Gentlemen,
Whilst considering what battle to play from the Liberator! scenario books I thought I would start with one of the later ones to highlight the variation in troop quality and test out Regimental Fire and Fury variant rules under these conditions. I also, don't think this one has an AAR online so adds another perspective for what if games and pick up play.
The following AAR incorporates a number of changes that have been made to the ACW version of RFnF, but nothing that I would term ‘critical' or changing of the core of the rules. RFnF works fine just the way it is, it just needs adjusting more than anything else to reflect Napoleonic warfare and the specifics of the Liberator period. I've given the AAR encompassing the terms used in RFnF to give a feel of how the play of the game generated the flow of battle, rather than a strict narrative battle report, which though possibly more ‘dynamic reading' doesn't always highlight how the game played. As I want to show how RFnF worked in this battle, I've used this style of narrative.
(Note: I use the term CR to denote a command roll number in the AAR below eg CR4 means a command roll of 4 on a d10.)
I shall make a note of some of the changes and additions in the text with design notes, but first….
…too battle.
1821, September, Peru.
Brigadier General Canterac, one of Spain's ablest generals dispatched to South America, deployed his army on an open plain with his left wing anchored to the Hacienda of San Borja and the Surco river to his right. His force was drawn up with cavalry on both wings, one lead by Brigadier Feraz, the other under his own command and all infantry in one line with only one battalion in reserve on each wing. The infantry were commanded by generals Monet and Villalobos . His artillery was spread along the infantry line in support of his troops.
San Martin deployed his troops in a similar fashion. He organised his two infantry forces into a Chilean and an Argentinean ‘division' (really just a brigade sized force). On his flanks he deployed his two excellent cavalry forces, with General Miller directly commanding the two squadrons of horse grenadiers.
ORDER OF BATTLE
San Martin (army CinC) EXCELLENT
-Argentine troops – Cordoba AVERAGE
-Chilean troops – Las Heras AVERAGE
-Cavalry troops – Miller ABLE
Canterac (army CinC) EXCELLENT
-1st div – Monet AVERAGE
-2nd div – Villalobos AVERAGE
-Cavalry – Feraz POOR
The two armies were lead by comparable leaders, the notable exception being Feraz who was a Poor commander with weak cavalry under his command and the Patriot cavalry which was well lead under Miller.
TURN 1
Late on the morning of September 10, the battle commenced with an aggressive movement along the line by San Martin, who wished to take the fight straight to the Royalist forces. Using his great advantage in the quality of his cavalry he intended to strip the Royalist wings of their cavalry support, engage the line with his infantry and then turn in with his victorious horsemen and seal the victory.
In the centre Cordoba's Argentineans advanced in a tardy manner (CR4) with Loriga's Chileans also dragging their feet (CR1) but still able to keep pace with the Argentineans to their left. As expected Miller's cavalry wing moved forward in support, being fresh, high quality (elite) and well lead. San Martin held back his right wing cavalry unit as a reserve of sorts, this being the two squadrons of cazadore (light) cavalry. The artillery , not yet deployed moved along with their infantry.
The Royalist movement in the centre produced a tardy advance (CR2) for division Monet (1st and 2nd Don Carlos Bns and the Arequipa regiment), whilst General Villalobos' forces of the Burgos and Cantabrian battalions along with the 1st Line regiment kept pace. The Royalist left wing cavalry regiments (Ferdando VII Hussars and the Arequipa dragoons) under the command of Feraz fail to move (CR1 and CR2, Militia quality and with a POOR leader). The right wing cavalry elements moved forward under Canterac's direction but one unit (the Union dragoons) failed to move at all. The royalist guns moved forward with their infantry, not yet deployed, as their weak firepower is of little use at long range and shall be used to bolster the infantry line (just as the Patriots intend on doing with their guns).
[Design note- to reflect the inability of the Royalist cavalry to co ordinate movement, Royalist horse is required to roll for each squadron, even when under the command of a leader. Being under a leader's command simply put them in command and means they have better chance of moving in a co ordinate manner. As you can see this doesn't always work as the Union Dragoons failed to keep pace with the other squadrons on the Royalist right wing. The Patriot horse, better lead, can move collectively on one command die roll under a specific leader, in this case, General Miller – this reflects the better coordinated Patriot horsemen vs the Royalist poorly lead horse. This changes the way a command roll is used (by the Royalists) but produces a subtle in-game effect of force co-ordination, which the Patriots are not hampered with].
TURN 2
San Martin seizes control of his right wing forces using his EXCELLENT command rating and is able to move the entire Argentinean wing forward along with the Cazadore cavalry. As he is rated excellent, he offers the best maneuver die roll bonus to the troops in his command range by directing the battle personally. This level of control allows a subordinate commander to attach himself to a unit for combat bonuses whilst the main force remains in his command – a useful advantage (that Canterac also has by way of his EXCELLENT rating also).
On the Patriot left wing Las Heras makes a good maneuver die roll and advances to take up a position to the flank of the Argentineans, just outside musket range of the Royalist Burgos and Cantabrian infantry battalions – the Patriot infantry now forms one solid line of battle supported by Miller's cavalry on the left flank. San Martin has successfully maneuvered his army into combat range of the Royalist force and is poised to carry out the first part of his plan.
Meanwhile Canterac has some serious problems to contend with. He knows that the Patriots easily outmatch his more numerous but poorly lead and low quality cavalry (nearly all militia quality). If he is to win this battle he will have to do it on the back of his infantry battalions and do it relatively fast to break the Patriot line, lest he has his flanks turned. At the same time if he advances to far he will expose his line to the enemy horsemen. With that in mind he hedges his bets and refuse his left flank under Villalobos by having that force remain stationary and unlimbers his artillery to start playing on the Chilean line. Monet advances and with his large Spanish regiments enters firefight range where the first shots of the battle will be fired, whilst the Ferdando VII Hussars and the Arequipa dragoons keep pace on the flank in support.
On the Royalist Right wing Canterac throws caution to the wind to try and buy time for his infantry, by launching the Union and Peru dragoons along with the so called ‘Grenadiers of the Guard' (rated militia) straight at the finest cavalry in all of South America – the Argentinean Horse Grenadiers! He hopes that a lucky turn of events will tip the combat in his favour. Obligingly, General Miller orders an immediate countercharge by both squadrons and a swirling cavalry melee ensues.
As the cavalry clash commences musketry fire ripples down the line as the Chilean division and two Spanish regiments commence firing. All these regiments have integral skirmishers and the effects of fire in the opening shots are minimal, only a disordering result occurring on one Spanish battalion.
The cavalry fight is more decisive however. Collectively the two squadrons of Horse Grenadiers have a +5 combat advantage and with the die roll of +4 the Royalist horse is defeated with a REPULSE combat result (-9 total) – as expected, Canterac's gamble fails and his right wing cavalry is swept away by the Patriot horse. Suffering only a disordering effect from the combat, the Horse Grenadiers choose to hold the position after the combat and thus threaten the Royalist line in the following turn. In reality, it can be seen that very little resistance was put up by the Royalist cavalry upon seeing the discipline and bearing of their foe!
[Design note – entering a combat with -5 combat factor provided the Royalist horse with only a 10% chance of a win, 5% chance of draw and an 85% chance of being defeated – a gamble indeed. The cavalry quality difference in this combat is pretty much the greatest swing that is likely to be experienced in the Liberator Wars].
[Design note – Integral Unit Skirmishers: this is handled very simply by each unit being assigned a skirmish rating number. If this number is rolled equal to or less than by the target unit when shot, the firer suffers a -1 fire combat penalty. If more than half the fire point total is artillery, then no die roll is made and no fire penalty occurs. Similarly if a target is a unit entirely in skirmish formation the firer always suffers the -1 fire penalty].
TURN 3
Buoyed by the cavalry success on his left flank, San Martin responds with a cavalry charge of his own. Charging with his smaller but equally capable Cazadore Cavalry he attacks a larger body of Royalist cavalry force made up of the Ferdando VII Hussars and Arequipa dragoons opposing his left flank, who immediately countercharge as their larger numbers somewhat mitigate the qualitative difference between the horsemen. Along the infantry line musketry causes sustained damage, some units passing their skirmisher check whilst others do not, some with losses and a number with disordering effects.
The 1st Don Carlos battalion unleashes a crushing volley against the Argentinean 8th battalion and overshots results in San Martin having his horse shot from under him, temporarily reducing his command capability in the battle (command range 4"). The Chilean 4th Battalion takes heavy casualties (2 base losses) and overall the Patriot infantry decidedly get the worst of the fire combat phase with nearly their entire line disordered. The cavalry clash is a much harder fight than the one on the other side of the battlefield. Total factors for both sides provide no advantage to either force resulting in a straight ‘dice fight' resulting in a +6 advantage on the dice causing a DRIVEN BACK result for the Royalist horse.
Disappointingly Canterac watched as both the Ferdando VII Hussars and Arequipa dragoons flee ‘broken' to the back of the battlefield having lost his last chance of at least nullifying one Patriot cavalry wing advantage. The enemy cavalry conducts a cavalry reign in check and passes – thereby remaining in control and rallying on the spot instead of pursuing. Both Royalist flanks are now exposed by the likes of the victorious Patriot horsemen who can smell blood in the water as the infantry lines become locked in a tense firefight.
[Design note – rather than have an automatic cavalry combat result whenever a cavalry unit drives an enemy back it now performs a simple d10 (no modifiers) reign in check. This is more or less based on quality for cavalry of the Liberator Wars. If successful, then the cavalry can choose to conduct a breakthrough attack or rally on the spot rather than perform a compulsory breakthrough].
Looking left and right, Canterac sees his cavalry fleeing from the field and realises they are a lost cause….almost. Steeled for the fight, he takes action. Putting spurs to his horse he races over to the fleeing Arequipa dragoons, his bugler sounding the recall as he rides. He attaches himself to the dragoons in an effort to halt their withdrawal from the field.
Feraz does the same to the Ferdando VII Hussars in an effort to hold at least one cavalry wing together – with the infantry lines engaged there seemed little elseto do. Feraz performs his maneuver die roll and scores a 1. With his POOR rating, their Militia quality, the entire unit simply exits the field and is lost for the day. Canterac however does rally the dragoons providing some hope of flank protection, however meagre, to his infantry line.
Whilst this activity was happening at the back of the battlefield the main infantry also presented problems for the Royalists. Perhaps it was the sight of their commander racing to the rear that caused Monet to flinch(CR1), thus his disordered battalions break contact with the infantry to their front and withdraw out of musketry range. Villalobos aims to restore order to his troops. He instructs the Burgos regiment to wheel backwards to change it facing toward the enemy cavalry and then sends his reserve battalion (2nd Bn, 1st Line regt – militia quality) to the flank of the Burgos regiment and forms square to protect the Royalist right wing from being assailed by enemy cavalry.
By this means the Royalist right wing is now bent backwards, anchored on an infantry square to hold off the enemy horsemen with infantry still to the front. Mercifully the enemy 4lb artillery sections provide little in the way of decisive fire effect to take advantage of the horse, foot gun combination the Patriots now have at hand…desperate stuff. To the rear of this now reeling infantry line the Peru dragoons along with the ‘Grenadiers of the Guard' cavalry regiment wholesale rout from the field, though the small Union dragoons regiment remains on the field.
For all intents and purposes all Royalist cavalry is no longer a factor and losses are mounting up toward the heavy casualty and army break point total. All along the line the Royalist are on the defensive and things look grim for Royalist fortunes…a truly dramatic moment as San Martin still remains in a reduced command capacity recovering from his fall.
[Design note – as well as using the existing ideas of heavy casualty losses, I have included a decisive army break point number for each force. When an army reaches this point in the number of removed (lost) or broken bases at any instant in the game, (which is 35% in this case for both these armies, but could be 25% or 45% depending on army morale), the army is considered broken and flees from the field, defeated. This produces a decisive tipping point in the battle and ends the day for one side or the other, granting victory to the enemy].
TURN 4
At the beginning of the fourth turn San Martin still finds himself dismounted and looking for a horse to re-establish full command, his command range being reduced whilst he is dismounted. Maneuver rolls are made and the 1st squadron of the Patriot Cazadore cavalry charge at the 2nd Bn Don Carlos regiment, which rapidly forms hasty square, as does the nearby Arequipa regiment.
In the confusion the 2nd squadron of Cazadore cavalry, making it own ‘out of command' command check (CR1) because San Martin is ‘down', fails to charge, so halving the cavalry force against the infantry that now stand prepared to meet them…..this was important though not obvious at the time. Both Argentinean and Chilean divisions recover from disorder and move forward under the command of their own leaders, the line now being restored to good order. General Miller repositions the Horse Grenadier squadrons preparatory to a charge further around the right flank of the Royalist line as the noose tightens.
Firing commences and once again the Spanish infantry deliver crushing volleys in fire combat resulting in disorder all along the Patriot line, with a number of bases losses as well. The return Patriot fire results in little more than a ragged volley as being disordered limits their fire effectiveness and a couple of units fail their skirmisher checks as well.
The 2nd Don Carlos Bn and the Arequipa regiment open up on the charging Cazadore cavalry and cause a base loss (and disorder) which is not enough to stop the horsemen closing on the square, but it severely reduces the impact of the attack. Slamming into the square the Cazadores break like a wave on a rock (both sides having equal combat factors) the lone squadron of cavalry not having enough size to have any impact on the tightly packed Spaniards. They bounce from the square losing two stands and immediately are reduced to a spent condition….finished for the day. The Spanish line holds and Canterac consoles himself that his soldados have proven their metal once again as they have done before against Patriot and Frenchmen alike.
Canterac now presses his infantry to up the tempo and seize the momentum in the battle that has seemingly now swung his way. Flicking the Don Carlos battalion back out into line he has his entire line remain in place and able to fire, infantry and guns all. His left flank is now supported by the returning Arequipa dragoons who move adjacent to their namesake infantry regiment still in square joining the infantry and cavalry forces in a defensive formation against any further attacks by the Patriot cazadore cavalry.
On the Royalist right wing the weak Union dragoon regiment moves forward to support the infantry but the truth is it can do little against the Horse Grenadiers except sell their lives dearly in the hope the infantry line will be bolstered by their flank support. The Patriots open fire but the devastating effects from the previous phase of fire limits their musketry impact this phase and all Spanish skirmishers further reducing the Patriot fire results as only the 1st Bn Don Carlos regiment and the Burgos regiment suffer a disordering result.
The Spanish however rise to the challenge and deliver controlled volley after volley, the ripple of fire driving in the Patriot skirmishers (several units failed their skirmisher check) with the 5th Chilean battalion taking crippling fire from the Burgos regiment, it now becoming worn whilst Royalist artillery unleash canister fire into the ranks of the 4th Chilean battalion which becomes spent. The Chilean brigade is now in serious trouble and will suffer these effects in its upcoming maneuver roll as it has reached it brigade level heavy loss limit.
The Argentinean battalions don't escape the carnage either, as they suffer losses and disorder inflicted all along their line, including some light but effective long range artillery fire at the remaining cazadore squadron of cavalry (they become disordered)….the Royalist infantry are seemingly shooting their way to victory.
[Design note – building on the back of the heavy casualty idea, I have given each BRIGADE a heavy casualty limit that is specific to that formation. Thus a very badly damaged brigade will suffer a -1 command roll modifier even though the entire army may not yet have suffered heavy casualties. In this way the brigade responds to the impact of losses in its immediate vicinity and not to the army as a whole – this can cause undesirable results for the entire army off course as individual parts can be in a more vulnerable state than others].
TURN 5
Now remounted, San Martin directs his remaining fresh (but disordered) Cazadore squadron to charge the Arequipa dragoons and swing behind the Royalist line. Unfortunately confusion still reigns as the message fails to get through to the light horsemen (CR1) and they hold position along with the spent 1st squadron that moves in behind in support.
The Argentinean infantry recover from disorder but the Chilean line under Las Heras buckles (CR3). The Chilean 5th and 2nd battalions are forced to withdraw out of musketry range and the ‘spent' 4th battalion panics and retreats broken to the rear of the battlefield. Miller with the Horse Grenadiers sees the calamity that befalls the Patriot left wing and orders an immediate attack on the Royalist right to relieve the pressure on the Chilean troops, but his timing is poor (CR1) and results in a tardy advance the effect of which results in no combat contact being made by the Patriot cavalry – so at this critical moment both flanks of the Patriot force with their high quality cavalry, fail to seize the moment and provide assistance to their hard-pressed infantry.
San Martin looks despondent as what seemed like a relatively easy Patriot victory is rapidly unraveling (as his army approaches it break point limit).
Whilst all this activity was happening the Spanish battalions and light guns opposed the Argentinean line continue firing as the Royalist right wing is now out of musketry range after the Chilean's withdrawal. Yet more very effective volleys and the Argentinean 7th, 11th, and 8th regiments all suffer losses and disorder as well as their leader, Cordoba, being killed from canister fire from a 4 pounder. Fortunately San Martin is right on the spot to take over command, but the butcher's bill from Spanish fire is taking an awful toll.
The Patriots once again get the worst of the fire fight engagement, with one base loss and disorder effect inflicted on one of the Don Carlos battalions, the only bright light being some effective howitzer fire into the Arequipa dragoons causing a base loss and disorder. The ascendency of fire is rapidly tipping in the Royalists favour and Canterac senses destiny is with him. All does not go his way however.
The Arequipa dragoons (militia) in the command phase roll an out of command check (CR1) and immediately rout from the field- clearly the howitzer fire broke their will to resist and they considered their work done for the day. Monet's Don Carlos battalions recovered from disorder preparatory to more volley fire and Villalobos (on the Royalist right wing) orders an advance to reengage the Chilean line whilst sending the 2nd Bn, 1st Line (in square) into the path of the Patriot Horse Grenadiers to protect the flank of the Burgos regiment and offer support to the Union dragoons.
Patriot fire picks up a bit with the 2nd Don Carlos battalion taking heavy casualties (2 base losses) from the 11th and 8th Argentinean regiments, but otherwise the fire is relatively ineffective from the remaining Patriot units with an occasional disorder result being all that is caused.
The Royalist fire slackens somewhat as well, at least on the right flank, but the Horse Grenadiers are still disordered by fire from 2nd Bn, 1st Line and some disorder results are inflicted on the Chilean troops. The Don Carlos battalions continue to display good fire discipline and cause further heavy losses on the Argentinean 11th, with a two stand loss and San Martin once again has another horse shot from under him at a crucial time in the battle.
The battle is now at crisis point. Both armies have taken heavy losses (notably in Royalist cavalry and Patriot infantry) but the much weakened Chilean wing is under severe pressure and the Argentinean division is out of command as Cordoba's replacement has not yet appeared and San Martin having been shot from his horse now exerts little control over the shot up and disordered Argentinean troops. The Patriot leader looks on with trepidation as he sees confusion all around.
[Design note- at this point both armies were within 2 losses of reaching their army break point and both had suffered heavy casualties with the Patriot forces suffering the greater losses].
TURN 6
The commencement of the what appeared to be the last roll of the dice for San Martin turned out to be just that. The Horse Grenadiers launched themselves at the 2nd Bn, 1st Line in an effort to overrun the battalion with Miller attached. The infantry battleline is now a wreck. Las Heras scores poorly (CR3); the 5th and 2nd Chilean battalions hold position but the out of command 4th continues its panic and runs from the field. San Martin frantically moves (on foot) and attached himself to the badly shot up Argentinean 11th battalion enabling it to hold its place along with the 7th, however the 8th which is out of command breaks (CR3) and the spent squadron of Cazadore cavalry also flees.
In the fire combat further losses and disorder are inflicted on the engaged Chilean and Argentinean troops and the Horse Grenadiers take incoming fire becoming disordered. Despite a +5 combat advantage the die roll favours the Royalists and the Horse Grenadiers win by +4, however this is not enough to break defending infantry in square and the cavalry bounce, recalling to the rear. As they retire they can see troops steaming away from the battle line and Miller realises the battle is lost.
The Royalist in their command phase now need only hold the line to claim a total victory. The Royalist army commanders, all troops ‘in command', roll adequately for all units to hold their position – desultory fire from the few remaining Patriot units is too little too late. Despite requiring but a few casualties to push the Royalist army over their army break point limit San Martin sees the solid Spanish ranks hold and at turns end the Patriot army begins a total withdrawal from the field.
The great Liberator laments at what might have been as his force is covered in its retreat by the remaining cavalry elements of his army as the Liberator falls back to fight another day…the day goes to the Royalists!
[Design note- even if the Patriot had caused the Royalist forces to go over their army break point limit, the Patriots had the greater losses so would still have lost the battle. One may say that winning when both sides are above their army break point counts only as a tactical victory, but in this case as the Spaniards had not reached their break point they may claim a complete victory, however slim that may be!]
SUMMARY
So a most decidedly unusual result. For Canterac it was certainly a battle lost in the morning and a battle won in the afternoon – a South American Marengo! RFnF showed the twists and turns that go into making a (miniature) battle come to life and provide that narrative of play that transports one to the battlefield and gives a glimpse of what's going on down on the ground –this is what FnF does so well.
Once against it did not fail to disappoint. I must say on the first playing of ALL the tweaks and adjustments I felt they worked very well to give a good feel for the period as far as I can tell. Perhaps the detailed description and narrative above will enable you to decided if it was successful in this way.
The Skirmisher system worked absolutely effortlessly and I thought was good way to cover this aspect of the period without creating a fiddly sub-game of tiny skirmish units. I like it…others will need to decide for themselves. The key, was that the result effected play but did not slow it at anytime keeping the game moving along at a clip.
The Brigade and Army morale system provided nice ‘gates' for the gamers to strive for and provided critical moments further adding to play tension throughout. The Army break point ended the game when it very much appeared that that is what had happened. The variable nature of this break point can provide for brittle and resilient army morale beyond what each individual unit can do. Again, it worked very well and provided in 6 turns a decisive result to the game.
All in all I thought RFnF provided excellent simulation value and a fun game with nice sized armies. Liberator armies are a great combination of infantry and cavalry with minimal amounts of artillery that do not dominate the battlefield. It will be a period enabling manuever on the table top. I can see cavalry being very effective unless of course it is sub standard – in this, the Patriot certainly have an edge – but they all look so good and have great names to boot!
The tough Royalist infantry however will be tough nuts to crack and as we saw, two of the best cavalry units of the period were unable to break line battalions prepared to meet them. Commander quality will be critical to this period and the full spread of unit quality, effectiveness and leader ratings augers well for the period using RFnF IMO…bravo!
HappyW
