Deeds Not Words!

OK actually,  the surprise snowstorm yesterday led to me being recalled to the active duty list and pressed into service several times yesterday by the highest level of authority.  (She's not very big but....)

Turn 6. All troops are on table. The opposing infantry are bickering over the woods.

However, I had time to clear the table, ready for a new game. Of course, once I packed up the troops it seemed somehow wrong not to act on the idea of refighting the scenario in a different period. The 1950's lads hadn't been out recently....so I broke out The Portable Wargame, had a quick flip through and went at it.

Blue has been pushed back but the tricksy government forces prefer running away to dying for the autocrats while the Rebels seem to preferring dieing for The Cause.

It was a disaster! What?! Well, maybe not a disaster but things didn't feel right.  I reached for the book and checked the design notes, reread the rules more carefully and found my problems. Well, couldn't let it rest there so this morning, I reset and played again.

That is one of the joys of Solo wargaming, you can do 'do-overs'.

The brakes are on! The Rebels are exhausted but they hold the ridge and the enemy has been teetering on the edge of exhaustion for some time now. If they would JUST die instead of falling back!

 The scenario started the same. I assigned the Rebels (aka Redcaps) to "Red" and the Government (aka Green Helmets) to Blue.

The game that followed was not at all like the horse and musket one, except that at the end it was close, not as close but close. The odds of Blue winning outright were probably thinner but if the rather slow witted Blue Commander had been on top of his game, an attack plan that took more account of the rules, such as exhausted armies not being forced to withdraw, thus needing to be pushed off the hill unit by unit, they could have done it. The overly aggressive Red commander might have done better as well if he had focussed more on holding the objective though exhausting the enemy worked once those who had made it onto the ridge were forced back or destroyed. Of course if the random unit chart had offered up 2 tanks instead of 2 anti-tank guns, that would have helped too!

An exhausted Red clings to the ridge. Blue pours in fire and sends troops to infiltrate onto the hill hoping to be able to grab a toehold and drive the Rebels off with fire. Of course, Rebs just,  don't, retreat!! Eventually the Green Helmets are driven off or killed and their force is also exhausted. The Rebels have a few units on the ridge either out of range or line of sight and are happy to wait out 2 turns for the official victory.

OK, NOW I'm ready to clear the table and start a 3 game linked scenario solo minicampaign.

54's, ACW, 16thC  or Medievel Fantasy?  Hmm where should we go?