Die Planning

Well, I need to get on with the first game of Bob Jone's new rules, Die Fighting, available from Bob at Repique rules. I laid out the forces to be used in an earlier post more than  3weeks ago. As the rules have a bit of an old school feel (although they are full of new ideas!), I decided to steal the idea for the scenario from Brigadier Peter Young's classic wargame book, Charge! My copy dates back to 1970, inscribed to me by my father. I'm using the introductory scenario, the Battle of Blastoff Bridge, for inspiration.

A battered but well loved copy of the Classic!

My version, will of course, be set in 1809, with the action taking place along a fictional tributary of the Danube, the River Raub.  As the forces I set up are rather larger, the table area will be 6 by 8 feet, and the armies will set on up to 18" from the edge.  The set up of the battlefield is essentially the same as the Blastoff bridge scenario, with the farmhouse being replaced by the village of Raubersdorf (and associated fields), and the Blastoff Berg replaced by the Raubersgrube. The river Raub is fordable except within 6" of the bridge on either side, where its banks are too marshy to be fordable.





Overview of the battlefield, looking from Raubersdorf towards the Raubersgrube ridge.




 View from Raubersgrube toward Raubersdorf. with the Raub River and its key bridge between them

 

Each end of the bridge will be worth 30 Resource Dice. Each building of Raubersdorf is worth 10 Resource dice, as is each level of the Raubersgrube ridge. The Austrians aim to destroy the bridge before the main French army comes up, while the French aim to seize control of it so as to be able continue their advance with the least delay.



 French Army deployed, as seen from the opposite side of the River Raub.






 Closer view of the French Right at set up. The French plan to use their Legere regiments, which have two leaders assigned for 4 units, to contest the far bank. The Cavalry are ready to cross the river if need be, or support the center.





 Closer view of the French Left; a few units are detailed to seize control of Raubersdorf and anchor the French line.






 Overview of the Austrian Deployment; the Grenadier Reserve is starting in March Column on the road, hoping for a rapid advance on the bridge!






Closer view of the Austrian left; the Kaiserlicks also plan to send some of their forces to contest the far side of the river.




 Closer view of the Austrian Center, with two artillery batteries hoping to advance and site themselves advantageously.




 The Austrian right; what is that Cuirassier Brigade doing way out on the flank?  Hmmm...



As the forces will start 3 feet away, and there is also a stream involved, I'm going to add 50 extra resource dice to both sides to allow enough "energy" in the game for some advance and maneuver before the combat gets fully under way. There are probably a few too many units for the size of the table, but then again... maybe not!

I hope to begin playing the scenario later this week, and then report on it in some detail. In Die Fighting, the number of figures in a unit really doesn't matter, so I'm using my full 18 figure Infantry units for this game; definitely more "mass" than with the pared down 4 stand, 12 figure units that I use for Convention games with Field of Battle! 

Till next time,

Peter