Keeping Score

Well two more models have arrived a sdkfz 251/7 and a sdkfz 251/9 both in 15mm.


Models purchased 3
Models completed 5
15mm completed 47

Scores are -2 plus -47 for the 15mm

Decision at Kaserine

The time has come to regale you with another solo campaign. In this case it will the German offensive in Tunisia, it will be based upon the old wargamer magazine game Decision at Kasserine and will be run using Command Decision.

I have been wanting to do some Tunisian battles oh for a long time. Originally I wanted to do with Duel in the Desert the planned late desert book for the latest edition of Command Decision. But one day the armies were ready but the book was not. So what was I to do, give up hope. One day it will appear, I have faith, but in the meantime I am doing this.

So here is our battleground. in all its glory while below are the various orders of battles. There will be more to this story as the campaign unfolds

 

keeping score

Well some units done.

Another t-34 and an elephant done. Also a battalion of Falschirmjaeger, though technically started last year but finally finished now


Models purchased 1
Models completed 5
15mm completed 47

Scores are -4

The Battle of Chippawa

Okay now that I have posted Black Powder Cold Steel. Lets look at a particular battle. In this case the battle of Chippawa. This battle has the advantage of being not to big and both forces being relatively equal in size.

For sources I will use Donald Graves Red Coats Grey Jackets

American Order of battle

First Brigade

Ninth/Twenty Second Infantry -549 Men/5 stands
Eleventh Infantry- 416 Men / 4 stands
Twenty Fifth Infantry - 354 Men/ 4 stands

Second Brigade

Twenty First Infantry - 651 Men/ 7 Stands
Twenty Third Infantry - 341 men/ 3 Stands

Third Brigade

5th Pennsylvania Regiment- 540 Men/ 5 stands
Native Warriors - 386 Men / ? Stands

Artillery Battalion
Biddles Company - 3x 12pdr
Ritchies Company - 2x 6pdr 1x 5.5in Howitzer
Towson's Company - As above
Williams Company - 3x 18pdr

Harris's Troop of Dragoons - 70 men

Now lets look at some questions and issues about translating this OOB into the rules.

The first thing to note is that apart from a few troops the Second brigade along with Biddles and Williams's companies did not participate in the battle. They are included for completeness. There maybe more questions about the accuracy of this OOB that can be discussed later. This is instead about translating an OOB into BPCS.

It is also assumed that the infantry fight in two ranks. There is some dispute if the Americans fought in two or three ranks. Though most source agree on two ranks there is at least some evidence for some units being in three. This is a question to be looked at later.

Next is the issue of scale. The first brigade has a total of 13 stands of foot only one more than a game of DBA. Is it enough or should the scale be increased? An important issue that will need to addressed sooner than later.

While I have listed an OOB translation for the infantry. There are none for the cavalry, artillery or natives. Here again the issue of scale appears and some design decisions have to made.So lets put this issue to one side for the moment and look at game scale in a later post.