Counterattack

I tried another OHW scenario using The Portable Wargame this evening, once again putting my GNW Risk figures on the table. 

I played the Counterattack scenario - the Russians hold a village and, further down the road to the north, lies a bridge that they also need to control. An advance-guard of Swedes are at the bridge. The Russians are moving to drive them off. However more Swedes are coming up and, unbeknownst to the Russians, they know about fords on both Russian flanks.

The Russians moved troops up to the bridge, and both sides volleyed across the stream.

The first Swedish units arrived, heading straight for the fords.

A cavalry fight broke out at the western ford, which saw the Russians driven back.

Swedish infantry moved east from the ford and attacked the Russians at the bridge in the flank, pushing them back.

More Russians moved up to the bridge, and there was a ferocious struggle.

The Swedish cavalry at the eastern ford had less success; it pushed across and attacked some Russian infantry, but was driven back and took no further part in the battle.

To the west the Russians rallied and in a flurry of lucky rolls, broke the Swedish horse.

At the bridge the Russians were also winning; they pushed back the Swedes and advanced to the north bank of the river.

The Swedes brought up more units, but couldn't break the Russian bridgehead.

Unable to break the Russians anywhere, the Swedish army ended up shattered, and broke.

This was a tricky one for the Swedes as the activation system, which means only about half a side's units move each turn, makes it hard to organise simultaneous attacks along the river. Meanwhile the Russians didn't have too much difficulty moving to defend each crossing. I have a note jotted in my copy of One Hour Wargames which suggests limiting the movement of the side south of the river until the counter-attackers have at least two units across the river. This would allow (in this case) the Swedes to establish something of a bridgehead before the defenders get their act together. Note that the village is an objective, so it's really a tough job for the counter-attackers.