Army of Liberty: a Fantasy Revolutionary Warfare Quest

[Red Rationalist]

So, we get three charges. The 55th can get blocked, Guillory Hussars not be any visible unit. The 8th could only just about fall into our flanks. Any singly charge has a 57-67% of destroying them. Of course, it's entirely possible he has hidden cavalry and tries drawing us out, with the horse artillery moving back this turn. This did seem to be a favorite move on his end, considering his pre-battle move (charge and make it look a tempting target).

Alternatively, there is a also a low-reward option: Rapid move ambush from the 19th. Assuming the horse artillery doesn't move, we could get a mid range shot at them, dealing 1.56 damage on average (30% of the enemy unit) if the horse artillery stays in the same place. That is a way to reduce the damage output, though not able to actually kill them.

In summary, I think this is probabably an attempt to draw our cavalry out for an early charge. The horse artillery probably isn't staying there, it's going to pull out.

 

[NSchwerte]

Someone should draw where we have spotting cause Im Not Sure if there are that many hidden tiles.

I guess he could hide cavalry behind the infantry

 

[Red Rationalist]

Honestly I've lost the plot of what he's doing a bit in the first place, because I don't understand why his arty is so spread out. He's going to need to concentrate fire on our entrenched positions, so why is that field artillery way over there?

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You need to keep in mind that he is also playing blind against us. He doesn't know if we attempt offensive moves or playing static, so he's putting some forces plus one artillery to engage potential flanking forces from falling into his sidde. Some artillery units being kept at the side is entirely expected. Putting a professional one there might be overkill on his end.

Someone should draw where we have spotting cause Im Not Sure if there are that many hidden tiles.

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We shouldn't have LoS on the area behind the hill-pairing just west of Sarnscheid if I'm not mistaken. Of course, hiding them behind infantry is quite plausible.

 

[Photomajig]

@Photomajig

Could we order a charge and abort it if the target gets out of range?

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I suppose, but you'll want to define exactly what's "out of range" for that order.

 

[Nerdorama]

In summary, I think this is probabably an attempt to draw our cavalry out for an early charge. The horse artillery probably isn't staying there, it's going to pull out.

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I think we're mostly in agreement this time. Setting up a Rapid+Ambush Fire for next turn is plausible, but might end up blocked by infantry units. We can't do it this turn because Rapid is only one tile, and everything withing one tile of the 19th is still blocked.

 

[NSchwerte]

I suppose, but you'll want to define exactly what's "out of range" for that order.

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So "charge a target, abort and move to X if the target cannot be reached with a charge because of enemy movement (blockers or target movement)" would be ok?



If we do charge him with such an order, we could set up ready fires with the correct range to shoot intercepting units, maybe even catching enemy cavalry going into our flanks

 

[Red Rationalist]

I think we're mostly in agreement this time. Setting up a Rapid+Ambush Fire for next turn is plausible, but might end up blocked by infantry units. We can't do it this turn because Rapid is only one tile, and everything withing one tile of the 19th is still blocked.

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Well, worst case scenario we have to settle for an ongoing one-sided skirmish against the enemy dwarves, with our halflings remaining safely in forest cover. With the enemy taking disadvantage and at least -50, they should be nearly invincible there regarding enemy artillery.

 

[Chimeraguard]

So "charge a target, abort and move to X if the target cannot be reached with a charge because of enemy movement (blockers or target movement)" would be ok?

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Really we could just say "if they move off the hill/their current position" and it'd be fine I feel. Since the only logical movement they could do from that would be moving out of range.

 

[NSchwerte]

If we do carry out an attack against his HArtillery with a clause for the ambush, we may want to only charge with some of the cavalry and have the rest set up ready charges to charge enemy cavalry charging our cavalry.

Charge cavalry charge.

Theoretically all of our cavalry is in charging range, the 108th could move across the center and hit it too

The enemy artillery isn't actually set up yet so can't punish this

 

[Red Rationalist]

If we do carry out an attack against his HArtillery with a clause for the ambush, we may want to only charge with some of the cavalry and have the rest set up ready charges to charge enemy cavalry charging our cavalry.

Charge cavalry charge

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Ael, I love how we're planning to ambush the unit to trigger the ambush to counter-ambush the ambushing unit.

If there isn't at least one over-complicated card game reference with this plan, I will be disappointed.

 

[Pinniped]

I like the plan of pushing the 19th, and maybe the 16th as well, into the fortress in order to set up some skirmishing and a possible ambush against the Horse Artillery.

Also, since our horse artillery is revealed, is there any reason not to shoot with them on the nearest unit?

 

[Shard of Victory]

I think there is probably bunch of infantry sitting there, ready to fire on our charging cavalry.

 

[NSchwerte]

I think there is probably bunch of infantry sitting there, ready to fire on our charging cavalry.

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This is definitely not the case, cause we would see the infantry

 

[Chimeraguard]

Say, that hex northwest of the 16th Halfling Pathfinders has both the hill and a bunch of forest-trees in it. Does that mean if we move the 16th onto it they'd have the bonus from Forest concealment while still having the vantage point of a hill?

 

[NSchwerte]

Say, that hex northwest of the 16th Halfling Pathfinders has both the hill and a bunch of forest-trees in it. Does that mean if we move the 16th onto it they'd have the bonus from Forest concealment while still having the vantage point of a hill?

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Yeah, tiles with multiple terrain count the highest effect each.

So it's a hill with forest concealment and movement

 

[Red Rationalist]

I like the plan of pushing the 19th, and maybe the 16th as well, into the fortress in order to set up some skirmishing and a possible ambush against the Horse Artillery.

Also, since our horse artillery is revealed, is there any reason not to shoot with them on the nearest unit?

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We could, though the shot is garbage. Long ranged at hills, meaning we get -50-20+30 = 1d100-40, which really isn't a lot. If you look at the enemy movement, most of the infantry is bundled near Sarnscheid.

To be clear, I'm talking about moving them into the Kirschenholz, to shoot at the screens. Would force the advancing column to either take the punishment or waste time crossing into the woods, both of which are nice for us.

Say, that hex northwest of the 16th Halfling Pathfinders has both the hill and a bunch of forest-trees in it. Does that mean if we move the 16th onto it they'd have the bonus from Forest concealment while still having the vantage point of a hill?

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Yes, that is how that works. The general rule with combined terrain is that you take the most impactful modifiers (spotting, conc., attack malus) for every action. That hill wouldn't be doing much considering we have similar spotting from the 45th, and Hussars.

 

[NSchwerte]

I think if we keep the 5th where it's at shooting the 1st Royal lancers is definitely the call. It degrades their elite cavalry forces even if only by a little bit and of course killing traitors is a reward in itself. And as we have seen this turn, shots at -40 can still do quite a bit of damage, with the elves making up for their terrible rolls last turn

But the question with the 5th is whether we believe that it's best in its current position of more advantageous to move it into the center.

 

[Pinniped]

@Photomajig is the enemy 8th Hsr shown in Rauberholz cavalry or artillery? Based on the name it should be cavalry, but it is marked on the map as artillery?

 

[Chimeraguard]

Hmm, but shooting the Royal Lancers would be a net -40 (-50 from Long Range, -20 from Hill, +30 from veterancy), right? And they don't have the Advantages from Ambush or Offensive Specialist.

 

[NSchwerte]

Hmm, but shooting the Royal Lancers would be a net -40 (-50 from Long Range, -20 from Hill, +30 from veterancy), right? And they don't have the Advantages from Ambush or Offensive Specialist.

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Yeah, that's correct.

Though maybe the results of the elven artillery this turn is a point to show that these shots can have results too?

30 damage is not too shabby!

 

[Red Rationalist]

I think if we keep the 5th where it's at shooting the 1st Royal lancers is definitely the call. It degrades their elite cavalry forces even if only by a little bit and of course killing traitors is a reward in itself.

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Trotha seems content on keeping them in the reserve and there is much more damage possible in the centre.

Though maybe the results of the elven artillery this turn is point to show that these shots can have results too?

30 damage is not too shabby!

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That was the combined effort of 3 artillery units rather than one, with a turn of good luck. Additionally, elven cavalry has the highest casulty recovery of any unit and this unit can move away and rest at will. The shots don't give us a tactical advantage.

 

[Chimeraguard]

Yeah, that's correct.

Though maybe the results of the elven artillery this turn is a point to show that these shots can have results too?

30 damage is not too shabby!

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True, but we had two Elven Artillery firing, so there were good odds that at least one of them would land a meaningful hit. We just got lucky and both of them ended up doing so.

A single artillery firing is a lot longer on the odds.

Hmm. Actually, I wonder if we might be better suited to trying to attrit the infantry. Von Trotha mainly uses his cavalry defensively, while it's the infantry that's generally called on to push in once the artillery has softened the enemy up. And Breastworks inflict worse penalties on attacking Cavalry than Infantry anyway.

So if we continue inflicting casualties on Von Trotha's infantry arm, then we reduce the arm he's hoping to use after the artillery exchange, which may make him reluctant to try and push us out.

I mean, if there's some enemy cavalry end up being out in the open and exposed to multiple good shots then I'd be happy to go for it, but the Royal Lancers are in pretty good cover from long range arty.

 

[NSchwerte]

That was the combined effort of 3 artillery units rather than one, with a turn of good luck. Additionally, elven cavalry has the highest casulty recovery of any unit and this unit can move away and rest at will. The shots don't give us a tactical advantage.

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No. I mean that this turn one elven artillery did 30 and the other artillery did 41 damage. The combined battery did 100 casualties.

I don't think the elven casualty recovery really matters here. Primarily we care about the battle itself of course, but we also plan to win and capture survivors. And his cavalry resting is absolutely very possible, but they will still have lost the manpower, which does a lot of damage to high experience cavalry.

True, but we had two Elven Artillery firing, so there were good odds that at least one of them would land a meaningful hit. We just got lucky and both of them ended up doing so.

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And last turn none of them got a meaningful hit, yeah. But it shows that these shots aren't always useless, they absolutely have the chance to deal damage (the 1.3 average I was talking about is what matters concerning that)

The elven artillery rolled an average of 44.8 this battle

Hmm. Actually, I wonder if we might be better suited to trying to attrit the infantry. Von Trotha mainly uses his cavalry defensively, while it's the infantry that's generally called on to push in once the artillery has softened the enemy up.

So if we continue inflicting casualties on Von Trotha's infantry arm, then we reduce the arm he's hoping to use after the artillery exchange, which may make him reluctant to keep trying to push us.

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I mean, we don't really want to discourage his push. Well easily win such an exchange and it will leave his army deeper in the battlefield, where the retreat is harder.

OTOH weakening his cavalry means weakening that defense, which will allow us more opportunities to strike him and cut off retreats later.

 

[Red Rationalist]

Hmm. Actually, I wonder if we might be better suited to trying to attrit the infantry. Von Trotha mainly uses his cavalry defensively, while it's the infantry that's generally called on to push in once the artillery has softened the enemy up.

So if we continue inflicting casualties on Von Trotha's infantry arm, then we reduce the arm he's hoping to use after the artillery exchange, which may make him reluctant to try and push us out.

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That's what I've been advocating for. We can disrupt his plans considerably by adding the horse artillery to the fire. Furthermore, they are able to set up medium-ranged fire on the enemy screens, inflicting more damage against any unit trying to close the distance towards us. With the cavalry in the rear, this has a lot of promise.

I don't think the elven casualty recovery really matters here. Primarily we care about the battle itself of course, but we also plan to win and capture survivors. And his cavalry resting is absolutely very possible, but they will still have lost the manpower, which does a lot of damage to high experience cavalry.

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Even if we get lucky, it's currently a reserve unit kept for screening; making the 30-40 lost from a lucky shot meaningless cohesion-wise and irrelevant in regards to combat strength if they aren't deployed into combat.

We're talking about average damage of 0.84 a turn. Killing 8 or 9 out of 500 units has no impact on the tactical performance.

 

[NSchwerte]

That's what I've been advocating for. We can disrupt his plans considerably by adding the horse artillery to the fire. Furthermore, they are able to set up medium-ranged fire on the enemy screens, inflicting more damage against any unit trying to close the distance towards us. With the cavalry in the rear, this has a lot of promise.

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I am not convinced by the promise of such a plan. How will beating down the enemy infantry actually help us decisively win the battle?

Even if we get lucky, it's currently a reserve unit kept for screening; making the 30-40 lost from a lucky shot meaningless cohesion-wise and irrelevant in regards to combat strength if they aren't deployed into combat.

We're talking about average damage of 0.84 a turn. Killing 8 or 9 out of 500 units has no impact on the tactical performance

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The average damage is 16.

I don't agree that 40 troops lost wouldn't matter in a combat.

If we get a good charge off and kill 65 more of them, these 40 deaths will knock them down a strength level.

40 deaths is not going to weaken them by itself, but hitting 60 damage later is quite a bit easier than hitting 100 damage.


And even with them being reserved for screening, we know that they will see very heavy combat, as we want to push him a lot on the retreat after all. The running battle during his rout will be the biggest decider on the outcome of the battle