First

 

For the first game of 2024, I had a hankering to play what is possibly the first published scenario in the hobby. Unfortunately, due to busyness on both the Work and Domestic Fronts, I haven't been able to dig out anything but the smallest set-up. So here is another first (I think, please correct me if I'm wrong). Hook's Farm as a Fast-Play 3x3 Portable Wargame.

The Plan

Farmer William Hook's Farm is situated at the West end of a ridge that happens to be of strategic importance in the on-going war between Red and Blue. The only other building of note is Firefly Church, at the Eastern end. The West facing slope is steep and heavily wooded and impassable to all arms. Red's Camp is in the Reserve area to the North; Blue's to the South. The objective for both sides is to dominate the ridge by the end of the game (turn 15). There is no exhaustion point and the throw of initiative dice determines the number of actions a side can take each turn (move/fire/close combat all counting as 1).

General Wells (Blue)

The Reality

The opposing Armies approach the battlefield

Blue had the best initiative rolls in the early part of the game and quickly established himself on the ridge. Red attempted to outflank his adversary by sending cavalry across the low ground to the West. This was blocked and Red's horse suffered badly in the face of Artillery fire and then melee. 

Early manoeuvrings

Red dispatched his reserve cavalry to the fighting on the West flank while bringing up his artillery to fire on the Blue force now dominating the ridge.

Losses mounted on both sides as the day wore on.

 Red, now running out of turns, threw infantry into a frontal assault on the farm and sent his last reserves to the West flank.

General Wells led his reserve Infantry to join the defenders on the ridge

Coming under concentrated fire, General Wells fell back whilst the rest of his men on the ridge finished off the last of Red's Artillery

As the sun sank, it was clear that Blue had prevailed, despite a small Red force still fighting gallantly around the Farm.

 In the words of General Wells, "The affair of Hook's Farm was one of those brisk little things that did so much to build up my early reputation." (Little Wars 1913). Brisk indeed, but containing the spirit of the original I think. I wonder what other classic scenarios could be shoehorned onto a tiny playing surface?