It was time for another Rebels and Patriots game. I decided it was time that we introduce artillery into one of our games, so I chose the defense of battery scenario from the rule book. I got to the game store and set up the terrain and awaited my players!
For the table, I figured we would use more standard infantry than we had up to this point. As such, I wanted a more open table. This would make sense for a battery position also. So, I started with the hill in the center of the board (per the scenario) and just added a few buildings, wooded areas, fields and scatter terrain.
Only two players showed up, so I kept the forces to the standard 24 points stated in the rules. The defender (the French) would get two guns and then eighteen more points. These were made up of two units of generic infantry troops and one of skirmishers. The artillery must be set up in the center with one of the infantry, with the remaining infantry at the rear of the table, as reinforcements.
The attacker (the British) had five units. Three units of generic infantry and two units of elite infantry (they had a better close combat factor). These could set up on the first twelve inches of their side of the table.
The winner of the scenario would be based on the ability to destroy the two guns. If the British could wipe them out, they won. If they could not, it would be a French victory. In the case of the loss of one gun, it would be determined by the percentage of casualties each side took.
We started the game with the British deciding they would try a sweeping flank attack on the guns. With this in mind, they set up all their forces on their right side of the table. The French had opted to deploy the skirmishers with the guns and then have the two line units in the rear to move forward.
The attack started with the British moving forward somewhat cautiously. They then started to receive the fire from the guns, which raked their units at range. A few bad luck order rolls did not help, as the French were able to inflict a lot of damage with their artillery and move up one of their infantry into a supporting flanking fire positions. With the fire coming in, the British kept taking casualties and failing their morale, which added pin markers, further slowing their advance.
Then British units started to quit the filed, causing their comrades to waiver, adding more suppressions. In the end, the French fire was just too strong, as one unit after another quit the field. The game ended as a French victory, as they still had both of their guns and their forces mostly intact. The British were mostly wiped out.
The game went very fast and was done in less than an hour. Without the kibitzing of Muti player interaction, the game moves much faster. hen again, the ribbing an confusion is half the fun! We had the time, so we decided to switch the sides and try it again!
The French player pretty much went with the same set up as the other player. The British player, seeing what happened in the last game, decided on a different approach. He lined up his units right in the center, with a forward unit starting off as a screen. The idea was to full move into firing position and just start shooting and overwhelm the artillery with fire before the French reserves could intervene.
The plan survived contact with the enemy and the first turn was a full move by all units into musket range. The fusillade then commenced. The artillery men could not handle the contraption of fire and started to fall under the weight of the hot lead. Once the artillery men started to go silent, the British player moved back into the advance and swept the two guns from the field, along with the French skirmishers. The two line units moved up, but were a non-factor, due to the speed of the advance.
The game ended with a total swing and the British achieved victory this time around. Another game that was done in about an hour of play (not including set up, deployment and pick up). With that, it was time for us to go to the pub!
I did make a change to the firing rules in these games. Instead of the 12/6/3 fire dice mechanic that the rules sets, I went with the fire dice were based on the number of figures firing. For this to work, we round ed casualties dice up, instead of down. This did make the fire more deadly than the rules as written. However, it also allowed smaller units to actually do something. On balance, it is probably too much. TJ recommending staying with the rounding down and just adding a moral check on the lower end. I think I will give that a try for next months game!
- Manteuffel