Realising I had somewhat neglected my Thirty Years War campaign, I moved events on a little and had a battle using my 15mm figures, playing it solo. The engagement was between the Palatinate and Austria, the former trying to retake part of Bohemia from the latter.
There are no fancy objectives in these battles; the aim is to beat the other army, thereby forcing them to withdraw from the province under dispute. I drew up each side according to 17th Century traditions and the terrain, which meant the Palatine troops were stretched out across their side of the table, whereas the Austrians were very bunched on their side. Next I rolled a die to see what their generals main tactic would be, again based on what seemed to happen generally in 17th Century battles. The result was both sides were to take the offensive all along their line.
In the event, the Palatinate won the battle because they managed to break two of the Austrian 'divisions' (a not very accurate term in the rules for a group of units, but broadly speaking each army can have up to four - right wing, left wing, centre and reserve) by Turn 7, which under the rules gave them a win.
Thirty Years War purists will have to accept that I have a mix and match approach to my armies, ECW and Thirty Years War figures being used freely. They also date from many years ago, so include long defunct ranges. The rules are homemade, but based on a variety of inspirations, and designed for a quick game. No activation dice or card control, just move any or all units as one pleases and see what happens.
Here are some photographs:
The battlefield - three feet by four feet - various hills, a village, tracks, with the Palatinate army nearest the camera, divided into four 'divisions'. Generals are classed as Mounted - commanding cavalry - or Foot - commanding infantry; a general can only command the troops in his 'division', except one of them is nominated as overall commander and he can control any troops.
View from the Austrian side, their army having only three 'divisions'. The two sides are even in cavalry, but the Austrians have a decided advantage in infantry.
The opposing sides ready to start.
Each turn starts with firing, then each side rolls for initiative, winner goes first or allows loser to do so, movement then takes place - all units of one army, then all units of the other, after which close combat occurs, followed by any morale tests and rallying units. Red counters show a unit has been disordered; black counters show it must halt next turn to rally, white counters show it must retreat next turn, while the dice show Combat Factors which a unit has lost. These very according to the unit, so a pike and shot regiment has 6, a cavalry squadron 4, a dragoon squadron 2. Units which fire can also move, but cannot charge to contact.
The Austrian right wing. These are very old ECW cavalry figures, acquired as a job lot, but they do good service for the Thirty Years war. The mounted general can be seen behind the first line.
The Austrian foot regiments massed in depth; foot generals behind the leading regiments. Generals add to a units morale, rallying and combat if attached, but are then vulnerable to becoming a casualty if the unit takes Combat Factor losses.
The Austrian left wing cavalry set off to block the Palatinate's right wing cavalry from coming around the village. The Austrian dragoon squadron can just be seen in the distance approaching the village.
The Palatinate's right wing cavalry sweeping forward, with the intention of going around the village and falling on the Austrian left wing. The Palatinate dragoons are moving up to the village as well.
The Palatinate's musket battalion reaches the edge of the village, with their own general accompanying.
The Palatinate's foot regiments go forward as their artillery opens fire.
The Palatinate's left wing cavalry, ordinary light horse squadrons and a cuirassier unit behind.
As the Palatinate's right wing cavalry come around the village, the Austrian dragoons decide that caution is the better part of valour and retire hastily.
The Austrian left wing cavalry moving up, light horse supported by cuirassiers.
The opposing infantry centres move closer.
On this side of the battlefield, the cavalry have already engaged in combat, with the Palatinate having the better of the fighting and driving some Austrian squadrons off the table already.
The Austrian dragoons (bottom right) were caught and forced to retreat in disorder, while an Austrian light horse squadron was driven back as well. The Palatinate dragoons had dismounted and they, along with the musket battalion, had been peppering the Austrian cavalry from the far side of the village.
The opposing foot regiments close and start to exchange fire.
The Austrian right wing cavalry have had some success, driving back the Palatinate's cavalry this time.
Foot regiments firing at each other across the track.
Misfortune befalls the Austrian left wing, their squadrons being forced to retreat across the table, as well as losing their general captured during mêlée, blocking their own artillery.
Musketry and artillery fire becomes general in the centre of the battlefield.
The Palatinate's left wing cavalry has all been driven back towards the ridge on their side of the field.
The Palatinate right wing cavalry press their advantage, moving around the village, which the musket battalion and dragoons have now secured.
A lot of manoeuvring for position by the foot regiments.
The Austrian left wing cavalry have ended up on the right wing's side, having been forced to retreat again. A bit confusing! In addition, they have lost a light horse squadron and the dragoons off the field, so now being at half strength they are a 'Broken division', which limits their actions.
One Austrian regiment presses on boldly into a gap in the Palatinate's front, although taking heavy fire from the latter's infantry and artillery.
A Palatinate squadron on the left of the picture charges into an Austrian infantry regiment, but the latter stood firm and drove them off, capturing the Palatinate right wing general.
The loss of their general threw the Palatinate right wing cavalry into some disorder and stalled their advance on that side of the field, although the leading squadron has just overrun the Austrian artillery battery.
The Austrian left wing cavalry try to move back to their original side of the field, while their right wing cavalry has fallen back after some disappointing mêlée results against a well-led Palatinate light horse squadron.
Faced by the threat from the Palatinate right wing cavalry, the Austrian infantry has realigned.
A view of the battle at the end of Turn Six. The Austrian cavalry is in a lot of disorder, while their foot regiments' advance has been blunted.
Disaster befalls the Austrians. Their right wing cavalry lose several units in combat so that 'division' becomes 'Broken', which means that the Austrians lose the battle. Given the Palatinate cavalry still available, it would be difficult for the Austrian infantry to achieve much anyway, even if they did sort themselves out.
Each side had eight light horse squadrons, a dragoon squadron, a medium artillery battery, four foot regiments, two foot generals and two mounted generals, and one cuirassier squadron, which are standard for the campaign. However, the Palatinate side had an extra foot general and a musket battalion; the Austrian side had two extra foot regiments. These are acquired form random die rolls.
Determining what each side will do is a d6 roll:
1 = Offensive centre and one wing, defensive other wing; roll another d6, odds left wing, evens right wing.
2 = Offensive one wing, defensive centre and other wing; roll as above for which wing.
3 = Offensive both wings, defensive centre.
4 = Defensive all along the line.
5 or 6 = Offensive all along the line.
I use this system if there is no obvious action for one or both armies, i.e. if one is deployed behind a stream/linear obstacles I would play that one as defensive and roll the d6 for the other side, counting a 4 result as a 5 or 6.
I spotted an anomaly in the rules as regards artillery failing morale or rallying tests, which suggested they should retreat with their guns, but this would be unrealistic at the time, so I have altered it that the gunners abandon their pieces and flee the field.
An enjoyable, quick game, which also means I can move on another turn in the campaign, which is still only in 1622!