Dominion of the Trenches - Caporetto

Having heard much praise for other Dominion of ... games as a roll-and-write game experience that gives reasonable narrative results that feel right, I plunked my hard-earned cash down for Dominion of the Trenches. 

Also, the author includes two Southern Front scenarios, so how could I not? It's so rare for the Italians and Austro-Hungarians to get any love.

This is a battle report of the Caporetto scenario in the rules document.

That said, I played my own scenarios quite a few times before giving this "official scenario" a go and I have some minor issues with the rules that came up in those games - but this is not a review and they'll wait for another time.

Nevertheless, I will say, the rules live up to their hype for feeling right despite their simplicity.

As a huge plus, they got me to get out my Italian and Austro-Hungarians for the first time in a bit which says something (they were packed away).

This is how I played the game.

Instead of photos of my game setup, since the lighting wasn't that great, I'll illustrate with some Junior General counters, with the game labels for units. 

You don't need miniatures to play the game at all or Junior General counters. You can scribble it out on a sheet of paper. I played multiple games on literal backs of envelopes! I just happen to have the ones you would need for this scenario (and of course, I will create my own scenarios based on various battles on the Southern Front). The games were all fun, regardless of the format.

Some other notes - I went looking for maps of the Battle of Caporetto so I could see which units were where, and I saw that, at least on quite a few maps, the Italian 46th Infantry Division and the Austro-Hungarian 50th stormtrooper divsion were opposite each other at the start of the battle.

I found a map of the region, zoomed it in, and overlayed how I imagined the units might have been. I think of them as regiments, and each game turn as two days. No reason other than it just seems right given the abstract nature of the game.

Artillery Barrage - October 24, 1917

In the early morning of October 24, 1917, stormtroopers of the Austro-Hungarian 50. Infanterietruppendivision wend their way through mountain passes towards positions held by the Italian 2nd Army's 46th Infantry Division.

The attacker gets to start the game with an artillery bombardment if they have artillery. Not only do the Austro-Hungarians have artillery, the E means it's Elite and as a result they get to roll 6 dice. 

I distribute two to each of the Italian units in the front line.

The results aren't as bad as they could be for the Italians, but they aren't great either

A massive barrage of explosives and poison gas erupts up and down the Italian lines.

The Italian units in the front line are all Unreliable (Ur), but they do have a Defensive bonus because they are dug in or have built-up defesive works and so the first hit removes the Defensive bonus, a second hit will remove the unit. In the historical battle, gas was used and so, when the center took two hits and had to be removed, I figured it was probably where they concentrated the gas attack.

 

On the right and left, defensive positions are shattered. but the troops hold on but the Italian center gives way as their regiment is overcome by gas and the close following stormtroopers. 

As soon as the bombardment completes, the defender can try to bring up reserves.

It's not automatic and in most of my games, they failed more than they succeeded. In any case the player decides which of the reserve units will come up. 

In this case, the Italians were able to bring up a standard Infantry unit. It's not Unreliable and not Elite.

Another of the 46th Division's infantry regiments miraculously were stationed nearby are able to plug the gap before the storm troops can break through to the Italian reserves.

October 24 - 25, 1917 

Turn 1 Round 1

After the bombardment, the first turn begins in earnest, with the attacker nominating one sector for action. 

In this case, I chose the Cente, because both the Italian infantry is arriving and theoretically the stormtroops are supposed to keep moving not hold the trenches. Yet, in the moment, I decide the stormtroops,would be on the defensive in this combat, taking advantage of the previously abandoned Italian defenses even as they advanced.

I could have also said they were on the attack, but it's up to the player either way and how you're imagining the narrative.

Because the defender in infantry vs infantry combat gets to roll first with a chance to eliminate the enemy before they attack, and the stormtroopers have +1 on their attack, I suspect that factored into my subconscous calculation.

But they are overwhelmed as momentum sides with the enemy.

As with artillery attacks, if a unit is removed, the side that lost the unit can attempt to put a reserve unit into that sector. Again the Italians succeeded on their roll.

Turn 1 Round 2

Unreliable troops test before the attack portion of the round, and if they fail they disappear. If they pass, they are no longer Unreliable. I like this a lot - you don't know what kind troops you have at your disposal!

This really suits the Southern Front where, while they were good soldiers, morale was an issue for both sides. 

In Round 2 of turn 1, the Defender gets to choose the sector. I for reasons I don't recall, chose the Right Sector. And there I had an Unreliable infantry unit. Who failed their check and fled.

In Sector Right, the surprised and shaken troops under pressure from the Austro-Hungarians turn to headlong retreat towards the Piave.

No matter how the space opens up, as long as a side has reserves, they can try to fill it as soon as the combat portion of the round ends.

Again, luck sides briefly with the Italians as another unit is close enough to be brought up to engage the invaders.

October 26-27, 1917

Turn 2 Round 1

In the 2nd turn, and all turns thereafter, a die is rolled to determine which sector will be see action, although there is a chance that side's will get to choose the most advantageous one.

Round 1 belongs to the scenario's Attacker.

The Austro-Hungarians choose (well, I choose) to attack the Italian Unreliable unit in the Right sector. That unit first checks to see if it stands, and it passes, so it is no longer unreliable.

Attacking an unreliable unit means there's a chance they will be removed without you having to risk being eliminated in the process.

As they passed, the attack is resolved normally.

The newly arrived Italian infantry in Sector Right rally to their officers' cries of Savoia! Savoia! Savoia! (which is surprisng as normally this has little positive effect). Still, they are unable to stop the relentless stormtroopers. Those who aren't killed or captured join the flight to the shores of the Piave.

They fled, but the Italians have no more reserves at this point. So it will remain empty. If the Austro-Hungarian Right sector is activated it can then attempt to flank attack the Italian center unit (as long as there is one there).

Turn 2 Round 2

In round 2, the Defender rolls to see which sector will see action (with a chance they will get to choose).

The Italians decide to press an attack in the Center. Recall I had posited the Austro-Hungarians here were making use of abandoned Italian defenses. This gives the stormtroops first attack. 

To my surprise, the Italians survive the attacks by the stormtroops and then score a stunning blow against them.

The attacker's artillery is ridiculously weak and kind of useless after the initial barrage - this one of my quibbles with the game - so, when they fail to advance to out of the reserves to fill in the opening in the line, it's not at all surprising.

The Austro-Hungarian reserves have been left far behind the quick moving stormtroops and are unable to fill the gap in their line.

October 28-29, 1917

Turn 3 Round 1

As I mentioned above, if a unit has no enemy opposite them the can flank attack an enemy in an adjacent space. In this case, the Austro-Hungarian in the Right sector attacked the Italians in the Center, but to no effect.

The benefit of a flank attack is there is no return fire from the enemy!

Seizing opportunity, the Austro-Hungarian Right turns the flank on the Italian center, but again the
Italians hold.

Turn 3 Round 2

The Italians nominate the Left sector, and their unreliable unit passes the test (this many successes is rare if my previous games are anything to go by)

They are the defender and get to attack first, which is really their last hope at this point.

But they roll a 3 which does nothing. 

The stormtroopers opposite roll a 6, +1 for being Elite. 7 points! They decisively destroy the Italian troops in the Left sector.

Outnumbered and with one unit left, the Italians have lost. Since it's Caporetto, they join the retreat that is the collapse of the Italian 2nd Army.

Unfortunately, in Sector Left, the Italians break. The Italians in the center are forced to retreat to the Piave with the Austro-Hungarians closing ground behind them. 

Coming Round the Mountain - Italy vs France WW2

All last week I had been itching to get in a game with my brick mini-figs, I had the chance to set one up on Saturday.

The scenario is from One Hour Wargames. Rules used were my own.

The setup: A platoon of Italian infantry supported by a mortar is assigned to capture and clear a small village defended by two dug in French infantry units, with reinforcements on the way. The French are all veterans, the Italians have two green units (black helmets), one veteran infantry and one veteran mortar team. French reinforcements are set to arrive on turns 5 and 10.

 

Italians advance under fire, but the mortar suppresses the French threat in front of the village.

 

The veteran Italian infantry, supported by green infantry in the woods, storm the suppressed French, while the Italian platoon leader urges the other green unit to advance under the fire of the second entrenched French section.

 

The Italians valiantly storm the French position.

 

With the French first line of defense defeated, the Italian veterans storm the village, where the French have brought up an HMG team. In a stunning upset, the HMG team, despite being pinned, wipes the Italian vets right off the map in close combat! 

The French flank neutralized, the Italian platoon leader sets his green section the task of clearing the village.  And once again, the MG team punches above their weight cutting the attackers down as they advanced.

  

The last of the French reinforcements arrive and the French drive off the remaining Italians.

****

The rules were my own grid-based amalgamation of Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit and Crossfire I had created for PTO games. As written, they're intended for on base = one squad.  However, instead I used 2-4 figures per section and modified the rules to suit.

The game lasted about 90 minutes (this is the only not-fast-play set of rules I've ever cobbled together. Nevertheless, they're lighter than ASLSK - they require much less of a mental load, while giving me a similar sense of involvement).

The French units have two figures instead of four because I originally was thinking of a small scenario based on an actual event, of a platoon attacking a squad and using 1BC Toy Soldiers at 1:1. I just never abandoned that part of the idea! 

Overall, the rules worked well even with the modifications. 

 As for the scenario, I probably could have given each side six units like the OHW scenario called for - again, I forgot to abandon that part of my original idea!

Two Sets of Rules, One Scenario.

I have been thinking a lot about 2024 "plans" and one of them is to do a very simple campaign set in the Lost World (formerly Venus, now Antarctica. The land itself really needs its own name used by the residents), featuring only on the fantasy/Ancients armies.

While I figure I will probably use One Hour Wargames (a mix of Ancients, Dark Ages, and Medieval troop types or the Fantasy Variant on Facebook), I do like The Portable Wargame Ancients rules and wanted to give them a go again.

The scenario is "An Unfortunate Oversight" from OHW. 

Both sides deployed by die roll. I would be rooting for the Bokrug Confederacy.

24" square playing area, 4" squares. Classic rulebook in the picture shot. Imagine there is a bridge across the river on the left.

Unfortunately, following the rules-as-written meant that, if I understood them correctly, crossing the ford would take two turns per unit. This created a massive bottleneck in a way the ford does not when using OHW. I mean, sure, it's a bottleneck, but not to the extent that it is in PW. Now, I could have attacked via the bridge (which was drying as I had made an impromptu bridge from popsicle sticks), but that doesn't mean that this isn't a problem.

If I were to use PW for this again, I'd either allow stacking in a space or remove the rule about stopping when crossing a river. The latter is most definitely the less impactful.

As it was, it was extremely difficult to get more than one unit across the river before the previous units had been eliminated. 

Not impossible mind you ...

But nothing was achieved in the event.

At the game's end, the lizards had been soundly defeated and were basically halted south of the river. Fine from a narrative perspective as it may be, it was frustrating to play.

Thankfully it was quick.

So, with glue on the new bridge mostly dry, I moved back to One Hour Wargames.

Playing area is 24" square. The grid is not being used except to denote the boundary of the playing area.

Deployment was similar but not identical - determined again by the roll of the die.

Once again rooting for the lizards, this time I decided to make a diversionary attack via the bridge.
 

That worked to at least tie up both my infantry unit and the Tanitian infantry holding the town.

On the right, unlike in the previous game, my army penetrated deep into the Tanitian territory. Although it had cost me a unit of skirmishers, my cavalry and a unit of infantry threatened the hill. 

I should note, I played my cavalry extremely cautiously. I didn't want them stuck in but rather to deliver the coup de grace. This may in fact be an obvious tactic to most anyone who reads this blog, but was news to me.

Crossing the bridge was NOT going well, but more units crossed via the ford and some effective skirmisher javelins and archers had helped whittle down the defenders.

Eventually the lizards were across on both sides, but lacked anything with any punch - only two archers and a skirmish unit remained, while the Tanitians had two infantry(one near elimination) and a skirmish unit (near elimination).

Momentum (turns) was running out but there was still a slim chance the Gokrug Confederacy could pull off a win.

Unfortunately (poor die rolling on my part), although they had managed to capture the town, the hill was still contested when their momentum ran out and the attack had to be called off.

Of course, being a wargamer, I played one more turn to see what would happen and the result was the lizards lost their skirmishers and were left with two units of archers. I stopped at that point - I was satisfied that the game had played out as it had and it had come to the last few turns.

One last note, I more-and-more like the way units become stuck in hand to hand, at least for Ancients and Medieval.

I know a lot of people don't like it, but I enjoy the way it makes the choice of when to engage meaningful. Admittedly a case could be made for a rout or morale check at least to break off, but since the strength points represent morale as well as casualties, I'm content to accept that everyone routs after 15 damage. Better or worse units can have more or fewer points to start as needed. 

Not pictured, I have also done some experiments with mixing Medieval units and Ancients units and the result has been most satisfactory. Expect to see Solis Nox make an appearance soon despite not having been included in my bins for my experiment.

Battle of the Alps Squared

June 1940, the Italian army, ordered by the outsized ego of Il Duce - who was desperate to have a piece of France before Hitler had captured it all for himself -  trundled across the northern alpine border into France.

The stalwart defenders of ennui and champagne had expected as much and were dug in and ready.

The Italians used the woods to cover the left wing of their advance.

The French infantry were well dug-in and extricating them proved more difficult than discretely hiding ten pounds of good salami into your rucksack.

Calling a meeting of L3s with the FT17s a "tank duel" or a "clash of armor" stretches credulity. Let us say, they fired shots at each other while snacking on loaves of bread and drinking bottles of wine, with the wine merchants being the real winners, judging by the ineffectiveness of both sides.

Eventually the French armor, despite damage incurred from the Italian battery - drove back their Italian opposites - can you blame those poor Italian pilots? They only learned to drive the L3 a few days ago. 

It was all for naught, as they were just in time to find the Italian infantry had successfully captured the village. A halfhearted attempted to dislodge the Italians met with no success.

The French had run out of time and would have to fall back. Here is the battlefield at the end:

The scenario was "Late Arrivals", a favorite of mine from One Hour Wargames. It works equally well for Austrians streaming into Italy as it does for Italians invading France. The game lasted the OHW standard 15 turns. 

The rules were improvised, based on my own squad-per-base rules - a mash of Crossfire, Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit, and The Portable Wargame - but moved up a few levels of organization and no stacking allowed. I also used ideas borrowed from Ross Mac's Fast and Furious Fifties

Initially I thought of the units as companies of infantry, platoons of tanks, three or so guns, etc. 

However, while writing my narrative it didn't really seem to matter and I could just as easily think of them as battalions. I hear Memoir '44 is a bit like that - where the nominal scale changes based on the scenario? I don't know, I've never played it, but that's my understanding.

It seemed to work here at least.

A Little PTO

 

Marines land on a godforsaken island somewhere in the Pacific.

The view up the beach.

Maries take cover at the log wall (I forget what they are called)

The beloved company commander hits the beach.

Losses are heavy but a platoon, or what's left of it, manages eliminate the enemy protecting the bunker's flank.

It's not going well for the Marines over all though.

The PL and a single squad assault the bunker.

And capture it!

Is the tide turning?

The Marines consolidate and roll up the Japanese positions.

The Marines on the beach are still taking a hammering.

The Japanese mortar crew retreats to the bunker - the Marines are coming!

The Marines mass and assault the remaining bunker on this stretch of the landing zone.

We interrupt this game report to share with you the pitiful die rolls each side made for their close combat. The 1 is the Marines. The only saving grace is they get bonuses for the PL, CC, and more than one squad.

The bunker is captured! This sector is secured!

Rules used were my own - a combination of Crossfire, Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit, and The Portable Wargame.

The turn sequence is as follows:

Side A Phase 

1. Side A Rally
2. Side A Prep Fire
3. Side A Move - except those who Prep Fired including reinforcements arrival.
4. Side B Defensive fire
5. Side A Advancing Fire - fire with penalty, and only those units who did not fire in Prep Fire
6. Side A Assault Move 
7. Resolve Close Combat

Repeat, sides reversed for Side B phase.

I've been messing around with these for a few weeks now, and I think they are usable as is, although I'm sure I will tweak them (and add armor eventually). My plan is to use them for a fictional Pacific Island assault. Possibly using The Isle of Dread (D&D module X1) as the island in question.

The thing I'm most happy with is the way movement and Defensive Fire work to mimic overwatch/opportunity fire without having to simultaneously play both sides. Since I play solitaire, I don't like having to keep an eye out of Opportunity Fire for the other side. All movement is one grid space and allowing units to move 1 space, then defensive fire, and then eventually move one more space means the effect is the same as overwatch/etc., but I don't have to switch back and forth between the sides while I move a unit.

I've played this scenario several times - the USMC wins most times, but at a high cost, which seems right. In this case, they lost over half of their rifle squads.

For this game, I set a 12 turn limit and the game ended on turn 10.  The Japanese had a platoon of three  rifle squads, a knee mortar squad, and a Platoon Leader. They also had two MGs in bunkers. The USMC had a company consisting of three rifle platoons (and their PLs), and a company commander. The heavy weapons teams were ignored and assumed to be functioning as riflemen in the CCs squad. I probably could have rolled them up into an extra single rifle squad (figuring some of the men are carrying mortars and MGs and can't fire their rifle, only run) on the table and might do that next time.

It really looked like the Marines were going to be slaughtered before they got off the beach, but that's why you never give up on the Marines!

Weekend Report

For reasons I cannot discern for the life of me, I had time to play a lot of games this weekend: five, to be precise, and that's not including the multiple multi-hour sessions of D&D played with my son.

This embarrassment of riches raises an interesting question: "How many should I include in one post?"

I think we can all agree this is a first world problem, as the kids used to say.

After much thought (about 11 seconds), I realized that I don't know when I'm playing next, so I'm going to milk these games for all they are worth!

Rather than chronological order, I'm going to start with the game that accomplished something beyond game itself. It was the last game of the weekend.

 The first "game changer" (pardon me while I laugh hysterically at my own joke) is that I painted the grid you see below. I have long coveted the cream and green chess board featured in some of Bob Cordery's early grid game reports. This is my homage and budget solution - craft paints and kraft paper.

The squares are 4" and the whole thing is 24" square (which is a 6x6 grid. I only mention that for those ,who like me, majored in liberal arts and only took math because they had to). I have used a 6x6 grid with 6" spaces many many times, and while I wouldn't mind a slightly wider battlefield so flanks could mean something, I like that this 24" "board" fits on the table next to my laptop. 

As for flanks, I may borrow a page from the 3x3 Portable Wargame rules and have flanks take place off-grid.

The scenario is Take the High Ground from One Hour Wargames.The rules used were The Portable Wargame, using the two-hits option, and filtered through my memory as I couldn't be bothered to re-read them.

In my defense, I was too excited about my new painted grid.

For reasons I don't comprehend, I see the infantry as two-figure companies. The cavalry as squadrons and the gun as a battery.

 

The other notable impact of this game was that it confirmed my opinions that 1) an ahistorical 19th Century France vs England game is fun and colorful (or is that colourful?) and 2) Two large figures in a smallish grid-space gives exactly the kind of aesthetic I want in a grid game. 

I should add, as it is relevant, that I am a minimalist at heart. Or at least, I don't like having a lot of stuff. I dislike clutter (at least when it comes to storage and wargames tables. I believe when you're creating something, like painting miniatures or writing as song, take up all the space you need with all of the things). 

There's this notion of "the silent to-do list" that I find an apt metaphor. Things that I'm not using weigh on me.

Because I want to free up some storage space and Russia is slated for the chopping block for various reasons, I wanted to make sure I could still have a 19th Century European battle when desired - particularly as part of my Antarctica Lost World (if you missed those posts, it replaces Venus).

Huzzah! No need to keep the Russians or even the unit of khaki British infantry (I'm reducing the Europeans to three units plus a leader, supplemented by heroic civilian characters, often the heart of VSF gaming write-ups).

As for the aesthetics, that's a personal matter (at least in popular parlance. when i was a senior philosophy major and a grad student in philosophy, i would have been happy to argue otherwise), but as I mentioned, it's exactly the look I was going for. 

I'm tempted to try it with WWII figures, but a I tend to equate two figures with a squad. It's a me thing.

The French arrive. The battle is joined. I honestly don't recall who won.