Twin Duchies Campaign - Game 5

Game 5 - General Karloff attacks Cololes

This morning saw the attack on the Campaign objective. General Karloff needed to get an overwhelming force into the citadel (inside the old medieval walls of the town). Unfortunately for him, his division had become seriously depleted and so it was going to be a tough fight. The Governor of Cololes had taken personal command of the town's defense after the surrender of Brigadier Soubiso (see game 4). During the night the Governor moved his cavalry to the cover of a small wood and arranged the remains of the Fifth brigade and town garrison into defensive positions.

By turn 3 Karloff's forces were nearing the town and an artillery duel was taking place.

Turn 4 saw the defending cavalry spring a surprise flank attack.

General Karloff rushed his own cavalry from right to left whilst his infantry began the assault on the town.

By Turn 10 the cavalry had been dealt with and there was hand to hand fighting in the lower town. The defenders had reached Exhaustion Point, but since their objective was to stay put and defend this was no great disadvantage. General Karloff moved his reserve up as his own force was not surprisingly becoming depleted.

By the end of Turn 13 the lower town was in Karloff's hands but the Governor stubbornly held onto the citadel.

Turn 14. The sun is going down and General Karloff's force has reached Exhaustion Point; if only he'd had a few more men and a bit more time...

Despite his failure to capture the town of Cololes, Duke Alfonso's aggressive action forced Duke Ludo to the conference table, and talks at least began regarding the taxation of goods passing through the mountains. Peace had once more come to the Twin Duchies.

TD Campaign Game 4 (OHW #26)

Introduction & Objectives

Having secured his last objective (just), Brigadier Don Corndorg (Yellow) has been sent with an advance force to ensure the road to Cololes is clear for the remaining troops led by General Karloff. Brigadier Soubiso (Violet), after his failure to hold the bridge over the Rio Kia, has been left to slow down the advancing enemy to allow the Governor of Cololes time to prepare defences. 

Objective Yellow - clear the road and hold the village by Turn 15. Objective Violet - slow down the enemy advance and hold the village at Turn 15.

Game

Brig. Soubiso's forlorn hope - the Brig. is with a cavalry squadron holding the village

Brig Don Corndorg's force arrives and is immediately fired on

4 turns were required to clear the bridge defenders

Amarela's column advances

The attack was initially held up

Soubiso led a charge from the village...

...left it undefended and then reached exhaustion point and could not move back!

Amarela's cavalry take the village at turn 15! Brig. Soubiso surrenders.

The road is now open to a poorly defended town and what should be the culmination of General Karloff's campaign; unless of course his hopes are dashed at the eleventh hour by a stalwart defence by Governor Carlos. 

TD Campaign Game 3 (Part 2)

Following swiftly on from the previous post, this time without tedious introductory wordage

Turn 1 Both sides use the fords to shuffle their units

Turn 2

Turn 3 Cavalry melee begins

Turn 4

Turn 5 The cavalry melee has developed

Turn 6 Don Corndorg moves his guns and reserve

Turn 8 The cavalry melee is over and now Violace's guns are threatened

Turn 10 Violace reach EP

Turn 11 Brig. Soubiso loses control of the bridge and the battle

Game Over - General Karloff moves a step closer to his objective

TD Campaign Game 3 - Brigade B's attack blasts off (Part 1)

Introduction

The main thrust of General Karloff's campaign was to send Brigade B (reinforced by his own command, Brigade C) rapidly across country to capture the strategic town of Cololes. Unfortunately, news of their movements reached the Commander of Violace's forces in Cololes who rushed his own Brigade south to cut off the enemy before they could cross the Rio Kia.

Game set-up and Objectives

The game featured two brigades that were slightly larger than I've used before whilst playing the Portable Napoleonic Wargame rules. Many wargamers would, I think, recognise the scenario (in the orthodox version the hill on the left would be a small pile of Tradition magazines, and there would be a Bellona cottage next to the ploughed field). 

The force from Amarela (yellow) was commanded by Brigadier Don Corndorg (who just before the battle started had an unfortunate accident, falling from the table and separating from his base - a bad omen?). The brigade from Violace (violet) was led by Brigadier Soubiso. 

The objectives of the two commanders were; Soubiso must hold both ends of the bridge at the end of turn 12, or when both sides reach EP, so that sappers can blow it up. Don Corndorg must stop the bridge being destroyed so that General Karloff's Brigade and baggage train can easily cross the Rio Kia. the river is fordable (at reduced speed) for 3 squares in from each edge, but not around the bridge itself.

Battle report to follow in part 2...

TD Campaign Game 2 (OHW #9)

Pre-battle Situation & Game set-up (bit wordy I'm afraid)

After the battle of Santa Theresa In Isolamenta, Brigadier Albertos reassembled the remains of his Brigade, the unscathed and wounded that were still capable of fighting, and waited a short while for reinforcements. He then pressed on in pursuit of the retreating force from Violace, hoping to catch up and destroy it before it could reach the town of Vizalves. His reiforcements included a battalion of Elite Guards (black unit) and topped up the other units of the brigade to nearly full numbers.

The retreating brigade of Violace, crossing a small but fast running river, turned to face the enemy at the village of Santa Maria In Cognita. They too received reinforcements, hastily marched up from Vizalves. These included an additional squadron of cavalry and a battalion of the Town Garrison (blue unit), poor quality troops. Violace's Brigade would also be somewhat under-manned due to the heavy fighting of a few days earlier.

The Game was to end after 12 turns, or when both sides reached Exhaustion Point (EP) as per The Portable Napoleonic Wargame.

The objectives for the two commanders were as follows:

Violace (violet) - one unit must retreat from the table (top of board) at the end of turns 4, 6 and 8. This represents their forces retreating in good order back to Vizalves. The SP of the units exiting would count towards the total when calculating for EP. Additionally, delay the enemy and do as much damage as possible whilst the main force retreats.

Amarela (yellow) - occupy the village and have two units leave the table in the direction of Vizalves. This was to represent the invading army pushing on in pursuit of any escaping enemy. If possible trap and destroy the enemy force.

The Brigadier's plan is to brush past the enemy on the left flank and get two units to the top of the table before the game ends, plus take and occupy the village with the tough Guards leading the way.

Amarela's force arrives and moves towards the 2 crossing points

Turn 2 Early artillery action

Turn 3 Amarela's Infantry push forward taking casualties

On the left there's fierce fighting around the woods

Turn 4 the defence looks shaky but Violace's first unit has withdrawn on time

Turn 5 Heavy casualties on the left stall Amarela's advance

Turn 5 Violace's forces are marching away leaving token resistance

Turn 6 Amarela closes in on the village however another Violace unit successfully leaves the table

Turn 8 The village is captured but Amarela reach EP

On the left, the remaining Violace troops are free to retire from the field

A victory for Violace, even though they are still retreating! The bulk of the Brigade were successfully withdrawn and will have time to regroup and set up a defence of Vizalves.

Disappointment for Brigadier Albertos who took the village but failed to pursue the retreating Army of Violace. Having suffered further losses he must await fresh orders from General Karloff.

Attention will now turn to Amarela's Brigade B, marching North towards the primary target of the Campaign.

TD Campaign Game 1 (OHW #4)

Pre-battle situation and Game set-up

As reported in the previous post, Brigade A was despatched by General Karloff towards Vizalves, to tackle the force camped nearby. For this game I used two equal brigade size forces exactly as illustrated in the Portable Napoleonic Wargame. The battlefield was based on Scenario 4 of Neil Thomas's One Hour Wargames, Take the High Ground. (The game was basically the same as my trial game Take the Village - I even put the village on the hill). The hill and the village of Santa Theresa in Isolamenta were the objective; at the end of Turn 10, or when both sides reached exhaustion point (EP), the side in complete control of the hill would win the day. 

Map showing the first encounter in the Twin Duchies Campaign

Game

The defenders had two units already in position on the hill; the rest of the brigade were to arrive by the road (distinguished by the line of trees (imagine they run in a straight line from North to South please)).

Opening position 

Brigadier Albertos (Yellow) sent one battalion of infantry up the right flank to annoy the arriving defenders, but concentrated the bulk of his force on the objective.

Turn 2 - heavy fighting around the hill

Turn 4 - Casualties on both sides and a cavalry melee beyond the hill

Turn 6 - Violace's troops cling on to a corner of the hill

Turn 7 - Both sides reach Exhaustion Point but Brig. Albertos has his objective

Despite determined resistance, Violace's Third Brigade was defeated and must fall back and find a defensive position to stop the town of Vizalves being over-run.

For Brigadier Albertos, a Pyrrhic victory (?) perhaps, but reinforcements are on the way and he must soon push on to his main objective, controlling the road North.