"Scenario Idea" Topic

Should be suitable for most Horse and Musket(ish) rules, 1700 to 1900. Left deliberately vague so you can match to rules

RED – Attacker
BLUE – Defender.

The Blue side are being held in reserve by the higher commander- the plan is they will exploit or attack the enemy weakened by other formations. The Main Line is placed across the centre of the table from the mid-point to one edge, in column etc. – i.e. ready to go forward. Their aim is to be ready to attack the (off table) enemy.

Red wishes to spoil this attack. They enter from the opposite edge to corner (basically a 45' angle)

Blue has more units/points/whatever than the attacker. All his "Main" units are ‘Frozen' at the start of the game. They may not move or fire.
Blue may have one Small subcommand free to move at the start of the game. This is placed no further forward than the main line, and not closer than a double move to the table edge the Line isn't resting on.

Blue may not unfreeze any unit unless:
A Red unit would come within musket or charge range in one standard movement.
A unit in the same sub-command is attacked (i.e. if the game is a Divisional game with Battalions grouped into Brigades, a Battalion from the same Brigade)
The end Sub-command may unfreeze to stop a ‘ride around'

Any Blue unit that is within charge or musket range MUST be unfrozen. That unit's leader will automatically place it in to the best formation to deal with the imminent threat (eg form square)

Artillery fire DOESN'T unfreeze units, unless at a range the unit could respond to it by shooting/charging etc (so not if it is Long Range)

Any unit that is forced to move involuntary counts as Unfrozen for Victory purposes, but may not be given any offensive order unless there is a ‘Unfreeze' condition from above. It may be rallied/reformed etc.

Victory is determined by the state of the Blue force at the end of the game. Blue receives no credit for Red forces damaged/destroyed. (even then Red 'destroyed units' have probably retired at a lower threshold than normal – their job is hit and run spoiler, not to hold ground.)

I would suggest
Blue – 3VP for every Unit still frozen

Red
Per Blue unit that is
Unfrozen – 1VP
PLUS (Only one of the following counts, but cumulative with the 1VP for unfrozen)

Any Damage/Loss that can't be reformed in the time scale of a normal game 1 VP
Damaged to a point they are significantly reduced in combat/Half way/What seems reasonable – 2 VP
Destroyed – 3VP

I've only trialled it once a few years ago – I seem to remember it worked.

The idea is that Blue can absolutely win the firefight, if he chooses to unfreeze many of his units. He will however, lose the game if he does.

I like games that reward excellent decisions about economy of force.

Yes, this can certainly work. I have used a similar scheme in a number of BBB scenarios. For instance, Balaclava and the Chernaya (both Crimean War), where committing reserves could concede an Objective (a victory point, if you prefer) to the enemy. The idea was that this represented a larger strategic or political risk, to be balanced against the immediate tactical one: "But sir, if we are obliged to call on the French for help, it won't go down well in Whitehall!".

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
link
bloodybigbattles.blogspot.com