A solo wargame using DBA3.0 and some extra chance rules
2. The board
Using a 50-50 roll I stripped some terrain from my previous board. I did not shift anything nor attempt to use terrain from the armies' own lists. Hills are high and bad going. The annoying scrub patch survives.
3. The armies
Scots: 3.0 provides a really wide list of options. My elements were rebuilt for 2.0, but I add in a gigantic bombard, and the 3Bw element I think I pinched off the English long ago. The final composition is KnGen, Arty, 8x4Pk, 1x3Bw, and 1x5Hd, a Fast element that in the older edition was a 5Wb.
I turn to my Steppe Armies box and grab three elements to create the option:
CvGen, 3x3Cv, 5x2LH (Mongol), 1x3Bw Armenian and 2x2LH (Cuman).
4. Deployment
After confirming that the Scots are defending, the Horde chooses the open end. No great reason, it's just gonna be easier to organize!
With a hill practically on the baseline I use GM fiat to give the Scots a wee keep there.
I use a crude palisaded enclosure for the Horde.
The Scots declare their bombard into the keep, the rough-terrain types take the bad going hills, schiltrons are organized to 2 units, and the KnGen holds well back.
5. Chance
I'm using the same two chance situations as last game. I have not had enough play to be sure of my feeling that there are too few trigger points.
THE BATTLE
TURN ONE
Scots roll 4 PIP
Though the 5Hd scruffs could be just held by, and swung to face left if need be, the likelihood is that the enemy will push 3Bw forward, screen the 5Hd, and charge round the bad ground left. So as a not-great precaution the 5Hd heads along the hill. On the right flank the 3Bw moves up to high ground. Finally, the left Schiltron wheels slightly left.
Horde rolls 4 PIP
They do not switch up flanks, instead simply moving forward and with a very short 2nd move by the central LH.
Horde 3Bw v 5Hd, 4:5
Scots 3Bw v LH, 5:4, LH recoil.
Scots bombard v LH, 8:4, LH destroyed
Reaction d12 required by both.
TURN TWO
Scots roll 5 PIP and 5, lose 1 PIP
The KnGen tucks in behind the Schiltron that has afforded him room, spends 2 PIP getting the 5Hd square to archery, and the last PIP aggressively marching his right forward!
Bombard v LH, 8:6, LH flee!
Scots 3Bw v LH, out of range
Horde 3Bw v 5Hd, 4:9
Horde rolls 6 PIP and 12, "one element nearest enemy but not in b2b contact makes a pursuit move towards enemy."
The nearest are the Armenian 3Bw. Their pursuit move is just a half BW. But it does pull them out of column. That makes a difference. The CvGen is forced to mask the 5Hd early and pull his left back.
Shooting (only Horde 3Bw is in range) 5:6
TURN THREE
Scots roll 2 and 9 (as the pk have advanced to within 4BW), a benny.
The benny is spent on a 2nd Schiltron move, and the CvGen is in check!
Horde rolls 3 PIP
Leaving his LH to take the pk advance the CvGen bravely retreats while pulling one Cv element over and continuing his right flanking push.
TURN FOUR
Just a quick couple of shots of how things look for the Scots. They can in theory win from here, depending how worried they are about the enemy cavalry on their left.
One alternative to going all-out for the central mass of LH+1xCv is to push even further on, through the scrub, with a column off the right Schiltron. Another, more prudent move, is covering the Cv with KnGen and simply pushing straight against the LH, leaving the right Schiltron stalled.
Let's make it random!
1,2,3 prudent, 4,5 pincers, 6 column advance.
Result 3, prudent.
Shooting 7:5
Melee
3Pk v LH, note LH melee factor is +1, 5:9, Pk recoil.
Double overlapped Pk v LH 4:5, Pk recoil
In brief: the right hook continues while a reserve LH covers.
Shooting Bw v Hd 5:8
TURN FIVE
Scots roll 6 PIP and as Cv column appeared from behind the steep hill left, rnd d12 of 7, lose 1 PIP
General engagement along the centre.
Art v Cv 5 9
Hd v Bw 4 3
Melee
Pk v flanked LH 7:6, LH destroyed
KnGen v Cv 5:9, recoil
Pk v overlapped LH 7:7 Pk are solid so LH recoil
Overlapped Pk v LH 4:9, Pk destroyed
Horde rolls 3 PIP
Another reserve LH is sent back to cover, and the 2-Cv column is very nearly at its objective.
Shooting Bw v Hd 7:4, recoil
TURN SIX
Scots roll 4 PIP
Under old rules (or usage) there would be flanking, but 3.0 rules disallow this. So the far Pk elements merely overlap, as do the central. KnGen advances to group with one Pk.
Shooting
Art v Cv 5:8
Hd v Bw 9:5
Melee
Far right of Scots - a 1:6 roll, 4:8 and Pk destroyed!
Overlapped Pk v overlapped LH 6:4, LH recoils and pursuit breaks the Pk group.
Horde rolls 4 PIP
All 4 are spent attacking the keep and supporting that attack.
Melee Cv v Overlapped Art in Garrison and Uphill, 4:7 Cv recoil
TURN SEVEN
Scots roll 1 PIP followed by a 2, so the 1 PIP sticks. They also roll a d12 as their stronghold was attacked across different terrain: 5, no effect as they are already at 1 PIP.
Best chance looks to be a 3:3 matchup and a pushback to death, so a column of Pk advances, centre.
Art v Cv 5:8
Hd v Bw 8:7
Melee 5:7, Pk recoil. (That does regroup the Schiltron)
Horde rolls 5 PIP
Both Cv attack the stronghold, and the left LH pulls back to defend the stockade.
Shooting 7:8
Melee 7:7, no effect
TURN EIGHT
Scots roll 3 PIP
Elements that can advance do so:
Melee KnGen v Cv 11:9, Cv recoil
KnGen Pk v overlapped LH 9:8, LH recoil
Central Pk v overlapped LH 6:7, Pk recoil
Uphill Art in Garrison but overlapped, v Cv, 12:4, Cv flee.
Horde rolls 2 PIP
Seeing the KnGen exposed the Bw is ordered to a flank attack, while CvGen pulls back.
Shooting nil
Melee Cv v Overlapped and flanked KnGen 6:4, KnGen destroyed and game over!
Hindsight and notes
I don't think I have used Artillery under 3.0 rules. In hindsight Scots Bw or Pk would have been better for stronghold defense.
I'm happier that the d12 came up in more instances but I think a simpler option is to widen the "nothing happens" field and roll every bound.
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