Another Map Game ...

When I first read about the British Army 'Manoeuvres of 1912' it at once occurred to me that it would make a fine topic for a 'Map Campaign' between those longtime enemies, Ruberia and Azuria.  The Manoeuvres set up a scenario in which an invasion force from the imaginary country, Redland (vice the North Sea!), crossed the border into Norfolk. Led by the Division of screening cavalry, the 32,000-plus strong invasion corps thrust southwards towards London. Advancing through east Cambridgeshire, the invaders were met by a hastily gathered together defence corps of similar size. There battle was joined for the success or failure of the invaders' mission.

Setting this one up struck me as a little tricky, because the armies I chose for this little project aren't set up the same as my Napoleonics. I can fit 2 of my 6cmx4cm bases in column, but not in line in my 10cm hexes. So this will require a strength point system. Had I thought to use my American Civil War figures, this would not have been a problem, but I'm not sure I would have gone down that track even if I had thought of it before this moment.

 

Further, the relatively small sizes of the opposing forces really precluded a map inclusive of all East Anglia. Instead I have selected an area some 25-30 miles square around the area in which forces were engaged. Natives of the area might find my map geography idiosyncratic, not to say peculiar, but I wanted to keep things fairly simple. Beginning with the cavalry, the invaders enter the map via the pink arrows; the defenders, marching to intercept the enemy, enter the map via the blue arrows. The invaders will achieve a local strategic victory if they can exit the map with a fightable force anywhere between Whittlesford and Radminster. Somewhat surprisingly, there is little of what I would call 'terrain' in that part of the country - gently rolling country from what I can discover. If anyone can point towards some interesting terrain features, I'd be grateful. I have added a couple of woods, and a ridge line that I think runs from Saffron Walden northeastwards, but stand to be corrected on this.

Given the limited geographical scale of the campaign, the matter of time-scales comes into question. An infantry formation in a hurry and unopposed could probably cross the map north to south in little more than a day. After a some consideration, I have decided upon 1 move represents 2 hours; 6 moves represents the hours of daylight (the campaign took place within a week from the autumn equinox); and 1 move would represent the night hours that would allow a little bit of shuffling around, digging in, and the recovery of stragglers and broken down equipment.

Infantry and transport traverse 2 hexes per turn along a road; 1 hex cross country.
Cavalry and horse artillery traverse 3 hexes per turn along a road; 2 hexes cross country.
Artillery range: 
- Field and Horse artillery: 2 hexes
- Medium Artillery: 3 hexes.  

One feature of the original exercise will be absent: the 'air' component. The forces I'm using are more 1882 than 1912. I did think of dirigibles, but even that would be a stretch of historical credibility, and I didn't really want to go down the Space, 1889 track (though it is a thought!).

The Armies:

Now, isn't it of a piece that an army to which the colour red is indelibly associated should call itself BLUE, and the OPFOR enemy, to which the colour blue often attaches, is delegated RED? Really confusing. I have decided (reversing my Facebook post) that the invaders are BLUE (Ceruleania) and the defenders (Cinnabar) are RED. That better matches the colours of my respective armies. 

Army BLUE (invaders) - Army of Ceruleania

Commander: Lieutenant-General Douglas Haig (6SP)

1st Infantry Division: Major-General S. Lomax (3SP) - 1st Brigade (3SP, Elite) - 2nd Brigade (4SP) - 3rd Brigade (4SP) - 101st Field Artillery (2SP) - 501st MG Battalion (2SP) - 201st Transport Column (1SP) 2nd Infantry Division: Major-General Henry Lawson (3SP) - 4th Brigade (3SP, Elite)

- 5th Brigade (4SP) - 6th Brigade (4SP) - 102nd Field Artillery (2SP) - 502nd Machinegun Battalion (2SP)

- 202nd Transport Column (1SP)

1st Cavalry Division: Major-General Edmund Allenby (3SP) - 1st Cavalry Brigade (3SP) - 2nd Cavalry Brigade (3SP) - 3rd Cavalry Brigade (3SP) - 121st Horse Artillery (2SP) - 211th Transport Column (1SP)

Army Corps Troops:

- Artillery Reserve (151st Medium Artillery) (2SP)

- 100th Transport Column (1SP). Note: the reduced SP and elevated status of 1st and 4th Brigades goes to the slightly fewer infantry in the invading army than their opponents (something like 22,500 against 25,000), but also to the slightly more integrated Corps formation as a whole. Totals: 23 Units (counting command elements) 62 Strength Points (Exhaustion point -21SP)

Army RED (defending) - Army of Cinnabar

Commander, Lieutenant-General James Grierson (6SP)

3rd Infantry Division: Major-General Henry Rawlinson (3SP) - 7th Brigade (4SP) - 8th Brigade (4SP) - 9th Brigade (4SP) - 103rd Field Artillery (2SP) - 499th Machinegun Battalion (2SP) - 203rd Transport Column (1SP) 4th Infantry Division: Major-General Thos d'Oyly Snow (3SP) - 10th Brigade (4SP) - 11th Brigade (4SP) - 12th Brigade (4SP) - 104th Field Artillery (2SP) - 498th Machinegun Battalion (2SP) - 204th Transport Column (1SP)

2nd Cavalry Division: Col Charles Briggs (3SP) - 4th Cavalry Brigade (4SP) - 5th Cavalry Brigade (4SP) - 122nd Horse Artillery (2SP) - 212th Transport Column (1SP) Note that this Division comprised 8000 troopers organised into 2 brigades, as against the Ceruleanian cavalry's 3 brigades totalling 9000 troopers. Hence the disparate SP values.

Army Troops:

Artillery Reserve (152nd Medium Artillery) (2SP)

200th Transport Column (1SP). Totals: 22 Units (counting command elements 61 Strength points (Exhaustion Point -21SP)

Game mechanics.

1. Unit (or formation) activation. My main thought is to use numbered 'priority chits' (low numbers go first). These will be allocated by Army Command and formation, that is to say 5 'chits' the side. So the numbers will range from 1 to 10 and will each activate any or all of the units in the allocated formation, or the Army commander and Army troops. 2. Combat. Combat dice are allocated by SP value. The exception is that the elite brigades will get one extra die. Supporting artillery will add 1 to the combat dice Machine guns add 1 to the combat dice General in the same hex as combatant adds 1 to combat dice For each 'arm' in a given combat, 1 extra dice is rolled. Machine guns in this context counts as a separate 'arm'. 3. Artillery may be used for preparatory bombardment or counter-battery (artillery fire phase) or for direct support of an infantry or cavalry unit in direct combat with the enemy. They do not need to be in the same hex as the unit being supported. A given artillery unit may fire once during a turn - in the artillery fire phase OR the direct combat phase. 4. Combat outcomes. Hits will be scored against troops according to this schedule: 1 - Artillery (if present, or subject to counter-battery) or machine guns are hit 2 - Cavalry lose 1 SP 3 - Cavalry lose 1 SP 4 - Infantry lose 1 SP 5 - Infantry lose 1 SP 6 - Command is hit. Roll again: 4-6 - no effect 2-3 - Commander WIA lose 2 SPs (Army commander may take 2 serious wounds) 1 - Commander KIA - all SPs lost 5. Competitive Combat: Note that, except for bombardments and counter-battery, combats are competitive; both sides roll. As dice scores go to inflicting loss upon the enemy, they also go to cancelling enemy hits upon one's own side. Actual pip scores shown by both sides are cancelled on a one-for-one basis. However, a '4' does not cancel a '5', or a '2' cancel a '3', or vice versa. 6. Recovery of lost Strength Points. This is part of the night move. Half of the SPs lost throughout the day may be recovered. Losses to commands must be wholly restored (replacement commanders having been found and appointed) Remaining losses are allocated to other troops on a pro rata basis by arm, not more than half the losses each has incurred being restored. Fractions are rounded, exact halves being rounded UP for infantry and transport, and rounded DOWN for cavalry and artillery. Priority is given to units that have taken the most hits, except that non-transport units reduced to 0SP, may be passed over and the SPs allocated to units with 1 or more SP. 7. Cambridge: On the Map, Cambridge is more or less a no-go area for both sides. There will be placed within its precincts a single element (3SP - not part of General Grierson's Corps) by way of defence. It won't move, and will fight if any enemy enters an adjacent hex. It's really there by for the sake of 'completion'. Historically a Territorial brigade was set to garrison the town for the duration of the 'Manoeuvres', but it was not expected to be engaged at all. 8. Night Moves: Apart from recovering SPs lost, the Night Move may be used to move a unit 1 hex cross country, or 2 by road. Such a move may break contact with the enemy but may not be used to bring units into contact, nor to change one contact for another. These may be useful moves for Transport units. 9. Digging in: Non moving units may also take the night move digging in at their present location (i.e. without moving). They will count as fortified if attacked there the following day(s). Units may dig in during daylight hours, 3 turns (half a day) being sufficient to fortify the brigade and supports in the same hex. If the unit is engaged in combat whilst constructing a fortified position, the work has to be abandoned.

9. Cavalry: I have added some skirmish elements to the cavalry to represent, if occasion arises, dismounted action. A cavalry unit in dismounted action places a skirmisher stand in front of the mounted unit. I haven't yet made up my mind whether its combat dice ought to be reduced by one (to represent non-combatant horse holders), but it seems a reasonable line to take. 10. Any Suggestions? I welcome any suggestions concerning the ideas I've expressed here, or additional ideas others may have. To be continued.