French Playthrough Of Corunna: Turn Four

Map

Situation after turn three

My three activation dice land 6, 4, 1. I turn wildcard 6 into a 2, and start in area 1 by advancing my forward infantry, who shoot at the British infantry directly ahead. The four dice are reduced to three for firing at range after moving, but I roll 5, 4, 1, causing the enemy unit to lose a base and fall back behind the trees. My other infantry in area 1 also advance a hex.

My units in area 2 advance, and my cavalry fall back to behind Marshal Soult, heading, in the not-so-long run, I hope, for the left flank.

The AI's four activation dice land 4, 4, 3, 1. A 4 is rerolled, but becomes a 6, which in this context is useless.

In area 1 the infantry want to move up the map, but this cannot be done as it would take them off the battlefield (this must be the correct interpretation - rather than having the unit leave the battle - as otherwise it would be possible, if the dice fell rightly, for Sir John Moore to leave the battlefield after two turns).

In area 3 the forward British infantry remain where they are (a 1 was rolled). The middle infantry want to fall back directly, but cannot because Sir John Moore is in the way. The rear infantry fall back into Corunna. Sir John advances diagonally left so as to be adjacent to three British units.

In area 4 the infantry stand still.

My infantry are advancing steadily, but without really getting close to the British general, whom they have to eliminate before the end of turn 10

French Playthrough Of Corunna: Turn Three

Map

Situation after turn two

My three activation dice land 2, 1, 1. I reroll a 1, but it becomes a useless 5.

In area 1 I advance the forward infantry, who shoot at the British ahead of them on the hill. The four dice are decreased for firing at range after moving, and I roll a miserable three 3s. The other infantry in area 1 also advance and shoot, very much making up for their comrades' poor performance by rolling 6, 5, 4, eliminating the British unit.

I area 2 my right-flank infantry advance and shoot at the British nearest them, rolling 6, 4, 1, causing the enemy to lose a base, and sending the survivors back a hex, which takes them off the high ground. My other units in area 2 also advance a hex.

The AI's four activation dice land 5, 4, 2, 2. A 2 is rerolled, becoming a 1.

In area 1 the infantry advance diagonally right.

The infantry in area 2 do not move, and neither do the infantry in area 4.

The British artillery shoot at my right-flank infantry, the three dice increased for being on higher ground. The dice land 6, 3, 3, 2, reducing my unit by a base.

My left-hook seems to be proceeding nicely, but I will need to get Marshal Soult over to that flank to support the infantry, and move the cavalry into position from which to exploit any chance to ride down the British commander, Sir John Moore

French Playthrough Of Corunna: Turn Two

Map

Situation after turn one

My three activation dice land all land as 3s. I keep one, but reroll the other two, getting wildcard 6s, which I turn into 2 and 1.

I start in area 2 by advancing the two infantry units a hex, and then send Marshal Soult forward diagonally right two hexes, so he is in position to support my artillery, which shoot at the British infantry on the high ground directly ahead. The three dice are increased, thanks to the general's presence, and I roll 6, 2, 2, 1, reducing the British unit to two bases.

In area 1 I advance all three units a hex, which puts the furthest-forward infantry in range of the British on the hill behind Elviña. The four dice are decreased for firing at range after moving, and I roll 5, 3, 1, again inflicting one hit.

The AI's four activation dice land 2, 1, 1, 1. Two of the 1s are rerolled, becoming 4 and another 1.

In area 1 the two-base infantry fire back at the men who just shot at them, the three dice increased for being on higher ground. The dice land 4, 4, 3, 3, meaning my unit should fall back two hexes, but only one hex is possible, so the other fallback becomes a hit.

The rearward British infantry in area 1 withdraw a hex.

In area 2 the infantry also withdraw a hex.

In area 4 the artillery advance diagonally right, so as to put a French unit in range and line-of-sight (artillery cannot move and fire, so the unit will have to wait to next turn to see if its manoeuvre proves useful). The British infantry in area 4 do not move.

The AI seems to have settled on a policy of defence in depth

French Playthrough Of Corunna: Turn One

Map

Battlefield in 3D, with the combatants added, looking from behind the French lines

My three activation dice land 6, 5, 3. I reroll the 5, and it becomes another wildcard 6. I turn the 6s into 4 and 1, and start by moving the cavalry forward diagonally left, to be out of the line-of-fire of the British artillery.

I advance my own artillery to the edge of the right-bank high ground.

In area 1 I move all three infantry units forward a hex.

The AI's four activation dice land 4, 4, 2, 2. A 4 and a 2 are rerolled, but become two more 2s.

In area 2 the forward infantry advance diagonally left to the edge of the high ground, but the rearward unit remains where it is.

In area 4 the British artillery have no target within line-of-sight, never mind within range, and do not move. The infantry withdraw a hex.

No shooting in this turn, but my left hook has begun to advance, and my artillery are in position to fire next turn

French Playthrough Of Corunna In 3D

THE 12th scenario in Mike Lambo's Battles Of Napoleonic is Corunna, this time fought from the French side.

To win I have to eliminate the British commander, Sir John Moore, before the end of turn 10.

My force consists of Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult, five units of infantry, and one each of cavalry and artillery.

The AI gets, in addition to Sir John, seven units of infantry and one of artillery.

When I first played this scenario, using the map and counters from Lambo's book, I snatched victory at the last possible moment.

Map of the battlefield

Battlefield in 3D

My French army

Here is how I set up last time (all French troops have to start below the blue dashed line)

I believe my decision to concentrate my army in just three sectors was correct, and I did win the battle.

But my men had trouble crossing the river - mainly because of the way the river reduced my units' attacking capabilities.

A radically different set up

This time I have placed Marshal Soult and all the infantry to the left of the river, filling all the spaces available to the French when setting up.

My artillery will advance to the edge of the high ground on the right bank, and my cavalry will react to circumstances.

Sir John Moore and the British troops

The AI's setup is determined by dice throws.

Here is how the British, at the top of the map, began last time

This time the AI has slightly varied its setup, with artillery placed directly opposite my cavalry

The full battlefield, waiting for the off

As usual I will write up the battle as it proceeds.

Elamites

THE first military conflict mentioned in the Bible is the Battle of Siddim, which may have occurred in about 1800 BC, although dating is largely speculation.

An Elam-led coalition fought a rebel alliance as part of the War of the Nine Kings, the battle taking place near the south end of the Dead Sea.

Since this will be the first battle I will be refighting as part of my biblical project, I will need to accumulate suitable troops.

Most armies in the region at this time were largely, if not exclusively, composed of bowmen, and Elamite armies were no exception.

I have started by painting six-and-three-quarter(!) units of Elamite archers, one of which is in close-order

The figures are 10mm from Newline Designs.

Slingshot Issue 362

THE Jan/Feb Slingshot, journal of the Society of Ancients, is another edition packed with great articles.

Hard to say which I found the most interesting, but if forced to select just one I would probably go for George Falco de Mats' discussion of the Battle of Agincourt

Summing Up Our Refight Of Charles Grant's Battle Of Kadesh

THIS was a decisive victory for the Hittites, with the Re corps swept from the battlefield, much as its real-life predecessor was in 1274 BC.

In the real battle, fighting continued, with the Hittites attacking Pharoah's camp and the Amun corps, both sides eventually claiming to have triumphed.

But that part of the action was not in Grant's scenario, which ended rather indecisively with the Hittites having lost more than a third of their chariots, although Re also suffered many casualties.

My opponent and I agreed our refight was a lot of fun, and, although it may be immodest of me to say so, my modified version of Neil Thomas's biblical rules from Ancient & Medieval Wargaming resulted in what felt to us to be a realistic encounter, considering the situation of the two forces, and an enjoyably fast-paced one.

Battlefield at the end, with two of the four remaining Egyptian units facing imminent elimination

Kadesh - Turn Five

Nightfall is four turns away, so will probably come too late to save the Egyptians

I win the dice-off (5-1) to decide who goes first, and start by sending my elite heavy chariots on the Hittite left into the Carchemish biblical infantry. One die per base, plus one more for being chariots in the first round of a melee, means eight dice for my men, and I score two hits. One is saved; the other resolved as forcing the Egyptians back 3cm.

They are then charged my other left-flank heavy chariots, whose eight dice also score two hits, none of which is saved, and both result in the Carchemish losing a base. That means two morale tests - they pass one, but fail the other, losing a third base.

The Carchemish fail to score an unsaved hit in either melee.

The Kush archers are charged by my two-base heavy squadron, which receives three dice per base, plus the usual chariot charge bonus, meaning eight dice in all, but only one hit is inflicted, and that is resolved as forcing the bowmen back 3cm.

The Kush's four dice score two hits, but both are saved.

Outside the walls of Kadesh, my three-base heavy squadron charges Pharoah's Royal Chariot Squadron. Being heavy chariots against light, my men receive three dice per base, plus the die-per-base bonus for being chariots in the first round of a melee. I score two hits. Neither is saved, but the Egyptians again do not lose a base, instead falling back 6cm.

The Egyptians receive one die per base, plus the bonus die-per-base. Reg scores two hits. One is saved, and the other forces my Hittites back 3cm - a chariot stand-off!

The isolated Ka archers are shot at by the Allied light squadron nearest them, losing a base, and a second base to poor morale.

My other light squadron wheels and shoots at the same target, but without success.

Finally, two heavy squadrons - one with three bases, the other with one - close in on the Ka.

Bird's-eye view of the battlefield

With defeat inevitable, and three-and-a-half turns before nightfall can intervene, Reg concedes.

 

Kadesh - Turn Four

This turn could conceivably see the Egyptians fall below half-strength (in units) and so lose the battle

Reg wins the dice-off (6-2) to determine who goes first.

He starts with the ongoing melee between the two-base Karnak biblical infantry and my one-base heavy chariot squadron. I do not score a hit, but the Egyptian unit (or, rather, Reg on its behalf) continues with incredible dice rolling, again getting two 6s. However, one hit is saved, and the other 'only' results in the charioteers being forced back 3cm. The Karnak cannot follow up as, although my men were forced back, they did not actually lose that round of fighting since no base was eliminated.

Pharoah's Royal Chariot Squadron, menaced by two Hittite squadrons, heads towards the Orontes, then swings round and shoots at my elite squadron, scoring a hit, but it is saved.

The Ka archers shoot at the Hittite squadron nearest them, scoring two hits. One is saved, but the other causes my men to lose a base, although the charioteers' morale remains steady.

The Kush archers shoot at the chariots nearest them, scoring two hits, one of which is saved, and the other resolved as causing my squadron to fall back 3cm.

Finally, Reg leaves the Carchemish biblical infantry where they are,

The Egyptians are hanging on, but now it is the Hittites' go

I start by ordering my right-flank elite heavy chariots to turn and charge the Egyptian light chariots. Despite losing half their movement allowance for turning, my men are just able to reach the enemy, with Reg cursing himself for having been so careless as to allow this to happen.

Heavy chariots roll three dice per base against light chariots, and there is the die-per-base bonus that chariots always get in the first round of a melee. That means 16 dice in all, and I manage to roll four hits, only one of which is saved. However, all three remaining hits are resolved as forcing the Egyptians back, rather than losing bases, and so they withdraw 9cm.

Meanwhile, Pharoah's squadron in the melee receives one die per base, plus the die-per-base bonus, and Reg rolls three hits, two of which are saved, but the third causes my men to lose a base.

I send my furthest-right heavy chariots to try to outflank the Ka archers.

Meanwhile, one of the Allied light-chariot squadrons advances on the Ka from the front and shoots, but without inflicting casualties.

The other Allied light squadron veers right and shoots at the Karnak biblical infantry, scoring three hits, only one of which is saved. The remaining two are both resolved as the loss of a base, which means the Karnak become the fourth Egyptian unit to be eliminated.

My two-base heavy chariots opposite the Kush archers are able to tack left and charge the bowmen. They receive three dice per base, plus one more per base for being chariots in the first turn of a melee. I roll two hits - one is saved, and the other is resolved as the Kush falling back 3cm.

King Muwatalli II and my elite heavy chariots on the Hittite left, opposite the Carchemish biblical infantry, should be able to charge them, but move-variation causes the squadron to lose 25% of its movement allowance, meaning the charioteers come up just short.

However, the other heavy squadron opposite the Carchemish suffer no such misfortune, and so, despite starting from further away than my elite squadron, crash into the Egyptian infantry. My men receive one die per base in this match-up, plus the die-per-base bonus for being chariots in the first round of a melee, and score two hits, but both are saved.

The Carchemish roll one die per base, scoring a hit, which is not saved, and is resolved as forcing my men back 3cm.

Fighting is getting close to the outskirts of Kadesh