign point for each army element that makes it to the ships, and 1 additional point for the baggage. The French get 1 point for each one stopped. This could be a dangerous time for the English, moving their baggage to the ships will deny them the ability to field so many archers and foot sergeants. Something the French could easily capitalise on.