Torpedoes & Tides

A few months ago I was very excited to see that Thomas Brandstetter over at The Raft was playing around with a set of WW2 coastal forces rules based on Galleys & Galleons. Now those that know me will know that I'm not much interested in naval wargaming beyond 1900, but I am a sucker for a rules variant of one of my favourite games, so I started following it.

Anyway I got a copy of the amendments and started wondering how I'd set about playing them, given my total lack of suitable miniatures. Whilst I was doing that Thomas had been chatting to Ganesha Games, and got the go-ahead to start putting together the variant as a standalone game in its own right. And, of course, it would need playtesting.

You can read Thomas's design philosophy for the game HERE.

I asked if I could do some playtesting, and have spent the last couple of weeks reading through the rules and sending what I hope is useful feedback. I have also had my lolly-sticks and cardboard out, making some quick and dirty WW2 coastal vessels so I could actually play a game or two.

After a busy week I finally got the game on the table this morning.

I started with a basic learning scenario Thomas has put together, with three early British MGBs taking on a couple of S-Boats.

And here they are. I made my models at 1/1200th scale, and they're ruthlessly simplified. The MGBs are 2cm long, so they are teeny-tiny. Beyond them are two cardboard counters marking the German vessels. In Torpedoes & Tides vessels can start as blinds, which are limited in what they can do, but which can't be shot at or identified until spotted.

The gunboats head towards the Germans, failing their spotting rolls as they do so. I randomly determined how aggressive each side would be to determine whether they'd start on blinds or simply barrel straight in. The British went for a full-on attack whilst the Germans opted to hold back.

Spotting and visibility is very important in this game. The British failed to identify the German blinds, which meant that they couldn't shoot at them. But they did move into automatic spotting range, which gave the first S-Boat a free shot. MGB 59 was damaged and had some guns knocked out. So not a terrific start for the British.

(All of my models are simply painted in grey. It's taken me all week to make the ones I did and get them to this stage. At some point I will give them a proper paint-job. But for now I wanted to actually play the game.)

The two other boats headed off to cross the German T, and also get them in abetter position with regards to the moon (another interesting feature of the game). MGB 59 evaded and exchanged fire with the German, to little effect.

The second S-Boat revealed itself and engaged the British, using its greater speed to get into a  better position. It shot up the lead MGB.

MGB 59 and S-61 continued to exchange fire and the MGB was getting the worst of it.

The MGB broke off the fight, firing up its engines to head home. Rather than pursue S-61 headed off to join its partner in taking on the other two MGBs.

Between them they wrecked MGB 64 with ruthless Teutonic efficiency.

The British were down to one boat now. 

S-58 turned towards it ...

... but S-61, with only light damage, decided that it had done its bit, and zoomed off for home. 

(Yes, Torpedoes & Tides has the All At Sea table, and this can cause boats to suffer a morale failure and run for it.)

MGB 60 tried to run for it, but the S-Boat is basically a lot faster, and turned in pursuit. In fact the way the movement and activation system works it is possible for the slower boat to get away, but it would have to be lucky. It wasn't.

MGB 60 tried evading, but still took hits.

But whilst battered it made it to the table-edge and escaped.

But this short, sharp fight was a win for the Germans, who sank one boat, saw a battered boat flee the action and left the third boat also badly damaged. The British picked up a single victory point for the German boat that fled.

With the basic mechanisms now sorted I set up a more ambitious game, with three British vessels attacking a small coastal convoy. Everything starts as blinds, but to the right are two British MTB and an MGB (all of a similar size to those in the previous game, but faster), whilst hugging the coastline is a German convoy consisting of two light freighters escorted by a couple of R-Boats and a Vorpostenboot.

The British spotting was better this time and they quickly identified the Vorpostenboot leading the convoy.

It turned towards them, and revealed an MGB and MTB. It took fire, but took no damage.

But the British had their eyes on the prize, moved in close and spotted a freighter and R-boat. They fired a torpedo at the freighter, but it missed.

The little MGB went after the R-boat and damaged it. The Vorpostenboot fired ant anything in range, to little effect.

A second attempt to torpedo the freighter was thwarted by fire from the R-boat casing the British crew to duck for cover.

MTB 70 launched a torpedo at the Vorpostenboot, but missed.

MGB 60 cut across the bows of the R-boat and took the second freighter under fire, starting a fire.

It then took up position on the landward side of the first freighter. Meanwhile MTB 70 had a lucky escape when it ran along the starboard of the Vorpostenboot but took no hits (the Germans had a total activation failure!)

In the middle of the German convoy MGB 74 was in trouble, and got shot up by R-49

MTB 70 fired its second, and last, torpedo at the first freighter but, once again, missed.

More gunnery from the R-boats saw MTB 74 catch fire.

MGB 60 and MTB 70 both engaged the first freighter with their guns, and began to inflict some real damage on it. The German escorts were in all kinds of trouble trying to turn about to intercept them without causing collisions.

An overview of the action, with the escorts on the wrong side of the freighters. To the left MTB 74 has extinguished its fire, but is badly battered. However the second freighter is looking vulnerable, as the escorts were abandoning it.

The Vorpostenboot almost causes a disaster when it cut across the bows of the first freighter. But one of the R-boats was now in a position to engage the two British vessels.

Not looking good for the British here. Except that the Germans once again got tied up with poor activations and a need to avoid collisions, and barely got in a single decent shot.

The British boats continued to shoot up the freighter.

The other freighter suffered a failure on the All At Sea table and moved to escape. It would make it to a board edge and leave, but for scenario purposes counted as lost. Unphotographed, MTB 74 had decided to head for home as well.

British persistence paid off, and the second freighter sank from the sheer amount of damage they'd inflicted on it.

The R-boats were in a position to engage the British boats now, and inflicted some damage on them. But with both freighters taken out the British could leave. They fired up their engines, turned on the smoke, and ran for it.

All of the British vessels were badly damaged, but they'd sunk one freighter and caused the other to lose the convoy escorts which meant that by morning it would be an easy target for aircraft. A pretty decisive win for the British, despite their torpedoes being no part of it.

Both games ran really smoothly, although I need to make a QRS so I don't have to keep flipping through the rules for the various useful tables. The Galleys & Galleons mechanisms translate pretty well to this style of warfare as well, although to be fair they only provide its core; it's very much its own game.

Looking forward to trying some more games of this.

Frostgrave

I played my first game of Frostgrave last night. It's a fantasy skirmish game in which you play a magician, their apprentice and a merry band of hangers-on venturing into a lost city in search of treasure. Whilst the city has dangers of its own, the biggest problem is that other magicians also have the same idea as you.

In our case there were five such bands of treasure-hunters.

Here's mine. Led by Fabulina, an illusionist, they were: Salaris (her apprenctice), Saran (a brutal skilled fighter), Yalan (an archer), Klin and Klest (a couple of Kobold thieves-for-hire).

(Apparently a full Frostgrave warband consists of the wizard, the apprentice and eight followers. We kept the forces small for this game.)

We were exploring this magnificent set of ruins, produced by the talented Ed. Dotted around it are five stashes of treasure.

My crew sets off down an alley.

Towards the top of the picture, Daniel had magicked a thief next to the pile of treasure on the roof of the quarter-circle building.

My team ambled through the ruins, and exchanged some harsh words (and an arrow or two) with Caesar's gang.

However Fabulina could see Daniel's thief on the roof, and used her Transpose spell to swap him with one of the kobold thieves.

The other kobold thief, and the archer, butchered the somewhat surprised opposition thief.

Salaris and the swordsman Saran did for one of Caesar's men. He should have stayed in his own bit of the board.

When you pick up treasure it may generate wandering beasties. One of these was a large boar, which attacked Ed's archer. They fought for several turns and the board was at death's door when it got in a lucky blow and eviscerated the archer.

Fabulina used her Transpose spell a couple more times. First she used it to bring Klest (and the treasure) back to the safety of the crew. However you also need to get it off teh board and it slows movement, Klin was sent to the nearest board-edge and then the treasure-carrying Klest was swapped with him.

Klest barely took a step of his own all game.

Here's Klest with the treasure

Elsewhere Caesar's barbarian was stuck in a long fight with some of Stuart's men. Every time the barbarian was brought close to death his accompanying magician's apprentice healed him. And so the fight dragged on for most of the game.

One of Caesar's men dispatched another wandering monster.

Caesar's crew. They'd got a lump of treasure off the table and were working on a second. I sent some of my men to try and stop this, but they couldn't catch the hunter. Caesar got two loads of treasure off the table.

Meanwhile my apprentice tried to heal himself, failed the casting roll and took damage sufficient to kill him. He was my only casualty (although Fabulina had taken some damage, mostly self-inflicted from all that spell-casting).

Anyway, that was all I took photos of. The game was actually very busy (as you'd expect with five teams in play), and lots of spells were flying around. 

At the end Caesar was the winner with two of the five treasures. Ed and I got one each and, by the end, Daniel and Stuart were still squabbling over the fifth stash, so agreed to split it.

The game was a lot of fun, with what would seem on the surface to be a standard fantasy skirmish game actually very much driven by the use of magic. 

The Battles of Vilcapugio And Ayohuma

My previous posts covered a couple of victories for General Belgrano. The next two battles in this series were both defeats.

Vilcapugio (1st October 1813)

After the Patriot triumphs at Tucumán (1812) and Salta (1813), Belgrano advanced into Upper Peru (modern Bolivia) aiming to liberate the region from Spanish control. His Army of the North, about 3,500 strong, included veterans from previous battles, local militias, and reinforcements sent by the United Provinces.

The Royalists, now commanded by Pezuela, withdrew northward while gathering strength. Despite facing logistical challenges in the rugged Andean terrain, Belgrano hoped to unite with guerrilla forces under leaders like Vicente Camargo and Eustaquio Méndez to encircle the enemy. However, coordination problems, difficult mountain supply lines, and unreliable communications slowed the Patriot advance.

By late September, Belgrano took position near Vilcapugio, a plateau offering open ground for battle. He believed the Royalists were vulnerable and prepared to strike before they could receive further reinforcements. Pezuela, however, had regrouped and planned to attack first, aiming to break the Patriot army’s cohesion and morale.

Royalists: 3 x Column Infantry, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Artillery, 1 x unreliable Elite Disciplined Light Cavalry

Patriots: 3 x Column Infantry, 1 x Elite Light Cavalry, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Artillery

Royalists (Attackers)

Artillery (U), Column, Light Cavalry (UED)
Column	Column	Light Cavalry
Column	Column	Light Cavalry (E)
Column, Light Cavalry, Artillery (U)

Patriots (Defenders)

The battle began on the morning of 1 October. Belgrano opted for his usual cavalry attack on the flank, whilst his infantry contained the Royalist lines. Initially this worked, and another Patriot victory seemed likely. But at the moment of crisis the Patriot army lost momentum. This coincided with a unit of Royalist cavalry appearing in their right-rear.

Pezuela’s forces exploited the disarray, hitting the Patriot centre and left with coordinated infantry and cavalry charges. Patriot supply wagons were overrun, and ammunition shortages worsened the situation. Attempts to regroup failed as Royalist pressure mounted from multiple sides. By late afternoon, Belgrano ordered a retreat to avoid total destruction, leaving much of his artillery and baggage in enemy hands.

The defeat at Vilcapugio shattered the Patriots’ advance into Upper Peru and forced them to withdraw south to reorganise. Royalist morale soared, while Patriot forces suffered heavy losses in men and equipment. 

Design Notes

I have weakened the obligatory Patriot cavalry attack by not starting them in the reserve. But the Patriots can still win this one if the Royalist cavalry don't turn up.

Ayohuma (14th November 1813)

Following the defeat at Vilcapugio in October 1813, Belgrano retreated south to regroup his battered army. Morale was low, supplies were short, and many men were wounded or demoralised. Despite the setback, Belgrano decided to make another stand rather than withdraw completely from Upper Peru. He chose Ayohuma, near the town of Potosí, as his defensive position, hoping the open ground would allow for better manoeuvre.

The Royalists under Pezuela, buoyed by their recent victory, pursued aggressively with around 5,000 men, outnumbering Belgrano’s 3,000. They had better artillery, more cavalry, and the advantage of momentum. Pezuela sought to destroy the Patriot army completely before it could recover, while Belgrano aimed to hold his ground and protect the revolution’s foothold in the region.

In the days before the battle, Belgrano attempted to inspire his troops, appealing to their patriotism and promising reinforcements from local guerrillas. However, those reinforcements never arrived, leaving his force at a severe disadvantage.

Royalists: 1x elite Column Infantry (Flank Attack), 1 x fortified Line, 1 x Line, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x Artillery

Patriots: 4 x Column Infantry, 2 x Light Cavalry

Royalists (Attackers)

Light Cavalry, Artillery
Line	Line (D)	Column (E)
Light Cavalry	Column	Light Cavalry
Column, Column, Column

Patriots (Defenders)

On the morning of 14 November, Pezuela executed a flanking manoeuvre, approaching from higher ground to strike the Patriot right from an unexpected angle. It was suggested to Belgrano that he counter-attack this move, but he declined. Royalist artillery opened a devastating bombardment, softening up the Patriot lines.

Belgrano ordered the advance of his infantry and cavalry toward the enemy right flank, but they could not overcome both the rugged terrain in front of Pezuela's troops. To make matters worse, Belgrano' light guns were no match for the Royalist artillery. Belgrano was forced to retreat. The retreat quickly turned into a rout, with heavy losses in men, horses, and equipment.

Ayohuma was a crushing defeat, forcing Belgrano to retreat far south into present-day Argentina. The Royalists regained control of Upper Peru, ending the Patriots’ second campaign there. The loss damaged Belgrano’s military reputation, and command of the Army of the North would soon pass to José de San Martín, marking a shift in the revolution’s northern strategy.

Design Notes

Weighting this against the Patriots is quite hard. Putting their cavalry in the front-line and not giving them any artillery with which to support them helps. The Royalists front-line are mostly line to reflect them sitting in rough terrain receiving the Patriot assault. The Royalists have a full-strength artillery unit in order to reflect their total superiority. As an option try downgrading it to Unreliable, and adding Fortified to the left-flank Line. This will reduce the pre-battle bombardment effects, but make it harder for the Patriots to attack.

The Battles of Tucuman and Salta

Continuing my posts covering South American Wars of Liberation scenarios for 'Dominion of Napoleon Bonaparte', here's the next two, featuring a couple of victories for General Manuel Belgrano.

Tucuman (September 23rd 1812)

In early 1812, the Patriot Army of the North was in poor condition after the disastrous defeat at Huaqui the previous year. Manuel Belgrano, newly appointed as commander, was ordered by the revolutionary government in Buenos Aires to retreat south to Córdoba and avoid battle. Meanwhile, Royalist forces under General Pío de Tristán advanced from Upper Peru with around 3,000 men, aiming to crush the revolution by capturing key cities in the northwest.

As Belgrano withdrew, he received strong encouragement from the people of Tucumán, who offered supplies, recruits, and local militia support if he made a stand. Belgrano defied his orders, choosing to defend Tucumán rather than retreat further. By mid-September, he had gathered roughly 1,800 soldiers, bolstered by hundreds of poorly armed local volunteers. The decision was risky - his army was outnumbered and less experience - but Belgrano believed holding Tucumán was vital for the revolution’s survival.

The fighting began on 24 September, when Tristán’s army approached the city. Belgrano deployed his troops across open fields north of Tucumán, using artillery and cavalry to disrupt the Royalist advance

Royalists: 5 x Column Infantry, 1 x Light Cavalry

Patriots: 3 x Column Infantry, 1 x Elite Light Cavalry, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Artillery

Royalists (Attackers)

Column, Column, Light Cavalry
Column	Column	Column
Column	Column	Column
Artillery (U), Light Cavalry (E), Light Cavalry

Patriots (Defenders)

The Patriot cavalry, led by Eustaquio Díaz Vélez, played a key role in attacking the Royalist left flank, but the Royalist infantry pressed forward and put the Patriot left under similar pressure.

A sudden windstorm filled the air with dust, creating confusion on both sides, with Begrano quitting the field at one point believing the battle to be lost. However Belgrano’s forces, seizing the moment, pressed their attack on the Royalist left and the Royalists retired.

The victory at Tucumán stopped the Royalist advance and revitalised the Patriot cause. Belgrano’s decision to stand and fight became legendary, boosting morale across the United Provinces. The Royalists fell back toward Upper Peru, setting the stage for further Patriot campaigns in the north.

Design Notes

The Royalist attackers are pretty conventional. I didn't give them artillery, and this makes their cavalry less effective than that of the Patriots. It also means that the Patriots can disrupt their advance without any comeback. The Patriot force is stacked in favour of a cavalry attack.

Salta (February 20th 1813)

Following the Battle of Tucumán in September 1812, Belgrano pursued the retreating Royalists north toward the city of Salta, a key stronghold in the region. The victory at Tucumán had boosted Patriot morale, swelling Belgrano’s ranks with new recruits and supplies from supportive local populations.

The Royalists, under Tristán, withdrew to Salta, fortifying their positions and awaiting reinforcements from Upper Peru. Tristán hoped the mountainous terrain and defensive works would help offset the recent defeat. His army numbered around 3,000 men, but morale was low, and desertions were a problem.

Belgrano, with roughly the same number of troops, advanced cautiously, knowing that a second victory could break Spanish power in the north. He manoeuvred his army into position to encircle Salta, cutting off Royalist supply routes. By mid-February, Tristán’s forces were effectively trapped, forcing a confrontation.

Patriots: 3 x Column Infantry, 1 x Light Cavalry, 1 x Disciplined Light Cavalry, 1 x unreliable Artillery

Royalists: 2 x Column Infantry, 1 x unreliable Fortified Column Infantry (In Salta), 1 x fortified Light Infantry, 1 x unreliable Artillery

Patriots (Attackers)

Column, Light Cavalry, Artillery (U)
Light Cavalry (D)	Column	Column
Light Cavalry	Column	Column
Artillery (U), Light Infantry (D), Column (DU)

Royalists (Defenders)

Begrano used the same plan he'd tried at Tucuman, attacking the Royalist left with his cavalry. The shattered left gave way disordering the Royalist infantry, which Belgrano then attacked frontally. The Royalist line collapsed. On the right a group of Royalist Skirmishers held firm on San Bernardino Hill, but were soon defeated, and Tristán was unable to rally his troops for a planned last stand in Salta itself.

By afternoon, surrounded and with casualties mounting, Tristán sought terms. Belgrano, displaying magnanimity, agreed to honourable surrender conditions, allowing Royalist officers to keep their personal arms and guaranteeing humane treatment for prisoners.

The victory at Salta secured north-west Argentina for the revolutionaries and pushed the front line deep into Upper Peru. Belgrano’s humane treatment of captured soldiers was widely praised, earning him respect even among some Royalists. Strategically, it opened the way for the next campaign into Upper Peru, although later defeats would undo some of these gains.

Design Notes

Not much to explain here. Once again I have weighted the Patriot cavalry to allow it to dominate their plan. The Royalist reserve has the Light Infantry on the hill, and the possible option of a last stand in the city of Salta as well. But that can't be relied on.