Manoeuvre board first try out

[Last Hussar]

Tried my pre-battle manoeuvre board out for the first time Monday

Being ACW I threw extra woods in. I started a road in random locations on opposite sides (see previous – the numbers on the sides). To join them I started at one side and drew a tile – If 'open' I placed a road tile of my choice. If Terrain (hill/wood) I placed that, then put the 'skinny' road tile on top.

Then placed a couple of towns at random (again by using the 1-6 numbers to generate a grid square) – I had meant to do that first. The rest of the terrain was placed randomly from the mix.

As we hadn't used it before I used the simple movement method outlined previously – 1 square, must not increase range to enemy. As Sunjester (CSA) has more light cavalry (2 to 0) he was allowed diagonal moves.

This basic method worked – Our armies started opposite sides at random locations, and moved as described, the CSA had a nominal aim to get off my side; however getting a Victory over the Union would suffice – it would then manoeuvre unopposed on a (fictional for the purposes of this game) theatre map.

As we closed, Sunjester used his diagonals to pull me away from terrain he didn't want me defending. This lead to a battle at 90' to how we approached – we were to fight once adjacent. We ended up diagonal, and I had to choose which of the two squares next to him to move to. He had pulled me away from the heavier terrain, and into open areas- I would have preferred more woods to narrow his attack.

To generate the table we used one tile to one terrain tile (ie 1 tile = 2ft, though you could call a tile what you wanted). Each area was divided into 9 areas – 3 x 3, so '1' was top left, (we nominated one short end to be top), '5' middle, '8' bottom middle. We rolled 2 d10, and the terrain ran between the 2 sectors. A 0 meant roll again with an extra d10, so a third sector would be generated. Obviously two initial '0's would lead to 4 sectors, and I see no reason that further '0's could continue the process.

I have only a few tile types because LGG is such a high level game, but there is no reason in lower level games there can't be more types. 'Open' tiles can still have terrain if needed – it just means farmland, so fences could be generated for, say, F&F or BP.

The manoeuvre map gave us easily defined terrain quickly – no deciding what a 200 year old map might have meant (also trying to find a suitable map), with a chance to manoeuvre for advantage. The random table method meant that the placement was fair – the type was decided, and the placement not under player control.

We intend to do an expanded version with 'bells and whistles' – multiple map units, which will arrive as dictated by map movement once the game has started. (I am thinking 1 hour on the table is 1 square)

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

But how did the fight go?

[paulr]

Sounds a useful and interesting experiment 

[Hertsblue]

Is this a follow-on from another thread? Have you described the board and its operation elsewhere? If so, I'd be interested to read it.

[toxicpixie]

Sounds good. Glad TMP didn't manage to derail you with irrelevant whining!

[sunjester]

But how did the fight go?

It was only our second game of La Grande Guerre but we seemed to have grasped the rules fairly completely. We managed a two-day battle in an evening. The Union had a small wood in the centre of their deployment and a fair sized hill on their left flank, the rebs had a quite large wood covering most of the front of their left and open ground for the rest of their frontage. The Union army had more units, but the Confederates had mostly stronger ones (more veteran troops). The first day saw the rebels attacking the Union centre and left flank, whilst the large wood prevented any contact on the Union's right flank. All the rebel attacks were repulsed but I was able to rotate my attacking units to prevent any becoming too damaged. Nightfall saw a stalemate and neither general elected to retreat.

On day 2 I weakened my left flank, hoping the large wood would prevent, or at least delay a Union advance there. I threw a strong attack against the hill on my right which started to push the Unions troops back, forcing LH to move his reserves from the centre to prop up his flank. At the same time he had his best troops on his right and launched them forward obliquely, around the wood to try and disrupt my centre. But before he could do so I threw my centre forward on the attack. I had gathered most of my veteran units there overnight and attacked in two waves. Now we saw the advantage of veterans over green troops as I punched a hole in his lines. In LGG you cannot rally troops if they are within 6" of an enemy unit and by leap frogging my veterans I was able to keep rallying their morale whilst the fresher troops attacked. At the same time, by keeping the pressure up, I was preventing LH from rallying his green units as I forced them back.

At this point we called it a day, with a Confederate victory. I'd effective lost 1 division, the Union had lost 4 and had a couple more right on the edge of disintegrating. His left flank on the hill was completely cut off from the rest of the army and surrounded. A good fun game!

[Last Hussar]

Its hard to get links across on the tablet- I'll sort out the other thread when I am on the computer.

I'd started the thread as a update on the pregame idea. The problem with LGG and ACW is that its written for European warfare, and the size discrepancy in ACW units (small veteran US units etc) needs an amendment on stats. I also assumed as between us we have 120 bases for each side, numbers wouldnt be a problem.

The problem I had was that I didn't have the depth to retreat into, where as sj could leap frog. Infuture games the defender will star nearer the middle.  Reserves are definitely important. 

Its designed to encourage charging. The receiving unit can be routed by combat, the charger can't.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Still sounds cool.

[Last Hussar]

The original thread

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,10890.0.html

[Hertsblue]

Ah, thanks for that, LH. Looks like an ingenious system. The only thing I would say at first glance is that it appears to be lacking rivers and streams. 

[Last Hussar]

I do have river tiles, didn't use them on the demo.

[Hertsblue]

Very important, waterways. They usually have a great bearing on where any towns are situated.