Trying 'Through the Square Window' rules out

I finally found a window (Yes it's a a square one) in my busy schedule to give these rules a run out.   As previously mentioned they take a very similar approach to the rules I wrote for the period.  A case of parallel evolution as I was totally unaware of them when drafting my own set.  They are less complex than mine as they don't have rules for the initial deployment stage or for weather and the terrain rules are more straightforward, but are more complex than DBA and it's offspring.

My earlier review is here BTW Small but Perfectly Formed: Through the Square Window Rules review

Setting up the game

Before the game starts there is a bit of admin to do.  This is to calculate the strength of each unit as a numerical value derived from the troop type and the number of bases it has.  This is because there is no casualty removal rather a unit's strength points are reduced by combat until at zero a unit breaks.  The next bit of admin is to determine the Army 'break point' in this case derived from the number of units and their size.  Lastly all units have to be defined with a tactical formation type such as Dutch battalion or Kurassier and a training level.  This influences the tactics they may use and in some cases the number of dice rolled in combat or morale tests. It sounds like a lot of faff but it is very easy to do and given a couple of games would be something I could do in my head.

The appendices to the rules give some general (and quite useful) information on the main armies for the Thirty Years War. Other than that the rules are not specific about how to deploy troops beyond stating that the troops should be within heavy artillery range of 70cm but not closer than 50cm from the enemy.

In my test game I didn't use any artillery and I kept the terrain as a totally featureless plain.  The two armies are vaguely connected to the Bishop's Wars of 1639 and 1640 as one side is Scottish and the other is English.  Although that's about as accurate a reflection of the real history as you are going to get!  It's nice to get my 6mm pike and shot troops onto the table as they haven't been out to play for a few years!

Both sides are set up with three commands; an infantry centre and two cavalry wings.  

The Scots have a unit of Highlanders as a Forlorn Hope in advance of the main infantry formation.  Well there are optional rules for them so I thought I should try them out (I did warn you that it isn't all that accurate).  The pike and shot units are using Swedish tactics to allow a musket salvo and charge to contact option and are classed as trained.  The cavalry are arqubusiers and trained.  I did initially think to define them as light cavalry as a nod to Scots cavalry having lighter horses than the English but it reduced their effectiveness too much.  There is a small unit of dragoons deployed ahead of the Scots horse at the top of the picture.  Overall the Scots horse is outnumbered and probably out classed but they have more and better foot.

Over on the English side the cavalry are 'charging horse' who will attempt to close to melee straight away rather than sitting back and shooting.  They are classed as trained.  The foot is Dutch style so no salvo fire and is classed as poor.  This reflects that the English foot in the Bishop's War were not really enthused about taking on the Scots and were badly trained new recruits in the most part!

A quick  unit count and the resulting army strengths are 17 for the Scots and 18 for the English meaning that the Scots will roll 2D6 and the English 3D6 in any Army morale tests (more on this as it happens).  The unit strength points are as shown in the the next image these are not the same as the Army Strength points..  I'm showing this on the table using the micro dice and dice holders from my 2mm rules.  I know the dice holders are a bit intrusive, that's because I haven't painted them yet. The unit at the top left with a strength of one is a single base of Dragoons.  The largest a dragoon unit can be is two bases so that would give it a strength of two. Dragoons are rather fragile under these rules.

Unit strength points are based on the troop type and number of bases and are a measure of how much damage they can take before being destroyed.  Army strength points are based upon the number, type and size of units.

The end of turn one with individual unit strength points in yellow

The detail orientated will notice that the cavalry formations have changed some what.  That is because my original deployment was by units from my Marston Moor Orbat.  TTSW rules place limits to how many bases make up a unit so I had to change things to ensure that units were not larger than the rules allow.

The games afoot!

On the first turn the English advanced their horse as quickly as possible, while moving more slowly with the foot.  The idea is to get into contact ASAP on the flanks and delay things in the centre.  For the Scots the reverse is happening.  They want to get to grips with the English infantry and hold off the horse to allow a decision to be achieved with their infantry.

Turn two started to show how things can develop very quickly under these rules.  The English horse attempted to charge their Scottish opposite numbers, well they are charging horse it is what they do!  However, the wily Scots elected to evade, which they did successfully.  They then turned back towards the English horse and opened a galling carbine fire upon them.  In the centre their foot closed to close range and opened fire. This stopped some English units in their tracks and caused casualties all along the line.  

Melee combat is resolved using 1D6 per strength point per base so a three base unit of eight strength points can be attacking with 24 dice looking for sixes to to hit.  On average that should be four hits on the opposition.  Firepower is less deadly as it only uses one dice per shooting base but it hits on fives or sixes at short range and sixes at long range and happens before melee.  The number of dice in both types of combat can be increased or reduced according to troop tactics or training although there are only about six possible amending factors.  Plus and this is a big plus hits from shooting trigger a morale test for every hit inflicted. 1D6 is rolled for every hit and extra dice for secondary factors.  These are all rolled together and any twos or ones are failures.  Twos cause an advancing unit to halt in place as does a single one but if two or more ones are rolled the unit routs!

EDIT

Following a helpful comment from Tradeston Wargames Group (the authors of the rules see comments below).  It is clear that I was misreading the rules on melee combat.  I should have been using the strength points for each base to calculate the total dice so a unit of strength 8 is made up of a pike block strength 4 and two musket blocks strength 2 each totalling the units eight strength.  So I should have ben throwing eight dice for the unit NOT eight dice per stand.  This actually removes my one niggle with the rules (as well as making perfect sense and showing that I should read more forensically).

The second turn opened with the English horse attempting to charge home against the Scottish arquebusiers again.  This succeeded in most cases This time the Scots couldn't evade They would have had to have saved an action from their previous turn to use on an evade move.  In the centre the English opened fire all along their front hoping to stop the Scots closing.  This was only partially successful which would have consequences.  The Scots declared charges with their foot and the resulting morale tests were 'interesting'.  Three English foot battalia routed rather than standing to fight and one retired.  The melee phase offset that disaster with Scottish horse being destroyed or routed off the field.

Turn 2 - the position after the Scots opened fire. 
Sideways on Retire markers are halted units

So turn three looked to be hanging in the balance, except both sides failed their army morale test.  That means that they both withdraw from battle.

The army morale test compares the result of a dice roll with army strength points lost, routing, or pursuing off table and not yet returned.  The number of dice rolled is calculated by dividing the original value of the army strength points by six (rounded down),  If the result is equal to or lower than the lost points that army withdraws.

So game over after only two full turns.  However, they were action packed turns with both sides being busy and having decisions to make throughout.

Gratuitous close up of old Scots castings blowing holes in the enemy

You may have noticed that I'm not using the basing suggested in the rules.  It doesn't impact game play in any serious way as far as I can tell.

Oh and the Highlanders never fired a shot or swung a claymore.  They routed on turn one under threat of charging English foot and then spectacularly failed a rally test at the start of turn 2 and broke up and fled!

Conclusions

These are rules that repay a careful reading, which in my case that included taking notes.  This is because some important information is only found in the 'sequence of play' section and isn't repeated in the main body of the rules.  This includes some things that might seem obvious but left me thinking " I'm sure I saw a rule about xyz, but where was it?".    These include:

• No firing after starting a charge move,
• No firing after being contacted by chargers,
• Confirming that firing normally comes before movement unless specifically noted otherwise (any troops who can use salvo fire and Highlanders are specified and possibly Swedish Cuirassiers although that later may be a typo),
• When rout and pursuit moves are made following morale tests,
• When rally from rout and pursuit moves is attempted.

Melee combat is brutal and units can be wiped out in a single combat round due to the large number of dice being rolled.  I may introduce some mitigation against that effect in a future test game.  On the other hand using larger armies than I did in this test game with support lines in depth may alleviate the issue and would include an additional level of decision making about conserving units.  Watch this space to see what I come up with on that topic.  EDIT See my edited blue text above and the comments below.  I was misreading the rules on this point.

Morale tests can break a unit which has taken limited casualties but even routers can be rallied so that balances out and the Army morale test can end a game by forcing an army to withdraw even when you think you are ahead.

I rather like these rules, they have a hidden depth and are going to repay repeat plays to fully get to grips with the subtle challenges they pose.  How much do I like them, well lets just say Irregular Miniatures will be getting an order for cuirassiers in the very near future and I will be making some game markers to aid in solo play and upgrade those dice holders once I get this article posted.  I'm also going to attempt to create a QRS,  although I found I could remember the majority of the rules after a couple of moves.