The Collision Course variant became the benchmark for a series of experiments and further research of 17th century warfare. Rather than develop another campaign requiring map movement to force a clash of arms, I sought to develop a system that would occupy players with events leading to and from an open battle. Historically, open battles were not as frequent as gamers would like to believe. This design has other campaign related events taking place bringing depth to the game. The next step was to increase the size of armies matching DBA’s big battle option allowing the formation of an advance guard, a main body and a rear guard, each commanded by a general.
The
campaign
The campaign season, whether this took place during the spring, summer or autumn, would last three months, between campaigns, time would be spent gathering supplies, reinforcing the troops, scouting, or gathering intelligence would be undertaken by detachments given specific tasks. These tasks are outlined on card, listing an objective, troops types required, terrain features, deployment and possible outcomes generating a score. The accumulated total would influence the continuation of a campaign or its closure.
Players
rotate the roll of attacker and draw a card for that game. Troops are selected with
the terrain placed by the defender places terrain and the time of day determined
by the attacker. A campaign month passes when four order cards have been played,
three months will bring the campaign season to an end.
Most assignments will involve the advance guard, a few, the rear guard. Record keeping is minimal, but players will find it helpful to note the placement order of elements in each command; advance guard, main body and rear guard. Players will then find it easier to revise the composition each when carrying out a particular assignment.
The size of
the advance guard is a minimum of six to a maximum of twelve elements and commanded
by a general. Troops to be used are listed on the card; selecting elements
listed in parenthesis is dependent on the general’s level of success. Simply
expressed, the successful general will have better options.
The 2nd
Northern War (1655 – 1660) took place throughout much of northern Europe; from
the arable plains of Denmark, Brandenburg, and the Holy Roman Empire to the
forest regions of Poland, Lithuania and Muscovy. Terrain features for both
regions are listed on each card, do note, roads are compulsory in addition to a
hamlet or fields. In one scenario, a bridge and river are compulsory.
Deployment
The collision course method of deploying columns is used, replacing the standard deployment of DBA3. The distance between entry points is noted for the placement of columns one and two, the third is brought on after column two is completely on table. This costs 4 pips to enter and score of six will make its placement immediate. There are some instances that have the defender deploy his troops in the centre of the board.
Time
A standard playing
card pack (1 – 10) is used to determine the elapsed time of each turn. At the
completion of the attacker’s bound, a card is drawn. This is done each turn
until the score is reached, bringing the encounter to a close. The score is
calculated as the number of daylight hours for that season, times four. As an
example, a campaign starting in Spring will have daylight between 0500 and
1900. Fourteen hours times four gives us a score of 56. It is possible, a side will
not achieve its assignment, lacking sufficient time. This could have
consequences.
Contents
Orders
Page
1 Defeat enemy scouts
2 Screen the main column
3 Capture key features
4 Locate the enemy camp
5 Foraging
6 A fighting withdrawal
8 Breakout of an encirclement
9 Laying an ambush
10 Breaking a siege
11 Attacking supply convoy
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