Here are some rules observations jotted down after my  just completed Action At Sanwa.

I am going to re-play it using my lessons learned (which includes photography), and post up a report on completion.

Impetuous Companies:

This refers to Companies that are out of command range, and must roll for a table-specified action. These actions seem too extreme for a Company that has a designated task – such as hold a terrain feature – outside of command range. My solution is to have the Company roll as impetuous only when an opposing Company is within nine (9) movement units. This distance is based on maximum shooting range (6 units) plus one-half maximum shooting range (3 units). A Commanding Lord can change that Company’s orders by rolling on the rally table as an action when he is in command range.

Commanding Lord:

In RAW, a Commanding Lord is organic to a specified Company. By design, this limits his ability to control the battlefield. His presence confers a +2 resolve to that Company, which reflects not only his presence, but, I guess, that the Company is an elite force. An alternative would be to allow the Lord to “float” around the battlefield, expanding his abilities to control. This is the norm in many other games. I’ll hold off on changing this, but since I don’t have any bases with a leader figure “built-in”, I’ll use a Gold Cube to designate the Lord’s Company.

Kibwe (Wandering Mystic/Shaman):

In RAW, a Faction can have a Pious Company. This Company can rally a friendly Company, or curse an enemy during an Action Phase. I literally forgot about Kibwe during the game. In the re-do, I’ll designate a Company for him and mark that Company in some manner. This will be a compulsory Shaman Company, not an option as shown in the Army Lists.

Wavering Companies:

I had some problems with the mechanics.

A wavering Company has been reduced to a resolve value of one (1). When reaching that value, it must immediately retire 1d3u (units) directly to its rear, while maintaining its current facing. A wavering unit acts normally except it cannot voluntarily move to engage in melee.

Should the mandated retirement be the Company’s action for that or following turn? If a unit wavers as a result of shooting, it can move back to its former position in the Action phase, plugging any gap its retirement had caused. It can return to meet any opposing force entering that gap with a charge bonus of +1 (opposing Faction has initiative, moves to flank unit exposed by the withdrawal) if the Lord rallies that Company earlier in the phase. Doesn’t seem right. In WRG, any mandated withdrawal counts as move for the following turn. I’m going to monitor this.

One question just answered itself; that of a wavering Company that wins a melee. In RAW, a Company that scatters, wavers and retires, or withdraws from melee might be pursued. The possible pursuer must roll 1d6 for an outcome. One is that the Company must pursue their opponent using full movement directly forward. A wavering Company cannot voluntarily move into melee. I missed the operative term “voluntarily”. The victor’s pursuit in this case is mandatory, not voluntary.

Other Observations:

The following may be no more than a result of my die rolling during the game:  Shooting was relatively ineffective, and few melee victors pursued their withdrawing opponents

Are Companies too agile? A tactic that emerged was “spin and melee”. A Company can change facing using one (1) unit of their move (RAW indicates for 90 or 180 degree turn). This leaves two (2) units to move into contact with a nearby opponent, and receive a charge combat bonus. Also, and I think this is a good thing, RAW leaves quite a bit of latitude for relative position (1/2u “free” move sideways or wheel) allowing companies to “square up” for melee contact. Many other rule sets have a minimum distance to receive a charge bonus, and are strict about unit-to-unit alignment. Something to consider.

The scattering of one Company can cause a catastrophic chain reaction. Any Company with two (2) movement units (no terrain adjustment) of a scattering Company, loses one (1) resolve. If you have a number of wavering units, they can all scatter very quickly. This happened to the Kattegoan right flank, leading to a decisive victory for Sanwa.

Command Range must be checked at the beginning of each turn. I did a bad job of this.

The 2 foot by 2 foot was too crowded using RAW’s Army Lists.  I’m going to cap each Army at 14 companies or ( if die rolls mandate) less.

The Wandering Mystic, Kibwe Nkruma and his followers entered Kattego some weeks ago.

He quickly alienated  the conservative Kattegoans.  More importantly his disruptive proselytizing drew the ire of Kattego’s leader, Oumar.  Before his arrest order could be carried out, Kibwe fled north to the village of Sanwa.

He had quite a different reception in that village, where the people treated him and his disciples with respect.  The Sanwanians have a number of belief systems, all of which emphasize the supernatural.   Kibwe’s pronouncements resonated with them, and he became a much sought-after soothsayer.

Angered by Kibwe’s escape, Oumar ordered he be pursued, arrested, and brought back to Kattego.

The Sanwanians refused to allow Oumar’s order to be carried out.  Now angered, the usually even-keeled Oumar threatened the use of force.  Once again, the Sanwanians refused to comply, encouraged by Kibwe’s assurances of a great victory.

Anger turned to rage, and Oumar ordered a punitive expedition mounted to take Kibwe by force.  The people of Sanwa  prepared to meet the threat.

As the Kattego Army approached, the Sanwa leaders chose an area of rough ground, just outside the village and overlooked by a small hill, to make their stand.  The small army marched from the city and  waited for the advancing Kattegoans.

The short story is the Kattegoans routed Lord Renaldo’s Portuguese in a hard fought battle.

At the end, few of either side’s companies (units) were capable of movement to contact since their Resolve had dropped to one, as both leaders were either involved in melee or too far away to effectively rally the affected companies.  With low Resolve, a company cannot enter into melee, but can still shoot.

This problem was mitigated by my failure to role for Impetuous Actions for those units outside of command radius.  However, I can partially rationalize this oversight because each company kept to their original plan.  An exception was the Kattegoan leader taking his company on a wide envelopment.  While in the short term this placed him out of touch with his companies, the end result was to flank and scatter (rout) Lord Renaldo’s company, putting an end to the battle.

I can’t rationalize my failure to use a leader’s +2 die roll modification in all but the last round of melee.  This had a significant effect on the Portuguese, as Renaldo’s company was in a melee marked by a series of Inconclusive Draws (no effect on either side) for almost the entire battle.

Only the dogged Pikemen and a lone Crossbow company remained cohesive enough to cover the Portuguese withdrawal to Ekene, where they will remain for some time after this failure and accompanying loss of prestige.  While Lord Renaldo will remain in command for the time being, that may change after word of the debacle reaches Lisbon.

Oumar, the Kattegoan leader, proved to be a somewhat unorthodox commander, leaving his companies to flank the Portuguese force.  While aided by my rules omission, this tactic proved decisive.  He is now considered an Experienced Lord ( proven leader)and will now receive a +1 die roll modification for Initiative.

Here’s a series of poor battle narrative photographs.  I also need to figure out how to change the font/size for the captions.

Remembered that I needed to role for Disease and Mishaps before starting play.  The dice were not kind to Lord Renaldo.  One of his two Targeteer units thought better of the whole proposition and deserted.

The Portuguese reacted well to the ambush, forming a defensive line.  The Kattegoan warriors were too far away to make contact on their first move.  View for the following photo is to the West.

By the end of Turn 3, the Portuguese right wing units had moved up  to support  units in melee.  The Kattegoan archers focused their efforts on the Portuguese right, but with little effect.  The Portuguese musketeers struggled to attain good lines of fire.  The following photos are looking North and West, respectively.

During Turn 4, the Portuguese line stabilized.   Lord Renaldo’s Targetters anchored their center. The Kattegoan archers flanking fire was still ineffective.  Here’s another view looking North.

By the end of Turn 5, the Portuguese musketeers were firing with some effect.  One melee has ended in a “Bloody Draw”, with both sides recoiling due to Resolve of only “1”.  Neither unit can be rallied because Lord Renaldo is in melee, and the Kattegoan leader has somewhat inexplicably moved off some distance to  the left (North) apparently to support the archers.

I set up the initial dispositions using  the die rolls described in the previous post.

The Portuguese are disorganized,  with Lord Renaldo near the front of his faction.  The bulk of his companies are East and some distance from him.  Only the grenadiers proceed him.  His force is close enough to Kattego to trigger an immediate ambush.

The Kattegoans rolled for two ambush groups with forty percent of the force West of, and three units distance from the Portuguese.  The larger group is to the Southwest and five units distance from the invadiers.

After a series of failed photographs last night, I changed the overhead light and saw the chance for a striking aerial shot of the battlefield.  It is shown below.  That orb is the reflection of a task lamp bouncing off my brand new plexiglass map cover.  If it isn’t one thing…..

Putting Irregular Wars away for awhile.  Good stopping point, with a need to determine the outcomes after the Battle At The Oasis Of Olufunke.

What happens to Lord Renaldo’s army?

1) Disintegrates/Retreats to coast; 2) Alliance with Natives; 3) Fight Natives; 4)Alliance with Bey Mahir to fight Sultan Efe.

What happens to the victorious Bey Mahir?

1) No further action; 2) Attacks Natives; 3) Alliance with Natives and/or 4) Attacks Sultan Efe:

What happens to Sultan Efe?

1) Decided after Lord Renaldo/Bey Mahir outcome(s).

Do Ming Chinese become involved?

1)  Yes/No; 2)  If Yes, how?

Do Natives become involved?

1) Decided after Lord Renaldo/Bey Mahir outcomes(s).

We’ll see…..