Wednesday 22 February 2023

Ottomans vs Austrians 18th Century

 I set this up as a mini-campaign but only got to battle one, where the Sultan routed.  My idea was ok, the implementation lacking!


Blue Events
1. Add 2 Sps worth of troops to your army
2. Raise general by one skill level
3. Add 4 Sps worth of troops to your army
4. Reduce opposing general by one
5. Increase one unit by one level
6. Reduce one of opponents units one level

Red Events
1. Reduce Army 2 Sps worth of troops
2. Reduce general by one skill level
3. Reduce Army 4 Sps worth of troops 
4. Increase opposing general one skill level
5. Reduce one unit by one level
6. Increase one of opponents units one level

The Steps
Recruit the Army
High morale among the troops
Supporters join the cause
Out manoeuvre the enemy
Stop:  An early mounted skirmish
Rain delays March
Force March to avoid enemy
Stop: An early battle, 6 units per side
Muddy roads delay supplies
Stop: An affair of outposts
Sickness in camp
Supplies arrives
Desertion due to lack of pay
Stop: A sideshow battle between subordinate forces
Contention among your generals
Stop: The climactic end battle


The line up.  The Austrians look serious.

Incontinenz Cuirassier rout the Siphais

A walk over, not even close.  The Sultan loses an entire flank


Meanwhile the Kronprinz contests the village


A musketry fight across the centre,

And out on that weak flank Incontinenz sees off the Sultan's reinforcements, before turning in on the Turkish line.  Game over.

The 45!

Or, Bonnie Charlie's smarter younger brother!  Its the Royalist forces of the Duke of Cummerbund against the revolt of Bonnie Prince Jug Ears.  I`ll be using the Snakes and ladders campaign board from the "Portable Wargame."




Red and Blue Event Roll
  1. Act of God:
  2. Agent Provocateur
  3. Booty-Taking - Raid the enemy baggage train.  
  4. Burned Bridge
  5. Rain storm
  6. Dysentery
  7. Early/Late Snow
  8. False Orders and Bad Intelligence
  9. Force March
  10. Gale
  11. Irregulars
  12. Local Assistance
  13. Miscommunication
  14. New Leader (Draw a Notable)
  15. Provincials go Home
  16. Scorched Earth
  17. Short Supplies
  18. Surprise Attack
  19. Troop Revolt
  20. Vacillating General
Political events  (Working on this)
Or "Whats going on elsewhere!

Act of God:
Play immediately after another player plays any card.  This card 
cancels the effect of the other player’s card.  Place both cards in
the discard pile,

Agent Provocateur
Play this card and immediately draw three more event cards and
Add them to your hand.

Booty-Taking
Player playing this card selects any army in a battle (except Prussian or British).  Poor discipline causes part of that unit to Raid the enemy baggage train.  The unit attacks at ½ strength

Burned Bridge   
Place “Burned Bridges” marker on any land area.  Any armies entering area must stop and move no further this turn.  All land Attacks in that area are at 50% strength.  Remove marker at end
of turn.

Buy Back Debased Currency
Player under the effect of “Debased Currency” may cancel it by 
rolling two dice and spending the number of Resources.  If player 
doesn’t have the Resources available, this card has no effect

Caribbean Hurricane
Play only on Summer and Fall turns.  Any fleet at sea in Carrib.
Sea zone takes a step loss.  Any armies being transported also
take a step loss.

Caught at Anchor!
Play when a fleet or fleet group moves into a coastal area 
occupied but not blockaded by enemy fleets.  The moving fleets
attack at double normal attack strength in each combat round.

Cossack Revolt
Remove one Russian army from play (owning player’s choice)
to quash a Cossack rebellion.  Put the unit in the Russian pool
of unused units.  It must be repurchased to re-enter the game.
Remove this card after it is played.

Debase Currency
Give a “Debased Currency” marker to the Major Power of your
choice.  That power gets a 25% increase of Resources in the next
Resource Phase.  On all future Winter turns, it suffers a -25%
penalty to resources.  Round fractions up.

Defensive Alliance
Play on any active minor country ally.  Its units will not launch
attacks outside friendly or allied controlled land areas this turn. 
To negate the effect of this card, the Major Ally may roll one die and pay the number of resources.  (if resources are available)

Descents Play only if British player has an army unit and a fleet in Southern
England area and there are no French units (or units allied to
France) in either Brittany or Gascony.  British amphibious raids
cause France to lose 1-3 Resources.

Dysentery
Play on any army on the board.  That army takes a step loss

Early/Late Snow
Play on  Spring or Fall turns only.  Place “Early/Late Snow” marker on any one mountain route connecting two land areas.  No army may move via that mountain route this turn.

East India Company
The British and French players receive one India army unit each, and place them in any area in India they control, for free.  (the Companies pay for them).  They act as Minor Country Ally units.  Play this card again to place more company troops.

Emergency Supply Play on any land area during the Winter Attrition Phase.  This card either cancels the effect of  the “Short Supply” card, or doubles the number of enemy armies the area can support over the winter.  Round Fractions up.

Fair Wind or Foul Pick one fleet or fleet group on the board.  That fleet or group may either move a maximum of four areas or two areas this turn.  (player playing card chooses)

False Orders and The player playing the card selects any units on the map that hasn’t
Bad Intelligence moved or attacked yet this turn and may move it wherever he or she wishes within its movement allowance.  It may not attack.

Force March The player playing the card selects one leader who has not moved yet this turn.  That leader and all armies under his control add one to their movement allowance this turn.

Freibattalions Immediately place one unused Prussian 1-1 army unit in any Prussian home area controlled by Prussia.  This card has no effect if no unused 1-1 Prussian army unit is available.

Freikorps Irregular Prussian forces raid the Empire.  Prussian player receives 1-3 Resources.

Gale Play during naval combat, after the attack is declared, but before dice are rolled.  Bad weather reduces the combat strengths fo each fleet in combat by 50% during all combat rounds.

HRE Mercs Play this card to hire Holy Roman Empire armies from Hesse, Swabia and/or Wurttemburg.  Pay 3 Resources per unit hired.  Place one unit in each land area.  Replay this card to replace eliminated units.  Units already in play may not be rehired.

Hungarian Revolt Play an unused Austrian army (choice of player playing this card)
and the “Hungarian Revolt” marker in Hungary.  Hungary produces no Manpower or Resources for any player while the marker is there.  Army does not control the area and may not attack but defends normally and is eliminated if forced to retreat.  Remove marker and card from play when the army is destroyed.

Irregulars Place an “Irregulars” marker in any land area.  Any units that are 
(2 cards) enemies to the power controlling the area may not move out of the area and their Combat Strength is ½.  Remove the “Irregulars” maker at the end of the current turn.

Jesuit Plot France or Spain breaks its alliance with any one minor country ally (choice of player playing the card).   Remove the minor country’s units from the map.  Place armies transported by that ally’s fleets in any coastal area adjacent to the sea area occupied by the fleets.  Remove this card once played.

La Grand Societe Canadian Intendant Francois Bigot artificially inflates prices on military supplies and skims the profits.  The French player loses
1-3 Resources for EACH French unit currently in the Americas.  (roll separately for each unit)  Remove card once played.

Local Assistance Play during battle.  Local militia turn out in support of the player on whom this card is played.   Add 1-6 to the player’s total combat strength if the land area is one of the player’s home territories, 1-3 if it is not.

Loudon’s Embargo Play in  1756 or 1757.  General Loudon fights smuggling… by shutting down all seaborne commerce.  The British player loses
1-3 Resources for EACH British controlled land area in the Americas up to a maximum of four (roll separately for each area)  Remove card when played or after 1757

Minor Country The player on whom this card is played may roll to attempt an 
Alliance  (6 cards) alliance with any Minor Country listed on the Minor Country Alliance table.  Apply any modifiers listed on the table, plus all modifiers for card play, bribery and intimidation, before making the roll.

Miscommunication Choose one minor country ally or mercenary country with units in play.  No units belonging to that country  may move or attack this turn.  They defend and retreat normally.

Monsoon Play during Winter or Spring turns.  Any fleet at sea (not coastal) in the Indian Ocean sea zone when this card is played takes a step loss.  Any armies being transported by the fleets taking the loss also lose a step.

New Leader (3 cards) Play on any Major Power.  That power may randomly select one leader from its pool of unused leaders and place him on the board.

Papal Bull His Holiness calls for support for the defenders of the Faith.  Each Catholic Power  (France, Spain, Austria) get 1-6 Resources unless it is allied with  Britain, Prussia, Denmark, Sweden, Saxony, Russia, Turkey or the Crimea Tartars.  Those that are, LOSE 1-6 Resources.

Pirates Place a pirate fleet in either the Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Pacific or Indian Ocean.  The pirate fleet acts as a Minor Country Ally of the player playing this cards, except that it any only combine its attack strength with other pirate fleets.  Play this card again to recreate or create new pirate fleets.

Pitt Takes Power Play any time after fall 1757.  The British player is no longer restricted to having only one British Provincial in play and may purchase them as he or she would any other units.  Remove this card once played.

Prisoner Exchange If the player playing this card has at some point in the game suffered step losses in a land combat against a Major Power, the player and that Major Power (Player’s choice if more than one) each gain 1-3 Manpower

Profligate Heir Play on any Major Power.  The expensive and scandalous behavior of that power’s Heir Apparent require large cash outlays to satisfy the creditors and silence wagging tongues.  The Major Power loses 1-3 Resources.

Provincials go Home One British Provincial army takes a step loss.  If more than one in play, the British player chooses which unit.

Recruit Prisoners Play at the end of any battle.  One major power in that battle (player playing card chooses) gains manpower equal to the total number of steps lost in the entire battle

Royal Betrothal Any major power making a Minor Country Alliance roll arranges a royal marriage.  May only be played on a country on the Europe map.  Add 3 to the die roll.  If successful, subtract 3 from the die roll anytime another country attempts to steal the ally.  Place “Royal Betrothal” marker in the Minor Country.

Royal Death A minor country chosen by the player breaks its alliance.  Remove its units from the map.  Armies being transported by its fleets are placed in any coastal area adjacent to the sea area occupied by the fleets.  The country is now neutral until a new alliance is made with it.

Scorched Earth Place a “Scorched Earth” marker in any land area where the player playing this card or his ally has armies.  No player receives Manpower or Resources from that area while the marker is there, and ALL armies there in the Winter Attrition phase take step losses.  Remove this marker at the end of the next Winter Turn.

Scurvy Play on any enemy fleet in a sea zone (not a coastal area).  That fleet takes a step loss.  Any army being transported by that fleet also takes a step loss

Sepoys (2 cards) Player on which this card is played may hire India armies at 2 Resources per unit.  Maximum number that can be hired equals the number of India land areas the player controls.  Place armies in any of those areas.  Units already in play may not be hired.

Short Supplies Play on any land area during the Winter Attrition phase.  This card either cancels the effect of Emergency Supplies  card or halves the number of enemy armies the area may support over the winter.

South Pacific Revolt Place the South Pacific army in any South Pacific area.  It may not leave the South Pacific map.  It is a Minor Ally of the player but can not combine its strength with other units.  Remove permanently if destroyed.  Remove card when played.

Spanish Provincials Play during Purchase phase.  Spain may purchase 1-3 Provincial armies, following normal purchase procedures.  If Spain is a minor ally, roll and immediately place them free of cost.

Surprise Attack Play during a battle, after Resources have been spent, but before resolution.  The player may move one unit into the battle area from an adjacent area.  (even if it has already moved)  The unit may participate in the combat and its strength is doubled.

Swiss Mercenary Play this card, spend 3 Resources to hire 1 Swiss army (drawn randomly) or spend 5 to hire both.  Place in Switzerland.  See Mercenary Rules.  If armies are eliminated, this card must be played again to rehire them.  Units already in play may not be rehired.

They Boiled Him Indian raids on British frontier settlements produce reports of
& Ate Him Up cannibalism.  Terrified settlers flee eastwards, disrupting commerce and flooding towns with refugees.  British player loses 1-3 Resources.

Troop Revolt Select one army on the board.  That unit may not move or attack.  If attacked it will not fight unless it has nowhere to retreat.  If it can retreat, it MUST and take a step loss due to desertion.

Vacillating General Place “Vacillating General” marker on any leader except Frederick.  That leader and all armies in his area may not move, attack or besiege this turn.  They defend and retreat normally.

Winter Campaign Armies in one land area may be repaired, move and conduct combat and siege during the Winter turn.  Repair, movement costs and Resources paid for combat and siege are doubled.  The repair, movement and combat occur at the beginning of the turn prior to any other actions.  Remove this card after it is played.


Strategy

1.  Inspirational Speech
The general regales his troops with an anecdote or two.
The troops are inspired. Add one Sp to a unit
The troops are cynical.  Minus one SP from a unit
2,  Flank march
An independent force is designated for a flank march
3.  Hidden Unit
4.  Reinforcements
5.  Dig in
6.  Steal a march




Cummerbund makes a slow start but draws a new notable, Colonel Incontinenz the Hessian.(14)  
The Prince out manoeuvres the Duke and advances further.

Cummerbund force marches but is caught by an Early battle with six units per side.  Its a raid on the Georgian Supply line.  Meantime a unit of the Duke's "Vestry Men" run amok in a troop revolt (19) and fire up the Scots response.  The Duke s dumped back to almost the start.




The snakes and ladders is a nice idea.  Needs work though.

Game continues Friday
 

Battle is joined

And the red coats are in fine form.