Anyone for a threesome? The Isle of the Three Duchies Campaign - some progress

Some time ago, 2016 at a guess, but I can't find the post, I posted this map. The Isle of the Three Duchies over which I planned to fight an 'Imagi-Nation' three player SYW Campaign. 

My interest was sparked by a very successful run through of 'Bohemian Blitzkrieg' campaign detailed in Battles and Campaigns from the Age of Reason, and Warfare in the Age of Reason by Kershner and Wood. Although we didn't use the table-top rules, the campaign rules worked a treat. 

I started putting things together, then I ran out of steam.

The other night I was looking at how far I'd got with the rules for Isle of the Three Duchy's and was pleasantly surprised to find they were not that far off at all, and not having reviewed them for a couple of years, I thought they looked quite good.

There are four of us getting together on most Wednesdays now, so an umpired threesome - someone has to take the photos of such activities - is entirely possible. Obviously I'll have to tie one or two of the players down but, anyway.

I've spent a couple of hours tying one or two loose threads together and think I've probably got enough done, rule wise, for us to get going. I've found, in the past, that when it comes to campaigns, a bit of ambiguity in the rules is generally a good thing. Campaign rules are a notoriously tricky business to get right because there are often so many things going on that it's better to make things up as you go along. There is generally only one proviso: Once a rule has been made it will be the same for everyone for the rest of the campaign unless everyone agrees that the rule was rubbish and it must be changed. 

So, here they are. The rules for The Isle of the Three Duchies Campaign. They were written for use with classic Piquet (our version of those rules) so if you want to do something else with them it might take a bit of work.

Isle of the Three Duchies Campaign

INTRODUCTION

HOW TO WIN

Each campaign turn represents two weeks of activity. The campaign season lasts from the beginning of March until mid-October. Regardless of the position and strategic situation the campaign ends at the end of turn sixteen, at that time the weather will have deteriorated to such an extent that entering winter quarters will become necessary for all combatants.

The aim of the campaign is to amass victory points (VPs) during the campaign season. At the end of turn 16 the campaign will end and the victory point total of each duchy will be totalled. The player with the most is the victor. The duchy with the second highest score can argue about his position in life, but he lost.

• A duchy is awarded 1 VP for each enemy strength point (SP) it eliminates in battle.
• A duchy is awarded 1 VP for the seniority value (10 highest to 1 lowest) of any general that it kills or captures (regardless of his quality). A bonus 5 VPs is added if the casualty is a duke.
• A duchy loses 1 VP for each SP lost due to lack of supply.
• Duchies receive points for control of map dots. To control a dot the owning player must either occupy the dot or be the last player to have occupied it with a supplied force. Fortress dots cannot be taken without a successful siege.
• Each town and fortress dot has its VP value printed at its centre.
• Each captured fortress is worth an additional three D6 VPs at the end of the campaign.
•  Each captured scientific centre is worth an additional D6 VPs at the end of the campaign.
• A duchy is awarded 1 VP for every unbesieged SPs it has in its army at the end of the campaign.
• A duchy is awarded 1 VP for every POW it holds at the end of the campaign.
• A duchy is awarded 1 VP for every 3 casualties recovering in hospital at the end of the campaign.
• At the end of the campaign a Duchy will receive VP for completing the Duchy’s secret missions.

INITIAL SET UP

SECRET MISSIONS

Each Duchy starts the game with two secret mission cards, dealt at random, from the Secret Mission Deck (twelve cards). These cards each have three named locations on them, one location in each Duchy. 

Success in having secured all the locations, and being in possession of them at the end of the campaign will add 25 VPs, plus another 25 VPs if one is an enemy fortress, to the duchy’s total. 

Failure to secure all three will result in a deduction of 15 VPs for each location that is unsecured.

Note that the mission cards are not designed to be equally difficult to achieve. Some will be easier than others.

GENERALS

Each duchy starts the campaign with its warrior duke and 9 other generals capable of independent command. The duke and his generals should be named.

 All generals have two values:

·        Seniority: numbered 1 through 10, with the duke as 10. Where two generals are with the same army  the most senior is always the commander-in-chief. Where more than one general is fielded in a battle the higher in seniority must lead a command group. Seniority is decided before initiative.

·         

       Initiative: Numbered 2 through 5 and determined for each general by rolling D3+1. Initiative is used   throughout the campaign for movement and pre-battle manoeuvring. Initiative value is also used as   a  modifier for C-in-C battlefield quality rolls.

Initiative	C-in-C quality roll modifier
2	-2
3	NC
4	+2

Each army requires a general to move and fight. A field army finding itself without a general will have the nearest ‘spare’ general, delivered to it in phase 5 of the turn sequence regardless of lines of communication. A besieged garrison without a general may have the nearest ‘spare’ general delivered to it in phase 5 of the turn sequence regardless of lines of communication. Extra generals may be delivered to an army in phase 5 of the turn sequence regardless of lines of communication. If no spare general exists, the leaderless army will not be able to move and will always seek to retreat pre-battle.

Whenever a general is killed or captured he will be immediately replaced by a new one. The newest general is always the lowest in seniority. New generals must start in a fortress, unless none exist when any friendly dot will do. In effect, the duchy always has a duke and 9 generals. Where a general is repatriated after capture he cannot be reintroduced (at his old seniority) until a space is made for him, at which point those below his old seniority are bumped down.

ARMIES AND STRENGTH POINTS (SPS)

SPs are used to give a strategic numerical value to the armies moving around the map. SPs are used to buy units when an army comes to fight a field battle; the actual breakdown of unit types comprising an army can be found in the army lists.

•          Line infantry units cost 4 SPs
•          Line cavalry and heavy artillery units cost 3 SPs
•          Field artillery, light infantry and irregular light cavalry units cost 2 SPs.

SPs with a general are an army. Though armies may comprise as many SPs as a player wishes, no army may field more than 100 SPs in a battle. No army, outside of a fortress, can be voluntarily created with less than 15 SPs; armies with less always take priority for compulsory reinforcement to reach 15 SPs. No more than ten field armies can be created by a Duchy.

Each Duchy starts the campaign with a combined army of 200 Strength Points (SPs) of troops. The duke, his generals and all SPs must start the campaign in a fortress dot. No fortress can initially be without a general or SPs.

FORTRESSES

Fortresses are the only dots in which any number of SPs may be held, as a garrison, without a general.

 All fortresses are supply depots for their duchy.

Two fortresses are recruitment depots – these are marked with ‘bomb’ symbols.

Full scale formal sieges will not be war gamed as table actions in this campaign.

•  If an enemy army presents itself in a fortress dot a garrison with a general may offer battle, with the option to retreat into the fortress if he loses, or immediately retreat into the fortress and count as besieged. Garrisons without a general always retreat into the fortress.
• Besieged garrisons without a general are pinned and may not move or offer battle.
• If the garrison has a general it may be ordered to come out of a fortress to offers battle and, if it loses, it may retreat back into the fortress.
• If a relieving force and a besieged force link up to offer battle all or part of the combined force may retreat to the fortress if they lose.

·        A fortress cannot be taken if a besieging army does not exceed 60 SP and the garrison by more than 5:1. If the besieging army meets this requirement in phase 4 of the turn sequence roll 1 D6, and if the result is a ‘six’ the garrison will surrender.

·         

       If one side has the other bottled up in a fortress the dot may only be used a supply depot for the garrison, but the besieger may trace lines of supply through the fortress dot to supply depots further afield.

·       

          Sieges are automatically broken at the end of the campaign season.

If a fortress is captured it becomes a supply depot for the occupying duchy and any SPs therein become POW and are immediately transferred to the appropriate POW camp.

SUPPLY

To be in supply a force must have a clear line of supply, free of the presence of enemy SPs or enemy controlled dots, that leads to a supply depot.

Unless an army is in a fortress (always in supply) supply status is determined in phase 8 of the turn sequence and lasts until phase 9 of the next turn.

If an army is out of supply it immediately rolls D6 for each 6 SPs or part of: each ‘six’ rolled causes 1 SP attrition. On the third consecutive turn out of supply and thereafter the army will start to roll D6 per 3 SPs or part of: each ‘six’ rolled causes 1 SP attrition.

An unsupplied force can only move one dot per turn and may not undertake a forced march.

Lack of supply has no effect on combat effectiveness for one battle. If the army fights a second battle before regaining supply, all units apply a -5 modifier to their D20 battle quality rolls. 

RECRUITMENT DEPOTS

Two SPs of reinforcements will appear in each recruitment depot in phase 8 of the turn sequence.

Convalesced SPs (see hospitals below), plus any repatriated POW SPs (see POW camps below) will appear at training depots (random chance which) in phase 8 of the turn sequence.

Providing a line of supply can be traced to the fortress, reinforcements can be ordered to be dispatched to armies in phase 1 of the turn. These orders precede all others for the turn.

If a recruitment depot is taken by the enemy it will cease to produce reinforcement SPs until recaptured. When a training depot is captured any SPs therein become POW and are immediately transferred to the appropriate POW camp.

SCIENTIFIC CENTRES AND CHARACTERISATION CARDS

At the start of the campaign each player will be dealt ten cards from the Campaign Characterisation Deck. The effects of these cards (see appendix 1) can be applied immediately.

After the initial cards have been dealt the only way of obtaining more is to take control of enemy scientific centre dots. Each duchy has six centres and these are marked on the map with a rose symbol. When an enemy centre is taken two cards are dealt to the new controlling player. If the player has already reach the maximum effect of the technology the effect cannot be applied – the technology is old. New cards take effect in phase 6 of the turn sequence.

Once a scientific centre has been taken it no longer counts as one for the remainder of the campaigning season. Scientific centres cannot be moved.

THE CAMPAIGN CHARATERISATION DECK
CARD		TYPE	DEFINITION
♠	2 - 4	Line and Grenadier Training	Add 1 to unit quality rolls (+4 max).
	5	Line and Grenadier Training	Add 2 to unit quality rolls (+4 max).
	6	Militia Training	Add 1 to unit quality rolls (+2 max).
	7	Guard	1 unit of line infantry (in an army of 40 + SPs) may be upgraded to guard
	8 - 9	Advanced Drill	Unit may move at full rate when moving obliquely and deploy forward without an Other Difficulty check.
	10 - J	Cadenced Marching	Add Infantry Move in the Open card (1 max)
	Q - K	Improved Musket Drill	Add Musket Reload card (1 max).
	A	Wild Card	Any spade.
♣	2 - 3	Line Cavalry Training	Add 1 to unit quality rolls (+4 max).
	4	Line Cavalry Training	Add 2 to unit quality rolls (+4 max).
	5	Guard Line Cavalry	1 unit of heavy cavalry (in an army of 40 + SPs) may be upgraded to guard – Up 2 Morale, Up 2 Melee.
	6	Elite Dragoons	Morale Up 1, Up 1 Melee.
	7	Elite Hussars	Morale Up 1, Up 1 Melee.
	8	Elite Cuirassier	Morale Up 1.
	9	Shock Hussars	Hussars may melee on Shock Cavalry Resolution cards.
	10 - J	Advanced Drill	Add Cavalry Move in the Open card (1 max).
	Q - K	Superior Shock Cavalry	Add one Shock Cavalry Melee Resolution card (1 max).
	A	Wild Card	Any club.
♦	2	Irregular & light  Training	Add 1 to the unit quality rolls (+4 max).
	3 4	Irregular Troops Training Elite Light Infantry	Add 2 to the unit quality rolls (+4 max). Elite Light infantry.
	5 - 7	Integral Sappers	One unit of line infantry (in an army of 40 + SPs) may be converted to sappers with bridging equipment and explosives. Otherwise, sappers with bridging equipment cost 5 VP.
	8 - 9	Artillery Training	Add 1 to unit quality rolls (+4 max).
	10	Artillery Training	Add 2 to unit quality rolls (+4 max).
	J	Siege Artillery	One battery of heavy guns (in an army of 40 + SPs) may be converted to siege guns.
	Q - K	Horse Artillery	One battery of field artillery (in an army of 40 + SPs) may be converted to horse artillery.
	A	Wild Card	Any diamond.
♥	2 - 4	Research Breakthrough	Draw two cards
	5	Superior Hospitals	SPs convalesce on ‘five’ or ‘six’.
	6	Superior Recruitment Depot	One recruitment depot will recruit 3 SP per turn.
	7	Specialisation	Increase the proportion of one specific troop type in the Duchy’s armies by 0 - 10%.
	8 - 9	Superior Staff College	Add 1 to officer quality rolls (+4 max).
	10	Superior Staff College	Add 2 to officer quality rolls (+4 max).
	J	Superior Staff College	Add Heroic Moment card (1 max).
	Q - K	Superior Staff College	Add Officer Check card (1 max).
	A	Wild Card	Any heart.
JOKER		Any card of any suit.

HOSPITAL DOTS

Each duchy has one hospital. The hospital is marked on the map with a cross symbol. 

The winner of a battle sends 1 in 3 (rounding up all fractions) of his casualty SPs directly to the hospital regardless of lines of communication.  The loser of a battle sends 1 in 5 (rounding up all fractions) of his casualty SPs directly to the hospital regardless of lines of communication. 

Casualties in hospital convalesce in phase 8 of the turn sequence. To recover a D6 is rolled for each SP in the hospital: a recovery is indicated for each 6 rolled. Recovered SPs are immediately and directly transferred to a random friendly recruitment depot that is not under siege.

A hospital can be voluntarily relocated for the cost of 10 VPs. If taken by the enemy, a new hospital can be immediately set up elsewhere at a cost of 5 VPs; all convalescing SPs in a captured hospital become prisoners of war and will be immediately transferred to the appropriate POW camp.

PRISONER OF WAR (POW) CAMPS

Each duchy has two prisoner of war camps, one for the captured SPs of each enemy duchy. POW camps are marked on the map with a skull and crossbones symbol in the colour of each enemy duchy.

Following a battle, win or lose, 1 in 5 (rounding up all fractions) of all enemy casualty SPs are taken prisoner. There is also a 25% chance that any general that becomes a casualty is actually captured rather than wounded. 

All POW are immediately and directly transferred to the appropriately coloured POW camp. Here they will spend the remainder of the campaigning season unless exchanged in POW swaps or released through enemy action.

If a POW camp is captured any friendly SPs are immediately diced for by rolling 1 D6 for each SP. For each ’four’,  ‘five’ or ‘six’ rolled one SP is directly transferred to the nearest training depot in phase 8 of the turn sequence, the others are simply released.

If the POW SPs belong to another duchy they are immediately and directly transferred to the player’s appropriate POW camp. If taken by the enemy, a new POW camp must be immediately set up elsewhere. New POW camps cost 5 VPs. A POW camp can be voluntarily relocated for the cost of 10 VPs.

SEQUENCE OF PLAY

1.       Order phase: Players send (by email) their move orders for the turn. The Umpire will randomly decide in which order the Duchies are activated.

2.       The activation and movement phase: All armies will dice for activation and carry out their orders. The umpire will make rolls for army activation.

3.       Pre-battle manoeuvres, retreats before battle, battle, retreats post battle.

4.       Resolve sieges.

5.       Any new generals are delivered to armies without one.

6.       Any newly acquired campaign army characterisation cards are activated.

7.       Re-locate hospitals and POW camps.

8.       Newly recruited SPs, and convalesced casualty (from hospital) SPs are delivered to recruitment depots. The umpire will make rolls for convalescence.

9.       Assess lines of supply. The umpire will make rolls for attrition.

TURN PHASES

PHASE 1: ORDERS

Each turn begins with the emailing of Duchy orders to me (the umpire). The orders should include all the actions the player wishes his Duchy to undertake during the turn. Orders must be clear and unconditional – ordering general #8 to march if general #9 has completed his orders is not allowed.

Duchy orders should include:

The number of reinforcement SPs that are to be dispatched from recruitment depots. The destination of the reinforcement SPs. Priority must go to field armies under 15 SPs strong. Reinforcements will always arrive providing the orders are clear and correct (see p.3).

Notification of the breakup of an existing army into two or more smaller armies. The strength of each army and who commands it, including any sub generals, must be noted. This process will be automatic (line of communication permitting) and does not require activation.

Although movement requires activation rolls (rolls will be made by the umpire) movement orders, including the starting position, route, and destination should be given for each army the player desires should move.

Finally, orders for the change of location for hospitals and POW camps should be stated.

After the orders from the duchies are received the Umpire will randomly decide in which order the duchies will activate. Note that the dispatch of reinforcements will always happen.

If the general fails to activate (see movement) his orders are voided. The orders he failed to carry out will not be relayed to the other Duchies. Note that strategic intentions, other than for immediate movement, are never required.

Note that, on the turn following a battle armies will not accept movement orders. They must remain stationary for that turn.

Example of orders:

•         Reinforce army at Khol with 2 SP from recruitment there and 4 SP from recruitment and convalesced at Keisinger.
•          Generals 10, 9 and 4 with 58 SP (52 + 6) at Kohl: Split army in two. Generals 10 and 4 with 40 SP march via Groningen to Noname, General 9 with 18 SP march to Sitzens.
•          Move hospital from Gargelingen to Ulzenstadt – cost 10 VP.

PHASE 2: ACTIVATION AND MOVEMENT

Before an army can move it must be activated. To activate an army its senior general rolls one D6 and adds his initiative value. If the result is six or more the army is activated and it will move as its orders require, or as far as it can.

Armies starting in the same dot as an enemy army cannot move into enemy controlled dots. Armies cannot move through enemy armies in neighbouring dots. Armies that are prevented from moving by enemy armies that subsequently refuse battle by retreating will make a one dot movement in compliance to their orders or hold position.

The maximum distance that a supplied army can move, counting each dot moved into in one turn, is two dots. The exception is for armies that are ordered to undertake a ‘Forced March’: These can move three dots in one turn but may suffer attrition - Roll one D6 for every 10 SP in the army (rounding up all fractions) and suffer 1 SP attrition for each ‘six’ rolled.

An army that retreated last turn deducts one dot from its maximum movement.

An army that is out of supply can move one dot.

On the turn following a battle an army cannot move.

An army moving to an enemy fortress dot or any river crossing dot will end its turn in that dot.

If two or more friendly armies occupy a single dot at the end of the move phase they must combine into a single force commanded by the most senior general present.

Enemy armies ending phase 4 in the same dot have contacted and must go through the pre-battle manoeuvre phase.

As a supplied army moves it takes control of the dots it passes through. The exception to this is where an army makes a retreat move, when control of the dot will not change.

PHASE 3: PRE-BATTLE MANOEUVRES

The pre-battle manoeuvre phase must be completed for all contacts (enemy armies in the same dot) before any ensuing battles are fought. The exception is where three enemy armies are in the same dot, the first two armies that were in the dot resolve their engagement first, then if one remains (possibly after a battle) the second engagement is resolved. Three armies can never fight in the same field battle at the same time.

Pre-battle manoeuvres always follow the same routine as laid out in the pre-battle manoeuvre flow chart. Black boxes show the umpiring process, blue boxes show the points of player interaction, yellow boxes show battlefield deployment notes, and the green box shows the notes on strategic pursuit fire.

At the end of the process, if a battle is indicated, it will be fought out on the table.

BATTLE

Both sides make up their armies by breaking down their forces by percentages found in the army lists. The tables work in the following way.

·        

       The player decides the percentage of infantry artillery and cavalry he will field.

·         

       The player then consults the tables and, working from top to bottom carrying any left over SP to the next line down, calculates the number of SPs of infantry, artillery and cavalry. Example: A player with 88 SP wishes to field 60% as infantry, 10% as artillery, and 30% as cavalry. 60% of 88 SP is 52.8 SP so 52 SP will be infantry. 10% of 88 SP is 8.8 SP, plus the 0.8 SP remaining from the infantry percentage is 9.6 SP, so 9 SP will be artillery. The remaining 27 SP will be cavalry.

·         

      The same system is now applied to the breakdown for each arm of the service with any remaining SP being carried over to the next stage. Example: The army will have 52 SP to spend on infantry. 15% (7.8 SP) must be used to buy militia units at 4 SP each, which buys 1 militia unit and leaves 3.8 SP in the kitty. 20% (10.4 SP) must be used to buy grenadiers units at 4 SP each but this is increased to 14.2 SP because of the SP left over from the purchase of militia – it buys 3 units of grenadiers and leaves 2.2 SP in the kitty. 0% will be spent on light infantry so the remaining 36 SP will be used to buy 9 line infantry units at 4 SP each. Nothing remains in the kitty to buy extra artillery units when that stage of unit buying is undertaken.

·         

       If, after buying troops for all three services 1 SP remains it is counted as half a unit of irregular cavalry, held off table, that can be used post battle in calculating ‘Strategic Pursuit Fire’.

Any named generals present, except the highest ranking general (C-in-C of the force) must be assigned a brigade. All other brigades will be assigned a randomly generated brigadier. All brigades will consist of one to six infantry regiments or one to four cavalry regiments; artillery is always unattached.

The winning army is the one that holds the battlefield after his opponent is reduced to zero morale and declares he is withdrawing on an officer check card; or automatically, when all of the enemy units have had their battle quality downgraded by failed major morale checks.

If neither side has achieved victory on the battlefield before the end of turn 8, nightfall, the battle is a draw and both armies will withdraw. No battle in this campaign may ever last more than one day.

Once any winner has been decided each side works out its SP losses. Count up all Unit Integrity points lost at any point during the game (rallied or not) and divide by 3. The result is the total number of SPs lost by the army in the battle. One in five lost SP go to POW camps. One in three of the victors lost SP, and one in five of the losers lost SP, go to hospital.

RETREAT AFTER BATTLE

If by the end of 8 turns of battle, one or both armies withdraws, they must be retreated one, two or three dots towards a friendly controlled dot.

If one side has won the battle it may carry out strategic pursuit fire on the enemy army as it withdraws.

If a retreating army must pass through an enemy army or enemy controlled dot it will take strategic pursuit fire.

A force cannot move on the turn following battle regardless if it won or lost the battle.

Having retreated, if the finishes the turn in an unfriendly dot it is out of supply at the end of the turn.

STRATEGIC PURSUIT FIRE

 Where one side has won the battle:

·       First total the total number of non-broken, shaken or disordered cavalry units in each army that remain in the field, counting hussars and irregular cavalry as double. If the retreating army has a higher number no pursuit fire is carried out. If the winning side has a higher number pursuit fire is carried out.

·         

       If pursuit fire occurs multiply the positive difference in ‘cavalry units’ by the winning general’s initiative rating. Example: The Auzzians are forced to retreat and they have ‘5 units worth’ of cavalry capable of preventing pursuit whilst the Ruspinians have ‘10 units worth’ of cavalry capable of pursuit. The Ruspinians have more cavalry so carry out strategic pursuit fire: They have 5 more units of cavalry and are commanded by a general rated as initiative value 3 for a strategic pursuit fire factor of 15.

·         

       For each strategic pursuit fire factor roll 1D6. For each 'five' or ‘six’ rolled the retreating army loses  1 SP. These are all killed outright – no hospitals or POW camps for these unfortunate sods.

Where one side must retreat through an enemy army or enemy controlled dot.

·         

       When retreating through an enemy army, divide the number of SPs in the blocking army by 8 (rounding up) multiplied by the blocking army’s C-in-C to determine the strategic pursuit fire factor.

·        

       When retreating through enemy controlled dots, use the VP value of dot as the strategic pursuit fire factor.

·         

       For each strategic pursuit fire factor roll 1D6. For each ‘six’ rolled the retreating army loses 1 SP outright.

PHASE 4: RESOLVE SIEGES

See page 3.

PHASE 5: DELIVER NEW GENERALS.

See page 2.

PHASE 6: ACTIVATE CHARACTERISATION CARDS.

See page 4.

PHASE 7: RE-LOCATE HOSPITALS AND POW CAMPS.

See page 4.

PHASE 8: ASSIGN NEW RECRUITS, CONVALESCED CASUALTIES AND RELEASED POW SPs.

See page 4.

PHASE 9: ASSESS LINES OF SUPPLY.

See page 3.

ARMY LIST

The basic army for all three duchies is the same.

Infantry 50% - 60% SPs

Artillery 5% - 12.5% SPs

Cavalry 30% - 40% SPs

INFANTRY BREAKDOWN AND STATS
Type	Campaign Notes		BDV			Quality Roll Adj.	Notes	P
	%	Cost	Fire	Melee	Morale
Militia	15%	4	8	6	4	‚ƒ„	Guard
Grenadier	20%	4	12	10	8	‚ƒ„	Advanced Drill
Light	0 - 10%	2	8	8	6	‚ƒ„	Infantry Move in Open
Line	55 - 65%	4	10	8	6	‚ƒ„	Musket Reload
Guard	1 max	4	12+1	12	10	‚ƒ„

ARTILLERY BREAKDOWN AND STATS
Type	Campaign Notes		BDV			Quality Roll Adj.	Notes	P
	%	Cost	Fire	Melee	Morale
Heavy	30 - 50%	3	10	4	6	‚ƒ„	Integral Sappers
Field	50 - 70%	2	8	4	6	‚ƒ„	Siege Artillery
Howitzers	0 - 20%	2	8	4	6	‚ƒ„	Horse Artillery
Siege	1 max	3	12	4	6	‚ƒ„

CAVALRY BREAKDOWN AND STATS
Type	Campaign Notes		BDV			Quality Roll Adj.	Notes	P
	%	Cost	Fire	Melee	Morale
Dragoons	25 - 30%	3	-	8 / 10E	6 / 8E	‚ƒ„	Elite Dragoons
Hussars	25 - 30%	3	8	6 / 8E	6 / 8E	‚ƒ„	Elite Hussars
Cuirassier	40%	3	-	10	6 / 8E	‚ƒ„	Elite Cuirassier
Irregular	0 - 10%	2	8	4	4	‚ƒ„	Shock Hussars
Guard	1 max	3	-	12	10	‚ƒ„	Cavalry Move In Open
							Shock Cavalry Melee

OFFICER STATS
#	Name	Initiative			Quality Roll Adj.	Notes	P
10		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„	Superior Hospitals
9		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„	Superior Recruitment Depot
8		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„	Specialisation (___________)
7		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„	Heroic Moment
6		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„	Officer Check
5		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„
4		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„
3		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„
2		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„
1		2‚	3€	4‚	‚ƒ„

That's what I have. And I hope it's of use to someone.

Three New Bridges - The waterway project.

Making river sections is probably the most boring terrain job I've undertaken in years. It's mind numbing, and I've been unable to make any progress on the river project for over a month. 

However, even having bored myself stupid, I did need to make some bridges so that I can actually use what I've made. Bridges are much more interesting to make than river sections, so today I braced myself for the task and knocked up three new bridges for my 'average' river (100 mm width of water). I was going to make four, but as I already have a ford (pictured here also) I wondered if I'd ever have enough road to link that many up. I decided three bridges and a ford should be more than enough. Of course, that does sound a bit like famous last words. 

When I restock my foam board to make the banks for the narrow river sections - Aaaaargh! - I'll also make a pontoon section which can, at a pinch, double as an ordinary bridge in emergencies.

Designing the bridges was pretty simple. I wanted them all to be different so that, in scenario briefings and during a game, each bridge can be easily described verbally. I decided on two stone bridges - one a double arched bridge and one a single arched bridge - and a wooden bridge (with stone abutments and a central stone pier). The latter was a cobbled together design, not based on any bridge I've ever seen and consequently, to me at least, it looks a bit queer. But, it will get troops across, and from an engineering point of view it looks sound enough. In fact, that's probably what looks wrong about it, it's over engineered. Ho hum.

The bridges are based on 2 mm thick MDF. The banks of the river, and the 'walls' of the stone bridges are 5 mm thick foam board. The 'roads' of the bridges are made from artist's mounting board (quality card, about 1 mm thick). The underside of the arches is made from thin card (cheap Christmas cards, from cheap friends, not that I'm complaining). The stone pier for the wood bridge is foam board. All other detail, such as brickwork, buttressing (on the two arch bridge), railings and wooden planking is thin balsa wood. I prefer balsa wood, for this kind of thing, to any other substance, because it is so easy to cut up. The stippling effect to rough up the stone is artist's heavy body acrylic paint (the tubed stuff from artist's shops), as are the 'road' surfaces. The bridges were painted with household emulsion paint.

The bridges:

The ford (which I really like) made whilst doing the river sections themselves:

So now I have over 20' of wide rivers (180 mm width of water) with three bridges and a pontoon section, and over 20' of 'average' rivers (100 mm width of water) with three bridges and a ford (pontoon section to follow). And, they can all be joined up using 'tributary sections' to make a complete system of waterways.

I'm on the finishing straight. Next up the narrow river sections (50 mm width of water) and 'ponds' (some linking into the narrow waterways), and bridges to cross them. These too, will link into wider rivers using 'tributary sections' when required. It's a job I'm not looking forward to.

I may also make, at some point after I've recovered, some very narrow streams (30 mm width of water) but these will be made in a different way because the banks might look a bit silly otherwise. I'll have to see how versatile the 50 mm wide rivers are.

Kolin 1757 - Victory conditions and terrain

VICTORY CONDITIONS

In my last scenario (Liegnitz) I used a system of victory conditions that I haven't used before. They worked extremely well at focusing the action whilst giving more than one objective to determine the level of victory or loss, so I'm going to use something very similar for Kolin. 

Using victory conditions which direct the action should work well for this battle. In my opinion this battle will work best if Krzeczor Hill and Przerovsky Hill are made the main objectives, with Krzeczor Hill being primary. 

Hulsen's command in front of Krzeczor village, beyond lies the key to the battle Krzeczor Hill.

The game will end when the side not holding Krzeczor Hill throws in the towel at zero army morale points. At that point, if the resigning side holds Przerovsky Hill the game will be a losing draw -because the resigning side gave up - but, a defeat with honour, bands playing, and everyone gets medals. Otherwise the victory goes to the holder of Krzeczor Hill. If the winning side holds both hills the victory is a major one. If the winning side holds all three hills, Pobortz Hill being the third, the victory is truly historic. 

To aid the determination of who holds hills, the summit of each hill has been marked with a red headed drawing pin. To hold a hill, a player must have the closest unit to the pin with no enemy unit within eight inches of it.

Looking south west. In the foreground is Chotzemitz with its defending Grenzers, A depression runs south of Chotzemitz towards the saddle between Krzeczor Hill and Przerovsky Hill. In the distance stands Przeserovsky Hill, bristling with guns and muskets.

TERRAIN

The hills are gentle and cause no hindrance to movement. They do not provide a superior position to fire from. Przerovsky Hill and Pobortz Hill provide a superior position when defending, up hill, in melee; Krzeczor hill does not.

I took this shot of the slope running down to the Kaiserstrasse from just west of Krzeczor some years ago.
The slope is about 6%.

The reverse slope of Kreczor Hill looking south west. In a previous post I've mislabelled this shot.

All villages count as Type III town sections for movement and cover. Krzeczor is two adjoining sections, one north one south. The other villages are one section only.

Looking south east across Bristvi towards the Oak Wood. The church, a two section built up area with the forward section manned by Grenzers, is Krzeczor. 

The woods, including Oak Wood, are Type III for movement and cover. 

This is the Thrty Years War Swedish earthwork running west from Krzeczor. It looks big, but the ground scale I'm working at means that it is just part of my village of Krzeczor. One thing is for sure, until you get past it, you can't see the top of the Kreczor Hill. In the mid distance on the extreme right of the photo, and sticking up from the low tree line, stands the Kolin Memorial.

The depressions, at Chotzemitz and Bristwi, are Type III for movement and cover.

Bristvi, a small hamlet in one of the two deep depressions that cut up the battlefield. Down the road is Chotzemitz and the second depression.

The roads are tracks and do not provide movement rate bonuses.

All other terrain has no effect and has been placed for purely scenic reasons.  

Krzecor church. Mark Dudley is on the right, looking for a Prussian bakery.

Kolin 1757 - OOB for my scenario

Following on from my post concerning the set up of my scenario, with a start time of around 2.00 pm and Hulsen closing in on Krzeczor village, I will now detail the OOB I'm going to use. The forces, as mentioned in the first post I did, are scaled at a reduced ratio to my normal practice. For this scenario, the units represent approximately three battalions of infantry or one and a half regiments of cavalry (counting regiments as 5 - 6 squadrons). I have taken the liberty of slightly reducing the numbers of brigades so that there are not so many one and two unit commands.

We will use classic Piquet rules with our house amendments for large 18th Century battles. The OOB is set out accordingly.

PRUSSIA

Commander-in-Chief: King Frederick II. Rated skilled.
Army morale points: 32
Extra sequence and army characterisation cards: Melee Resolution; Cavalry Move in the Open; Stratagem - off table reinforcements, centre.*

* This card applies to Pennavaire with three unis of cuirassier (see below). On any appearance of the Stratagem card the player may declare that the command will arrive on the next appearance of a Cavalry Move in the Open card - the Austrians see them coming a long way off. They arrive on the Prussian base line anywhere west of Bristvi. They arrive in a column of regiments.

Hulsen. Rated skilled.

• Two units of converged grenadiers. Rated eager.
• One unit of line infantry (musketeers). Rated eager.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated ready.

Tresckow. Rated average.

• One unit of line infantry (musketeers). Rated eager.
• Two units of line infantry (musketeers). Rated ready.

Bevern. Rated skilled.

• One unit of line infantry (musketeers). Rated eager.
• Two units of line infantry (musketeers). Rated ready.

Puttkamer. Rated average.

• One unit of line infantry (fusiliers). Rated ready.
• One unit of line infantry (The Garde). Rated ready.

Krosigk. Rated skilled.

• One unit of cuirassier. Rated determined.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated eager.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated ready.
• One unit of hussars. Rated ready.

Schonaich. Rated average.

• One units of guard cuirassier (Garde du Corps). Rated ready.
• One units of cuirassier. Rated ready.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated ready.

Pennavaire. Rated skilled. (Off table reinforcements, see Stratagem card above.*)

• One unit of cuirassier. Rated eager.
• Two units of cuirassier. Rated ready.

Independent units.

• One battery of heavy guns. Rated ready.
• One battery of howitzers. Rated ready.
• One unit of hussars. Rated ready.

AUSTRIA

Commander-in-Chief: Count Leopold Daun. Rated Average.

Army morale points: 38

Extra sequence and army characterisation cards: Musket Reload; Stratagem - three stands of snipers.* Stratagem - off table reinforcements, left.**

* Snipers move up to twelve inches, in any direction, for free, on Native Mobiltity cards. They can shoot as other infantry but only reload on Elite Reload cards. They have a range of twelve inches and an all round arc of fire. They always roll D4 Vs D6 when firing. If a pip hit is scored the enemy unit is disordered. If the defending die is doubled the army also loses one morale point. Snipers cannot be shot at. They are temporarily eliminated (go to ground) if contacted, returning to the fray (placed anywhere the player wishes) on the next Native Mobility card.

** This card applies to Puebla. Historically, Puebla took no effective action in the battle but remained in place, effectively under 'hold' orders, for it's entire duration. But the military possibility of him becoming actively involved was a real one. Consequently, I have decided, Puebla's units must remain stationary until he receives new orders. These orders will be issued, on the appearance of the Stratagem card, if any of the following conditions are met. 

• The Prussians have advanced to within 24" of any unit in Puebla's command.
• Krzeczor Hill is under Prussian control  (see victory conditions).
• Przerovsky Hill is under Prussian control (see victory conditions).

Wied: Rated average.

• Three units of line infantry. Rated ready.
• Two units of line infantry. Rated battle weary.

  This command group includes Sincere's units. I have amalgamated them because they were issued with the same orders - 'form the first line on Krzeczor Hill'.

  I have downgraded two units of Wied's infantry in the lead column because they were largely made up of 'single battalion regiments', and they performed badly.

Starhemberg. Rated average.

• One unit of line infantry. Rated eager.
• One unit of line infantry. Rated ready.

Andlau. Rated skilled.

• One unit of line infantry. Rated eager.
• Two units of line infantry. Rated ready.

Puebla. Rated Average.

• Four units of line infantry. Rated ready.
• One unit of Grenzer. Rated ready. (In Pobortz).

Serbelloni. Rated skilled.

• One unit of cuirassier. Rated eager.
• Two units of cuirassier. Rated ready.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated eager.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated ready.

Stampach. Rated Average.

• One unit of cuirassier. Rated eager.
• One units of cuirassier. Rated ready.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated eager.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated ready.

Morocz. Rated Average.

• One units of cuirassier. Rated ready.
• One unit of hussars. Rated ready.

Gossnitz. Rated Average.

• One unit of dragoons. Rated eager.
• One unit of dragoons. Rated ready.

Indepenent units.

• Three batteries of heavy guns. Rated ready.
• One battery of medium guns. Rated ready.
• Two units of Grenzer. Rated eager. (One in Krzeczor, one in Chotzemitz).
• One unit of Grenzer. Rated battle weary. (In Kutlire).
• Three stands of snipers. (See Stratagem card above*).

Next up will be the terrain notes and victory conditions.

Kolin 1757 - Start times are important

After reading one or two comments and private emails about my post on Friday, I've been reviewing my set up for the battle of Kolin. Although I will re-fight the battle on the terrain I have set up, from Pobortz Hill to Kutlire, I have decided to set up the battle from a different start point.

A shot showing all of the set up except for Puebla's command at Pobortz (out of picture to the lower right). Another command, in shot but out of sight behind Oak Wood, is that of Morocz. I have put the Saxon cavalry under the command of Gossnitz, who was present and later became a Lieutenant General.

On Friday I set the forces as they are generally mapped out, using Duffy's The Army of Frederick the Great, Simon Millar's Kolin 1757, and Kershner and Wood's scenario book Campaigns And Battles From the Age Of Reason. This was a mistake, but I don't think I've wasted any time by doing it. I now know, that if the game were to follow the historical narrative, the table distances match the footprints of my units and I have enough room to deploy everything.

For some reason, on Friday, when I worked out the number of units required, I double counted some of the Prussian cavalry and I gave them three more units than they should have had. I also partly miscounted the Austrians, largely for the same reason, and gave them an infantry unit and a cavalry unit too many. The new numbers actually work out rather nicely for the initial set up - to be sure, the Prussian left looks far less cramped.

Hulsen and Krosigk in position for their assault on Krezczor and Krzeczor Hill. The stands of Grenzers with the pink beads can be ignored for now - they need to be deployed by the Austrian players - but will used to represent snipers.

When I looked at the advice I received, and having read the accounts of the battle once more, I knew I must look again the scenario start time. In the particular case of Kolin, I think there are three plausible start times and here is a general run down of my thoughts on them: 

Option 1:
The first is to start before the Prussians begin marching down the Kaiserstrasse at dawn. This would make for an interesting battle but I'm not sure it would look anything like the Battle of Kolin as it was fought in 1757. I'll quickly pass on this option and move on.

Option 2:
The second time to start the battle is after Frederick's march down the Kaiserstrasse has gotten underway, but before the attack to outflank the Austrian right (by attacking the supposedly unoccupied Krzeczor and Krzeczor Hill) has begun. This would be sometime between 10.30 am and noon, when Frederick got his first real look at the Austrian position from the Novi Mesto Inn. From here, whilst his army rested on the Kaiserstrasse, he made his plan and issued his orders. 

This would be the ideal place to start the scenario. However, in 28mm the depth of field is too restrictive to include the Kaiserstrasse; the road would need to be off table making off table map movement a necessary requirement. I'm not a big fan of map moves linking in with table moves, so for me this approach would be a tricky proposition. If I had another table running parallel to the one I have, on which I could set up the Kaiserstrasse this start time would be my preferred option - a dream way to do Kolin - but I don't. I will pass on this option, sadly. Sometimes 15mm looks awfully attractive!

Looking from Bristwi to Pobortz Hill. I'm with Der Alte Fritz - every table needs a windmill!

Option 3:
The third time to start the scenario is at around 2.00 pm. and I think this one will work best for what I have in mind because it fits in well with the terrain as I have set it up and there is virtually no off table element to the set up and no map movement is required. 

At 2.00 pm, Hulsen's attack is about to be made on Krzeczor village. Frederick has become aware that the village is defended (by Grenzers) and he has seen the dust kicked up by Serbelloni's and Wied's columns making for Krzeczor hill beyond.

At this point, Frederick changed his plan. Frederick realised that Hulsen would have a fight on his hands and by the time he arrived on Krzeczor Hill it would no longer be unoccupied. To save the situation, the attack on Krzeczor hill using his embryonic 'oblique order' attack would need to be abandoned. A full scale frontal assault on Krzeczor Hill had to be made immediately, and before the Austrians could substantially reinforce the position. And historically, they wouldn't get there in time.

Frederick now ordered Tresckow not to follow Hulsen up directly, but to immediately come into line to his right and follow up as best he could. 

Bevern, in command of what should have been a refused  right wing, also formed line and advanced southward off the Kaiserstrasse. From here, he would be drawn into a premature attack on Chotzemitz and Przerovsky Hill by the incessant sniping of Grenzers from the tall crops to his front. 

Bevern's starting point having marched off the Kaiserstrasse. To his front lies Chotzemitz which swarms with Grenzers, and beyond that Przerovsky Hill. Here the Austrian front line is under the command of Andlau (Daun is also present here but not tagged). Behind Andlau, Starhemberg's units form the second line. Beyond Starhemberg, the rear half of Wieds command (historically under Sincere) is marching to Krzeczor Hill. On Krzeczor hill the first half of Wied's command is in the process of arriving under the watchful eye of Serbelloni.

Frederick's 'oblique order' was not yet perfected - the wheels had come off before the juggernaut had got out of the garage. Kolin, like the battle of Prague, was part of the learning curve. It taught Frederick that an oblique order attack should only be made if the initial manoeuvres could be made out of sight and, at Kolin, Field Marshal Daun (watching from the high ground) could see and counter every move Frederick made. 

Although the game begins before the Austrians have fully manned Krzeczor Hill, some troops have arrived. The usually tardy Serbelloni has arrived in force with his cavalry to join Wied's cavalry (which now form part of his command) and independent grenadiers occupying Oak Wood. 

The guns, having outpaced the infantry, are also in position. They are just coming into action. 

Wied and Sincere (who will be in Wied's command) are marching their infantry into positions to form the first infantry line on Krzeczor Hill. 

Starhemberg has yet to be ordered to form the second infantry line on Krzeczor Hill and starts the game as the second line on Przerovsky Hill. 

Another shot of the Austrian position at Przerovsky Hill and Krzeczor Hill. Oak Wood is guarded by a single unit of Grenadiers. Behind Oak Wood is Gossnitz's command of Saxon cavalry.

The race between the Prussian and Austrian infantry to reach Krzeczor Hill in force will be an interesting one. Anyone familiar with Piquet's lack of a fixed move sequence will know how tense these kind of affairs can be (because you never really know how often your troops will get to move, or when).

Only one command will start off table. This is a command of heavy cavalry under Pennavaire. This will arrive as off table reinforcements, east of Brzesau and within 24" of it, on a Stratagem sequence card.

So that's the set up. There is plenty going on, so it's not just a case of the Austrians sitting on the hills and defending. True, some decisions have been predetermined for the players by the scenario, but this means the battle will, initially at least, have the look and feel of Kolin. Where the players, cards and dice take the narrative later will only be known as the game progresses.

Next up, the order of battle, victory conditions and special scenario notes for the snipers and such.

The Battle of Kolin 1757 - A battle by the yard.

Many years ago, when my Seven Years War collection was nowhere near as populous as it is today, I remember re-fighting Kolin using the reduced scale order of battle given in Campaigns And Battles From the Age Of Reason by Kershner and Wood. That scenario involves about fifteen units a side and even back then I could do Kolin with those kind of numbers. Since then my collection has more than doubled in size, as has my table, and more battles using many more units have become manageable but, some battles are still too awkward to do at my preferred scaling, none more so than Kolin.

The 12 feet long Austrian line, just about all in shot. The Austrian left, which extends further than the Prussian left, abuts the table edge. The Austrian right is a little over 2' from the table edge because it was prone to being flanked.  

However, over the past couple of weeks, I've been looking at Kolin again. As SYW battles between the Prussians and Austrians go, Kolin is one of the classics. However, for wargamers, Kolin has the draw back of unusually high levels of cavalry in proportions of type that don't (I think) appear anywhere else. For instance, there are ten Austrian / Saxon dragoon / chevauxleger regiments present, and overall there are ninety seven squadrons of hussars. This makes Kolin almost too silly to collect for. 

The Prussian line. As with the Austrian line one end abuts the table edge (in the distance) and this is where I'd like to have a further 18" of table so the Prussian cavalry could deploy in a long line.

But, then again silly is as silly does and, it would be nice to fight Kolin at my preferred unit scale of one wargame unit to represent an infantry regiment (of two battalions) or a  cavalry regiment (of five squadrons), hmmm.

So it was that the idea of actually getting my moth laden wallet out, for a shot to nothing, actually began to become a real possibility. If I forgot about the wing where most of the hussars faced off against each other, as most reconstructions of the battle do, I'd only need to buy three units of Saxon chevauxleger and two units of cuirassiers (one for each side).

Prussian cavalry on their left wing. They should be in a single line side by side. However, historically this cavalry attacked into the flank of the Austrian line and, because the frontage of the attack was quite small, it was forced to attack in waves. This deployment merely starts them in 'waves'.

Although I already had enough infantry, just to make life very simple, I thought I'd buy about a hundred Austrian infantry figures to upgrade eight units of Austrian line infantry from twenty four to thirty six men strong (to represent regiments of three battalions). The sixteen stands of infantry would include eight stands of grenadiers so I could build two extra units of converged grenadiers when required (Liegnitz?) - two birds, one stone, put the oven on I'm cooking! 

The Prussian start position for their oblique attack. I have omitted the Swedish earthworks next to Kreczor because of how town fighting and occupation work in my rules. It works better as a long built up area with two sections (one at front one at the back) the forward area defended by a single battalion of Grenzers.

With this plan in mind, but before placing an order, I began to lay out on paper what the battle would look like. It's a very good job that I did. It soon became apparent that Kolin has a startlingly long battle line. Even with the wing of hussars omitted, the Austrian line is over four miles long and you can't really compress it (as you can with some battlefields, like Zorndorf, which is just over three miles long and compressible to a little over two and a half miles without much game effect). For Kolin, even with my table's drop leaf extension up, I was five feet short - I'd need a table twenty feet long to do the battle at my preferred scale! Short of another quarter of a million pounds to upgrade to a house with a room for such a table, that plan must, for the time being at least, be put on hold.

Prussian artillery is rarely featured in Kolin games because they don't generally feature in the battle maps. I'm indebted to Jeff Berry of Obscure Battles (link in sidebar) for placing them.

I'm not sure if I was more disappointed as a wargamer, or more happy as a Yorkshireman, that the moths in my wallet would be left undisturbed. Certainly, buying the extra troops (except the grenadiers) would now serve little purpose; though the Saxon Chevauxleger would be a nice to have; hmmm?

So back to the drawing board. Next, I worked out what the battle would look like with some reduction in scale. I counted the infantry battalions and divided them by three to get a number of infantry units, and I divided the number of cavalry regiments by one point five. With a dollop of fudge here and there I had the figures in hand and painted to do it, and I had a table that was just big enough to do it. 

Chotzemitz garrisoned by more Grenzers. The rough ground behind the built up area represents a depression and woodland. Having visited the battlefield several years ago, I think it was the depressions at Chotzemitz and Bristvi which made the lasting impression (well them, and the earthworks at Kreczor). The cornfields are merely scenic.

As it happened, with the reduction in scale, I also had easily enough hussars to do the hussar wing but, again, table length defeated this ambition - the table feet I gained by reducing the number of units for the main battle was almost exactly what I would need for the hussars to be included so, still several feet short, the possibility of a huge hussar battle going on at one end of the table can only exist in the ether.

Kreczor and the Oak Wood. These mark the extreme right of the Austrian main battle line. Although the hussar wing extended for some distance beyond the hussars had no impact on the battle in this area. 

Significantly reducing the number of units in an army is problematical. Apart from the fudge one has to use filling the spaces left by fractions, the number of 'brigades' with just one or two units suddenly becomes burdensome. In wargame terms, there are so many senior officers kicking about the place that they have too little to do and look more like company sergeants than 'generals' (some would say, twas ever thus); furthermore, having a Johnny-on-the-spot everywhere spoils the sense of decision and tension in a game. Like the cavalry, I decided to divide the number of 'brigadiers' by roughly one point five and apply some more fudge. I think what I came up with, as a command structure, fits the outline of the battle quite well and should give the senior command figures more to do.

The Austrians on Kreczor Hill. In reality there were three infantry commands here: Wied, Sincere and Starhemberg. I have reduced it to two. I have Wied in command of the first line and Starhemberg in command of the second. I did think about putting the front rank under Colloredo but that would deny the players the chance to do their best 'Flower Pot Men' impressions - non-Brits see 'Andy Pandy'.

So, I set up my reduced version of Kolin on my table and the shots that accompany this post show what it currently looks like (it might change slightly). You can see that barely an inch of table length is spare, indeed I do wish I had eighteen inches more for the Prussian left to extend into. 

I still have to do the name plates for terrain features and commanders for this battle so, for now, more details of the scenario will have to wait. When the name plates are done I'll try to post a full scenario with OOB, bibliography, etc.

There isn't that much actual information about Kolin in this post, so I've filed it under 'blog news'. I wrote it more as an aide-memoire for the future. When I'm old and stupid, this post will remind me that I was once younger and just as stupid - I did so very nearly lash out the cash for figures I wouldn't actually be able to use at home to any great effect.