Chess Match on a Chessboard

Bob Cordery's latest publication contains two sets of rules.  One of the rules included is a version of his The Portable Wargame adapted for use in the Spanish Civil War.  While I have The Portable Wargame, The Portable Spanish Civil War Wargame is new to me. 

Graham wanted to give the rules a run-through during this week's remote gaming session.  That is what we did.  For Graham's post-game battle reports, please visit, Portable Spanish Civil Wargaming.  Since Graham's battle reports are comprehensive and offer a good summary of the action in both play-throughs, I focus on the Republican strategies for Scenario 1 for which I was placed in command.

Scenario 1 Attack of the Columns (1936)

In scenario 1, the Republicans set up their forces first.  The Nationalists enter the table at E on Turn 1.  The victory conditions seem unclear but we assumed that the Nationalists must get at least one unit to the top of the map to win. 

Scenario Map

With only six BMUs and a lot of board to cover, this could be a tough task for the defenders.  In the defender's favor, entering an EZOC stops movement for the turn and a few hexes of covering terrain are scattered around the map.  With four infantry units, one artillery battery, and one commander, how should this meager force be deployed to optimize a chance for success?  Played on a grid, this seems like a Chess puzzle to me. 

Given the force compositions and victory conditions, I chose the initial deployments illustrated below. 

Republican deployment

Why choose this deployment?  First, the main road leading north off-map is protected and ZOCs will temporarily halt any attempts at a rapid advance upon the objective.  Second, the artillery is placed on higher ground allowing it to fire directly into most hexes on the board.  With the commander attached to the artillery, he can help direct fire.  Finally, both flanks are protected from a quick end-around by the infantry mounted in the fast-moving trucks. 

What is the plan after initial deployment and the enemy arrives on board?  Will this plan survive contact with the enemy?  This deployment provides a number of options as seen in the diagram below.

Covering all of the bases

As seen by the arrows on the diagram above, the Republicans are centrally positioned to address any attack the Nationalists may muster.  The Republicans positioned in the woods nearest the enemy, may either hold or conduct a fighting withdrawal by moving from cover to cover.  The infantry positioned in the town may reinforce either the left or right as needed.  These redeployments should allow time to interdict or at least challenge any move to the top of the map.  Its positioning also allows for reinforcing any friendly unit.

In Game 1, the Nationalists opted for a flanking plan on the Republican right.  One twist to the game was that the Republicans won the initiative on Turn 1.  With no Nationalists on table, this meant that initiative actually passed over to the Nationalists as there was nothing the Republicans could do.  In effect, winning the initiative gives the initiative to your opponent.  To compound this oddity, winning the initiative opens up the chance that the enemy will get a double move by winning the initiative on Turn 2.  Yep.  This is exactly what happened!

How did this plan work in practice?

Nationalists begin a left hook

Republicans call in an airstrike.

Transport destroyed and commander pinned.

With a double turn, the trucks race for the map edge. 

Not so fast!  Another airstrike.

With transports blown-up and enemy pinned,
 the Asaltos attack. 

With the Asaltos successfully close assaulting the Nationalists on the hill, the Nationalists have reached their Exhaustion Point.  Game over!

In Game 2, the Republicans only altered one unit's position.  That change was to move the Asaltos one hex to the NW to thwart a left hook drive off map.  The Nationalists countered with a right hook attack.  Same result.  The Nationalists reached their Exhaustion Point before any units could approach the top map edge.  Of course, the Nationalist defeat was aided by the elimination of its commander as he rallied his troops.

With few units, the Republicans have few viable options as to where to place their troops initially.  This deployment takes into account all enemy avenues of approach and allows a good chance to defeat the enemy before it can race off map.

Maybe next time we examine optimal play for checkers?

Drive on Madrid

Graham set up another two-player Spanish Civil War scenario for his For Whom the Dice Rolls rules.  I would be commanding a Nationalist column of crack troops intent on securing two towns and a critical bridge on the drive to Madrid.  The success of the offensive would depend upon how quickly my column could secure these objectives to protect the army's left flank.  Ahead of the game, I was provided with my OB and an aerial photo of the area of operations.  I was also given the possibility of having limited air support.

Aerial recon of the Area of Operations

My force would be attacking from the west toward the two towns and bridge with orders to take all three objectives with all haste.  Of the Republicans dispositions, I knew little.  Limited intel suggested that militia was on the way in strength to thwart my attack.  While the aerial reconnaissance identified no enemy opposition, my hunch was that the towns would likely be enemy held.

How did the battle play out?  Please read on.

As my force approached the area of operations, the town nearest the bridge was already in enemy hands.  The town on the left was soon to be occupied by enemy militia.  With two of the objectives already in enemy control, what was my plan?

My plan included advancing the Legion up the middle to prevent the militia in the far left town (top of photo) from reinforcing the enemy center and to support the Moroccan attacks upon the central town.  To begin, my artillery targets the occupied town and begins a barrage as my troops advance.

The Legion and one Tabor of Moroccans advance into cover and begin to deploy.  The second Tabor moves swiftly to the edge of the town and debusses while the town's occupants are under bombardment.

The Tabor at the town prepares to attack by forming up into a firing line.  A third militia battalion advances to the riverbank and enfilades the Moroccans as they prepare to attack.  The Moroccans suffer light casualties from the militia but carry on with little concern for the security of their exposed flank.

Airstrike!
Photo courtesy 
http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/

The Legion is the target of an enemy airstrike.  While the attack results in pinning the Legion, casualties are light.  Whew!

The Nationalist barrage lifts as the Moroccans go in.  In a very lopsided firefight, the militia are cut down where they stand.  The militia battalion dissolves.  The Moroccans take the town.  As the Moroccans are securing the town, they take more fire from the militia across the river.

When the barrage lifts, the Moroccans attack!
Photo courtesy 
http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/

With the town secure, the first Tabor advances quickly from its covering position and works its way to the right of the town.  A Nationalist ground strike comes in over the battlefield strafing the militia on the far bank. 

Airstrike!
Photo courtesy 
http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/

Shocked by this attack, the militia retreats back.  Unfortunately for this militia, a second wave of fighters appears overhead and strafes them a second time.  Ouch!

With one town secured and the supporting militia driven back, the Legion advances upon the far town.

Having set the Legion in motion toward the town, artillery is redirected to target and soften the defenders up before an attack can go in.  Before the artillery rains down, the Legion deploys into firing line and gives the defenders a bit of softening up themselves. 

As the barrage lifts, the Legion strikes.  Having recovered from the double air strike, the enemy militia moves forward toward the river.

Unfortunately, the Legion's assault on the distant town is repulsed with light casualties to both.  Meanwhile, having set up a strong defensive position, the Moroccans in the town begin concentrating their fire upon the approaching militia.

At the far town, the Legion goes back in to contend with its stubborn defenders.  The first Tabor moves up to the river discovering that it is crossable.

Casualties mount!
Photo courtesy 
http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/

The Legion's second attack is no contest and the defenders are butchered in the confines of the town.  The second objective falls.  The first Tabor crosses the river and attacks the militia.  This battalion, too, is destroyed in the open field.  With three of the four Republican battalions tasked with the defense destroyed, the Civil Guard abandons its position.  Battle won by the Nationalists.

Well, that was a short, sharp action!  While the battle account may make this scenario appear as a walk-over, it was not.  Graham had terrible luck with his firing dice.  In the rules, hits accumulate for each '6' rolled.  At one point, 39 D6s rolled without having any 6s appear.  Zero for 39! Soon thereafter, another 39 D6s rolled only two hits.  Graham retired those dice!  

As a two-player game, this played in about two hours.  Action was quick and in many cases, decisive.  When proper tactics are employed on the miniature battlefield and produce expected and historical results, the system generating those results is solid.  The proper interaction and coordination between infantry, artillery, and air have an elegant beauty to behold.

Fun game!  

For Graham's perspective on the battle and many more terrific close-up photos, please visit, With The Legion In Spain.

Battle for Vizerrara Pass

Battle for Vizerrara Pass Table

Graham arranged for an early morning (late afternoon for Graham) two-player game of For Whom the Dice Rolls (FWTDR).  Given my planning from the previous FWTDR game (see Situational Awareness on the Wargaming Table), the pre-battle briefing was just that; brief!  I was given a rough map of the area, my Republican Order of Battle, and a vague objective.  No information on the enemy was provided, at all.  My Republicans will be entering the table from the bottom map edge while the Nationalists will be arriving from the top map edge.  For all I know, the Nationalists may already be on the table and occupying the town.  The Republican objective is to control the pass.  Artillery and Off-Table Assets for the Republicans are limited.  Who knows what the Nationalists may have up their sleeves?  This should be fun.

On to my brief battle report from afar.  Graham, I suspect, will be posting much better photos of the action shortly.  

Graham's battle report at: Heading Them Off At The (No) Pass-aran.

Relevant photo description follows each photo.

The Nationalists win initiative and bring on an armored car and an infantry battalion in trucks.  The infantry disembark.  The Republicans bring on a field gun, unlimbering it off the road.  Two Trubia Naval tanks advance on either side of the road while an infantry battalion advances on the right of the main road. 

Nationalists move the armored car up the road to counter the Trubias while the Carlist infantry head for the town.  The Basques move up to the river and halt.

On the left, both armies bring on reinforcements and make their way toward the monastery on the hill.

Reinforcements continue to arrive on board as the Nationalists advance across a broad front.  The Republican Asaltos enter on the right with their armored car in the lead.  A Nationalist airstrike targets the Basques at the river.  They are pinned but not much damaged.

While both sides advance in strength upon both flanks in an attempt to control the high ground, the Trubias in the center bypass the enemy armored car and threaten the arriving reinforcements.  

The Nationalist armored car spins around to attack the trailing Trubia from the rear while the truck-mounted AA attacks the lead Trubia from the front.  Both tanks suffer hits.  Carlist infantry moves from the dangerous open ground to occupy the central town.

The Republican field gun sends a shell up the tailpipe of the Nationalist armored car before opening up on the advancing Carlists on the high ground on the left.  The lead Trubia returns fire upon the AA truck and knocks it out.

The Republicans keep making their way up the left flank along the ridgeline while a third Basque battalion arrives and advances up the road toward the action.  Both Trubias attack infantry in the open.  One battalion is caught in march column on the road.

Both Carlist infantry battalions, attacked by the tanks, panic and flee to the rear!  Their battle is done.

With the threat of Carlist reinforcements in the center gone, attention can turn toward dealing with the flanks.

To start off, the Republicans call in a bomber run, targeting the enemy on the right hill.  Near the town, the Asalto armored car goes up in smoke from close range fire from the town.  Ouch! 

Unfortunately, the bombers misidentify their target and the bomb loads are dropped upon their own troops!  The Asaltos survive the unfortunate friendly fire mishap but are shaken from the experience. 

In the center, the Basques cross the river to threaten the town while the Asaltos on the right hill attempt to regain their composure.  The Carlists opposite the Asaltos use this opportunity to attack.

On the Republican left, two battalions of Basques move into position to threaten one Carlist battalion among the hills.  The first close assault is repulsed but the enemy has been softened up in a crossfire.  In the center, the two Trubias drive off to the foothills to support the beleaguered Asaltos.  The tanks are attacked by infantry and the infantry are driven off.  Well, maybe driven over.

On the right, the Asaltos are driven off the high ground with heavy casualties as the Basques in the center advance upon the town.  On the left, two Basque battalions provide preparatory fire into a very hard-pressed Carlist battalion before launching an assault.

The Republican assault goes in at more than two-to-one odds.  The Carlists are thrown back from the heights.

The Carlists rout back across the river.  With more than half of the Nationalist infantry scattered, the Republicans declare victory!  

Well, that was a fun and tense little scenario.  For a two-player game, this was just about the perfect size for two players.  Action was brisk and engaging throughout.  Card play with one player per side seemed smoother than in our recent multiplayer battles.  Both players had opportunities to attack and defend.  Game play seemed much more tactical and meaningful in nature since random off-board assets were kept to a minimum.  Not having much onboard artillery helped smooth the game too.  The rules and the interactions between parts are beginning to gel in my mind.

All in all, it was great fun.  Well done, Graham, for putting together a fine game!

For Whom The Dice Rolls

The latest entry from the growing stable of wargaming rules from Graham Evans dropped into my mailbox this week.  That rulebook is For Whom The Dice Rolls (FWTDR) covering brigade and divisional sized battles during the Spanish Civil War.  Graham sent me a copy of the rules, fresh off the printing press, as an acknowledgement of my playtesting efforts.  

Besides a small amount of reading on the conflict in fiction (Hemingway) and non-fiction (Beevor), I had little exposure to this war. Over four months of playtesting, I have learned a great deal more.

sample in-game photo

The rulebook is a hefty 95 pages and is printed in color. Lots of background information within as well.  FWTDR is a handsome production, indeed.

To reciprocate for Graham's generosity, I painted up a battalion's worth of Basque infantry.  These 15mm Peter Pig fellows will be winging their way to Graham soon.

15mm Basque infantry

With my growing familiarity to FWTDR over the last four months, I expect to return to this topic in future posts.  Having been involved in the later, nitty-gritty playtests, perhaps, a full review by me is not appropriate?  As I wrestle with that decision, other topics are fair game, though.  A number of rules-related topics are already formulating in my mind.  Perhaps a review is still appropriate since I have at least played the game several times and scrutinized the text and game mechanisms?  In whichever direction I ultimately decide to explore, this will not be the last you see of FWTDR here.     

For now, congratulations to Graham for publishing another interesting set of rules for yet another, somewhat obscure conflict.  Let me know when you buy that vacation place in the Bahamas.

For more information, please visit: Wargaming for Grown-ups.