Remote Reconquista - Zallaqah 1086

It's been a while since I did any gaming over the internet.   However, in response to my post where I confessed to doing very little actual wargaming Jon Freitag (He of the excellent Palouse Wargames Journal blog) invited me to take part in an online game of Basic Impetus.  This is a version he has adapted to work on a hex gridded tabletop which makes it much easier to deal with via a PC monitor.  The game was a refight of the Battle of Zallaqah 1086 CE.  As it was a remote game I entirely failed to take any pictures or make any screen grabs...Doh!  So I have 'borrowed a couple of images from Jon's write up (found here Palouse Wargaming Journal: Zallaqah, Again).  Besides Jon acting as umpire and game manager we had three players all called David being myself, David of the Ragged Soldier Blog and David of the Serener Skies Blog, plus one Chris (Nundunket of the Horse and Musket gaming blog)

I have played basic Impetus a couple of times before and enjoyed the experience.  Jon's adaption to a hex grid worked really well and once again I really enjoyed the game.  I was cast in the role of one of the two Commanders of King Alphonso VI's army.  It was clear from the start that this would be an uphill task as the Almoravid  and Andalusian forces outnumbered us.  Now this is a period and location which I really don't know a great deal about so I had no idea as to the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two armies.  One major issue was that the Muslim Infantry were equipped with long spears which meant that the Spanish Heavy Cavalry couldn't attack them frontally without sacrificing their additional Impetus combat dice and they had bow support behind the rank of spearmen.  Offsetting that was the fact that the Muslim infantry were at the same disadvantage against our heavy horse.  The second was that even if we were able to beat their first line a second, equally strong infantry force formed a second line behind it and lastly we were deployed with our heavy cavalry as a front line directly facing their heavy Infantry blocks.  This would be a tough nut to crack.

The initial deployment for the Christian army.....

... and that of the Muslim army.   You can begin to see our issue?

After a very quick planning session my fellow Spanish commander and I decided to avoid the Muslim centre and try to re deploy our cavalry to the flanks where we would be facing a more favourable set of opponents.  All we had to do was pull off redeploying in the face of an aggressive enemy with substantial archery assets!  As expected while attempting this we were peppered with arrows, fortunately this caused more disorder than deaths and after two turns we were starting to look like we had managed to reposition at least some of the cavalry.  Two units stayed in the centre to deter the enemy (that's my story anyway in reality it felt too dangerous to move them in the face of the enemy infantry as getting hit in the flank often leave a messy pile of bodies).  This seemed to give our opponents pause and there was a delay before they decided to advance and engage which gave us time to get stuck in on the flanks.

We had the better of it against the Arab and Moorish cavalry at least initially.  But eventually as knights often do they pushed too far and the inevitable counter attack hit them.  At the same time the Muslim centre rolled forwards.  This was messy one of my Knights held on for far longer than I expected and reduced the attacking infantry to a single stand before being destroyed.  This gave me what looked like a fairly easy target but could I roll a decent di roll, of course not!  I did eventually destroy it and my light cavalry was pushing down the right but there was still the little matter of what was pretty much a second army to fight and that was starting to push forwards on our left wing.

At this point we were told that both armies were on the cusp of breaking!  The enemy decided to go for broke and went after a weakened unit of knights over on the left ....and bounced.  The loss was enough to break them leaving us one point away from breaking, so the result was a draw!  

After the game was over Jon explained that the historical result was a near annihilation of the Christian army, so I am even more pleased at the outcome.  All in all a great game and very well run by Jon.

Trying to hit a moving target

This is not a post about the odds of hitting something with a projectile weapon, but a reflection on the wargaming  targets I set myself for this year.  You see they moved, I wasn't looking and suddenly my priorities changed.  Or possibly I became side tracked.  I don't have a laser focussed, hard edged focus on my targets so it was bound to happen.  This year my interest in creating 2mm armies for Strength and Honour was replaced by an interest in completing my 6mm pike and shot army.  If I do anything with those rules I will actually go with my existing 6mm armies.  My focus on DBA armies which are contemporary with my Late Imperial Romans has remained and my wish to build up some Goths and other assorted migration period Germanic types has also survived.  

As a result my painting time has been given over to painting Goth Warbands and 17th century Bavarian Cuirassiers of late.  I'm here to tell you that painting that blue and white checked Bavarian flag is damn tricky in 6mm too.  I'm reminded of the early versions of the FIFA football video game where the graphics were incapable of showing Blackburn Rover's blue and white halved shirts so they instead used an average tone of pale blue all over!  I tried I really did but I just can't get the lozenges the right shape, and that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  My Bavarians will have to live with some dodgy diagonal stripes on their flags.  Still progress has been made and so far this month I have finished two bases of ten Cuirassiers and three of 16 Goth foot warriors.

The Goths as they currently stand (or for the cavalry sit)

Adding those to earlier figures I painted earlier in the year gives me the army shown above.  These can be any flavour of Goth or even Vandals I suppose.  They can fight alongside a Hunnic force as allies and at a pinch stand in for Franks or early Saxons.

Hopefully this will be the Roman view of them, from behind as they retreat

This painting output has had the bonus effect of pushing me over my painting target for 2025, yes folks the lead pile is currently 30 figures smaller than it was on 1st  January.  I'm not 100% on target as I have slightly more foot figures than I started with but the amount of cavalry and miscellaneous stuff like artillery and dragoons I have completed has taken me over the total figure count target.  That includes adjusting for the number of figures bought during the year as well.

But what about the moving targets?  Well I have taken some items off the list and added a couple to it.  The plan to extend my DBA armies out to being basic ADLG army size is no longer a priority.  I doubt I will have time to finish my Hunnic or Moorish DBA forces either.  I do have all the figures for the Moors but would need to buy more Huns to get me over the line on that one.  So I have punted all those down the road for the moment.  I'm still torn over what do about the Early Byzantinian DBA army.  At the moment it is entirely made up of proxy figures, but I am very tempted to grab some of the new Baccus figures to replace the current infantry, who would then revert to their Sassanid allegiance.  I suppose I might just get the Moors over the line if I get some serious painting time in, but then again I might not as there are a lot of light cavalry to work through.

It's good to be flexible I suppose, and important to be realistic about what I can achieve over the next few weeks.  Watch this space, as they say, although it is unlikely I might just surprise all of us before 31 December comes around.

Helion's Bavarian Armies during the TYW - a review

I'm a bit of a fan of the Helion Century of the Soldier series as it covers one of my core periods of interest, the 17th Century.  I have three or four on my bookshelf already including another by Laurence Spring the author of this book.  It is only cost which prevents me having many, many more.  They are best thought of as an step up from Osprey's offering as they are of a higher page count so can go deeper into their subjects.  I'd normally go with Osprey as an introduction on a topic and then the Helion if I then want to delve deeper.  As a bonus Helion have opened a second hand section to their webstore where books both second hand or with minor cosmetic damage (as was the case for this purchase) are offered at a discount.  With this book I made an offer of £7.50, which included postage, against a list price of £25.00 for a new copy and it is the latest updated second edition.

Looks interesting

I have wanted this particular volume for a while now as my re-enactment unit within the Sealed Knot has a connection to Bavaria in the Thirty Years war due to our links with the Memmingen Pikeniere who invite us to join them in the four yearly 'Wallensteinfest'.  If I'm going to take part in a Bavarian Thirty Years War event I felt that it would be nice to have some background information.  This book gives me that, in spades.

My copy is softback but quite robust.  Excluding the rather useful bibliography the main text runs to 212 pages including 16 pages of colour illustrations.  the contents page shows the main areas covered.

There is a lot of information crammed in here

From a tabletop wargamers perspective not all of those chapters are of key importance although for creating a living history background for a re-enactor the information is a gold mine of detail.   So for example Chapters 8,9 and 11 and 12  cover things that don't see much coverage when the dice are being rolled but will add a lot of depth to a living history persona.  On the plus side the plates have some lovely illustrations of colours carried by the Bavarians.  The chapters on "The rank and file and "Organisation" give clues on unit headcounts at various points in the war.  The appendix on Regiments of the Bavarian army gives a potted biography of every unit, even the minor unit we recreate (not brilliantly it has to be said) when over there.  The bibliography is useful even if it does cite a couple of Osprey titles amongst the primary sources.

Now for the not so good points.  For a book subtitled 'The backbone of the Catholic League" it doesn't give a chronology of the League or any information on it's composition.  I had to turn to Wikipedia to for that.   There isn't an index, to me this is a major omission in what is significant reference work.  Then, despite having chapters on Organisation and Tactics it doesn't give me all the detail I had hoped for to allow me to create a table top representation of the units that make up the Bavarian army and to show it's combat deployments, unit formations and battlefield tactics.  I was hoping to have a run down on how Tilly organised and fought his forces and how those things changed after his death.  After all we know Tilly favoured larger infantry combat formations but very little detail is provided.  In fact Tilly is hardly mentioned after the short biography in Chapter 1!  I'd tell you exactly how few but there isn't an index to let me easily do that.  Some information on how the Army fought is there but it is a pretty broad brush approach over all.  We do get some data on unit sizes and pike to shot ratios but very little of the depth and width of infantry formations.  Period military textbooks are quoted but these range from late 16th century material, Gerat Barry's description of the Spanish formations from the early 1630's, through to English sources and post Thirty Years War material without any explanation of what might be relevant and why.

I know hard information is difficult to come by but it would be nice to have comments to say this author writing in 1600 gives us an idea of where tactics stood at the outset of the war, this from 1632 despite detailing Spanish doctrines may show what influenced Tilly.  Such and such a source although written in 1650 may be showing us the final tactical developments.  From a wargaming perspective I have seen this stuff done in much better ways.

Like the other Helion book I have by this author (In the Emperor's Service which covers Wallenstein's armies) it has the feel of an academic paper rather than a book aimed just at wargamers alone.  For anyone doing living history it is a treasure trove of background information on Bavarian forces.  For the pure wargamer it is a little light on the nitty gritty of formations and tactical usages, but still a good source.  I suppose I bring my own bias to the book as what I really want is guidance on how to portray the army on a wargames table and which tactics to use with it.  After reading it I'm still unclear on how (for example) Tilly deployed a foot Battalia and how this changed after First Breitenfeld, There is too great a relance on sources that even at the time would have been considered a secondary source and there are sources used that have no direct bearing on the Bavarian army.  Those are used to show general trends in tactics but if you are buying a book about a single army in a single period it's likely that the reader knows that stuff already. Overall I'd score this book as a 7/10 and I'm glad I obtained it at a deep discount.

Through the square window QRS

 I'm a big fan of a QRS, I suppose it goes back to those days of orange card WRG ancients QRS.  I find that once the core rules are well established all I really need is a set of the relevant charts and tables in one place.  So with TTSW not having an official QRS I set to and tried to make my own.  

This is the current version.  I can't post it as a link so I'm placing an image here and I will post a file on the Face Book 17th century wargaming page.  If you want a copy as a Word document, but don't do Face Book put a comment on this post with an email address I won't publish the email address or keep it on file.

Through the Square Window – QRS

Sequence of Play

1.     Test Army Command (both players) [s8 p5]

1.1.  Mark units which are out of command range (15cm 30cm for Cin C to subordinates)

2.     Test Army morale (both players) [s9 p5]

3.     Take tests to rally routers [s15 p12] and pursuers [s16 p13]

3.1.  If passed - mark as rallying for the rest of this turn

3.2.  Make any pursuit moves where routs continue (unless rallied from pursuit)

3.3.  Test for return of off table units

3.4.  N.b. Any resulting melee is worked out at step 7

4.     Test for initiative. 1D6 each. Winner chooses to act first or second

5.     First player moves and shoots

5.1.  Declare charges, chargers take reaction test.

5.2.  If permitted chargers may shoot before making charge.  N.b. Melees are fought at step 7

5.3.  Test target reaction to being charged.

5.4.  Player two makes any available emergency actions [s11-j p7]

5.5.  Make any resulting rout or retirement moves required of target of a charge.

5.6.  Make all Player one moves including charges and follow ups/pursuits if target routs, retires or evades.

5.7.  Player one shoots and targets take resulting reaction tests. N.b. Pursuers and chargers and may not shoot even if the charged failed.  Make any required pursuit or follow up moves.

6.     Second player acts as outlined at step 5 above.

7.     Melee combat.  Both players units fight with results applied simultaneously.

7.1.  Adjust strength points

7.2.  Make any rout, retirement pursuit or follow up moves.  Mark pursuers.

7.3.  Pursuers who have contacted a new enemy fight melee again

Actions (s11 p6-7)
1.     Move up to 10 cm (except Heavy Guns)	5. Shoot	9. Take emergency action if charged.  See below.
2.     Foot/cavalry retire up to 5cm maintaining facing	6. Limber/Unlimber light guns	10. Act in difficult terrain.  i.e. all actions cost a second action
3.     Change formation	7. Re-lay Heavy Guns (may not advance or retire more t)han 2.5cm
4.     Turn about	8. Dragoons mount/dismount

Emergency actions. Require an action to be available. Player one would have to have saved actions from their previous movement phase (charged after their movement phase), while player two would have to use actions from it’s coming movement phase (as they are charged before moving this turn).

Available Emergency Actions [s11- j p7]
Troop type	Available Action
Pike and shot units	Form a defensive ring
Cavalry (including those who have the evade option) and charging infantry (e.g.Highlanders)	Counter charge
Skirmishers, gunners, mounted arkebusiers or light cavalry	Evade

Morale tests

Trigger Morale Events - roll 1D6 for each [s18 p14]
1.     Attempting to charge, except non skirmishers into skirmishers	2.     Being charged
3.     For each hit from shooting this turn but see rules for units of initial strength 16 or more	4.     Under close range musketry fire (except from skirmishers)
5.     General KIA within 15cm or their corpse being removed from field passing within 15cm

 

Roll an additional D6 for any of the following which apply
1.     Fired on from behind flank		2.     Charged from behind flank
3.     Foot attempting to perform an emergency action (except skirmishers)		4.     Any Friends routing or destroyed within 10cm this turn or last
5.     At half strength or less		6.     Tercio pike block within 10cm advancing on testers
7.     Cavalry attempting to charge/charging the front of a unit with pikes		8.     Poor quality troops
Deduct 1D6 for any of the following which apply
1.     Cavalry with general attached		2.     Well trained troops
3.     Tester in cover or defending works		4.     Testers are stationary and uphill of all enemy with 20cm
5.     Tester is in a defensive ring (units with pike bases only)
Morale test result – use the lowest scoring dice.  Scores of one are cumulative [p14]
Score	Effect
3 to 6	No Effect
2	Well trained troops – No effect. All other troops.  Chargers fail to charge.  no advance this turn or next but may retire.  Otherwise, retire 10cm facing the enemy, no advance next turn but may retire
1	Chargers fail to charge as above.  Others if advanced at least 5cm last movement phase halt, no advance this turn or next, but may retire.  Otherwise rout.

Firing [s12 p 8]

See unit cards for number of D6 rolled per stand but note that poor quality infantry cannot salvo or counter march so only get 1D6 per stand.  Only the front rank stands of an infantry unit may fire. Caracoling cavalry may fire outermost stands of the second rank to the side.

Shooting dice modified as below
Well Trained musket only stands in either a linear battalion or a Spanish Tercio	Plus 1D6 per stand
Salvo Firing	Plus 1D6 per stand
Target is more than one stand deep	Roll one extra D6
Target in cover or skirmishers or deployed artillery	Roll half the total number of D6

 

Ranges and to hit values
Weapon	Close 5-6 to hit	Long 6 to hit
Muskets etc	10cm	20cm
Early Cuirassiers	10cm	N/A
Charging Cavalry /Late Cuirassiers		10cm
Other cavalry	10cm	20cm
Heavy Artillery	20cm	70cm
Light Artillery	10cm	40cm

Melee [s13 p10]

Only front rank stands fight except in Tercios where the first two ranks of the pike block fight but the musketeers don’t.  Roll 1D6 per strength point of the engaged stands.  Tercios only take off hits to the pike block.  A score of 6 on any D6 rolled is a hit.

Each stand adds or subtracts D6 as follows
Add 1D6	Lose 1D6
Won last round of same combat	Not rallied
Charging cavalry charging or counter charging (including during pursuit)	Attacking works/town/defended terrain/opposite bank of stream etc
Charging Cavalry’s first charge or counter charge of the game	Poor quality
Well trained cavalry not halted or retiring through morale	Halted or retiring through morale result
Add 2D6 for each of	Lose 2D6 for
Attacking flank or rear	Cavalry attacking a pike ring/Tercio pike block

 

Outcomes after melee [s13.2 p10-11]

The side scoring the highest number of hits wins.  If the outcome is a draw a cavalry attacker withdraws 10cm

Combat type	Looser	Winner
Cavalry vs Cavalry	Retire 10cm or 20cm if LC.  If retiring unit is blocked by a friendly unit halt and both units take a hit unless LC. Halt facing the winner. If beaten by Charging Cavalry or Later Cuirassiers who charged or counter charged: rout 20cm if doubled and received 1 hit per stand or more.	May follow up & melee again next turn.  If contact a second enemy unit while in pursuit
Infantry vs infantry	Retire 10cm unless defending an obstacle.  If outscored by three times rout 15cm.	Follow up if possible.
Cavalry vs Infantry (and vice versa but only if foot with pike stands))	Cavalry outscored or drawing retire 10cm.  If cavalry outscore foot by 2:1 (3:1 if pike bases present) infantry routs 15cm.  On lower margins Cavalry may retire 10cm or stay in contact and fight again next turn	Infantry do not follow up or pursue cavalry.
Artillery (special case)	Artillery crew will run up to 10cm to the nearest friends or cover on being contacted in melee unless the attackers are skirmishers.  They may choose to fight only if defending an obstacle where they are treated as skirmishers

Rout and pursuit [s14-17 p12-13]

All rout moves Initial pursuit moves Infantry 15cm Infantry & Cuirassiers 10cm plus 1D6cm Cavalry 20cm Charging Cav & Arkebussiers 15cm plus 1D6cm   Light Cavalry 20cm plus 1D6cm

Skirmishers, dragoons, Lt cavalry and all infantry except poor may halt pursuit at any time.  Otherwise test

Rally from Rout			Rally from Pursuit
Score 1D6	Result		Score 1D6	Result
1,2 or 3	Unit disperses		3 or more	Well trained cavalry halt
4	Rout continues, test again next turn		4 or more	Trained cavalry halt
5 or 6	Halt, spend rest of turn rallying.		6	All troops halt
Well trained add 1 to di roll.  Poor troops never rally			Charging cavalry deduct 1 from di roll