Saturday 18 June 2011

Le bois de Paris ... or the Wood of Paris (I)

Today is the 196th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo, so it is a very adequate day to follow with the preparations of the next engagement: Le bois de Paris (or the Wood of Paris). This small solo scenario is an adaptation of the Rich Barbuto's scenario published in Lone Warrior (See previous post). I want to play it as an introduction to the larger Plancenoit scenario.
The object of the game is for the Prussians to attack Plancenoit. Therefore, when a Prussian battalion launches its assault, I consider that activity indicative of Prussian success.
The Prussian 15th Brigade is formed in two columns. Each column has a single advance guard and one or two flank guards, in order to advance along the four posible roads
(see the map). The order of march of the infantry, artillery, and cavalry within each column, can not be changed until after the forces had actually entered the battlefield. Artillery can go only in the high road.

General sequence [Items between brackets are still in doubt]
(1) At the start of each [French] turn, roll 1D6 to see if a French force shows up on the board that turn. A result of 1 or 2 [1 to 3] means that a French force appears.
(2) Roll 3D6-2 to determine where this force appears (see the map).


No French forces can be placed behind a Prussian force, i.e. a location that the Prussians have already "cleared". For example, if a Prussian column has passed through checkpoint 5 en route to checkpoint 6, then a French force can not be placed at point 5. When this anomaly occurs, the French force is placed at checkpoint 12.
(3) Roll 1D6 for the composition of the French force, according to the following table.

  • 1: 1 infantry battalion
  • 2: 1 infantry battalion
  • 3: 1 infantry battalion
  • 4: 1 cavalry regiment
  • 5: 1 cavalry regiment
  • 6: 1 artillery battery same type that its support (see later)
French Cavalry and artillery are not allowed in woods, so if the location is in the woods and the roll indicates cavalry or artillery, then roll again until you get an all-infantry result.
If "1 battery" is rolled, roll 1D5 and go through the table to find the artillery support. (All the die rolls can be made with "physical dice", with exception of this last, that must be made with EXCEL: I have don't found D5 dice!)
The French unts must be taken from the Lobau's VI Corps or from the Subervie and Domon cavalry divisions (See previous post)

French actions
If in the open, the French force starts in attack column facing in the most advantageous way. It can use subsequent turns to put itself in the best offensive or defensive posture. If the French force appears in a wood, chose the best position to block a road. Often that means placing the unit along the front edge of the wood.

Movement rates
Use Lasalle movement rates. To get the on road rate, the infantry must be in march column. Woods are rough terrain

Note
The 3D6-2 distribution gives a triangular distribution with the central values having a higher probability of appearance than the extreme ones. See the accompanying diagram.

Next, the Prussian forces!


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