Post-Beaumont Playtesting, p.5: Mechanics, Tactics

As you design or puzzle out a game, you have to line troops up and try out basic mechanics.  This example is a straightforward Brigade v. Brigade attack, two regiments of three battalions each, with some nominal support units affecting tactical decisions, e.g. two batteries of Krupp guns, some jagers in a town.

The game mechanic - or real-life tactic - being tested here is how to handle an attack by an opponent that outranges you. In the Franco-Prussian War, the Prussians had to solve the problem of their Dreyse "needle-gun" being outranged by the French Chassepot. 

In the below example, six French battalions [two regiments] are advancing against six Prussian Battalions [also two regiments] who are defending a town. The town is held by a few companies of Jagers, with support from two batteries of Krupp guns. The Jagers have a max range of 9" and the battalions a max range of 6". The French battalions have a max range of 9", thus heavily outranging the only unit that can effectively respond to their fire. 

As denoted by the dark green felt, the French have chosen to use a covered approach through the woods out of line of sight of the Krupp batteries.  

Shown above are the 6" and 9" distances of the Prussian Units: this leaves a 3" range band where the French are in range, and the only Prussian units that can respond are the Artillery and the Jagers. As these have only about half the firepower of the three leading French battalions, eventually the French will force a decision in their favor altho the combined firepower of the two Krupp Batteries and the Jagers is greater than the top-most French battalion by itself.  The French could choose to sacrifice that battalion, but instead choose another course of action.

Below, the French move up a unit of their light infantry, which can effectively threaten the batteries, forcing them to engage the light infantry instead of supporting the defense of the town.

Given this situation, we can see that the French have mitigated the Prussian defense plan through cover and concealment, and with a support unit of their own. 

The Prussians, with their inferior range, have a few obvious options:

1. Use Terrain so as to reduce the effect of incoming Fire,
2. Rely on support units that are NOT outranged to engage the enemy.
3. Close with the French,
4. Withdraw

But, as can be seen, there is no terrain to mitigate the French battalion's firepower; also, the Prussian support units were insufficient to drive off three battalions and have been countered by an opposing French support unit. 

The only good news is that the Prussians are not within the 9" of the woods that would give the French continued cover as they engage the Prussians. So keep this in mind when you are fighting against a covered approach - either occupy it yourself, or start within line of sight and fire range so you can cover it with sufficient firepower to deter attack!

The French continue their attack plan by moving out of the woods into range - they are still out of range of all Prussians except one jager company in the town. 

Withdrawal is not an option, so the Prussians immediately move up to close into their 6" shooting range before the French can fully deploy into line.

For this one [French] Player Turn, the French have deployed into line and will have a 2-1 Firepower advantage. Such is life.

On Prussian Player Turn 2, the Prussians deploy and the exchange of Fire will be even.

As I was playtesting mechanics, I stayed very close to average dice rolls, so Fire and Saves and Morale Checks were pretty average numbers. In French Player Turn 3, they managed to outnumber a Prussian Battalion in bases, charge and just barely weather the Fire and drive back the Prussians. Fortunately, the Prussians have properly deployed a second line and the French battalion is now facing a fresh Prussian one.

Fire between the two sides is generally attriting everyone.

Prussian Player Turn 3, they charge with their Fresh battalion and drive back the French breakthrough.

The Prussians Pursue the French, taking up a position in the main line of battle.

Turn 4, the French advance a supporting battalion from their second line into the gap where the Ligne battalion charged then was counter-charged and fled.

The status quo of two even battle lines has been maintained, with both sides having 5 Units in the fight, and 1 unit rallying / reforming in the rear.

I was very satisfied with how my mechanics worked - they are closely based upon Neil Thomas' "Wargaming 19th Century Europe" rules, which are the best developed of his "4-Base" system of rules that started with Simplicity in Practice [which is actually half-baked, but free].

The key thing to remember is that in real life, troops density was about double what Wargamers normally put on the table. All lines would have about half the force up front and another half behind, ready to support the first line. This should translate to an attrition battle with very close results if both players are playing equally well [or poorly] and the victory conditions are fair.  I'm fine with this!

To summarize, neither in real life history, nor on the table top, is outranging the opposing Infantry with your Infantry a decisive advantage. It typically means in game terms that for one turn, the side with shorter-ranged weapons has to advance into their range band [unless the side with longer-ranged weapons is in a situation where they have to assault, in which case there is nearly zero advantage to having a longer-ranged weapon!].  Thus there should be no problem fighting Dreyse v. Chassepot, Springfield v. Smoothbore ACW, Enfield v. Smoothbore Crimea, etc.

Tactically, the side with the inferior range, has to:

1. Use Terrain so as to reduce the effect of incoming Fire, e.g. defilade.
2. Prevent an attacker from using terrain to engage them with an even bigger advantage: firing out of their range from cover and / or concealment!
3. Use support units NOT outranged to engage the enemy, e.g. artillery and rifle armed units, jagers, etc.
4. Maneuver into firing range of the enemy infantry.
5. Counter-attack with second line supports - these will be well within range right off the line.
6. Withdraw - this is an option in certain scenarios.  Cover from one's Artillery and light infantry will be helpful in this instance, just like in 3 above.

Hopefully, this little tactical posting will help wargamers, both players and scenario designing hosts, to realize that just because the forces are a bit asymmetric it doesn't really matter and you can have a fair fight. Generally speaking, it is more interesting to have a fight with asymmetric forces than identical sides, altho both can be fun battles.