1887 Ruritanian Expeditionary Force Pushes Back Lionians Who Re-group For Another Battle.
The Lionan town of Choompa is entered by Ruritanian forces. This is a morale booster for the Ruritanians after the difficulties experienced by their earlier scouting force.
The Ruritanians began on the Southern side of the Pongo River. Two bridges existed, one of them going through Choompa. The Lionians were under orders not to cross to the Southern side of the river , two hold Choompa and to also send forces to the North to assisst another Lionian army about to battle a second Ruritanian army. The Ruritanian orders were to tke the own, to prevent Lionian forces leaving to the Northern end of the road and to follow those Ruritanianw who did with at least two units.
Below: The Ruritanians line the banks of the Pongo River. (The two cannon are not sitting in the river but are positioned in the gap in the table, which is for ease of access to the center of the board). The Ruritanians hope to whittle down the Lionians with superior fire power before the Ruritanians cross the river. Infantry and dismounted cavalry also position themselves opposite the buildings of Choompa but no Lionians have occupied the buildings. thus the Lionians havd neutralised a considerable part of the Ruritanian fire power.
Lionians press forward in the center and on their left flank towards the town. (The town is a patchwork of grass huts and more substantial government buildings).
The Lionians elite 'Palace Guard' (actually much more than a palace guard but a strike force) place some deadly fire into their enemies.
Lionian artillery and riflemen tae position next to and inside the forest. The latter prove to be especially destructive.
A much diminished unit of Ruritanians has crossed the bridge on the Ruritanian left flank.
A column of Ruritanians prepares to cross the same bridge.
Ruritanian lancers press well into the enemy territory to harass any units trying to leave the field. A unit of Lionian swordsmen rushes forward to intercept them but the lancers charge them and push them back, before wiping them out. The lancers lose over half their strength in the melee.
A formidable Lionian force occuies the town but they lack firearms. The Ras can be seen mounted on his horse.
Ruritanian Rifles surrender their usual shooting role and charge into the Lionians behind the buildings. They push them bac and also the yellow fanatics
The naval unit has also crossed the river by the central bridge and sends some volleys into the natives.
The Rifles recovered from their melee after vanquishing the first unit of natives before being charged by he yellow fanatics. Devastating though the attack was and quite poor the initial rifle fire, the Rifles survive and are aided by the Ruritanian lancers so that the Yellow Fanatics are killed to a man. A single Lionian unit remains in the town as Ruritanian forces close in.
The Ras holds his ground.
CONCLUSION:
Given the usual large size of the Lionian force I thought my work would difficult to drive them from the town and wondered if my forces could reach the exit point for the road. My forces were delayed in crossing the river by the huge enemy force in the town.
My strategy for the first part of the battle was to destroy Lionian shooters and leave a space to my left. although they did some initial damage I managed to wipe out the enemy cannon and firearm equipped enemy. Only then would I attempt to enter the town and to stop enemy troops from leaving the field.
Mat made the mistake of static defence in the town. he should have charged my forces as they crossed the bridge preventing the general advance in that section. As it happened the my forces were able to support each other to the the West of the town and to eventually kill or push out the majority.
At the end of the allotted 15 moves (over a three hour game) I had achieved my objective of exiting two units to the North and preventing the exit of a Lionian unit, making mat short of his objective. The town was disputed but on the verge of being swept clear of Lionians. mat had managed to send a number of units to the North to add to the next battle.
INSPIRATION:
I used Scenario 9, 'Double delaying action' from 'One Hour Wargames' by Neil Thomas. This was based on the battle of Wavre fought on the same day as the battle of Waterloo. (The French unsuccessfully tried to stop the Prussians from reinforcing Wellington).
Because our game used about twice as many units we doubled the numbers of figures that had to exit the road to the Northern end. So Mat had to exit two units by the end of move four, eight and twelve, making a total of six units. I had to exit two units at the same point by the end of the game. This did mean he had less troops to defend the town but I also had to send troops to top him leaving which I did with his last unit in move twelve.
It does mean Mat has an extra five units for the next game and I'll have three (as I exited an extra obe). The forces they will be reinforcing will be decided by dice rolls. If one force (probably mine? is exceptionaly small it will be defending from cover or a town.
The Ruritanians began on the Southern side of the Pongo River. Two bridges existed, one of them going through Choompa. The Lionians were under orders not to cross to the Southern side of the river , two hold Choompa and to also send forces to the North to assisst another Lionian army about to battle a second Ruritanian army. The Ruritanian orders were to tke the own, to prevent Lionian forces leaving to the Northern end of the road and to follow those Ruritanianw who did with at least two units.
Below: The Ruritanians line the banks of the Pongo River. (The two cannon are not sitting in the river but are positioned in the gap in the table, which is for ease of access to the center of the board). The Ruritanians hope to whittle down the Lionians with superior fire power before the Ruritanians cross the river. Infantry and dismounted cavalry also position themselves opposite the buildings of Choompa but no Lionians have occupied the buildings. thus the Lionians havd neutralised a considerable part of the Ruritanian fire power.
CONCLUSION:
Given the usual large size of the Lionian force I thought my work would difficult to drive them from the town and wondered if my forces could reach the exit point for the road. My forces were delayed in crossing the river by the huge enemy force in the town.
My strategy for the first part of the battle was to destroy Lionian shooters and leave a space to my left. although they did some initial damage I managed to wipe out the enemy cannon and firearm equipped enemy. Only then would I attempt to enter the town and to stop enemy troops from leaving the field.
Mat made the mistake of static defence in the town. he should have charged my forces as they crossed the bridge preventing the general advance in that section. As it happened the my forces were able to support each other to the the West of the town and to eventually kill or push out the majority.
At the end of the allotted 15 moves (over a three hour game) I had achieved my objective of exiting two units to the North and preventing the exit of a Lionian unit, making mat short of his objective. The town was disputed but on the verge of being swept clear of Lionians. mat had managed to send a number of units to the North to add to the next battle.
INSPIRATION:
I used Scenario 9, 'Double delaying action' from 'One Hour Wargames' by Neil Thomas. This was based on the battle of Wavre fought on the same day as the battle of Waterloo. (The French unsuccessfully tried to stop the Prussians from reinforcing Wellington).
Because our game used about twice as many units we doubled the numbers of figures that had to exit the road to the Northern end. So Mat had to exit two units by the end of move four, eight and twelve, making a total of six units. I had to exit two units at the same point by the end of the game. This did mean he had less troops to defend the town but I also had to send troops to top him leaving which I did with his last unit in move twelve.
It does mean Mat has an extra five units for the next game and I'll have three (as I exited an extra obe). The forces they will be reinforcing will be decided by dice rolls. If one force (probably mine? is exceptionaly small it will be defending from cover or a town.
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