Scenario test: Pursuing the enemy rear guard

The defending army plan to move their camp from its current location to one offering a better defensive position. The move would be done under the cover of night and to gain a day’s march on the enemy, a rear guard must remain behind creating the illusion of an active camp. The rear guard would depart the late morning to rejoin the army. 

Having fulfilled their task, the rear guard set off to rejoin the army. Later that morning, scouts report the approach of pursuing cavalry, prompting a search for a suitable position for battle.

Terrain and size of forces

The defender casts a die to determines where the combat will take place, arable or forest. Both forces are of equal size, but slightly differ in composition.

 

Test one.

The first test posed a number of problems, the board size was set at 120cm x 80cm, in expectation of a decent rear-guard action. The Hanoverian rear guard managed to avoid any real contact by the French and secondly, the playing cards used for time control accelerated the approach of dusk, thus ending the game.  

During the course of the test, withdrawing troops became a problem as the rules limit formation changes to; column to line or the reverse and stepping back (allowed to elite and veteran infantry). Nearing the end of the test, the solution appeared allowing a unit of cavalry to retire, as seen to the right of the wood.

The test concluded after eight turns with Hanover holding the French advance guard at bay.

 

Test two.

The board, reduced to a standard 80cm x 80cm, brought both forces deployed for battle at 0900 hrs., as nightfall was 13 hours away, this was poised to be an interesting conflict.  

The additional formation change worked well, allowing Hanover to withdraw half their force while the remainder covered their retreat. This action was repeated for several turns allowing the rear guard to approach the board edge before nightfall.

Plagued with poor pip scores, the French cavalry made a last-minute charge to salvage the day and selected an isolated gun to attack. Gun crew survived later repulsing the French dragoons, elsewhere, a second dragoons fared no better, losing a few casualties for their effort.