SYW Honours of War - Bridgehead - Fighting Retreat 12.09.18

[DintheDin]

Some more of our games with Honours of War rules:

Lobositz
leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=109572.0

Simbach WAS 1743
http://honoursofwar.com/thread/522/simbach-dindin

Pfaffenhofen WAS 1745
http://honoursofwar.com/thread/524/pfaffenhofen-1745-dindin

Russo-Turkish 1768, siege
http://honoursofwar.com/thread/516/honours-russo-turkish-1768-siegeWar

The Valley of Tears. A WAS scenario French vs Austrian
http://honoursofwar.com/thread/528/valley-tears-scenario-french-austrian

SYW French vs Allies
http://honoursofwar.com/thread/530/syw-french-allies-big-game

WAS Weissenburg 1744, French vs Austrian
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=111405.0

[Belisarius]

Dinos , I hope you and all your family are safe , I,m thinking about you mate .

[DintheDin]

Dinos , I hope you and all your family are safe , I,m thinking about you mate .

Dear friend,
I greatly thank you about your concern, yesterday it was a day of National Mourning, about 80 dead and rising... A great disaster. So sad to say more and no place here to speak about the whys and hows... A wind blowing at 8 Beaufort at times...
It was far away from our home, we are ok, but I'm worrying about some pals living there.
Thank you again!

[DintheDin]

Advance Guard

Original scenario can be found at
http://steve-the-wargamer-teasers.blogspot.com/

Description of the original situation by the author:

"The Red force advance guard, believing the bridge at X to be held by Blue, has orders to move at best speed to take the town at Y.
The taking of the town is only a preliminary, though a necessary, operation prior to an assault on the bridge which is a prime objective.
Blue's force labors under a similar misapprehension in that he believes that Red is already in possession of the town Y and therefore has advance guard orders to secure the bridge at X prior to an assault by the main force on the town.
Each advance guard is to attain its objective by nightfall for the arrival of the main force."

I know well, that for a good number of you fellow veteran and experienced wargamers, these scenarios may be found "deja vu", but for me it is like putting new wine to old bottles - or just the opposite - I'm not quite sure 

Here is the original scenario map   

[DintheDin]

Orders of battle (the same for Red and Blue)

1xLight Cavalry Regiment
1xHeavy Cavalry Regiment
3xLine Infantry Battalions
1xLight Infantry Battalion
2xLight Artillery Batteries
Break Point: 5

Heavy Cavalry is considered Superior, all other units Standard.
No national differences, it was a generic scenario and the forces were even in all aspects.
The number of units is quite small to use bigade rules.
Movement and Fire initiative would be diced for each turn, and then units would play from each side alternately.
Only one commander from each side, useful for recovering hit points for the units nearby - his possible loss would not be replaced.

Rounds: 12

Victory conditions:
Break the enemy, or destroy as many units possible antil the battle ends (1 VP each). 1 VP for holding own objective. 2 VP for conquering enemy objective. 1 VP for holding the little forest (in the middle, by the road connecting the two objectives)

Terrain:
Town, Farm walls near the bridge and little forest, count as light cover. (The objective for X was slightly modified, it was to hold the farm walls in front of the bridge)

Reinforcements:

Before starting the game, each player is given 10 numbered cards and draws 2 of them. He doesn't know their content.
He must read and play them before starting turn 6:
(The units will enter from turn 6 unless otherwise stated)

1. 2xLine Infantry Battalions
2. 1xHeavy Cavalry Regiment (Sup), 1xLight Cavalry Regiment
3. 1xLight Cavalry Regiment
4. 1xHeavy Cavalry Regiment (Sup)
5. 1xLine Infantry, Superior, but enters on turn 9
6. 1xHeavy Cavalry Regiment (Sup), but enters on turn 9
7. What is written in your other card, arrives on turn 10. Draw one more card (enters on turn 6).
8. You get nothing! But you gain 1 VP for your heroism!
9. 1xHowitzer battery. +1 against cavalry, town or walled farm.
10. Take another card, or discard the first card also and take two other.

The two objectives:
The small town
The walled farm in front of the bridge

[DintheDin]

We played this battle two weeks ago, with Panos Pap.
Panos chose the town side and the Prussians.
I was playing with the French.

A simple table setup, you can see the entry points of the two armies.
The French.
The Prussians.

Playing this scenario, I was convinced for the easiness and flexibility of HoW rules.
Panos did not know anything, and, after three turns he was playing extremely well, in a competent mode, he was also finding time while I was taking my turn to browse through the rules, he even discovered a couple of points to correct me! 

[DintheDin]

Turn three and already the two sides unfold their plans:
I sent two line infantry battalions and one battery to secure the farm, threatened by two Prussian battalions.
Panos was quicker to enter the woods with his Jagers.
My two cavalries and the third line battalion were heading towards the town, opposed by their Prussian counterparts.

[DintheDin]

The first encounters

[DintheDin]

The Prussians approaching the farm!
The one battalion defended the walls and  I shifted the other battalion sideways, so my two batteries (background) could find target!

-to be continued, hopefully in a few hours!

[DintheDin]

-Will you stop watching the match and come back to finish the report? Asked my other self.

I preferred to remain silent, my upbringing does not allow me to deal with persons unauthorized to speak to this forum.
Generally, I use not to reply to voices in my head, at least loudly. Or worse, in writing.


My weak link between the two flanks, was my light infantry. Panos' Hussars threatened to charge them, they received canister fire from his battery and the woods were already occupied by his jagers.
I just managed to counter his hussars with mine, but they were evaporated with 5 hits (I inflicted 3).





 

[DintheDin]

There is a firefight between the Prussian battalions and one battery arriving with delay vs my French infantry battalions defending the farm and the bridge. Although I had better odds, two batteries, light cover of the one battalion plus the Prussians were firing on the move, for the moment I achieved slightly more attrition.

My light troops finally managed to infiltrate safely in the woods and exchange harmless pot shots with his jagers.

[DintheDin]

Panos' hussars, wounded, fall back to reorganize.

The heavies clash now and I lose also this cavalry battle, taking five hits, inflicting two.

I only managed to deploy the accompanying battalion to line, but it is left alone!
My whole right flank is on the verge to be entirely wiped out!

[DintheDin]

Turn 5.
The Prussian battalion exchanges shots with the isolated battalion. Panos turns his heavies to threaten my flank.
Also, his hussars, having recovered one hit, come to the center! Things look grim and dim and my chances slim!

[DintheDin]

But, Hurrah!
Finally, with accurate musketry and... canistry I manage to eliminate the two Prussian battalions threatening the farm and the bridge!

[DintheDin]

Turn 6 and Panos takes the move initiative!
Before I can react, the Prussian cuirassiers fall to my flank!

His hussars, aided by a manhandled battery, threaten my center!
And my lights are still trapped in the woods...

The outcome of his flank attack? Was not captured by the photo lens...
Miracolo! As the Italians say!
My hapless, poor battalion received total four hits, survived and retreated happily a double move backwards to my baseline!
And the Prussian cuirassiers? Having already got 3 hits, received 2 more and... straight to the box they went!