Another Siege Warfare Game planning session - more detailed rules

Yet another game day at the chalk table, again working on the siege warfare game plan.

This time round more clarity regarding 'sallies' and things like counter saps, defensive trench works, and the 'switch' between tactical and strategic time-scales.

We also added a small cavalry force to the defenders and a commanded shot to both forces.

All players continued in their same roles as before either attacker or defender, so as to get a complete feed back.

the defenders sent out a sally on day 2

drove back the diggers and managed to kill off more than half of the attackers starting horse forces

defensive artillery was also successful in causing enough casualties to stop a trench section of the second parallel

the defenders left troops outside the walls and they dug a defensive trench works

siege artillery still broke open a section of the wall (may have to 'beef up the walls values) then came the assault under fire

morale rules worked out well as less of the attackers totally committed to the attack and so were alive at the end of the action

likewise the defender had some morale failures, including a critical one with the lord of the castle failing a saving throw at a critical moment ... the defenses were overcome!

long range view at the end

the assault at the breach was just able to overcome the stationed defenses, but could not enter the works

the butchers' bill was similarly high for both sides

So now I must compile notes and get a quick reference sheet ready for game play.

Rob has a better picture of the terrain needs.

I will need to make some more 'entrenchment' forces and some of the ladders and wooden parts that will be forming the siege works.

Certainly the game is engaging all the way along, for both sides, as the players are fully 'into' the game from start to finish.

Siege Warfare ECW era, rough planning

carnage after a wild rush assault ... maybe 6 men got into the castle out of more than 100 ...

In preparation for a siege warfare game ... in planning for Salute 2019 ... we set out some sample troops and used a chalk board to simulate the planned 'sections' for the game.

for the first run, we just lined up the troops and assaulted over the glacis ... the results were 90%+ casualties among the attackers with nearly 100% for the defenders

for the second attempt, there was an 'offset' second parallel that got dug out, then the attack went in 'piecemeal' ... results again nearly 90% casualties among the attackers with 100% losses for the defender

the second run featured an attempt to scale the walls facing the enemy guns ... with devastating results on both forces

Third time being the 'charm' we ran one more go, this time the focus was to be all about engineering ...

Day 1 with two LONG saps

day 3 after more saps and now a proper second parallel

day 6, the counter mine opened into the third parallel and the assault went in, the defenders were overwhelmed by cannonade from the forward moved guns and lost 100%, while the attackers losses were less than 30%

More revisions and plans need to be made to help make 'clear' such things as 'sallies' and the 'strategic digging day' vs the 'tactical combat day'

There's going to be another go at this game - this time to include simple morale rules.

Garden Wars: English Civil War Edition, using Carnage and Glory

My eldest son and I lined up the ECW troops I have at my disposal in a Garden Wars battle to test out the new Carnage and Glory II rules moderating the game using software.

It took some time to learn the inputs and control systems for managing the game.
After a few weeks of study of the system I have felt I understood it well enough to run a game.

the outlay saw Royalists and Parliamentarians on the far side of tall hedgerows between each other

Parliament horse

more of the Parliament horse on the far left wing

Parliament foote

Essex in his command post

The new Welsh horse commander, with the new Welsh horse in its first ever Garden Wars battle

more Royalist horse (okay actually these are my Parliament horse doing the job filling in until I get the Royalists painted)

The Welsh foote in its first engagement

The stand of commanders being used for Rupert

The Parliament foote step out

Stepping out from the hedgerows the Royalist foot of Wales come into view of the open fields ...

the first clash of arms came on the far left of Parliament with the horse charging at each other

Only a quarter hour later the other wing of horse for both sides were engaged in the open large field

while the foote advanced

the flank horse engagement on the Royalist right had moved quickly with Royalist horse fleeing ... while Parliament horse give chase!

The King!

Sir John Urry was felled from his horse and taken prisoner!

all the while the Welsh foote continued to advance

News of the right flank collapse hit the King hard

While Essex was buoyed by the news of the left wing horse success and bid that a support the center order be drafted

Welsh foote deploy, unaware as yet that the battle was all but lost

the Welsh troop of horse, in their first battle secure great fame in chasing away Parliament horse with a leader!

They started up a scare and kept it going

and going

Past Lord Essex who had more important matters to attend to and allowed the fleeing horse to go

Parliament foote take up lines, at first blocked by the swirling mass of horse in the field blocking all view and shot

Rupert reports the loss of the left wing

indeed the battle was but two percentage points away from clear victory for the Parliament

A true tide turning was needed to rescue the Royalist cause in this battle ...

Parliament horse re-position on the far left wing

Welsh horse penetrate the hedgerows on the Parliamentary start line!

still giving chase to Roundhead horse sending them off the field!

twas not enough though as the Royalist horse in the center was totally worn out and unable to press forward

Parliament horse was no better in the center and here we see Prince Rupert now steadying a line of horse to form the start of the rear guard ...

No way could the King rally enough men to keep in the field this day.

and by 9:30, a mere hour and a half after the action started, it was all over as the Cavaliers would have to fall back to lick their wounds ...