Flank Attack: The Rematch

graphic courtesy gridbasedwargaming

After seeing success in screening the right and bludgeoning my way forward to victory in the first playing of Neil Thomas' Flank Attack! scenario in OHW (see: Flank Attack!), Peter and I agreed that a rematch would be fun.  We would swap sides and replay the scenario. Rules in use are Peter's D3 OHW variant. 

With Peter in command of the Blue Army (notice in the following battle report that Blue Army is actually blue in this version!), he announced that Blue Army would stick to the strategy that brought success in the first outing.  That meant I needed to come up with a plan to counter this steamroller.

Blue's plan of attack
(same as first game).

Was I successful in stopping Peter's juggernaut?  Please read on to find out. 

Since the Red Army places three units into a blocking position at board edge, I placed two Red Ashigaru astride the exit road and a unit of Samurai foot into the village.  Blue Army packed itself into a square in its deployment zone with Samurai leading the way.  The remainder of my Red Army deployed into the flank position on the right.  

Initial deployments

Blue Army (Peter) leads off by playing an Initiative card and rushes forward with his Samurai cavalry.  The remainder of Blue advances up the road toward the objective with skirmishers filing off to the right to screen the main advance.  In its second activation for the turn, Blue Samurai cavalry charges into the Ashigaru astride the road.  The Ashigaru takes four hits but having not destroyed the enemy, the Samurai horse is compelled to retreat.

Initiative brings Blue cavalry within
 striking distance of Red defenders.

Blue Army advances while cavalry charges in.

Red Ashigaru suffers heavy casualties
but repulses the cavalry.

The Red flanking force steps off in motion toward the enemy.  Although a long way off, the goal is to attempt to intercept the attackers before the defenders at the exit point are overwhelmed. 

Red flanking force in motion.

As Red Army's flanking force makes a determined advance toward the enemy, the three Red units protecting the road exit, step forward to bring the enemy into range.  Fire is very effective causing three hits to one and four hits to another.  Red used one Initiative tactical card to get in a second round of shooting. 

The shooting was too effective, really.  Both of these Red Ashigaru units run out of ammo and will need to reload before firing again.  Running out of ammo is a problem since playing a Battle Tactics card to resupply is typically way down on the priority list of tasks needing to accomplish with these cards.  

The Red foot Samurai moves out of the village and attacks the Blue foot unit to its front.  While repulsing the attack, the Blue Ashigaru suffers heavy casualties.  Blue's foot Samurai slips into the woods to threaten the defenders and poised to bolt off table if needed.

Red moves out.

Firefight along the road with Samurai foot melee
Blue Ashigaru on the end of the line. 

Seeing Red units moving up from behind, Blue cavalry breaks off its attack against the Ashigaru and swings around to confront its adversary.  Blue Skirmishers move up to the hill crest and pour fire into Red's flanking force.  For now, half of Red's flanking force is effectively pinned by these skirmishers.  Red's foot Samurai having been repulsed and showing eight hits, uses a Rally Battle Tactics card to rally off some hits.

Blue Cavalry swings about to counter an enemy threat. 

Two of Red's flanking Ashigaru return the favor and pour fire into the enemy skirmishers.  Their aim is not good.  In the plain below, Red skirmishers dispatch enemy cavalry.  Is a path clear to the exit road?

Destruction of Blue Samurai horse!

Having scattered the enemy cavalry, Red cavalry moves up to threaten Blue Army's flank.  Blue brings up its last reserve and places it into a blocking position between the woods.  If the horsemen are going to get through, these Ashigaru must be destroyed.  On both left and right, firefights take lumps out of opposing units. One of Red's Ashigaru along the road is scattered.  A heavily damaged Ashigaru foot falls back to the road to protect the exit point.

Firefight heats up!

This turn witnesses great destruction across the battlefield.

First, Blue Samurai charge out of the woods and into the already heavily damaged Ashigaru.  The defenders melt away.

Second, Red's flanking force unleashes deadly volleys into the skirmishers on the hill. They scatter.

Finally, having rallied off just enough hits to launch one more attack, in desperation, Red foot Samurai plays an Initiative Tactics card to charge into the badly damaged Ashigaru foot in front of the viillage.  The first Blue Ashigaru unit hit evaporates.  On its regular activation, the Samurai continues charging into the other badly mauled Ashigaru foot.  It, too, is scattered.  The Red Army destroys three Blue units to losing one this turn.

Mayhem and destruction across the battlefield.
Blue loses three units to Red's loss of one unit.

With the battlefield thinned by quite a bit, Blue retaliates and takes out three badly damaged Red units.  Seeing that the three Blue units are positioned between the victory exit point and Red Army's flanking force and no way to catch them before escape off table, Red Army concedes. 

Victory to Peter and his Blue Army!

Blue counterattack takes out three units.

Unable to catch the enemy, Red Army concedes defeat.

Another close game in which the attacking force was able to bludgeon its way forward to make good its escape.  As Red Army commander, I was not able to stop the steady march of the Blue Army juggernaut as it fought its way off table.

Great fun and a challenging situation and match.  In post-game debrief, we discussed the use of Battle Tactics cards and the situation offered up in Scenario #6 Flank Attack.

While Peter ponders thoughts on slight amendments to the Battle Tactics cards, I am left wondering how the defending army can pull out a victory.

For Peter’s battle account, please visit A Repeat Remote Game.