Little Great War - Azuria's latest battleship

Azurian pre-Dreadnought Chevalier Rouge...

Seeing Bob Cordery's Chris van Allsberg style picture of a generic French pre-Dreadnought battleship, I found it hard to resist the thought actually of making one. Not overfond of resisting temptation, I succumbed, with this result.

... or it might be Chevalier Blanc...

It looks vaguely similar to the slightly larger Carnot, also part of the Azurian fleet. It now has five capital ships, seen in line astern in the picture below: Charlemagne, Carnot, Chevalier Rouge, Hoche and Amiral Duperre.

Azurian capital ships in line ahead

Now, for the purposes of the Little Great War, I will be doubling up on the Azurian Fleet, there being, in fact, two: The Western Oceanic Fleet, and the Mesogesean Sea Fleet. It was the latter that got itself entangled with the Hellenic navy, for the loss of Amiral Duperre and two torpedo boats. The Oceanic Fleet's capital ships are to be named Gaulois, Charles Martel, Chevalier Blanc, Marceau and Amiral Ganteaume.

The Azurian fleet also features a couple of 'flatiron' gunboats of the Acheron class. Two are attached to each fleet: Acheron and Cocyte with the Mesogesean, and Phlegeton and Styx with the Oceanic. 

Two 'flatiron gunboats' Acheron and Cocyte...
They might be badly needed to repel a large scale amphibious landing...

This rather makes the Azurian navy larger in campaign terms than the Ruberian, although the latter does have the odd unit on detached service, e.g. RMS Blunderer in the Gulf of Parthia, and the gunboat Shoofly operating in Medifluvia. Separated by the while Iberian Peninsula, there will be little in the way of the one reinforcing the other. Probably. Furthermore, the Hellenic Navy will now be a handful for the Azurian to deal with - and the Turcowaz allies of the Azurians have the powerful units of the small Izumrud-Zelenian navy to worry about.

The gunboats, I admit, are overscale, but that was partly deliberate. Even so, with the fighting 'stats' according, they would be no match for, say, the Ruberian protected cruiser Endymion, the least powerful of Ruberian fighting ships. 

At the moment, with war about to break out between Ruberia and Azuria, a whole deal of planning is happening in Ruberian High Command at the Anditover Army HQ and the Admiralty. Probably the whole fleet will have to involve itself in protecting the amphibious landing upon the Norromandian Coast, with elaborate deception measures to persuade the Azurian High Command that the main effort would drop an army corps upon the Pas d'Artois, or a Division sized raid might be mounted in the Girondois region. Although Norromandia is closer to the Azurian Naval Base at Finisterre, it is thought that the imminence of invasion would bring out the Azurian fleet, where it could be intercepted and destroyed by the more powerful Ruberian Navy before getting close enough to the landing fleet to disrupt or stop the invasion. Admiral Jellibene is looking at a 'bait and clobber' scenario...

Well, that, in very broad terms, is the scheme. We'll have to see how this plays out...

Meanwhile - my apologies for the lengthy hiatus. Several reasons, for this, one being a week-long visit to see daughter and growing family in Queensland. Far from a vacation - little Eva was born the morning after our arrival (three days ahead of schedule, which was probably just as well!). Also problems with our house lighting that began before we left, and had to wait upon our return before they could be fully resolved. But I can't say the old umpty-poo has been up to much for several months, now. I've been 'finishing off' elements of my War of the Imperial Succession armies, some of which work in progress I posted two months back.

I've plenty of projects to engage my interest - it is a puzzle to me sometimes why it is so hard actually to set up a table, or to write something on this blog. I guess I'll never really know...
 

Little Great War - The Naval Action concludes...

 

So far into the action, both fleets had taken serious damage. On the Azurian side, Amiral Duperre had been sunk, along with a torpedo boat. Though all Hellenic vessels were still afloat, Georgios Averof and Hierax were in a near-sinking condition, the armoured cruiser barely under way, and the destroyer dead in the water. Psara was also badly damaged enough to force its withdrawal from the action, escorted by Hydra. Lemnos had also not long before this taken heavy damage from a torpedo hit. But...

... To reach safe haven they would have to pass by their respective adversaries. The action was not yet by any means over. 


Seeking once and for all to put Averof under, torpedo boats TB3 and TB4 set off in pursuit. This was a risky enterprise, Averof still having three of its four main guns in action, and all of its secondaries. The destroyer Leon was also escorting the battered cruiser northward. TB3 unable to launch its torpedo, the reliance was being heavily placed upon TB4 to complete the mission.

The risks were to prove too high. Both torpedo boats took heavy damage from incoming fire. TB4 had its torpedo launchers wrecked before it could fire off the projectiles, and their popgun armaments failed to score any hits. Their mission a failure, both torpedo boats turned away from their more powerful adversaries, and began to seek a way out of the battle.

Meanwhile, exchanges of gunfire continued between the surviving capital ships, with some damage being inflicted on both sides. Although crippled, with its speed reduced, Psara still had teeth and could use them with effect. The Hellenic battleships set a course to the northeast, whilst Hoche and Carnot fetched a wide circle to try and put some distance between themselves and their enemy before settling upon the opposite course.



So the action might have ended here, both sailing off out of the strait. However, Admiral Poliomyelitis was not yet prepared to let the matter rest. Ordered 'to engage the enemy more closely', Hydra closed the range towards Carnot. Both sides took heavy damage. Hydra having so far taken more hurt than had Carnot, was the sooner forced to break off the action. For its part, Carnot was better able to absorb the punishment, but apprehending the approach of Lemnos still adding its big guns to the carnage, was also interested in getting away.

At this point only Lemnos of the Hellenic fleet was in a condition to take the fight, if it chose, to the enemy. On the other hand, Hoche and Carnot, despite considerable damage, were still able to maintain their battle line and to give Lemnos a tougher fight than it would want. Hoche had taken so far only superficial damage from a couple of hits. The encounter with Hydra had inflicted more serious hurt upon Carnot, but not enough to keep it out of a fight with Lemnos if it came to that...

...And then Hydra let fly its parting shot. About to turn away out of the battle, the ironclad launched its port side torpedo, just as Carnot itself reciprocated with its own. Carnot's torpedo missed altogether. Both sides' gunnery was largely ineffective. But fortune favoured the ironclad: its torpedo slammed into Carnot's portside near the stern, doubling the damage already taken. 

Hoche and Carnot - the latter's speed unimpaired by the torpedo hit (5FP) just taken - slipped by Lemnos, the range between enemies widening rapidly as they sailed on opposite course. TB2 long having departed, it remained for the remaining two torpedo boats to thread their way by the Hellenic fleet to escape. TB4 didn't make it...

As expected, Athenae trumpeted its victory over the vaunted Azurian Mesogesean Fleet. It was hard to deny that the Hellenic Fleet had scored a significant tactical victory, and a strategic one, too. The failure of the Azurian 'show of strength' in favour of its Turcowaz ally was undeniable. A capital ship and two torpedo boats sunk against no loss the the Hellenes would be hard to explain away - which didn't stop the Lutetia Lucifer mentioning the fact, in large headlines. The damage to Azuria's most powerful vessel, and its early departure from the action, also drew notice.

But it was not all brimstone and treacle for the Azurians. Three of Hellenia's four capital ships would be in drydock for months - possibly years, given than country's lack of major naval repair facilities. Lemnos itself was in a battered state that would require weeks in port, at least. Azuria still had Hoche, which could repair and replenish at sea, and the two flatiron gunboats that Admiral Ganteaume had carefully kept out of the battle. Let the Athenae owl crow, thought the Admiral - no ornithologist, he - Azuria was still in a position to give seagoing support for the Settee Empire, and Hellenia barely in any position to hinder him.

For the record, here is an abridged summary of damage to the respective fleets

Azuria:

Amiral Duperre - 17/12SP damage (sunk)
Charlemagne - 15/16SP  (12 from torpedoes)
Carnot - 10/16SP (5 from torpedo)
Hoche - 2/14SP
TB1 - 7/5SP (sunk)
TB2 - 4/5SP
TB3 - 4/5SP
TB4 - 5/5SP (lost, sunk)

Hellenia:

Georgios Averof - 11/12SP damage
Psara - 8/12SP (6 from torpedo)
Hydra - 10/12SP
Lemnos - 13/20SP (5 from torpedo)
Leon - 1/5SP
Panthir - 3/5SP
Aetos - 4/5SP
Hierax - 2/5SP 

The Hellenic destroyers surely bore charmed lives in this action!

A couple of post action points to mention:

1. The effect of the torpedoes was devastating in this battle: every roll for effect being a 5 or a 6, the latter predominating. But that gives rise to the question: suppose the 'effects rolls' been 1s and 2s instead. I am now inclined towards an alternative method of determining the effect of a torpedo strike: adding the other two green dice. The minimum damage would be 2SP, the maximum 12 (three 6s on the three dice), and the mean 7SP. 
2. But that in turn raises the question of whether torpedo hits are too easy to obtain. Scoring at least one 6 with 3 dice is less than a 50-50 proposition - a little over 42% - but still seems a bit high. In this last action, both sides were fairly lucky with their torpedo attacks, especially the Hellenes. I'd probably leave it as is, simply because the torpedo boats and destroyers are under-represented compared with their historical naval antecedents.
3. Questions remain as to whether a torpedo may be launched in each of successive turns from the same vessel whilst projectiles remain and launchers remain serviceable. I find it difficult to determine the arrangement of torpedo launchers upon these vessels, and whether torpedoes may be launched (leaving aside spar torpedoes) forward or in broadside. As a convention, I am leaning towards the following:
   
   - If there is an odd number of launchers, ONE may be launched forward.
   - All other torpedoes are launched abeam.
   - Exception: Romanian torpedo boats have twin tubes firing forward only.
   - All torpedo carrying craft have limited numbers of projectiles: one per launcher only. This number is given in my table of ship 'stats'.
4. I discover I had forgotten the effects of waterline hits upon target vessels. That had a considerable effect on the battle: as fought Georgios Averof would have gone under shortly after the rest of the fleet turned up. I'm not going to worry overmuch about that, but methinks a hardcopy printout of this schematic might be worth keeping by!
   
   
   Well, so much for my overture to the upcoming - I'm not yet sure how soon that will be - Little Great War...
   
   

Little Great War - The Naval Action continues

 

Azurian capital ships under close attack from torpedo boat destroyers

As Charlemagne bore off to the southeast, the victorious Hellenic destroyers continued to shadow closely the Azurian battleline: Heirax keeping pace with the wounded battleship, Aetos running the gauntlet reversing the course of Hoche and Carnot. Charlemagne's secondary gunnery improved enough to damage Hierax, but Aetos continued to bear a charmed life beneath the fire from Carnot.

Reserving their main guns for engaging the enemy capital ships, the Azurians did rather better. A parting shot from Charlemagne struck the superstructure of Lemnos, and Carnot's whole broadside went aboard Psara, though without hitting anything vital (the four 5s in a row).

The developing action - without Charlemagne!

Meanwhile, Panthir drove in under the guns of Amiral Duperre, still, though now bringing up the rear of the battle line, very much in the fight. A 13.5-inch shell striking Psara along the waterline, the secondaries did considerable damage to Panthir - but not enough to prevent the latter launching its torpedo. Tension mounting, the Azurian battleship's crew watched the missile pass under the stern. 

In the distance, TB1 and TB2 continued their waspish harassment of three Hellenic capital ships. TB1 seemed to bear a charmed life, the gunfire from Georgios Averof and the Leon destroyer ineffective. But Hydra scored a lucky hit from its starboard main gun, a critical hit that knocked out TB1's torpedo launcher.

An aside here about torpedoes. At the moment I'm fairly happy about their effect on the battle. Not a 'gimme' hit, but potentially very damaging when they strike. For torpedo boats and destroyers taking critical hits, what is considered damage to secondary weapons in the larger vessels is visited upon the torpedo launchers on the small. Whatever the number and arrangement of torpedo launchers, they are considered wholly knocked out. So TB1 was now without its main strike weapon, though it still had its bow mounted 37mm QF popgun.

A question cropped up about whether TBs and destroyers could continue firing torpedoes in immediately subsequent turns. In the above pic, Aetos might have fired off a second torpedo at Carnot, and maybe ought to have done. I was working on a move's delay, but there seems to be no reason for it.
The Aetos class of destroyer carried 6 torpedo launchers mounted three a side as far as I can make out. 

The Azurian fleet takes the battle to the enemy

 
The action so far, and the effective loss of Charlemagne might have induced Admiral Gastauve to order a withdrawal, but, his pugnacity undimmed, he resolved to bring the most powerful Hellenic warship, Lemnos, under close action from his two starboard wing torpedo boats, and from Hoche and Carnot. Amiral Duperre was ordered to continue its northeasterly course, instead of following the other two battleships, in order to hold off Psara and Hydra. Although Amiral Duperre had been in action all day so far, it had taken surprisingly little damage (just 4SP) - especially compared with Psara (5FP already). However, Hydra had hardly been under fire so far, let alone taken any damage.

No sooner hastily formed, the Azurian fleet went into action. Far to the west, TB1 finally succumbed to the gunfire from Georgios Averof, still crawling slowly northward. 

Amiral Duperre found itself engaged at point blank range against Hydra, and, out of range of Lemnos, Carnot engaged Psara instead. The forward facing arrangements of the Hydra and Psara placed them right then at a considerable disadvantage, as the Azurian broadsides doubled the firepower available to the Hellenic warships. This might have created a serious problem for the latter, were the Azurian gunnery a match for the disparity. Amiral struck Hydra twice for one hit in return; but Carnot could not find Psara's range. The distant Charlemagne, however, did manage, before passing out of range, to put a 12-inch shell aboard Psara that knocked out its starboard main gun.

Lemnos under heavy gunfire and torpedo attack!
Gunnery duel between pairs of capital ships.
Azurian TB1 runs out of luck.

For its part, accompanied only by the destroyer Hierax, Lemnos was finding the action a little too warm for comfort. Taking a hit from Hoche, Lemnos handed out two in reply. It's smaller guns fortunately knocked out the torpedoes aboard TB3, but TB4, unperturbed by enemy gun fire, slammed a torpedo into its starboard side. Now with a rear main gun out of action, and 5FP of damage from the torpedo, Lemnos was finding itself in a fight for survival. The strike was to remain unrequited. A torpedo from Hierax failed to hit Carnot.

The close fighting with Psara and Hydra rather induced the Azurian ships to drop Lemnos as the main target, and go after the sister ships instead. Perhaps, having dealt with them, they might yet finish off Georgios Averof. Torpedo Boats 3 and 4 struck northwestward to try to cut off Georgios Averof from safety. Although TB3 was without it torpedoes, it might yet aid TB4 to attack with its remaining missile.

Amiral Duperre was within range to engage the armoured cruiser with its forward main guns, but failed to find the range. In return, Amiral Duperre received a couple of damaging hits from Georgios Averof's main armament. Luck now deserted Amiral Duperre altogether. Struck by a third critical hit from Hydra, its secondary guns failed to stop or even to hit the Leon destroyer charging in and releasing its torpedo. Struck amidships on its port side, the seawater rushing in, there was no saving Amiral Duperre. The old battleship had taken 17FP of damage, 10 of them in just two turns.

Just as an aside, in this action the torpedoes were amazingly destructive - when they hit. This was another high 'effect' roll - a 5 this time. But it was not the last, at that.

The melee continues - with more effective 
torpedo attacks. Ten FP scratched off 
Amiral Duperre is too much...

Aetos, returning from the west, launched its torpedo at the stern of Carnot without effect. Carnot also get the better of a brief gunnery duel with Lemnos, scoring two hits to none. Although taking  close range hit from Psara, TB2 shoved a torpedo into Psara's side, for 6FP of damage. Badly wounded, Psara began to think about withdrawing from the action, but was now badly placed to effect this safely. The Hellenic fleet also lost one of its destroyers at this moment, not sunk, but no longer able to sustain an effective action.

TB1 and TB2 go after the near-sinking 
Georgios Averof, but the Azurian fleet is 
about to call it a day.

Both sides having taken considerable damage, with half the capital ships no longer able to keep station in a line of battle, a withdrawal seemed to be indicated by both sides. But there remained a difficulty. In effect, both sides found their adversaries effectively barring the way!

To be concluded...

Little Great War - A Naval Prologue continues...

 

The main fleets join the action

Continuing on from my previous posting of just over a week ago, we rejoin the action between the Azuria and Hellenia navies, just as the two fleets arrive to put an end to the single-ship duel between the ironclad battleship Amiral Duperré and the armoured cruiser Georgios Averof. It was probably just as well for the cruiser that its friends had turned up, for it had got so much the worse of the action, that its speed was halved, and one of its rear turret main guns knocked out. Amiral Duperré hadn't escaped unscathed - a couple of waterline hits to deplore - but was able, after fetching a wide circle under the Snifnos shoreline, to join rear of the battle line. 

It so happened that the respective fleets joined the action at very much the same time. This was decided by a die roll each, the low score arriving first, and the differential determining when the opposing ships arrived at the table edge. As it turned out, both sides rolled a 4. The remainder of the narrative will continue to offer asides concerning the game mechanics.

We'll begin with a comment in the last posting that concerned the relative technologies of Amiral Duperré and Georgios Averof. Had I accounted for technological advances in the 30-odd years between  the laying down of the two warships? Good question. Had I?

A check seemed to indicate that, insofar as we can conjecture what the net effects would be, the more advanced armoured metallurgy equalised the protection against the ironclad battleship's thicker armour, and the more modern guns, despite the considerable difference in calibre (9.2-inch vs 13.5), also equalised their effects. The two vessels under my 'stats' (close to but not identical to Bob Cordery's original) come out as very nearly equal in power. Georgios Averof, however, had a speed advantage, at least at the beginning of the single-ship duel.

 

As the fleets approached each other in the strait between the islands of Serifos and Snifnos, the Azuria torpedo boats TB1 and TB2 veered off to port to hunt down the Georgios Averof, heavily damaged, and attempting to crawl its way out of trouble. Admiral Polyomyelitis ordered his torpedo boat destroyers Panthir and Leon to cover the wounded battlecruiser.

The remaining Azurian torpedo boats remained on the starboard side of the main battleline, which itself began to turn to starboard in line ahead in order to bring the main-gun broadsides to bear. The peculiarities of the gun arrangements aboard the Hellenic coastal battleships Psara and Hydra dictated their plan simply to charge bull-headed at the Azurian line. The powerful battleship Lemnos turned due eastward, whence its main guns, outranging the Azurians', might be brought to bear.

Georgios Averof under heavy fire

Naturally, coming into range of the unlucky battlecruiser, all three battleships - Amiral Duperré not yet having rejoined the line - let fly. The three hits, two of them critical, were enough to induce the cruiser, reduced to just 2FPs (flotation points) to quit the battle if it could. It was lucky at that, for the Hoche put a 13.5-inch shell close under Georgios Averof's main gun turret, where the crew just barely averted an explosive catastrophe. Meanwhile, the first salvo from Lemnos failed to get the range of Charlemagne, leading the Azurian battle line.

As the Azurian battle line began their turn, two Hellenic destroyers, boldly handled, came charging in under Charlemagne's guns. Whilst the battleship's main guns engaged Lemnos, the secondaries tried to hold off the smaller vessels. Putting one aboard Lemnos, Charlemagne received two in return that started a couple of small fires. But the secondary gunfire proved woeful. Nor were the little torpedo boats able to offer much protection either. Completely unscathed, Hierax and Aetos fired off their torpedoes (the green dice in the pictures). Sixes required to hit - both scored!

Gun and torpedo fire. White dice = Azuria
Red dice = Hellenia
Big dice = primary weapons
Little dice = secondaries
Green Dice = torpedoes
Special dice = torpedo damage

Now here I added something to the game mechanics for torpedoes. I still rolled three dice to represent one torpedo, but only a six would represent a hit. Very chancy. But not only did it count as a critical, it also brought in another D6 to determine how many FPs were knocked off the target's flotation. Blow me down if both destroyers didn't roll a six! Twelve FPs Charlemagne lost at once, not to mention the two more at the hands of Lemnos. Reduced to just 2FP out of 16, Charlemagne had no option but to fall out of the battle line.

An alternative method has today occurred to me. Having scored a six to hit, rather than roll a fourth D6 to determine flotation damage, why not simply add up the other two green dice? In this case, Charlemagne would have lost 10FP, still disastrous, but there would have been a pretty decent chance the battleship would have become a feature of the Mesogesean Sea floor.

Disaster for Charlemagne - two damaging 
torpedo hits

Meanwhile, a gunnery duel between Hoche and Psara went in favour of the former. TB1 and TB2 tried torpedo attacks to finish off Georgios Averof. Unfortunately TB1 had its torpedo launcher knocked out before it could be fired. Instead it landed a pop-gun hit upon the cruiser. TB2's attack was intercepted by Panthir, but the torpedo missed. Perhaps the crew's practice was disturbed by the torpedo boat's receiving two heavy shells from Hydra.

I have adopted a convention that torpedo attacks come after all gunnery and gunnery results. If a TB is sunk before it can fire its torpedoes in the same turn, the vessel sinks, the torpedo unlaunched. I did toy with disabling torpedoes if the TB is reduced to 'get outta here' level flotation. But that seems too punitive. So, if it is already in range at that point, then it can launch. If 0FP means the vessel is reduced to an immobile hulk, rather than sunk, it is assumed the torpedo tubes have also been knocked out.

Charlemagne forced to pull out of the battle line

As Charlemagne staggered out of the battle line and the rest of the line completed their turn to the eastward, TB3 and TB4 went after Lemnos. The torpedo boats and destroyers seemed very keen to get up close and personal! For now at least, Georgios Averof's hurts had been amply avenged!

With the action in full swing, we will resume the narrative another time...

To be continued...

Imagi-Nations - Work in Progress

What I've been doing lately - instead of writing up my latest 'Chubby Marine' naval battle.

Khevenhuller Dragoons and Nadasti Hussars now have their bases flocked...

Batthany Dragoons newly painted. I've added a squadron of chevauleger using Airfix RHA mounted officers on spare Revell horses.

The mounted arm in the service of the Principality of Ursaminor. They - or at least something very similar - have occasionally been seen in the service of the Reine d'Oro Royalists in the Gatonegro War of Independence.

Ursaminor foot. These were painted well over 25 years ago to create an army for my daughter, Ursula. I added to it about 10 years ago.

Additional units (5th and 6th Foot) in Ursaminor service. I have added a second Grenadier Battalion HQ. The 6 line infantry may then be organised as 8 battalions, 6 line and 2 grenadier.

Ursaminor militia battalions, and artillery. The nearer militia battalion was created out of some Airfix Imperial Guard (horrible figures, but they made OK militia. The other was made from selected figures from an American War of Independence set - manufacture unknown (to me).

Latest paint job: Palffy Hussars in Imperial service. 

Two units that have been adapted for service with the Landgravate of Hessen-Rohr - Cuirassiers and Uhlans.

Some of the horse and all the guns in the service of Altmark-Uberheim. 

A final pic of the Palffy Hussars. I wonder if my new phone has a flash...

W still very much in P, but the light at the end of the tunnel is looking a deal brighter!

 

Insurrection: The Gatonegro War of Independence

I discover that it was six years ago (!) that I began what was to be a 'campaign of battles' - a war of independence set somewhere in Latin America. Somehow, I became distracted, and never got back to the battles.  This, despite doing a fairish bit of on-line searching out the campaigns and battles of the real wars of Independence. 

Well, a couple of weeks ago, I played out what was based (supposedly) on the Battle of Maipu, April, 1818, between the Royalist Army and the insurrectionists styling themselves as 'Patriots'. This was the decisive action of the Chilean campaign of that year. As it turned out, 'Maipu' this Gatonegro battle was not, as the narrative of events will reveal.

After the early success at Arabispo, the insurrection caught popular fire, and the Reine de Oro had a serious rebellion on its hands.

Seeking to break the centre of the rebellion, the Royalists gathered what strength it could to confront the growing menace. For their part, the self-styled Patriots found recruits flocking to the nascent colours. When the clash came as the Royalist Army marched upon Maipu del Guano, they were to find themselves considerably outnumbered. Confident in the superior training of his army, General Mariano Osario drew up his force along a line centred upon rising ground close by Casa de la Espagne, a hamlet set among cherry orchards.

The Royalist Army comprised:
Commander: General Mariano Osario

1st Brigade: Colonel Ordonez
    Regiment Concepcion ... 28 figures
    Regiment Infante Don Carlos ... 28 figures
    Coy Sappers ... 7 figures
    Dragoons Ordonez ... 9 figures (under strength)
    Artillery ... 3 figures, 1 cannon
        Brigade totals: 63 foot, 9 horse, 3 artillery = 75 figures

2nd Brigade: Colonel Morta
    Regiment Arequipa ... 28 figures
    Regiment Burgos ... 28 figures
    Lancers Morta ... 9 figures (under strength)
    Artillery ... 3 figures, 1 cannon
        Brigade totals: 56 foot, 9 horse, 3 artillery = 68 figures

3rd Brigade: Colonel de Riviero
    Converged light and grenadier companies ... 28 figures
    Artillery ... 3 figures, 1 cannon
        Brigade totals: 28 foot, 3 gunners = 31 figures

Army totals: 147 foot, 18 horse, 9 artillery = 174 figures, 3 cannon

Marching to meet them, the Patriot Army comprised:
Commander: General Jose de San Martino

Division Las Heras:
    3 Regiments @ 19 figures = 57 figures
    Mounted grenadiers ... 12 figures
    Artillery ... 4 figures, 1 cannon
        Division totals: 57 foot, 12 horse, 4 artillery = 63 figures

Division Alvarez: 
    3 Regiments @ 19 figures = 57 figures
    Caballeros de los Andes horse ... 12 figures
    Artillery ... 4 figures, 1 cannon
        Division totals: 57 foot, 12 horse, 4 artillery = 63 figures

Division Quintana (Patricio Hernandez O'Hogg commanding):
    3 regiments @ 19 figures
    Escort Cavalry ... 6 figures
    Husares de la Muerte ... 6 figures 
    Artillery ... 6 figures, 2 cannon
        Division totals: 57 foot, 12 horse, 6 artillery = 65 figures

Army totals: 171 foot, 36 horse, 14 artillery = 221 figures, 4 cannon

A couple of points here:
1. My original order of battle had four Divisions, each with just two infantry regiments. A 'Reinforcement Division' under Bernardo O'Higgins would have been the fourth formation. I have no recollection as to why I changed it!

2. The considerable disparity in numbers I thought would be offset by the superior training and morale of the Royalist regulars. We'll see how that turned out.    

Regiment Concepcion's first volley.
Woeful: the pips scores count only on rolls of 4 or less... 

. 

Prospects to begin with seemed unpromising for the Royalists, drawn up in a single line with, apart from the insignificant sapper company, not a single reserve. By contrast, the Patriots began advancing with two of their Divisions, Las Heras on the left and Alvarez on the right. As the leading Divisions engaged the flanks, O'Hogg's Reserve marched onto the field, straight towards the centre of the Royalist line. 

Just about the first Royalist unit to give fire, Regiment Concepcion, let fly a woeful volley. Where it went no one knew - certainly not the intended target. Under my own combat system, at this moment, the 'Die Range' for shooting was 4 - that is to say, the pips scores counted only for dice rolls of 4 or less.  This is precisely the same as subtracting 2 from the raw pip score, but without the actual subtraction. The unit could reasonably have expected to score 6 or 7 hits (modified by my 'normalising' system, which would have yielded 4 or 5 casualties). 

This was more than matched by the Regiment Infante Don Carlos, whose valley shredded the 1st Regiment of Las Heras Division. Perhaps the powder had been left too long in the breech, and damp reduced the effectiveness of the first volley. 

At any rate, as the action became general along the front, Royalist fire became much more accurate and effective.  The Patriot columns came on, to form lines of battle to engage in a protracted firefight all along the front. And they were getting the worst of it.

Outnumbered, the Royalist Dragoons put the 
Patriot horse to the rout!

Hoping to sweep aside the dragoons guarding the Royalist right flank, Las Heras's mounted grenadiers were brought up on the extreme patriot left. The royalist horse didn't hesitate. Though outnumbered 4 to 3 (which actually made the combat equal given Royalist training) the Royalists gave rather better than they got, inflicted 5 casualties for 2, and sent the Patriot horse packing.

The height of the Patriot attack: all along the line.
So far losses have not been too serious...

The Patriots seemed to be doing better on the other flank. The Caballeros de los Andes horse braved Royalist gunfire to ride over the de Riviero's guns. Incoming musketry also caused Regiment Burgos to fall back a short distance although they maintained their good order, and continued to face the enemy.

That was pretty much all the success, as it transpired, that the Patriot Army was to show this day.  Accurate Royalist musketry cut Patriot infantry to ribbons. De Riviero redeemed the loss of his guin battery with a devastating counter-attack onto the Patriot right flank. Soon, all over the field, routed patriot foot and horse could be seen making their way to the rear.

It's all to no avail. Apart from forcing back Regiment Burgos,
and overrunning a battery, the Patriot Army has hardly dented 
the Royalist line. Several Patriot units have broken and are
fleeing in rout.

There was no doubt about this result: a devastating Royalist victory.

Somehow, I think I got the balance totally wrong. Such a one-sided result simply wasn't supposed to happen! I rather think this battlefield will be revisited, but with the 4 division, 8 regiment ORBAT for the Patriots, and their soldiery having the battlefield experience, next time around, to match the Royalist firepower...

Kavkaz Campaign - Surprise Attack (2)

 

Action at the West ford:

As the first sliver of sunlight gleamed over the distant East Kavkaz mountains, the Tucowaz cavalry had already forded the stream close by the farm hamlet, and the head of the 1st Division almost across.  At that moment, the artillery of Izumrud-Zeleniya opened fire with considerable effect upon the leading horse.  So destructive were those opening salvos, that fully two-thirds of the 1st Turcowaz Cavalry's strength was laid low or scattered. 

Nothing daunted, the gallant horsemen pressed on towards the bend in the road at the right flank of the Zeleniyan line. The immediately available Zeleniyan horse and foot at once converged upon the column, harassed by Turcowaz gunfire from across the river.

To begin with, such pressure as the defenders were able to mount was insufficient to prevent the Turcowaz expanding their bridgeheadalong the riverbank towards the town. For a brief period, 1st Zeleniyan Cavalry had to battle the assailants alone, even overthrowing the remnants of the lead enemy cavalry unit. Pushing out from the orchard posting towards the flank of the remaining enemy horse, 1st Grenadiers came under a galling flanking fire from the Turcowaz field artillery, and very quickly lost half their strength.

The Turcowaz column was going to be no pushover...

... especially as the build up of their Zeleniyan adversaries was going to require a considerable amount of time.

Zeleniyan efforts to contain the Turcowaz bridgehead along the riverbank were faced by the enemy gunfire, and the Turcowaz gunners were as good as their counterparts on the other side of river. The ferocity of the fighting might be measured by the heavy attrition of strength on both sides.

As the Zeleniyan reserves gradually entered the fray, it was becoming for the Turcowaz a fight for survival rather than an effort to storm the Zeleniyan lines.  Having eventually contained and boxed in the enemy, the Zeleniyans were now bent upon their annihilation.

They were not having it all their own way, however. Having reached the riverbank, 3rd Grenadiers tried to roll up the beachhead's inner flank, but were themselves chased back into the orchard close by the hill occupied by the sailors' artillery. From the cover of the trees, and with the aid of 4th Hussars, the Zeleniyans attempted a counter-attack, but were thrown back beyond the orchard and under the naval guns. Fortunately just at that moment there had been a pause in the fighting at the bridge, into which 3rd Grenadiers might have become entangled.

Such setbacks served to exasperate rather than to depress. Back came the Grenadiers. The Turcowaz column was already looking tired - some 9 strength points down from their original 21. The Division commander, Ali Khat, having taken a rifle bullet to the leg, was still able to exercise command of his beleaguered force.

For a brief moment, 3rd Cavalry broke through to the riverbank, cutting off and isolating 2nd Turcowaz Infantry close by the orchard. Having taken heavy losses making it so far, 3rd Cavalry's attempts to exploit on were dashed against 3rd Turcowaz Infantry's defence, under the eye of Ali Khat himself. 2nd Tucowaz was able then to fall back upon their comrades' position and restore the integrity of the bridgehead.

Even then, the Turcowaz were being inexorably driven back towards the ford.  

The badly depleted 2nd Infantry found themselves driven in into the flank of 3rd Infantry's line, facing a whole fresh Zeleniyan force - 4th Grenadiers. In the fierce fighting that ensued, the resistance of 2nd Turcowaz finally collapsed...

... though 4th Grenadiers were to know they had been in a fight!  [aside: the dice in the pictures tell the story; both sides 'hit' (I'm using the PW combat convention rather than the Colonial PW).  The Turcowaz lose their last SP (Ali Khat unhurt), and the 4th Grenadiers take the hit rather than the retreat.]

By this time very little remained as formed units of the column that had crossed the river at dawn. The horse had all scattered, and almost half the foot as well, though 1st Infantry was doing well enough holding up heavy cavalry attacks along the road. With no chance of achieving more on this front, events elsewhere indicated a withdrawal.

The Turcowaz were not, however, about to go without handing out a few licks.  In almost the final action of the day, the supporting artillery dropped a devastating gunfire into the flank of 4th Zeleniyan Grenadiers on the opposite riverbank: 2 salvos, 2 hits, 2 'kills'.  There, on this front, the action ended.

Action at the Middle Bridge:

Although the 2nd Division column got off the a slightly slower start than the column at the ford, it was really the first into close action.  The supporting Gardner guns had actually reached the bank at the river bend before the infantry column arrived at the bridge.  But this meant that the 4th Infantry could at once, with MG support, attempt to force the defile of the bridge.  

Actually there was a ford alongside that would have permitted the following 5th Infantry to make an immediate attempt upon the town as well, but for some reason, such an effort was not forthcoming. I have absolutely no idea why - I'm talking solo play here; talk about 'Burnside's Bridge! Possibly General Ispesh Ali wished to keep the line clear for the artillery.

The Middle Bridge (so-called) was defended locally by the Naval Artillery Detachment (popularly 'the NADS' by anyone prepared to pick a tavern fight with them). The Gardner guns, from the woods though which the main highway passed, covered the bridge approaches, with the naval guns fortified on the hill to their right. To their left was the southernmost quarter of the town, which provided cover for 9th Infantry of 3rd Zeleniya Division.

The early attack by 4th Turcowaz Infantry was met by a hot fire that laid 50% of the regiment low before they even made it to close combat. Once there, the close quarter fighting appalled both sides sufficiently to cause both to fall back - the Turcowaz across the bridge to make way for 5th Infantry; the sailors out of the woods.  

Meanwhile, 9th Zeleniya had also found the climate at the south end of town rather warm for their liking, and had pulled back. The Turcowaz had won their bridgehead.

The Zeleniyan 3rd Division Commander, General-Major Ivan Ivanitch Ivarilibaditch, quickly organised the counter-attack. Sliding 9th Regiment to the right to confront the Turcowaz in the woods, he led his reserve, 10th Regiment, onto the 9th's left flank, whereat they poured their rifle fire into the trees. 

Very soon, Ivarilibaditch joined the 9th and led them into a decisive counter-attack that at once recovered the wooded stretch of road, and drove the enemy out into the open.  This achieved, the whole enemy column, reduced by about 50% of their strength, faded back across the river, and declined to try a fresh attack.  It seems the battle was over on this front as well.  

But... what of the attack by 3rd Division?

The picturesque riverside at Zugdidi. the stones indicate 
the forded stretches (decided by die rolls).

Action at the East Bridge:

The tale here is soon told. In many respects, 3rd Turcowaz Division had the easier objective, as not only was there a bridge at the east end of the town, but the reaches of the river as it rattled by the town were almost everywhere fordable. There was some prospect of support from 1st Artillery Regiment, their main priority was nearer their front.

The fact remained that, having farther to go to reach the enemy, 3rd Division got off to a very slow start.  The battles in the other sectors were fairly under way before the leading elements of 3rd Division began to come under scattered fire from the town's garrison.   

The defence of the bridge itself had been entrusted to 12th Zeleniya, whilst the 11th was so placed as to cover by enfilading rifle fire the fords by which the enemy might reach the south and east end of town.  

Led by General Ibrahim Bazbug, 7th Infantry shrugged off its early losses and stormed across the bridge. The close quarter fighting was going on without result, and the rest of the Division poised to force a crossing, when the order arrived: break off the action.  

At the Middle Bridge, 2nd Division had essayed just one more assault. Overrunning the woods and routing 9th Zeleniya, 5th and 6th Turcowaz turned upon the 10th, which unit had reoccupied the southern end of the town. Attacked front and flank, the gallant Zeleniyans threw off their assailants, and the actioned drew to a close.

The final actions had finally brought the Turcowaz army to its exhaustion point. They had no more attack left in them. Perhaps surprisingly, the Izumrud-Zeleniyan army was barely in better condition, having lost 22SP (slightly less that their exhaustion point) as against 25SP by the Turcowaz (slightly over their E.P.).  

These were very heavy losses to both sides, in numbers, about 6,250 Turcowaz and 5,500 Izumrud-Zeleniya. It was an undoubted repulse by the latter, but no more than that (the Turcowaz get half their lost SP back, instead of just one third). But though something of a tactical victory, it had come at a very high cost. Time would tell just how high.  

To be continued:
1. Further campaign moves - and where is the Izumrud-Zelenian fleet?
2. Two more actions to come: a 'Baylen' moment?