Crossroads*

 *Please Note: This post refers to the Battle at the Crossroads and not the soap-opera set in the West Midlands of the UK, in case you feel cheated.

Today's Portable Wargame was based loosely on a scenario of Martin Rapier's that can be found here.

Setting

Winter has passed and the war between Red and Green is poised to recommence. Green attempts to preempt a Red invasion by attacking a supply line at a strategic Crossroads in the centre of a village. Red has possibly not stationed troops of sufficient quality guarding this vital position...

Grey squares indicate BUA (village and a farm). The two hills are heavily wooded and only passable by Light Infantry. Red starts with 2 infantry units rated Poor at Zone A, and a unit of infantry in the village. The roads are barely passable due to melting snow and heavy rain and confer no movement bonus. When the Poor class units first come under fire they must roll a d6 each turn - a 1 means they retreat at normal speed to the village. When they take their first hit they must roll d6 - 1,2,3 means they retreat as above. Once in the village they behave as per Portable Wargame rules. Green Army arrives on turn 1 (all on South base line). Red's remaining force arrives on North baseline on Turn 2. Green's objective is to occupy the Crossroads at the end of the battle.

 Game

Note: the purple dice remind me these units are Poor quality
Green's attack begins at once

One Red unit retreats but the other stubbornly resists

Green's cavalry bypass the occupied farm

Green's cavalry attempt to out flank the Red defenders

The farm defenders finally retreat

Green starts the assault on the village

The attack is slowing as Green takes hits

Everything is thrown at the defenders

Heavy losses for both sides have reduced them both to EP

The Poor quality troops, naturally, held out longer than expected, tying up Green's forces (shades of Sittangbad). I might try this again using OHW rules that would allow a fight to the last man, though the troops in the village are still going to be hard to winkle out.