Sunday 18 February 2018

Fighting Retreat

Last weekend our stalwart wargaming friend, Anthony, called over to test out another scenario from One Hour Wargames (OHW) by Neil Thomas. This time dice were thrown to select the scenario and fate handed us Fighting Retreat, myself on the run with two units of knights, one of men at arms and one of archers, while Anthony took up the chase with four units of knights, one of archers and a hotch potch of the levy.
Here's how the action panned out:

The opening moves see the renegades cross the river, do they make a stand and hold the two fords or run for the hills?  My natural instinct was to pull the archers back into the treeline where they would be safe from the thundering hooves of the knights, I'm sure this is what they would have done in reality but the rules don't allow any units into the woods. With these medieval rules, archers in woods would be nigh on unassailable so we went with the premise that if the footmen reached the safety of the woods they would just disperse and melt away into the undergrowth.

The archers got off one volley before the horsemen were upon them, the outcome was never in any doubt but the footmen were now playing for time and held out rather longer than one might reasonably have expected.

I couldn't think what toys to use for the levy (in the right foreground) so I quickly cobbled together some odds and ends of Robin Hood figures. I really don't like putting unpainted figures on the table and was doubly annoyed after the game to remember my Elastolin swappet Saxons which would have been perfect for this role, drat!

The archers succumb to the onslaught from the pursuing knights and their own horsemen, waiting in support, finally pile in to hold the line at the ford.

It was much the same story at the second ford, where the men at arms held off their attackers until being ridden down and eventually reinforced by their own body of knights.

And that was about it, the renegades held out until about round 12 before being eliminated, leaving the pursuers to ride on and capture the objective by round 15, thus winning the game.

There's a lot I like about OHW, primarily the simplicity, easy to learn, quick to set up and play, needing little space and few figures. But after two games it's feeling a bit limited to me, I feel a larger area and more units are needed to give more flexibility, as it stands there isn't much room for manoeuvre and units in melee can't disengage until one is eliminated so it's all too easy for a game to end up as one long slugfest (or perhaps I'm just a crap General?).  

Where we see this going is to continue using the core game system but use the whole 10' x 6' table area (as opposed to 6'x6') increase the max number of units from six to ten, increase troops types from 4 to 5/6 and set out terrain based on sections of historic battlefields.  Will these alterations change the dynamic of the game? What do you think?

9 comments:

  1. Great to see those Timpo knights in action along with other figures which bring back memories. Looks like a most enjoyable game was had.
    Alan

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    1. Timpo knights en masse do have a certain something about them.

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  2. The lack of anyway to break off from melee even for cavalry or light infantry was a show stopper for me when trying the ancient/medieval rules. Having only one tactical option may be simple but I've never met a novice who can't make the occasional choice. If one has to be denied choice I'd rather the cavalry and light troops bounced like the Horse & Musket ones.

    More units would help, I often double the number of units.

    Never the less the game still looks good. I was momentarily surprised to see the 'naked' Robin Hood guys but coloured plastic looks less out of place than unpainted metal.

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  3. I think the melee rules certainly need some attention, perhaps when one side falls below half it's combat points it should fall back half a move, something like that.

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  4. It's always a pleasure gaming with you Brian, and not just because of your excellent Commissariat Officer! I think you were unlucky that I rolled up four units of knights as part of my army-a different orbat for the pursuers might have led to a different outcome.

    I'm more than happy to try Lion Rampant again or Pikeman's Lament for a change if that suits you. I've also just ourchased a set of rules called LIttle Battles (reviewed by Dave Lycett on the Little Wars Revisited forum) which look good. They seem to be a juiced up version of One Hour Wargames which might give a more satisfying game.

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    1. I think OHW are worth persevering with and I'd like to try out the modern sections but I'm always up for trying something new.

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  5. Your mention of the modern rules reminds me that once armies decide battle by firepower (horse and musket and later) the melee slugfest in OHW disappears-we have firefight slugfests instead! But at least unist are no longer pinned...

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    1. I guess the Dark Ages/Medieval rules reflect the fact that when two sides clashed as in a shield wall, it just became a free for all scrum until one side gave way. Maybe the fault is with us gamers being impatient to get into contact rather than maneuvering for advantage? I think a bigger area would help with that

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  6. I quite agree. Some of the OHW scenarios have terrain more suitable for manoevre than a river that can only be crossed by two fords! But a larger area would also of course help. One of these days I will endeavour to construct a historical scenario for the rules that allows larger forces and a larger plying area. In the meantime I may well acquire some WW2 forces for our next encounter...

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