A Couple of One Hour Wargames

Introduction

A couple of One Hour Wargames (OHW) were bashed out this morning using the Late 19th Century "Rifle and Sabre" section (Chapter 13) of Neil Thomas's popular tome. I have been enjoying the SYW OHW games being umpired by another Neil over at Toy soldiers and dining room battles ; definitely worth a look if you haven't seen them already.
By default these games are fast and very bloody on my small gridded board, even after reducing the ranges to the minimum. One grid square = 6" in the rules; this means that Infantry and Artillery move 1 square, Cavalry move 2 squares. Rifle range is 2 squares, Artillery 8 squares (the length of the board!) Both scenarios had a similar theme; an attempt to get part of a force away from the enemy. The fly in the ointment for the army on the move in OHW is that a unit can either move OR fire which slows down a hasty retreat. The first scenario involved an outnumbered Army Red...

Game 1: Encirclement or Breakout

This game saw Army Red (Albiona) going too deep into enemy territory and having to breakout before being encircled. The setting was based on Scenario 4 of Scenarios for all Ages (CS Grant & SA Asquith). The objective for Red was to retreat and get 50% of its force back over the baseline to its rear. The objective for Army Black (Swarzlandia) was to destroy at least 60% of the Albionan force. 8 turns were allowed.

Army Red have gone a few squares too far

Army Black's positions as revealed by Red's scouts

Black's guns start blasting holes in the Red ranks

The Guards and the Naval Brigade blow aside a Black battalion

The oncoming Black forces cause carnage 

Red's last attempt to silence those d**ned guns

Black's cavalry mops up survivors

About 20% of the Red force limped off the field. A resounding victory for Swarzlandia.

Game 2: Flank Attack (1)

This game was based on Scenario 6 of OHW. Each side only had 5 units; Army Red's objective was to get past the Army Black road block and get 2 units off the table. Black had 2 units of cavalry on Red's right flank. Again only 8 turns were allowed.

Red's force marches onto the board

Black's guns begin to fire (deja vu sets in from the start)

Off the road lads

Red keeps moving forward though harassed by Black's cavalry

In range of Black's rifles

Heavy casualties on both sides of the road

End of Turn 8 - Red don't quite manage to get what's left of the Guards off the field

Fast, furious and frivolous fun for a wet Bank Holiday Monday.