Tag Archives: Irregular Wars

Battle of Katlego Faragh – Part 1

Jeez….what happened???

For me, writing a wargame after-action report is similar to waking up after a party and figuring out what happened.  It takes a while…….and may lack details.  I admire wargamers who can provide a detailed account of their games (not to mention high quality photos – definitely NOT a characteristic of this site).  However, I just can’t do it.  Why?  I get caught up in the game and am having fun. I don’t take notes at a party, and I just can’t do it consistently during a game.  So, what follows is a series of general impressions and game photos in a rough chronological sequence.

First, game-flow impressions:

  1. The Portuguese were able to gain the initiative for most game turns.
  2. The Civic Guard fought like lions, or the fabled “300”. They held off the Portuguese, lowering the resolve of every unit they came in contact with.  Yes, the narrow gap worked in their favor, and their initial resolve determining die rolls were good (and better than anticipated using a D4), but still, they outperformed expectations, retiring only when their resolve reached a wobbly “1”.
  3. The Portuguese couldn’t get sorted out.  Their hasty attack was probably a bad idea, and it was difficult after that to deploy the right combination of units (fire and shock) to attack through the narrow gap.
  4. They were also cautious.  Lord Eduardo Nicolau Rolando halted his assault to regroup and focus on rallying depleted units rather than continue to attack the weakened and withdrawing Civic Guard.
  5. The inexperienced Bey Iman Mahir did an excellent job of moving his tribal units initially deployed east of the gap, to a supporting role.  He also managed to extricate the Civic Guard units in good order.
  6. However, the Bey’s initial deployment east of the Faragh caused his Civic Guard to be beyond command radius and subject to the wackiness of the Impetuous Actions table.  Luckily for the Bey, he quickly moved west, and most of his companies did not act too impetuously before brought under control, although the Mercenary company “Ran Away” for three consecutive turns, and off the battlefield.  In fact, the initial disruptions in the Guard’s dispositions triggered an ill-advised (in retrospect) hasty attack by the Portuguese.

Now, some rules impressions:

  1.  The Disease and Mishaps roles at the beginning of the game are something.  The Portuguese launched their hasty attack because the Civic Guard units were in disarray, with rolls that either moved units forward, or behind their line of initial deployment.
  2. The Portuguese were literally “saved” by their expert physician.  No less than four units had disease (normally resulting in loss of resolve) rolls that were negated by expert medical care.
  3. My rules interpretation is that a unit contacted by an opposing unit (that opposing unit having the initiative) can, in their subsequent movement phase, attempt to withdraw from melee before the melee phase begins.  This ability to disengage can be a mixed blessing.
  4. It’s a mixed blessing because the attacking unit can roll to pursue.  If successful, the attackers gets a charge bonus.  On the other hand, this is a mixed blessing for the attacker because this impetuousness can disrupt a coordinated assault.  I didn’t grasp this dynamic until this game.  It’s a welcome discovery, as it adds an uncertainty that I fondly (ahhh, and not so fondly remember) from the old Gush WRG rules.  The only Civic Guard unit destroyed was a result of continuing to pursue a unit.
  5. You can’t interpenetrate in this game.  Keep gaps open.  Not only for movement, but because wavering companies (resolve = 1) that contact other units cause the contacted to lose one resolve.

Now, the game photos with narrative captions.

Portuguese Begin Hasty Attack. Tribesmen Begin Move To Support Civic Guard
Portuguese Begin Hasty Attack. Tribesmen Begin Move To Support Civic Guard
First Contact! Tribesmen Have Closed The Faragh.
First Contact! Tribesmen Have Now Closed The Faragh.
First Contact, Looking West.
First Contact, Looking West.
Both Sides Regroup.
Both Sides Regroup.
Civic Guard Withdraws Through Tribesmen.
Civic Guard Withdraws Through Tribesmen.
Portuguese Begin Cautious Advance Towards Withdrawing Civic Guard
Portuguese Begin Cautious Advance Towards Withdrawing Civic Guard.

 

Battle of Katlego Faragh – Army Dispositions

Ready to start the battle.

The Zanj could not accurately determine the location of the advancing Portuguese.  As a result, Bey Imen Mahir played it safe placing  his Civic Guard and Mercenary units to the west of the dune gap, and his Tribesmen to the east.  This involves some risk as the resolve of the western units will not be determined until first contact.

The Portuguese order of march has the Grenadiers and Tribesmen in van, followed by Crossbowmen, Pikes and Shot.  All of their forces are advancing on an axis west of the dunes.

dsc01601
Initial Dispositions
Civic Guard My old MiniFig "Any Period" Arabs
Civic Guard
My old MiniFig “Any Period” Arabs

Now that the enemy has been sighted, both sides must react.  Any reaction by the Portuguese or change in disposition by the Zanj will be decided using the D6 Programmed Wargames Scenario options.

The Zanj options are to redeploy all forces to the threatened side (1,2,3); move some forces to cover the Faragh (4,5); or redeploy the East forces  to cover the gap (6) and support the west flank.  I rolled a 6.

The Portuguese options are to bypass and keep moving north (1,2); destroy any enemy to their front and keep moving north (3,4); detach a force to seize the gap and, with the remaining force, destroy any enemy to their front (5,6).  The die roll was a 3.

 

Campaign Game – Battlefield at Katlego Faragh

The wadi option for the battlefield was too difficult to put together, so I just elevated things and instead of the river/wadi, set up an east to west gap between impassable sand ridges.  “Faragh” is the English translation of the Arabic word for gap (or so I’m told by the internet, and I have no clue as to how to pronounce it).

dsc01594

Not exactly stunning eye candy, but it will serve.

The die roll  for the defender’s programmed deployment resulted in the Zanj force being evenly split on each side of the ridges.  Once that takes place, I’ll roll for the Portuguese order of march.

CAMPAIGN GAME – SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE PORTUGUESE ADVANCE ON BEHEFE

With Lord Renaldo moving north, it was time to set up a battle scenario.

The first step was to establish the traits of the garrison commander at Behefe and his army.  The commander is Bey Imen Mahir.  He is inexperienced (-1 unit for command range) and battle shy (-1 when his unit melees).  His army is not pious (so cannot have a pious unit), but is attended by a skilled physician (reduces impact of disease die rolls).

Step two was to determine the composition of Bey Mahir’s army.  I arbitrarily selected one unit of Persian Mercenaries (for fun), then rolled a D6 for six Tribe and six Civic Guard companies.  The resolve of each Civic Guard and Mercenary company  will be determined at time of first enemy contact (shooting or melee) by rolling a D4.  The Tribe resolve is per RAW at three.

Up next was determining the effects of Renaldo’s victory on his little army.  Rolling a D10, the morale of four units  increased one step. These increases were allocated to the shot and crossbow units, which now have a resolve of four.  He was unable to recruit new units.

The next step was the scenario itself.  I relied on Charles Grant’s “Programmed Wargame Scenarios”.  It’s a great book, as you can read here at the interesting Lone Warrior website.

The book has eighteen scenarios.  I rolled two D10 (re-roll 00 or 19).  The result was Scenario No. 7, “Two Sides of a River”.  I modified this to “Two Sides of a Wadi”, and followed the programmed instructions for setting the defense and offense.

Will get this set-up in the next day or so.

Campaign Game – Renaldo’s Decision and Other Events

Well, Lord Renaldo’s wheels took a little longer to grind than promised.

The Zanj defeat raised several questions requiring resolution before the campaign continued.  These were 1) how much of the Zanj force was destroyed in the battle; 2) could the Zanj civic leaders be persuaded to provided the Sultan the additional resources to recruit more troops, and, if yes, 3) how many; 4) could the Sultan convince the Inland Natives to abandon their policy of hostile neutrality and provide assistance, as well as 5) convincing local Chinese merchants to seek Ming aide.

Answers to these questions were generated using the Campaign Table (which this process revealed to be flawed and in need of work), D6, and Yes/No/Maybe dice.

While the Zanj  fled the battlefield at Ejiro in great disarray, only two units had been shattered (D6/2).

The army conducted an orderly retreat to the south.  The Sultan hurried to Mwenye to implore local merchants and leaders to provide more support for his army, promising much (hopefully for him, he can keep those promises).  His entreaties were successful (re-roll on government support chart), and he was able to gain four units (D6) in reinforcements.

He also met with  local Chinese merchants, convincing them the Portuguese threat was real.  These merchants agreed to send a representative to the Ming leader in Aden. (Yes die rolls for the two questions).

The energetic Sultan Efe then contacted the leaders of the Inland Natives, requesting they reevaluate their position of hostile neutrality.  Again, making extravagant promises, he persuaded these leaders to at least be neutral, and to re-evaluate their position at an upcoming meeting of clan elders (re-roll on neutrality chart).

Hearing rumors of these activities, Lord Renaldo decided to turn north, and attack the port city of  Behefe.  The rationale is still to gain a victory over the weak defenders, gain a port, and let those results drive events both with his own government, and the local leadership.

His scouts are already determining the extent of the resistance…….

Campaign Game – Initial Encounter – What A Difference A Day Makes

Now that my rule gaffes have been corrected, I fought a brisk 60-minute action this afternoon.  Scenario and set-up were the same as described earlier.

The Portuguese were able to hurt the Zanj with missile fire before stopping their charge (the result of some consistent lucky rolls).   On the other hand, some poor die rolling contributed to a general weakening of the Zanj units locked in melee, with the Portuguese able to withdraw one crossbow unit, and plug its gap in the line with charging targeteers led by Lord Rolando.

This charge caused two Zanj units to scatter (one as a direct result of melee), with others’ resolve dropping to “one” (wavering) leading to a controlled withdrawal from contact.

A final volley by the (now) disengaged Portuguese muskets and bows caused the withdrawing Zanj to flee the field.

However, Sultan Jabir Efe was able to rally the bulk of his army withdrawing south towards Mwenye.  It is rumored  he intends to redouble his diplomatic efforts to enlist the help of the inland natives, as well as contact local Ming merchants to explain the catastrophic effect the mercantile policies of the Portuguese will have on their business interests.  He hopes the  merchants will ask Imperial forces located in Yemen to intervene

The Portuguese leader, Lord Ricardo Nicolau Rolando, must now decide whether to pursue Efe’s forces, or turn north and take the (now) isolated port of Behefe.  It is rumored that the town has only a small garrison augmented by a civic guard of uncertain size and quality.  Regardless of decision, Rolando is confident that another Zanj defeat will cause the inland natives to ally themselves with Portugal, providing supplies and troops.  And, a treaty with the natives promising gold, ivory and other exotic items, should convince his government to provide greater assistance.

Rolando’s decision will not be long in the making…..

 

Initial Encounter……Well, Never Mind.

After a break, I continued playing the initial encounter between the Portuguese and Zanj.

The battle turned into a real slug-fest, with the Portuguese Crossbowmen able to extricate themselves from melee, and the Targeteers, led by Lord Rolando, charging into the Zanj tribesmen.  On the left, the Zanj had enveloped a Portuguese Musket unit.  But wait…..there was something very, very, very wrong…….Take a look at the picture, which shows a real pounding in progress, but then read the caption.

Hey...All You "Ones", You're Wavering......Get Out Of There, Now!
Hey…All You “Ones”, You’re Wavering……Get Out Of There, Now!

Yes, I completely screwed up the rules (Shocking!).  Once resolve drops to a “one” a unit must withdraw 1d3 movement units directly to its rear, maintaining its facing, and cannot initiate melee until its resolve increases.  And, if this unit was in melee (as are all of these), its foe can attempt to pursue.

Oh My…….kind of changes the dynamics, doesn’t it?

Reset!