The Armies Meet..
So.... As mentioned in the previous Post, with a bit of investigation into old maps and online pics, news stories etc. etc. we have a table which I feel reasonably represents the terrain for wargaming purposes. There has been a bit of jiggling and compromise, but all in all I'm happy with it.
Terrain:
There is a good defensive position for the Government army on the high ground (pic below is the view from "my side"). The slopes will be an issue for any attacker. The hamlet/village (OK, I know the houses aren't “right”, but I can't find more suitable ones painted up in my boxes) is small, so no major obstacle, and the only woodland is to the east and by the large, off-table river (and likely to be avoided by both sides).
The gill running across the board and fronting the Government position is a bit of an unknown quantity. We know, from news stories, that it can flood. We know that in the south of England at least 1745 was wet in the summer and that Westmoreland generally can have a wet October. I think it only fair that we don't know how much of a problem crossing the gill (and the muddy/flooded area around it) will be until we actually try to do so.
Most of the field boundaries on the table are for décor only; there don't seem to be much in the way of hedgerows or stone walls marked on maps or seen on photos, but I've allowed a scatter of stretches of fence & bushes to pretty-up the table.
And so to the game...
As the enemy is in place while my troops are still off-table I scribble out an Order of March for my army and dice to see what time we leave our camp. As it happens we rise at 5AM, but the last unit doesn't get moving till 09:00, with our first foot arriving on the field around 10:00.
Jacobite Orders/My plan:
The cavalry having scouted ahead, we have received reports that the enemy are in line of battle on the slopes beyond the War Hesketh/Low Hesketh bridge/conduit. Guns and horse are on their left. “My” army in is in order of march, and so I will use Crossfire Principles for the opening moves.
Orders for the Jacobite Army:
Each division of the army is issued with its orders for the day.
1) “Gen. O'Sullivan and Ld. Perth's division, consisting of the Highland regiments, will deploy to the left of the Carlisle road and await the order to attack; which will be given once the artillery are up and have damaged the enemy. Ld. Strathallen will guard your right. The reserve will support as required.”
2) “Ld. Strathallan will deploy his division to the right of the road to protect the centre from any move by the enemy's left wing horse, leaving the burn between himself and the enemy so that this might be an obstacle to them.”
3) “Mr. Grant, the guns, along with the French detachment, will form up in the centre on the high ground facing the village, fronting the Reserve. The guns will make play upon the enemy right and centre as seems fit, and upon any advance by the enemy.”
3) “Ld. Elcho's horse and the Reserve will remain in the centre under the hand of His Majesty and Gen. Murray.”
Government (AI) orders/Plan:
Who knows....? Personally, I'd sit & wait on the high ground, hitting my guys with artillery fire till I'm provoked into a charge, wait till I'm committed, switch gunnery to hopefully disrupt my Reserve, then hit me in the flank with the horse. But this is George II the “Warrior King”, fresh from the Continent and with a largely Dutch army (likely to shortly be rendered “neutral” by their Convention with the French). With no prior no Prestonpans or Falkirk to put the fear of the Hi'land backsword into the hearts of the Government army (and the Dutch lacking several hundred years of "those savages beyond the wall" stories to make them wary) the Government forces are likely to be more contemptuous of the “peasant rebels” than was the case in a “real world” scenario. This may very well affect their actions.
[Technical Note; The AI side is initially set out as per a unit draw of the campaign gaming tokens for front line and a reserve, with a touch of “what would I do” honesty. Each move the AI commander, Brigade leaders and specialist/detached units within reach/shot of the enemy – i.e. my guys too far from Murray – will take a Reaction/Action Test ]
The Game:
My scouting horse are already on the field. On comes my first division under O' Sullivan. In theory we can advance a LONG way Crossfire/NMTBH pre-combatwise, but we test – and the enemy guns open up at a longish range (approx. 1,000 yards). I'm happy with that to a certain extent; they have finite quantity (12 game shots per gun) of ammunition on the field. However, the game has started before I'm fully deployed; not so good...
My units under fire (mainly my Left; the Highlanders) are not as content as me though, and accumulate shock. O'Sullivan and Perth go into “rabbit in the headlights” mode, and for three moves their division is pounded while static [In Crosswire terms they have "lost the initiative".]. No casualties taken from the table yet, but plenty of Disruption inflicted.
My guns and then the Prince's Division arrive – the latter partly forced off the road by O'Sullivan's stalled men.
As my men come onto the field O'Sullivan's lead unit, Cluny MacPherson's Regiment, rushes off down the hill as per Divisional Orders [Unit Reaction Test]. The rest of the Division straggles after them in some disarray, with O'Sullivan and Perth wandering along with them while trying to reduce the Disruption.
Elcho gathers all his horse units on the Right, as ordered. Good man.
Meanwhile the enemy guns slacken their fire (to preserve ammo?) and – unexpected – the enemy Right (58th Lascalls) and Right Centre move down the slope towards the gill and village. Are they simply seeking a lower, military crest? Do they intend to dispute the passage at the bridge? Are they actually coming at us with the bayonet..?
Suddenly Cluny's MacPherson regiment goes into attack mode [Detached Unit Action Test – they are too far from O'Sullivan], and rushes – without orders - towards the gill. JUST what I DON'T need.....
The enemy line on their Right halts [Unit Test] and the enemy guns switch targets but achieve nothing. In the enemy centre the Dutch 1st Holsteins press on towards the village.
My guns open up for the first time, striking the 4th Hershler (Swiss in Dutch service) on the enemy Right, while on my command hilltop the last of my infantry regiments (Lowlanders and Tyneside English under Strathallen) move onto the field.
O' Sullivan's division tries to get itself into order, and form a line of battle, but still seems to be very loosely controlled. I'm beginning to feel that Murray (i.e. “me”) needs to go down there and get things in order. The MacPhersons rush across the gill – and struggle through what is clearly thick mud [Test: 1x6D, plus an accumulator dice for a thrown 6, 1x6D for for movement points lost. Result is 7 for the former and 5 for the latter – not at all good. They manage to cross the gill, but will have to halt and reform before they can do anything else.].
Over the next two moves the Holsteins push into the village to command the bridge. Strathallan moves his division over to my right as per orders, but goes a little further downslope than I would wish [Commander test]. The artillery of both sides continue to fire at a range of targets, but with little in the way of serious effect (the enemy 4th Hershler Dutch (Swiss) regiment suffer shock and disruption from my guns, but hold firm and recover during their own moves).
I (Murray) move forward to direct the fire of my batteries myself. The only real infantry activity is on my left, where O'Sullivan's command slowly gets itself into some semblance of order facing the gill. Meanwhile, Cluny MacPherson's regiment, the enemy side of the gill, tries to organise itself. Luckily it is in dead ground as far as the nearest enemy are concerned, and can do so unmolested.
The enemy guns are causing problems now for my Highlanders - creating a headache for O'Sullivan and Perth. Cluny's men are very disordered after crossing the gill, plus coming under artillery fire. However, slowly my Left begins to form up in line my side of the gill.
[Technical Note: Every move the enemy commanders carry out a basic test to see if they wish to reorder matters on their side of the gill, but so far in the game have decided not to do so on every occasion. In a very short time, as soon as the first actual casualty is inflicted, we will switch from "Grand Scale Mode" - with divisions moving/testing as appropriate - to Commander/unit Activation by Token]
While I deal with the issue of my guns Prince Charlie suddenly decides to move himself nearer the fighting, taking with him the reserve. Which, of course, puts our whole cause at risk, the dope... I really do not need this.
The Irish move down towards the village, backed by the reserve cavalry and flanked by a Lowland regiment to halt the Holsteins.
Cluny's regiment untangle themselves from the gill, and rush up the slope, only to come under artillery fire, then to receive a volley from Lascalls regiment on the enemy's extreme right.
[And now the fighting is in earnest we switch from a Crosswire-cum-UGO-IGO to Token Draw Mode; basically Activation will now be following SP principles.
There are tokens for each named commander, each detached unit and the artillery by battery (i.e. my guns are formed up as one. The enemy guns into two.). The Government forces will have four Command tokens in the mix. I will have only three to represent my lower training level. The enemy have a "Wild" token in the mix, again to the fact they have a professional force. This token will be applied (after a test) to Activate any unit/division which has thus far not moved in that turn.
Targets/destinations of enemy Leaders, units/batteries will be tested for based on IMP assessed on an ad hoc basis, as will any "friendly decisions" taken by Leaders/Units out side my own command radius. There is also a "Leader Casualty" token; any leader in melee/under fire once this is in play is at extra risk of harm. Tokens for detached units are removed as units merge into Formations, flee or are destroyed, or as Leaders become casualties. The token draw will end once only three tokens remain to be drawn.
I prefer to form a stack of "shuffled" tokens, rather than draw each one from a tub in turn (quicker - and easier to see when the magic last three are left, rather than keep peeking into the tub).]
Cluny's men waver, then break in full retreat, disordering their supports as they flee. NOT a good omen for my Left..
While my left is in disorder and my centre being pushed further forward than I would like, my right under Strathallan forms up – but don't like to look of the enemy cavalry sweeping across the ground on my flank. I ride down to the Prince, ordering Elcho to take his cavalry back up slope. Meanwhile Grant arrives with the siege guns, and moves to unlimber them by my other guns.
Suddenly the enemy cavalry hurl themselves across the gill and at my right, which collapses in disarray. They don't seem too inconvenienced by the gill at this point (dammit) and charge into and through some of my units.
With the Holsteins pressing the Irish hard from the village I desperately try to get the prince away from the front line – this takes a WHOLE move of arguing [Dice tests.] – meaning I cannot use my command points to give any orders. Seriously, royalty on the field are a PAIN...
Grant's heavy artillery and my other guns make play on the enemy, but nothing decisive occurs.
Then, on my Left, O' Sullivan and Perth launch their Highlanders across the gill and up the slopes at the enemy line in what might be the decisive moment - though they should have waited till my guns had made more play on the enemy.
Although slowed and disordered by the slope and the soggy ground alongside the gill the rightmost Highlander actually makes contact with the enemy's 4th Dutch (Swiss) regiment; but hard bayonet fighting, and the steady volleys of the redcoats and the Dutch send that Highland unit and three of it's neighbouring regiments scattering in route. In two moves of full action my Left has all but gone, taking heavy casualties from hand to hand, volleys and guns. Not at ALL good....
In the village the Irish are forced back in a brief scuffle, but as the now disordered Holsteins emerge from cover they are met by a lowland volley. They have suffered enough, and run – the only bright spark in this dark, dark move.
Despite the success at the village at move end my right is scattered or mauled by the enemy cavalry and with the Government left centre pushing towards me things look dicey. My left, the Highland regiments, are running or have been mauled and shaken, and with steady enemy regiments facing them I don't think they'll stand. My guns are still giving the enemy pause, my centre seems stable and my cavalry under Elcho are still undamaged, but if George knows what he is doing, and keeps his men in hand in a steady advance, the day is looking bad for us, and I am beginning to suspect that all I will be able to do is to try to salvage what I can from a disaster.
But my guns are still causing the enemy problems – especially to their detached grenadiers and to the fleeing Holsteins, who have fallen in numbers. But what to do next...? O'Sullivan and Perth have proved useless on my Left. I suspect the best they will manage is a fighting retreat. I need to buy myself some time. Dare I try to throw my untried cavalry at the trained enemy horse before they reform..? Will I even get the chance..?
The next move my left wing has even more problems as my only units still north of the gill fall back or are shot at and charged by some of the enemy foot, and driven back in route. Perth and O' Sullivan try to rally units my side of the gill, but they re trying to stem a tide and my Highlanders have clearly had enough. Over the next few moves most will flee to the woods or off the field altogether.
In the centre my guns are still running interference, but the enemy guns are doing the same to my wings. Murray manages to stabilize the centre infantry, and sends Elcho and the cavalry to try and neutralise the enemy horse, who are still trying to reform after their charge; but all this takes time. However, on my right Strathallan actually manages to stabilize two of his regiments at the top of the slopes, and pours fire into the disordered enemy horse below; men and animals crash to the ground, while Elcho sweeps round.
By end of next move the enemy right and centre foot are moving down to the gill itself. The Holsteins rally, but my guns set them running again. My only remaining assets for my side are my guns, massed in the centre, my horse (thus far unscathed), the few remaining Lowland regiments, the Irish and the French detachment. Unlike the enemy I have an ammunition wagon on the field, so shot is not an issue for me. The enemy guns, however, are now running low on powder and ball. Even so, next move the enemy artillery sends one of Strathallan's Lowland regiments running again. My horse are still sorting themselves out, but so are Hawley's cavalry. The enemy foot seem wary of the gill – and possibly with good reason, but their far right regiment crosses it without major mishap. I draw my centre (Irish and Lowlanders) back up the slope.
Next go Elcho's cavalry charge down to hit Hawley's horse; they throw back two regiments – only to be hit in the flank by the third, uncommitted unit. Elcho falls. By cursed good enemy luck [Token draw - inc. three Command tokens and a Leader casualty!!] Hawley rallies, charges – and chases my horsemen from the field ! There goes Elcho's cavalry...
The enemy grenadier detachment advances – and charges and panics one of my Lowland regiments – while their centre presses on. Strathallan is killed in the melee – so now both my Right Wing commanders are down.
My guns continue to run interference; but not enough to stop the enemy's central regiments. They move forward – and charge my centre. It is touch and go, but already disordered by my guns and musketry, and hindered by the slope, they are repelled; not enough to break them, but enough to stall them. They grudgingly withdraw. The enemy grenadiers, their flank now exposed, also pull back. Only the enemy's Lascalls regiment, on my left, hovering, gives me cause for concern, but seeing the main enemy attack repulsed they hold position.
The battle has already lasted some five or more hours. Both sides have suffered losses. Although Hawley reappears in my rear he has barely a regiment left, and their infantry daren't risk another attack uphill against my massed artillery and steady Irish. The enemy pull back to the gill and village. Hawley detours round my right to join them.
Neither side wants to risk total destruction; the day is over as both armies lick their wounds.
Summary:
I had hoped for better. My Left (the Highlanders; badly led by O'Sullivan and Perth) attacked piecemeal and before my guns had damaged the enemy line sufficiently, were seriously affected by the (clearly flooding and muddy) gill, and broke too easily. Much of this division fled the field – hopefully to fight another day.
My Centre held, thanks to the guns and the Irish.
My Right (horse and Lowlanders) was badly battered by Hawley's cavalry and the grenadiers and I lost two senior commanders. Not at all good on this part of the field.
As for the enemy: two of their Dutch regiments broke and their horse, though victorious against mt Right, suffered badly. Had their guns not run out of shot things would have been trickier for me, but in the end, with the slope in my favour and my massed battery of guns placed to hammer any attack, they did not have the manpower to force my centre.
Both sides remain on the field, and will collect their wounded and “lost”. Once the Butcher's Bill has been assessed both sides will consider their options.
A messy, destructive draw, but an interesting – at at times nerve-racking game. As for the next move (?). I do not want to repeat an attack on this ground – there is too much working against me. The enemy may feel the same. My options are more limited, as we looked at in the last post. We shall see what both sides' respective Councils of War consider to be the best, next course of action.
As always, any queries, gripes, discussion of my solo methods etc, welcomed.
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