It has been quite some time since we did a little work using Bloody Big Battles rules. However, I have been meaning to try a Lace Wars variant for the game for quite some time. Now that things have settled down, I decided to finally go for it and run a game.
I had looked over the different variants online, including on the BBB Yahoo group. I was not a fan, as I feel these stray a bit too far from the core game mechanics for my tastes. To me, one of the unique mechanics, is how the rules work with movement along the front center point. I like this mechanic, as it eliminates all the challenges with direct and complexities of wheeling (which I have seen only one in three gamers get right!).
However, there needed to be a way for use of the system, but without the almost free flowing formation and direction changes in the core rules (which is fine for the 19th century). What I came up with was a more ridged maneuver allowance and movement direction. Basically, instead of being able to move freely within the front ninety degrees of the front center point, I changed it to moving in a straight line. Any deviation would apply the moving out of arc penalty.
The other big change, was being able to change facing into any direction, at the end of the move. Instead, this was limited to a free forty five degree pivot. Anything more, would accrue a minus three inch penalty per forty five degrees or a minus three for about face.
Cavalry, would have the same restrictions. However, just like in the core rules, they would be able to turn twice in their movement. Once in the middle and a second time at the end. Prussian infantry were able to maneuver as cavalry to simulate oblique order. I addition, the change of formation penalty is ignored if column chasing to line to the left and vice versa.
The shooting is pretty much out of the core rules. However, since all units were considered using obsolete tactics, I just removed that modifier and moved the fire table over one column. In addition, light and heavy artillery fire values were split up.
For melee, I added a modifier for raw and veteran troops. With the aggressive and fragile rating still in play, I felt this gave more than enough modifiers to reflect different troops advantages. As such, I decided to scrap the K rating used in the Napoleonic variant. I added a support modifier, if the unit had a friendly unit facing the same way on both flanks and within one inch.
Next was formations. We removed assault columns, as an option. However, I added refused flank or follow terrain borders. It would take a formation change to get into or out of either of these. Units would be allowed to kink their lines up to forty five degrees to bend on of their lines or deploy along the edge of a terrain feature. As fire is determined by base, it would just be measured out from each to see who was in arc.
The finally change (that I can remember) was for commanders. Generally speaking, the only role they have in the game is helping with rolling command orders. This is very important. However, I felt that there needed to be another level of commander to reflect the great captains and their best lieutenants. So, for those individuals, they would apply a plus two modifier on movement table rolls. In addition, I wanted to give a modifier for attaching generals to close combats. This would not be universal, but limited to certain personalities. If they attached, they would add one to close combat rolls. After melee combat was resolved, the players would have to roll on the fire table for each commander involved. If they won, then they would roll on the one table. If they lost or tied, they would roll on the fire table that equaled the different in the melee results roll off.
The Game
With the rules out of the way, I wanted to try a battle that would show off poor troops versus good troops on the tabletop, just to make sure things still worked in game play. So, I chose the battle of Mollwitz. This would give both players the chance to try to maximize their advantage against the appoints weakness, while trying to minimize their own weaknesses. In this battle, the Austrians had a clear cavalry quality advantage against most of the Prussian cavalry, which was still finding its way. On the opposite end, the Prussian infantry was far superior to the Austrian troops (it did not help they were deployed in reverse order!),
I took the OOB from the Obscure Battles website (I left my book at home, by accident). Each base would equal roughly a battalion of infantry or squadron of cavalry. Two ranks counted as a base. All units were organized into brigades. The Austrians were a bit smaller on the frontage side, to reflect eerie deeper formations in this battle. I made, what I think was, an aesthetic mistake. I think I should have gone with two bases per battalion to make the infantry brigades look more impressive (two would count as one). All my stuff is on old Koenigkreig basing, so is somewhat narrow. In the end, it did not effect play, but I think it would have looked better
For the table, I used my Cigar Box dusted snow mat to reflect the snow. I know I should have gone with solid white, but green flocked bases look terrible on that, so I think this is a good compromise. While setting up the town blocks, I realized I packed up the wrong building box and only had a handful of 15mm buildings (for BBB, I use 6/10mm). So, each building would have to do a lot of work on those town tiles!
With that, we lined up the troops per the battle map and went to town! The Prussians opted for a slow central advance, while they tried to move forward aggressively with their cavalry. The Austrians were happy with this, as this was exactly the fight they wanted to have. Once the cavalry got close, the Austrians pounced with cavalry charges across the flanks. Unfortunately, while the Austrians had a clear advantage, they could not decisively defeat their foes. Most of the fights were minor wins or ties.. On the Prussian right, the attached grenadier detachments proved to be the bane of the Austrian cavalry, with the fight just breaking down to a morass.
With the cavalry fight in stalemate, the Prussian center attacked straight into the Austrian infantry holding the center. The first attack was quite devastating for the Austrians, but they were able to get themselves back in order and hold for a bit. However, the quality advantage was clear and the Austrians were steadily pushed back into the town of Mollwitz.
At this point, the Austrian right flank cavalry finally tipped the balance and cleared the flank in front of them and attempted to circle into the center to deal with the Prussian main attack! However, it was now a race to see who would prevail first….
Well, it seemed history was going to repeat itself! The Prussian crushed the Austrian center infantry in bloody charges, before the Austrians could intervene! So, it was once again a Prussian victory! Their cavalry with attached Grenadiers did just enough to keep the Austrian cavalry from winning, while the Prussian infantry won the day.
- Manteuffel