Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Thoughts and Pics on the Second Battle



     I really enjoyed playing out this battle.  I found the setup of the terrain to be quite interesting, (thanks Chris!), and rather daunting for how the Canadians would go about trying to take the objective.

     Also, I have to admit that I find the Lasalle rules to be well thought out and just fun to use, and I often remind myself that I am finally doing Napoleonic era battles, which I always figured would be more difficult to get into than what my current experiences have been.  If I can do it, anybody can!

OK, so back to the battle...

     I am not going to go over every turn, since I more or less did that with my notes that I posted previously, and just going to give my impressions of how the game went as well as any things that popped out for me.

     Unlike the last game, I got the units to advance in march for a longer period, which resulted in each side engaging much quicker in the turn count.  I am also getting the hang, I think, of how to move the units around using linear tactics, and how important it is to have reserve units behind the front lines.

     Another thing I noticed when deciding if the Canadians were going to have a marginal or decisive victory, is how important pursuit cavalry are to determining this.  Since each BASE of pursuit cavalry is worth 1 point, having them around at the end of the game can have a big effect.  Since the Americans have no pursuit cavalry in their army list that I made, and that the Canadians do, in the form of Les Compagnie des Guides, and that I was going to make them a large unit (6 bases), I am now finding myself reconsidering this, and probably will keep them as a small unit (4 bases).  It just makes those pursuit cavalry too important, if they are still around at the end of the game.  Odds are any American victory would be marginal and any Canadian victory would be decisive.

     Also, I am enjoying using the Random Events mechanic for the battles, especially with the way I altered them from they way they were implemented in the previous battle.  Allowing each side the option to keep a random event to be used at a later part of the game, makes much more sense.  For this battle, I am certain that the random events, specifically in turn #12, when the Americans had "Urgent Assistance" affect them, had a big part to play in the outcome.  Having the Commander move out of command range for many of his units, and then in turn #13 when the Canadian militia moved ahead and forced the Commander to draw a command path around the militia, making all his units out of command, made a significant impact on recovery attempts, ability to charge, etc..  Before these two turns, the Americans were doing quite well, and I think might have won the battle.

     Furthermore, one of the biggest American mistakes, in my opinion, was to allow the Six Nations Warriors to enter the woods, and then to have a unit of Regulars engage them.  In the end, the Regulars broke, allowing a clear path for a unit of Canadian militia to advance within 4BWs of the objective, and forcing the American right flank to try and make up ground, which they did not want to do, as they were making great progress against the Canadian left flank, and were in a position to overrun it and then flank the remaining Canadian units.  The Americans should have engaged the Warriors way before they ever got to the woods.

     I also am clueing in to how difficult it is to just charge infantry with cavalry and expect a good result.  Unless the infantry are 1 DISR from breaking and/or not otherwise engaged in combat, odds are they will form into square and repel the cavalry.

     And now for some pics to view, while I get back to painting!

View of the tabletop at the end of turn #2   
Turn #4... Those Six Nations Warriors almost at the woods!
Turn #6... The Beauharnois Militia getting nailed by canister
Turn #6... American left flank
Turn #6... Overview
Turn #8... Overview
Turn #8... Showing the Beauharnois militia almost about to break and the Warriors stuck in the woods
Turn #8... View from the Canadian right flank
Turn #8... View from the Canadian centre
Turn #8... View from the Canadian left flank, showing the American militia behind enemy lines
Turn #9... Showing the Canadian cavalry units charging some US Regulars
Turn #10... The Beauharnois Militia have now been broken and the US Regulars charge the Warriors
Turn #10... View from the American centre
Turn #10... Overview
Turn #12... View from the American right flank
Turn #12... View showing how many American units are our of command, ouch!
Turn #15... 3 US Regulars have been broken, and Canadian militia are a stone throw's away from the objective!
Turn #15... The American left flank, or what is left of it
Turn #15... View from the Canadian left flank
Those Canadian Militia so close to the objective!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Notes on the Second Battle

     Although I will be putting up some pics and adding commentary of the last battle, I did want to post the notes I madeNot the greatest read in the world, but at least I can look at them later and find out if I made any mistakes running the game, etc..


Battle of Charbonneu's Farm (The Second Battle of Odelltown)

Turn #1
- No random event.
- Canadians moved all units their full allowance.
- Forgot that Irregulars do not have movement reduced going through rough terrain.
- Should have swapped initial positions of the Voltigeurs with Les Compagnie des Guides, and thus avoided having the Voltigeurs go through the plowed field.

Turn #2
- No random event.
- Advanced Forsyth's force their full movement.
- 3 of the 5 Regulars advanced fully under Wilkinson, while 1 Regular deployed into line, in an attempt to not get bunched up, later on.

Turn #3
- Random event #18 (Find the Way), affecting the attacker.
- Canadians will use it this turn for the Voltiguers, to get them through the field.
- Dragoons maneuver flank right, to make room for the Infantry to deploy into line.
- Other units continue to advance at full allowance.

Turn #4
- No random event.
- Militia artillery unlimbers and prolongs to the left, to prepare to fire.
- Militia and Dragoons advance, trying to get through the woods as quickly as possible.
- The Regulars are trying to position themselves for either firing or charging.

Turn #5
- Random event #8 (Bad aim), affecting the defender.
- Canadians decide to activate this event later on, as it is not the American's turn.
- R.A. Battery fires at 1 Regulars, causing 1 DISR.
- Six Nations Warriors advance to the edge of the woods, but are still in column formation.

Turn #6
- No random event.
- Canadians activate previous "Bad Aim" event on the Militia artillery.
- Militia artillery fire on Beauharnois Militia, causing 1 DISR.
- 1 Militia advance in column, and are close to flanking the Beauharnois Militia.
- 1 Regular prepares to enter the woods against the Six Nations Warriors.
- Regular with 1 DISR, succeeds in recovery attempt.

Turn #7
- No random event.
- R.A. battery fires, causing 1 DISR on a Regular.
- Six Nations Warriors form into line in the woods, while all other units continue to advance.

Turn #8
- No random event.
- 2 Regulars fire on the Fencibles, causing 1 DISR.
- Militia artillery fire on Beauharnois Militia, causing 2 DISR.
- Militia behind the artillery, form into line and try to shore up the centre, and help out the Regulars engaging the Six Nations Warriors.
- Militia artillery prolongs to the left, assuming the Beauharnois Militia will soon be broken, and then can focus on the Voltigeurs.
- Regulars fail in their recovery attempt.

Turn #9
- No random event.
- Beauharnois Militia fire on Militia artillery, causing 0 DISR.
- Six Nations Warriors fire on Regulars, causing 1 DISR.
- Artillery and Fencibles fire on 1 Regular, causing 2 DISR.
- Embodied Militia advance.
- Les Compagnie des Guides charge the Regulars that are at 3 DISR.
- Dragoons charge Regulars at the American left flank.

- Beauharnois Militia fail in their recovery attempt.
 
Turn #10
- No random event.
- Both Regulars that have been charged, succeed in forming into square.
- Militia artillery fires on Beauharnois Militia, causign 2 DISR, breaking the unit.

- Canadian morale now at 17.

- Combat between Dargoons and Regulars result in a decisive win for the Regulars, causing the Dragoons 1 DISR and fall back 6 BWs.
- Combat between Les Compagnie des Guides and Regulars result in a decisive win for the Regulars, causing Les Guides 1 DISR and fall back 1 BW, but there is militia behind them and must interpenetrate, with the militia failing their discipline test, resulting in them suffering 1 DISR.
- Regulars charge the Six Nations Warriors.
- Both Regulars that are in square are experienced troops, and thus do not need to make a discipline test to form into line, even though they are both near the enemy.
- Militia artillery prolongs to the left.

Turn #11
- Random event #13 (Stirrups in), which affects the defender.
- Americans keep the event for later, as it is not their turn.
- R.A. battery fires at the Regulars, causing 0 DISR.
- Six Nations Warriors fire on the Regulars, causing 1 DISR.
- Combat resolution between the Six Nations Warriors and Regulars, results in a decisive victory for the Warriors, causing 1 DISR to the Regulars and fall back 1BW.
- Six Nations Warriors charge the Regulars.
- Voltigeurs form into line.
- Les Compagnie des Guides fail their recovery attempt.
- Dragoons make their recovery attempt.
- Fencibles make their recovery attempt.

Turn #12
- Random event #1 (Urgent assistance), which affects the defender.
- Canadians activate this event, as it is the Americans turn, and thus during the Activity phase, Wilkinson will move within 4BWs of Forsyth's force.
- Regulars fire on the  Six Nations Warriors, causing 0 DISR.
- 2 Regulars fire on the Fencibles, causing 1 DISR.
- Regulars fire on Embodied Militia, causing 1 DISR.
- Militia artillery fire on the Voltigeurs, causing 1 DISR.
- Combat resolution between the Six Nations Warriors and Regulars, results in a decisive victory for the Regulars, causing 1 DISR to the Warriors and fall back 1BW.
- Militia artillery prolong 1BW retrograde.
- Most Regulars remain in place to help with recovery attempts, however the Commander (Wilkinson), had to move due to "Urgent assistance", and the left most Regulars cannot make a recovery attempt, as they are out of command.
- The other 2 Regulars fail their recovery attempts.

Turn #13
- No random event.
- R.A. battery fire on Regulars, causing 0 DISR.
- Fencibles and Embodied Militia fire on Regulars, causing 1 DISR.
- Six Nations Warriors fire on the Regulars, causing 1 DISR, breaking the unit.

- American morale now at 15.

- Militia move 6BWs towards the objective, cutting off the Commander to all his units (cannot trace a line 10BWs to any of his units), and thus his entire force are now out of command.

Turn #14
- Random event #6 (Limited ammo), affecting the defender.
- Canadians activate the event this turn, and thus the Militia artillery will not be able to fire this turn.
- 1 Regulars fire on the Fencibles, causing 1 DISR.
- 2 Regulars fire on Embodied Militia, causing 2 DISR.
- Since the Commander can move back to within command range, the left most Regulars can attempt a recovery, which they succeed in doing.


Turn #15
- No random event.
- R.A. battery fires on Regulars, causing 1 DISR, breaking the unit.

- American morale now at 13.

- Fencibles and Embodied Militia fire on Regulars, causing 2 DISR, breaking the unit.

- American morale now at 11, and thus will have to make a morale check at the end of their turn.

- Milita form into line, within 4BW of the objective.
- R.A. battery prolongs forward.
- Rear Embodied Militia flank move to the right.
- Dragoons charge the Regulars.
- Voltigeurs fail in their recovery attempt.

Turn #16
- No random event.
- Normally, I would have the Americans surrender at this point, however, due to the nature of the campaign as well as the historical personalities of the Commander involved, I find that Wilkinson surrendering, would be unlikely,  Also, with a bit of luck, the Americans might just be able to inflict enough damage to the Canadians, as well as making their moral check, to still win the battle.
- Militia artillery fire on the Voltigeurs, causing 1 DISR.
- Regulars fire on the Fencibles, causing 0 DISR.
- Regulars being charged by the Dragoons, successfully form into square.
- Combat resolution between the Dragoons and Regulars, result is inconclusive, with the Americans scoring higher, resulting in the Dragoons suffering 1 DISR and falling back 4BWs.
- Regulars then form back into line.
- All other Regulars retrograde.
- Militia near the Voligeurs wheel left.
- Militia near the objective, flank move to just 4BWs away, and thus avoid having to do a morale check with 4 dice.
- Morale check rolled, needing a 16 or higher, roll a 14, and thus the army breaks.

- Pursuit scores:
- Americans 2
- Canadians 6


- A decisive Canadian victory!

Monday, November 05, 2012

Distances From Each Battle Location

     I wanted to post the distances between each battle location, to give some perspective, and perhaps also use them to help me in determining some pretend dates for each of the battles, when they occur:

Chambly to St. Jean: 33Km
St. Jean to Ille aux Noix: 60 Km
Ille aux Noix to Lacolle: 31Km
Lacolle to Odelltown: 57Km
Odelltown to Rouses Point: 13Km
Rouses Point to Plattsburgh: 38Km
Plattsburgh to Split Rock: 59Km
Split Rock to Ticonderoga: 53Km





Friday, November 02, 2012

The Setup For The Second Battle

     Here is the order of battle for the next game:

Canadians (attacker)

------------------------- 
Lieutenant Colonel Charles de Salaberry (CnC)
Superior Commander if the battle is in Canada
Vigor: +1
Tactics: Good

1 Fencibles  
2 Select Embodied Militia
1 Light Dragoons

1 Militia 
1 R.A. Battery 
de Salaberry's Force


Captain Brugière                   
Vigor: 0                       
Tactics: Average
                       
1 Voltigeurs
1 Beauharnois Militia
1 Six Nations Warriors
1 Les Compagnie des Guides

Brugière's Force


Morale: 19




Americans (Defender)
---------------------------
Major General James Wilkinson (CnC)
Vigor: 0
Tactics: Average
                  
5 US Regulars

Wilkinson's Forces

Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Forsyth
Vigor: 0
Tactics: Average

1 Militia Battery
2 Militia
1 Dragoons

Forsyth's Forces




     As you can see, the Americans have some great terrain between themselves and the Canadians, and for the longest time I could not figure out how to approach this problem, from the Canadian angle.

     Rather than separating the forces, I decided to keep them very close together, and try and advance the Canadians as quickly as possible on the American left, and more or less attempting to not even engage Forsyth's forces, although I think his Militia battery might have something to say about that.

     From the American perspective, they will try and make sure the Canadian irregulars cannot access the woods, while using the artillery to soften up the Canadian left and perhaps even flanking them with the Dragoons and militia, while the Regulars advance to meet the rest of the Canadians, in open terrain.

     One thing both sides will have to be concerned with, is to not get too bunched up, as Linear tactics are being used, with no attack columns permitted.
Shot of the Whole Table

         Next up, turn #1!

Changing Up The Random Events

     I decided to alter how the random events will occur, and I hope this will add a bit more spice to the battles:


RANDOM EVENTS


At the beginning of each turn, roll a D6.  If the result is a ‘1’ or a ‘6’, then a random event has occurred.

If a random event has occurred, then roll a D6.  If the result is odd, then the event will affect the attacker.  If the result is even, then the event will affect the defender.

Roll a D20, and check the corresponding event number to the die roll, to determine which event has occurred.

Either player can decide to keep the random event in their hand as it were, and have it occur later on in the game, when they choose.  If a player takes this option, the event must be played at the beginning of their turn or the opposing player’s turn, before any other actions are taken.  Each player can only keep one random event at a time, and if a random event occurs later on in the game that would be beneficial to that player, that event will not occur.  All random events that would be a detriment to that player, will still occur.

1)  Urgent Assistance
During the player’s activity phase, the player must move their Commander, to within 4BW of the furthest friendly unit from the Commander’s initial position.

2)  Anxious
During the player’s activity phase, the player must move one of their units (chosen by the opposing player), their full movement allowance, or as much as can be used, forward.

3)  Hesitant
One of the player’s units (chosen by the opposing player), may not attempt any activities during the entire turn, including recovery attempts.

4)  Retrograde
One of the player’s units (chosen by the opposing player), performs a retrograde maneuver to its fullest movement available.  The player can perform a retrograde wheel, if they so wish.

5)  Disorganized
One of the player’s units (chosen by the opposing player), suffers 1DISR, unless that would cause the unit to break.  The disruption occurs during the player’s reaction phase.

6)  Limited Ammo
One of the player’s artillery units (chosen by the opposing player), cannot fire this turn.


7) Rough Going
One of the player’s units (chosen by the opposing player), treats open terrain as rough terrain, and rough terrain as impassable, for this turn.

8) Bad Aim
One of the player’s artillery units (chosen by the opposing player), suffers a -1 penalty to hit on all die rolls, for this turn.

9) Valiant Charge
The player chooses which unit will receive a +1 to hit on all die rolls in combat, for this turn.

10) Rally to the Flag
The player rolls a D6.  If the result is odd, then add 1 to their army morale.  If the result is even, then add 2 to their army morale.  This bonus is only performed once per game.

11)          Well Disciplined
The player chooses which unit will receive a reduction of 1DISR.  The reduction occurs during the player’s reaction phase.  The unit cannot try for a separate recovery attempt, during this turn.

     12) Heroic Rally
The player chooses which unit gets to use two dice for a recovery attempt, this turn.

     13) Stirrups In
The player chooses which cavalry unit will receive +1 to hit on all dice, in a charge or counter charge, for this turn.

     14) Whiff of grape
The player chooses which artillery unit will receive +1 to hit on all dice using canister, for this turn.

     15) Rally to the Colours
The player chooses which unit will ignore disruptions to how many dice they use in combat, for this turn.

    
16) Deadly Fire
The player chooses which infantry unit will receive +1 to hit on its dice, if it elects to fire during its reaction phase.

    
17) Thick Smoke
One of the player’s infantry units (chosen by the opposing player), receives -1 to hit on its dice, if firing during its reaction phase.

18) Find the Way
The player chooses which unit will treat rough terrain as open terrain, for this turn.

19) Hold the Line
The player chooses which infantry unit will receive an extra die roll during combat, for this turn.

20) Impetuous
One of the player’s units (chosen by the opposing player), and which is in a legal charge range, performs a charge, during its activity phase, or a counter charge during its reaction phase, which ever is applicable.
 

Monday, October 29, 2012

Battle #2

     Here are a few pics of the layout for the next battle.
View from the Canadian side

      Yet again, I think the Americans will have the edge.  Unlike the last battle, where the Americans had superior numbers and better quality units, at least in my opinion, this time I think their advantage lies in how the terrain is setup, and where the objective marker is.

     With so much rough terrain in the middle of the table, as well as the stream to the American right, I think this will cause the attacking Canadians some problems, in how to get to the objective in a timely manner.
View from the American side showing the objective


       The area with the most open terrain is on the American left, allowing them to consolidate most of their forces on that side, should the Canadians go that wayIf the Canadians decide to go up the middle, I think the Americans can then use a pincer type envelopement, coming along just to the west of the stream and to the west of the left most woods, while the Canadians slog it through the plowed fields.
Overview of the whole table


     I am really looking forward to how this battle goes!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

de Salaberry's diary - April 2, 1813



     As our scouts had reported, the Americans have indeed begun another assault of the Lake Champlain region, no doubt attempting yet again, to take Montreal.
     We engaged them just outside Odelltown on the morning of the first of April, and I must admit were fortunate to remain relatively unscathed, as the Americans far outnumbered us.  Four regiments of Regulars, field guns, a cavalry platoon, and militia advanced upon our position, which consisted merely of three regiments of infantry, a platoon of my proud Voltigeurs, and a handful of militia and Native warriors.  
     It was disconcerting to see that Wilkinson has managed to convince or coerce the American militia to cross the border, and I wonder if more are on their way to bolster his numbers?
     The battle lasted most of the day, however little was done on both sides, except perhaps for the constant bombardment of the American field guns, which did effectively isolate my force on the right from Captain Brugière's on the left, with Odelltown exposed right in the middle. 
     I am still at a loss in knowing why the Americans advanced so slowly towards us.  Was it perhaps that they overestimated our numbers?  Did they feel reluctant to engage our Native allies, who were hidden in the woods?  All I know, is that their hesitant manner benefited us greatly, and by the time the battle was to begin in earnest, night began to fall, with the Americans falling back to their camp, which I have been informed by the Indian scouts, lies only a mile to the south, just past Charbonneu's farm.
     I have sent note to the garrison at Lacolle Mills to muster up any militia they can, and along with an artillery battery and a platoon of Dragoons stationed there, to meet up with us post haste, so we can take the fight to the Americans, as I fear they may be waiting for reinforcements, before continuing their offensive.
     Already the Indian scouts spotted another regiment of Regulars at their camp.  Were they already there as a reserve force, or are they the first of many, now crossing the border?
     With increased numbers and God on our side, may we repel these invaders back to their land!