Neil Thomas One Hour Wargames Scenario 23

Next in the series of scenarios from Neil Thomas' One Hour Wargames is this scenario 'Defence in Depth', very loosely inspired by the Battle of the Yellow Ford and a Charles Grant 'irregular forces' scenario. It features a mixed group of regular and irregular forces - very suitable for the Franco-Jacobite army, trying to stop the progress of a British column.

 

The Forces:

Franco-Jacobite Army: 1 unit of Regular infantry, 3 units of irregular infantry, 1 unit of artillery, 1 unit of cavalry

Hanoverian Army: 5 units of infantry, 1 unit of artillery, 3 units of dragoons

In this scenario, the Hanoverian Army may not enter the wooded areas at all (they are deemed to be too dense and difficult for regular troops to fight effectively in them without having local knowledge of them).

 

The Jacobite irregulars were characterized as Poor Light Infantry, for the purposes of this game.

The Set-up:

the battlefield: regular infantry and guns guard the town, whilst the Jacobite irregulars are positioned in the woods.  The Jacobite cavalry (fitz-James' Regiment) is on the high ground to the rear in reserve.

A closer view of the town and its garrison

And the woods

And the woods and cavalry to the rear of the position

The Battle:

The action commences quite inauspiciously for the British, as their lead battalion comes under heavy and accurate artillery fire from the French gunners

More British infantry arrives, and tries to shake itself out into a more combat suitable formation

Despite the advantages of cover to the Jacobite irregulars, the British redcoats prove that their musketry drill has not been wasted, winning the firefight. The artillery support proved very helpful, no doubt...

The British Foot clear out the irregulars from the other side of the wood

The French artillery continues to perform excellently: its long range fire catches one of the Dragoon regiments and it breaks

a closer shot of the Scots' Greys being set to the rightabouts...

Numbers, and guns, and numbers of guns, tell - the next unit of Jacobite irregulars is defeated in the woods

One bank is cleared

The British go for the far bridge (they cannot use the middle bridge (left))

Unfortunately for the Jacobites, the remaining unit of irregulars flees without firing a shot - discouraged by the rout of their comrades, no doubt

The British cross the river...

The French cavalry counter-attack but are beaten back...

The French seem briefly mesmerized, unable to deal with the multiplicity of threats...

The French cavalry retreat to the higher ground

The firefight around the town continues, with neither side gaining any advantage

The French cavalry is progressively forced back, and suffering from the flanking musketry

which eventually proves too much, even as they beat off the Dragoons...

And victory goes to the British...

Position at the end of the battle

Game Notes:

An interesting game and an exciting scenario, although the way it worked out meant that it became progressively less exciting as the game went on, as the imbalances between the sides became further exaggerated. I made a couple of minor mistakes with the rules, although nothing that made that much difference (I forgot that a unit can only wheel once in one direction in a turn - given the quite large relative move distance of mounted troops in these rules, if multiple wheeling were allowed, then it would be quite handy. But it isn't!).  There is a different argument to be had about my tactical approach for the Jacobites here - they need to expose themselves to damage in order to do damage, but if they do, then they can be damaged. In Ruse de Guerre ultimately, numbers tell: more than any 'factor' you want to be 'throwing more dice' (more on this in later posts, I think).  Given this then, in retrospect, I think it would be best if the Jacobite irregulars were concentrated in the central wood, to allow them most flexibility to respond to the British axis or axes of advance.  The only other thing to note was the ability of the French artillery to cause sufficient damage in a single turn to break a cavalry regiment. In any case, it was a good, challenging game.

 

Figures by Baccus 6mm, buildings by Leven.