Sunday, June 19, 2016

Representing armies in Maurice #1

Some guidelines based on the performances in the previous war, for use in future wars.


Schultze-Böhnstadt
  • The two brigades, acting separately, would be two 100pt armies each. One has the Guards as Elite RI, promoted to a brigade of foot from a five-battalion regiment. The other army's infantry is mostly Trained, and includes the Schultzdorf and Karrotenbad regiments.
  • The Hussar units defeated and captured in the early war will be reorganized, and would appear as regular cavalry. They might be rated as Conscripts, representing a draft to replace casualties. 
  • The two Jäger battalions, one for each army, are there in case enough points remain to include a unit of irregular foot, and besides their traditional role of harassing the enemy and occupying woods, they could also be useful to protect artillery positions. 
  • The Freikorps came very handy during the campaign, especially for General Hohenspitz on his march to the Flossian heartland, but in a traditional light cavalry role, which means most of them would stay off the field in pitched battles.
  • The S-B artillery is not outstanding, however, the crews did their jobs well, and the advantage of a preemptive artillery bombardment showed in the pitched battles where the Flossians had little or no cannon to counter it. Both armies would use four or five guns on the field, as the point values permit.
  • The initial losses in the war prompted the Princeps to send his best man to the frontier: the part of the army under von Hohenspitz receives the Great Captain national advantage. The Princeps himself is not very experienced, but an able commander, and the second "army" would be led by him. Dietrich von Spülge, attached to the cavalry of this second army, would be represented by a Notable with a Charge activation.
  • The S-B army has had average fighting capabilities, but outclassed the Flossians in maneuvering, so Oblique Order or Cadence are good choices for national advantages, too.

Union on the Flosse
  • The classic ancien régime army of the Union collapsed as soon as the Böhnstadter put up a harder fight. While the S-B army had retained its structure, the Flossians have to reorganize completely. 
  • The original idea of inhaber or private brigades failed, as they were too small to take on the enemy in themselves, and could not cooperate at the crucial battle of Rammsfeld. The individual deployment of militias was also a mistake: it is obvious now to the Electors that the two approaches have to be combined. From the shattered regular infantry regiments, new ones with some battle experience can be formed: these, with a Trained rating, could be the core of mixed infantry brigades with both regular and Landwehr (RI Conscript) battalions. 
  • If nothing else, the steadfastness of Landwehr units, still keeping together after Hohenspitz beat them to a pulp, is admirable: these mixed forces would receive the Steady Lads national advantage.
  • Another critical failure was the lack of artillery, both as regimental support and concentrated batteries, so the Electors intend to hire Glambrian experts to raise a Rückelburg Regiment of Artillery, and establish an Artillery Cadet School in the same city. Artillery under expert leadership, to represent the Flossians' focus on development, could have a suitable National Advantage card.
  • The Flossians plan on buying up lots of mercenary hussars and dragoons from the international market, to somewhat balance the superiority of S-B heavy cavalry units. With the Glambrians and the Albionic Monarchy not currently engaged in any European conflict, lots of free companies remain unemployed, so they would flock to the Union's call.
  • The first battles and sieges were conducted in the old fashion, and then defeat came too quickly to the Union to produce any commander of note. Bishop Michheim faced unfortunate odds, but the other Electors and the general staff gathered limited experience only. A Flossian Notable would be a random draw at the beginning of the campaign.




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