1735: First Week

Weather will not be mentioned unless it is something other than Fair.

1st-6th April 1735

A summary of the First week of the 1735 Campaign is as follows:

In the north, the Wealden 2nd army sends out scouts, and after encountering the Cantware 1st on the Coast Road, sends a unit of Hussars into the hills. The rest of the army under Brig. Gen. Ashburnham digs in at Brighthelm and is besieged by the forces of Cantica.

In the South, the Wealden 1st steals a march on its opposite, and arrives in Hardingly just before the Cantware 3rd turns up. 

In the centre, the scouting forces of the Wealden Hussars (based in Hurst Manor) and the Cantware 2nd Army encounter each other, the Wealden forces are able to send messages back to consolidate an ersatz 4th Army of the two small forces in the centre of the map, under a brevet promoted Col Tarley, which rides out to confront the Cantware 2nd at the crossroads.

Before the battle of the Crossroads is fought between the Wealden 4th Army and Cantware 2nd at the crossroads, and the battle of Hardingley between the Wealden 1st Army and Cantware 3rd, this is the state of play:

Movements of the 7th of April 

The Wealden 3rd Army is due to land at Brighthelm on the 9th, and it's unlikely that significant siegeworks will be constructed by Cantica before that point - so there may be a larger field battle than otherwise considered!

Day by Day Summary

 The day-by-day summary is as below:

• April 1st: 
• WEALDEN: 1st Army begins a march from Wickham Lace to Danehill. Wealden 2nd Army (Brighthelm) and Forester Dragoons (Hurst Manor) sends out cavalry scouts to foothills of Coast Rd. and Pass Rd.
• CANTWARE: 3rd Army begins a march on the Low Road towards Hardingley
• April 2nd: 
• April 3rd:
• WEALDEN: 
• Messengers (from Brig. Gen. Chichester at Hurst Manor) arrive at Danehill to inform the 4th Musketeers to prepare to receive an attack, with a brevet promotion of Lt. Col. Tarley to Brig. Gen. 
• CANTWARE: 
• 1st and 2nd Armies Mobilise
• April 4th - Light Rain.
• WEALDEN:
• Messengers from Wickham Lace arr. Hardingley and inform the 5th Jäger that they are at war, and to report themselves to Bvt. Brig. Gen Tarley at Danehill.
• 1st Army Hussar Outriders in 15,6 come into scouting contact with leading edge of Cantware 1st Army in 17,5 and return full speed back to Brighthelm 
• CANTWARE:
• As above, 1st Army comes into contact with Wealden 1st Army outriders
• April 5th:
• WEALDEN:
• 1st Army Outriders arrive Brighthelm
• Hussars depart towards wooded hills SE of Brighthelm
• Forester Dragoons from Hurst Manor (14,10) come into scouting contact with Cantware light cavalry from their 2nd Army (15,10) and send messengers back, Wealden to Danehill and Hurst Manor, Cantware to the main advancing force.
• April 6th:
• WEALDEN: 
• 1st Army arrives at Hardingley.
• 5th Jäger arrive Danehill
• Forester Dragoon messengers arrive re: Cantware 2nd Army in Danehill & Hurst Manor
• CANTWARE: 
• 3rd Army arrives outside Hardingley
• 1st Army arrives outside Brighthelm - SIEGE
• April 7th:
• WEALDEN:
• Forester Dragoons, 5th Jäger and 4th Musketeers become defacto 4th Army on Crossroads west of Danehill
• BOTH:
• 4th Army battle with Cantware 2nd Army
• April 9th:
• WEALDEN:
• 3rd Army under Prince of Barroch arrives Brighthelm

Battle of the Crossroads

This consists of an action by Brev. Brig. Gen Tarley with the Forester Dragoons, 4th Musket and 5th Jager regiments, and one half-regiment of Militia - up against the Cantware 2nd Army: the Lifeguard Cuirassiers, 3 units of Fusiliers and the heavy gun company.

Forecast

April 14th - Light Rain

April 27th - Light Rain

April 28th - Heavy Rain (half movement)

April 29th - Light Rain (only half movement on roads)

April 30th to May 3rd - Heavy and Light Rain (no movement)

May 4th to May 10th - Fair (but no movement until the ground has sufficiently dried (10/12)

1735: Mobilisation

The Army of Cantica

The operational goal of Vice Margrave Ridley is the seizure of the disputed lands west of the Harpeck River, encompassing Brighthelm, Danehill, Hardingley.

The Cantware army is spread across the border towns (off map), with three strategic options, the bold option has been decided randomly:

1. A thrust to capture Brighthelm via the Coast road before it can be reinforced, and secure and potential amphibious landing by Barroch, with token forces on the Middle and Low roads.
2. Attempt to capture the river crossings west of Brighthelm, Hardingley and Danehill with broadly equal forces.
3. Attempt to capture Danehill as a central defensible position, with one force each to Brighthelm and Wickham Lace.

Their distribution is as follows:

• 1st Army - Coast Road - GdA Waverley, Vice-Margrave Ridley, Lifeguard & Lobster Cuirassiers, Grenadier Guard, 1st, 3rd and 5th Fusiliers, Light Guns
• 2nd Army - Pass Rd - GdB Neville, Rivertide Dragoons, 7th, 9th and 11th Fusiliers, Heavy Guns
• 3rd Army - Low Rd - GdB Fielding, Umbran Cuirassiers, 13th and 16th Fusiliers, 2nd Light Guns 

With a Competency Roll for each active brigadier of 1, 1 and 5 - the 1st and 2nd Army mobilisations are delayed by 2 days, while the Low Road mobilises immediately. 

The Army of the Weald

Wealden army disposition at the point of Cantware mobilisation is as follows:

• Brighthelm: 2nd Army of Brigadier Ashburnham, 2nd & 3rd Musketeers, Pink Hussars, Heavy Guns
• Westbourne:  n/a
• Hurst Manor: Brigadier Chichester, Forester Dragoons
• Danehill: 4th Musketeers
• Hardingley: 5th Jäger
• Wickham Lace: 1st Army of Crown Prince Henry, Brigadier Egremont, Cuirassiers, Royal Grenadiers, Light Guns
• Barroch: 3rd Army of Barroch - Coreshall Dragoons, Galswood Fusiliers, Wealden Foreign Legion

The various Brigadiers are housed in Wickham Lace, Brighthelm and Hurst Manor.  Without knowledge of the intent of the Cantware forces, Mr. M. Smith has defined the defensive strategy:

1. Garrison the three main towns and hunker down until Principality reinforcements arrive from Barroch
1. Try to cut supply lines with roaming light cavalry and/or Jägers
2. Land Barroch Forces amphibiously as far east as possible

With a 1D6 roll of a 1 in Initial Mobilisation and Reaction, the Wealden forces coincidentally mobilise into a defensive position at the same time as those of Cantica cross the border: clearly someone has leaked the Cantware war plan! Maybe to Brig.Gen. Chichester with his swarthy charisma?

With a Competency Roll for each active brigadier of 3, 4 and 5 - none of them delay mobilisation, however the leaderless regiments at Danehill and Hardingley will need to be notified by horse (2 and 3 days respectively).

1735: Margravate of Cantica Army as of April 1

 

Margravate Army

As the attacker, the Cantware forces are on the offensive and mustered in their frontier towns off to the right-hand side of this map. 

• Commander in Chief: Vice-Margrave Ridley
• Brigadiers:
• Brock
• Pemberton
• Neville
• Waverley
• Fielding
• Cavalry (3000):

• 1st Lifeguard Cuirassiers (Blue coats, Mitres)
• 3rd Umbran Cuirassiers (Blue coats, black facings)
• 5th Lobster Cuirassiers (Orange coats, blue facings)
• 2nd Rivertide Dragoons (Orange coats, green facings)
• Infantry (12,000):
• Grenadier Guard (yellow)
• 1st Glenwood (yellow)
• 3rd Meadowbrook (blue)
• 5th Havenfleet (dark orange)
• 7th Dymchurch (red)
• 8th Larkshire (red w/ yellow lace)
• 11th Ashenford (black)
• 13th Thanet (white)
• 16th Marsh (white w/ yellow lace)
• Artillery (300)
• 1st Light (9x 6pdr) Artillery
• 2nd Light (9x 6pdr) Artillery
• 1st Heavy (10x 12pdr) Artillery 

Margravate Army

1735: Wealden Army as of April 1

 

• Commander in Chief: Crown Prince Henry
• Brigadiers:
• Weston - Int4 Ld8 Cha4 Str3 W4
• Chichester - Int1 Ld7 Cha8 Str5 W2  
• De La Warr - Int10 Ld9 Cha3 Str1 W4
• Ashburnham - Int9 Ld8 Cha1 Str4 W9
• Egremont - Int5 Ld7 Cha1 Str10 W10
• Montague - Int1 Ld8 Cha6 Str8 W8
• Cavalry: (2,500): 
• 1st Crown Prince Cuirassiers
• 2nd Forester Dragoons
• 13th Coreshall Dragoons (Allied Barroch)
• 4th Pink Hussars
• Infantry (10,000):
• 1st Royal Grenadiers
• 2nd Seax Musketeers
• 3rd Earl's Own
• 4th Wickham Musketeers
• 5th Westbourne Light (as Jäger companies)
• 11th Galswood Fusiliers (Allied Barroch)
• 14th Walden Foreign Legion (Allied Barroch)
• Artillery (200):
• 1st Light (9x 6pdr)  Artillery
• 1st Heavy (10x 12pdr) Artillery

Barroch Contingent

The above Wealden army consists of those native Walder forces, and those auxiliary troops provided by the Principality of Barroch - which are denoted by the + sign. If factoring in to the combat, these will arrive by the Forest Rd (an overland distance of approximately 22 hexes) or via sea transport (18 hexes plus logistics either end) after moblisation.

1735: Strategic Overview

Map of Hurst shire of the Kingdom of the Weald, circa 1735

 This map details the disputed western area of the Weald, known as Eyerstscir (Wealas) or Hurstshire (Alban) and the major conurbations as they appear in 1735.  Each hex grid represents about six miles. 

Major Features

The mountain ranges of the centre and west region of Hurstshire make east-west travel more difficult, with only three major roads crossing the area. There are numerous tracks and pathways, but these are little more useful than open ground for a military formation.

Towns

 The largest towns in the area are Wickham Lace and Brighthelm but are themselves quite small. They are able to garrison 2 regiments of infantry and one regiment of cavalry in peacetime, with the other towns able to support 1/1. Hurst Manor as the seat of the Eyerstscir Landgrave can support 1 regiment of cavalry, but not infantry. 

Movement

Infantry and Artillery may move 2 hexes per turn, and Cavalry may move 4 hexes per turn. This is halved for any off-road movement. Infantry and Cavalry may attempt to ford a stream but Artillery and supply wagons may never do so. 

Supply

Units must be able to draw a line of supply to the nearest road and thence to their home territory or a friendly town, if not they are subject to supply issues. This line may not cross through enemy towns, across rivers except at bridges, or roads which are occupied by an enemy army.

Coverage and Line of Sight

Armies that encounter each other in the same hex may choose to engage in battle, or one (or both) sides may decline and retreat. Armies become aware of opposing forces in adjacent hexes (and one additional hex for an army which contains light cavalry, to represent the scouting and patrolling responsibility of such units), except in the case that a potential target army is inside hills/forests/mountains.

1735: Cassus Belli

Cassus Belli 

The petty states of the Weald and Cantica have lived in peace for many years, but a new tension has arisen with the slow process of industrialisation. The need for raw materials and mineral rights have relit the fires of a long-dormant border dispute along their borderlands, an area previously of little commercial or strategic value but found recently to be rich in shallow coal seams.

Observed with consternation by the Belle Alliance of grand powers on the periphery, increasingly bellicose Cantware leaders pushed the rhetorical into the physical, deploying an expeditionary force across the border and into the Walden shire of Hurst to seize what they consider their sovereign territory.

Cantware Cuirassiers (WIP)

Margravate of Cantica

With a population of over 300,000 Cantica is the largest of the small cluster of countries in North-Eastern Alba. Geographically it forms the foothills of the mountain ranges that cut through Borcester and into fertile ground surrounding the bank of the Tems River. 

As a result the Cantware population are wealthy by Alban standards, their economy with a focus on mercantile trade and commerce and are agriculturally self sufficient, but with a need to import raw materials for the military expansion, and a burgeoning industrial revolution.  

Their population is focused around the major towns: the capital city of Rumney and the cathedral city of Hithe - both on the banks of the Tems. 

Kingdom of (the) Weald

Though large geographically, the meagre Walden populace of 160,000 souls is distributed through a number of hamlets and villages throughout the country due to the mountainous nature of the terrain. 

Weald is primarily a rural agrarian country, but the wool trade through the ports of Cantica has permitted a level of civic development and education beyond what one might expect for such a sparsely spread people.

Fiercely independent, the Wealas language is spoken in all but the most cosmopolitan society and a strong sense of national identity prevails. 

Principality of Barroch

The Kingdom of Barroch was conquered in the mid 13th-century by one of the Walden kings, and though it has local autonomy is technically a vassal of the Weald. Geographically distant from the conflict between the Weald and Cantica, its contributions are likely to be in the form of military aid.

Belle Alliance

The Belle Alliance is the unofficial title given to the leaders of the largest realms in Alba who are united in a system of interconnected alliances for mutual defensc and assistance.

1735: Cantware Uniforms

 

Infantry Uniforms of the Bavarian Army

Cavalry Uniforms of the Bavarian Army

Battletech Setup 2: Star System

The Star system Eos consists of an F8V star (Much brighter and more white than Sol).Distant from Earth, it was however sparsely colonised during the Star League Era.

Inner System

The closest planet Selene is a large mercurial world wracked by volcanic activity and hemmed in by an Asteroid belt (itself home to a dwarf terrestrial). 

The habitable zone of the star is host to three worlds: 

Hecate 

Hecate is the major force on the Eos system with a population of 166 million souls - though it has moderately advanced technology, it has a low level of industrial development and output, poor agricultural dependence due to the very cold climate.

Like most planets in the Eos system it is self-sufficient for raw materials, but with low surface water and a tainted atmosphere.

Originally a Star League-era colony, it is now controlled by an oligarchic pseudo-democracy.

Pan 

Aa large terrestrial world with a high temperature and toxic atmosphere, with an Earth-like day/year and gravity. It is home to a small population of colonists who have declared independence from Hecate and live as a socialist-anarchist commune at the very bottom of the technological and industrial barometer.

Janus

Janus is home to the oldest colony in the system, founded before the Star League, and the original abandoned colony remains.

With a population of 22.5m and a democratic government, Janus has the potential to be a great force with a breathable atmosphere, abundant surface water - and though agriculturally self sufficient, with such a low population it has an extremely limited industrial base.

Notes

Planetary Details Table

Colony Details

DropShip intra-system travel is 70hrs per AU, 49.5d to safe jump distance out of system.

Battletech Setup 1: Merc Company Ethics Gradient

Ethics Gradient Mercenary Force:

• Colonel Cuthbert
• Black Knight - BL-7-KNT (Veteran)
• Crew: Leader(free), Tech, 6x Astechs = 5500c
• Maintenance: 7500c
• Lance "Divine Right"
• Hornet - HND-151
• Ammo: 1 ton LRM/5 (7,500c)
• Crew: Mechwarrior, Tech, 6x Astechs = 7,000c
• Maintenance: 2,000c
• Hunchback - HBK-4G
• Ammo: 2 tons AC/20 (10,000c)
• Crew: Mechwarrior, Tech, 6x Astechs = 7,000c
• Maintenance: 5,000c
• Whitworth - WTH-1 (Lieutenant Oswald)
• Ammo: 2 tons LRM/10 (15,000c)
• Crew: Officer, Tech, 6x Astechs = 7,300c
• Maintenance: 4,000c
• SDR-5K - Spider
• Maintenance: 2,000c
• Lance "Grey Area"
• Stalker - STK-3F (Lieutenant Baldwin)
• Ammo: 2 tons LRM10 (15000c), 2 tons SRM6 (13,500c)
• Crew: Officer, Tech, 6x Astechs = 7,300c
• Maintenance: 8,500c
• Firestarter - FS9-H
• Ammo: 1 ton MG (250c)
• Crew: Mechwarrior, Tech, 6x Astechs = 7,000c
• Maintenance: 3,500c
• Hunchback - HBK-4H
• Ammo: 2 tons AC/10 (5,000c)
• Crew: Mechwarrior, Tech, 6x Astechs = 7,000c
• Maintenance: 5,000c
• Enforcer - ENF-4R (ex-Davion salvage)
• Ammo: 1 ton AC/10 (2,500c)
• Crew: Mechwarrior, Tech, 6x Astechs = 7,000c
• Maintenance: 5,000c
• Union Dropship "Conflict of Interest"
• Maintenance: 36,000c
• Fuel: 215 tons
• Crew: 14
• Ammo: 9 tons LRM20- (67,000c), 12 tons AC5 (13,500v)

Operating costs

Ammo: 83.75k Mechs + 80.5k dropship

Maintenance: 43,000c BattleMechs + 36,000c DropShip = 79000c

Personnel: 63600c Combat Crew + 3,600c Admins + 14,000c DropShip crew = 81,200c

Total: -240,000c

Weapon Cost Notes

LRM Ammo = 30k per ton

SRM Ammo = 27k per ton

AC20 Ammo = 20k per ton

AC10 Ammo = 10k per ton

AC5 Ammo = 3k per ton

MG Ammo 1k per ton

Budgets

Balance Brought Forward: +135,000,000c

Outgoings:

Mech purchase:  -59,000,000c

Operating Cost: -240,000c

Balance Carried Forward: 75,760,000c

The 4th Anglo Dutch War: Fighting Sail Review and Battle Report

 Fighting sail is a game which has been on my radar for some time after watching the Joy of Wargaming reports of the game. He transitioned away from FS towards a more detailed game called Blood, Bilge and Iron Balls which had all of the bookkeeping which I felt took me out of the game with Grand Fleets 3. As a result, I was eager to try this Osprey ruleset and see how it panned out.

I bought my ships from Tumbling Dice, they are 1/2400 lead models - and I got the Napoleonic Starter Set which contains a sizeable fleet. In my case, I split it in two with four average (3rd-rate) ships up against a combination of large and small (2nd-rate, 3rd-rate and 5th-rate frigates).

I set up my board i.e. grey PVC tablecloth with a 3x3' space - slightly smaller than the 4x4' recommended but more than enough for the bounds of the game I played. No terrain to speak of, just the vagaries of wind and firing arcs to deal with. 

I whipped up two fleets: a British Royal Navy fleet of three 3rd rates (Vesta, Juno and Ceres) against a Dutch fleet of a 2nd rate (Amsterdam), two 3rd  rates (Rotterdam, Delft) and a 4th Rate (Nassau). The Dutch were fighting with roughly a 10pt disadvantage.

Shortly after battle commences, the battle lines form

Fighting Sail has a hybrid IGO/UGO system - each player sails, then each player fires. The first player on each turn is determined through dice roll. 

Early in the engagement, the RN had the initiative and were able to manouvre their smaller squadron in a more tight formation, presenting a devastating broadside. 

HMS Juno and Ceres pulverise ZM Delft, sinking it

The damage rules in FS are a little odd - damage inflicted ticks down a morale counter for your entire army, even if that damage is repaired or ignored. As a result, unless something catastrophic happens (as above, when Delft was smashed to smithereens) your ships pretty much do whatever they want. When they have an anchor (movement penalty) they can only move on 6's and when they have a damage token they fire/board at half strength - but these are rallied off after movement each turn. 

Unlike the English, the Dutch faired terribly with the wind - they had the initiative half the time, but their turns were either becalmed wind (only move on 6's) or gales (move on 3+ but downwind fire is at half strength).

The wind dies, and most ships are floundering with slack sails

The Dutch were able to cross the tee of the british ships, but unable to capitalise: rolling pitiful damage, and when successful the British were able to shrug off the hits. I gave the Dutch one last chance ignoring their penultimate morale decrement - they seized the initiative but were beset with a calm again.

Despite all three Dutch ships firing at close range into the British Flagship they were unable to cause enough damage, and a lucky shot by HMS Ceres on the Dutch frigate Nassau saw the morale collapse, and an end to the engagement.

Ceres lands the killing blow on the 4th rate Nassau, ending the engagement

The result was 9/16 morale for the RN, versus 0/16 for the Dutch KM. 

Though the game mechanically was fairly simple, I'm not sure at all that it actually felt very thematic at all, aside from the need to steer correctly with the wind. Some of the mechanics felt very vestigial - the need for example, to roll at least one '6' on as many D6 as your discipline (typically 6-8) to rally off a damage and then anchor token. 

It was a simple and robust game, but there was almost no flavour - like eating ready salted crisps in a white bread sandwich. Maybe I am being too harsh, but like any red blooded Brit I've dined out on Aubrey/Maturin for years and this was more an in-house Channel 5 documentary than Master and Commander. 

What felt particularly anaemic was how the battle hinged completely on an abstracted 'morale score' which was disconnected absolutely from the actual board state. If you took lots of damage then your morale goes down - but you rally it off and are operating in tip-top shape and in a dominating position it doesn't matter at all and (as in the case of my game) a pot-shot ticks your morale down to zero you insta-lose. The morale system is pretty closely integrated into the game, so I don't think it's an easy swap to something else.

Overall while I enjoyed the game I'm not sure I've got any desire to play it again, maybe the Joy of Wargaming was onto something by switching to BB&IB?