Battle of Sittangbad (scenario from Charge!)

[Zingara]

Battle of Sittangbad (played solo)
(as described in Charge! or how to play war games).
I decided to use forces from my Spanish Wars of Succession array and the rules Twilight of the Sun King published by the Pike & Shot Society. My table was not the huge affair as detailed in the report in the rules, being under four foot from the table edge to the outskirts of Sittangbad. Nevertheless I doubted that the sixteen moves would be sufficient and would up this to twenty if required.
The background to the battle is that the Emperor's invasion army has been badly mauled and the remnants have retreated on Sittangbad where a small relief force is esconced. Due to lack of foresight the town of Sittangbad has a large supply of stores that have not been evacuated so the Emperor's men have to keep the Elector's forces at bay for the requisite sixteen turns and then try to extricate themselves across the only bridge across the river Weser.
Based on the force descriptions in Charge! I allocated the following:
Elector:
Cavalry - 3 Horse Regiments
Main Body - 4 infantry brigades and 2 artillery batteries.
Reserve - 2 infantry brigades and 1 artillery battery
Emperor:
Bivouacking in the fields some 4km North of Sittangbad General Kornberg with 3 Brigades of foot and 1 Regiment of horse.
Manning the barricades of Sittangbad General Lentulus with 2 brigades of foot (one small) and one regiment of horse.
I divided the Electors forces into 3 commands, since if half an armies commands suffer 50% casualties then army morale is tested every go and will collapse. I did not want the game to be decided by losing 2 cavalry regiments. Similarly, I did a fudge with the Emperor's forces, counting it as one command for break purposes, but allowing Lentulus to issue orders to the troops in and around Sittangbad.
The Elector would be able to bring 1/4 of his forces on in each of the first four turns (which turned out to be 3 units per move, including guns).
All the general's were average, enabling one activation to be rerolled or an extra move activation to be rolled for.

[Zingara]

The Emperors forces in Sittangbad and the forces retreating from the open field pressured by Elector's cavalry.

[Zingara]

The Emperor's cavalry attempt to cover the retreat. Unlike most rules where units expand or contract into line, TOTSK forms line or column by turning 90 degrees to the flank. Interesting results if you are not careful. In this case meant one of the Elector's cavalry units being taken in the flank and routed.

[Zingara]

One British brigade is left isolated. It can either form square as the Elector's cavalry are emerging triumphant and face inevitable destruction or surrender as infantry and artillery are entering the field, or make a rapid march to try and reach the Emperor's positions. They opt for the latter and hope for the fortunes of war.

[Zingara]

By making their throws for extra actions the 3rd make it back to Sittangbad, covered by artillery who are bombarding the Elector's horse. With infantry marching up the horse pull back so as to not get in the way of the infantry assault on Sittangbad. All the Emperor's infantry brigades made it back to Sittangbad, but the covering cavalry had been swept from the field. TOTSK requires troops to be supported, and the isolated Emperor's cavalry were always on a hiding to nothing, though managing to sweep one enemy regiment from the filed. Now the assault would develop in earnest.

[Zingara]

Hmm - finding loading these pictures a bit frustrating - rotated and saved - still seems to have a mind of its own when loading them up.

The assault develops with the defenders giving a good account of themselves, and the outflanking Elector infantry stalling whilst they sort their ranks out (to do anything other than a straight advance requires and action test with 3+ required. Several fails can stall things - incidentally for solo play this makes every game different and I subsequently played this at least twice more).

However, the Elector's infantry were able to successfully replace the front brigades whereas the Emperor's gritty and determined infantry on the right of the defence didn't, resulting in one brigade melting away. At this point I tried to pull back with disastrous consequences. The Elector's forces proved victorious just before the last of the stores had been extricated across the Weser.

[Zingara]

An enjoyable few games emerged from this timeless scenario in Charge. I intend to play it with some Napoleonic's next with the Charge rules themselves, though since my table will be some 7ft shorter than the 12ft the original looks to have been played on there will be a few compromises / tweaks.

As to Twighlight of the Sun King - for those who like casualty removal and loads of dice it won't fit, but it meets the design criteria well and whilst you are free to do your own thing, period tactics are rewarded, the main one being at least a second line is essential.

[has.been]

The first bit of tactical advice I ever received was in
WRG 2nd ed. (which was just a reprint of 1st ed.)
Barker & co, praise be their names, said, 'Always try
to keep a strong reserve'  I haven't managed it yet.

Nice report Gregor.  Keep at it with the pictures, in the
meantime I'll just incline my head &/or laptop.

[Westbury]

Looks like you had some real fun there Gregor, kind of like the cardboard soldiers.