By Fire & Sword: Capture the crossing AAR

[Anatoli]

Played two skirmish games of By Fire & Sword this weekend with Patrik, I played the Polish skirmish list while he played the Swedish detachment. Both Skirmish lists were maxed out in units and points.

The Polish 14 point Skirmish force was:

Colonel with 4 command points
Rotamaster with 1 command point

6 bases of Pancerni
3 bases of Pancerni with spears
9 bases cossack style cavalry
4 bases Volunteers
6 bases Polish dragoons

The Swedish 12 point Skirmish force was:

Colonel with 4 command points
Major with 1 command point

4 Bases of Mercenary Reiters
4 Bases of Mercenary Reiter Veterans (armored reiter models but played without armor)
8 Bases of New Type Infantry
2 Light regimental guns

Since my army was two points stronger Patrik ended up being the defender, and rolled on the scenario list and picked the scenario "Capture the crossing", which is about controlling the bridge.

Patrik still was 1 point short of making the battlefield conditions equal in points, he received 1 "additional effect" roll and got "Delayed" which meant one randomly determined unit in my Skirmish force would get lost on its way to the battle and be placed as a reserve (requiring a successful skill test to enter the table starting on turn 2)As it turned out my Dragoon unit ended up in reserve.

I won the Reconnaissance massively, having a huge cavalry based force with Dragoons and Skirmishers on top of that, which meant that I got several tactical advantages. I was allowed to make one normal move with one of my units before the game began, one unit could be placed in Ambush and one unit could be sent on a Long Flanking maneuver. I moved up my cossack cavalry squadron (6 bases strong), and sent the Pancerni squadron (6 bases strong) to make the Flanking maneuver. I had intended for the Dragoons to Ambush but since they were Delayed I opted not to Ambush with anything at all.

As a final step both sides rolled for 1 additional effect. I received "Good day/Bad Day" and decided to reduce the command rating of the Swedish Colonel by 1 command point, giving him a "Bad day".
Patrik in turn received an effect which meant that his force had already scouted the area and picked the site for the battle, and as such he could manipulate the terrain on the table - in our case he removed 1 small forest on the right edge of the table. In truth this was a tired mistake on my part and we should not have rolled for this additional effect, in this particular scenario as you only roll effects for both sides if they are equal after the scenario has been picked, otherwise only the still weaker player rolls for additional effects.

Check the full AAR over at my blog to see how the battle went:
http://anatolisgameroom.blogspot.se/2013/05/by-fire-sword-capture-crossing-aar.html

[commissarmoody]

Cool, thanks for sharing.

[M.P.]

Great!!