Tactical Tips for General D’Armee

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Күн бұрын

In this video Carlo and I discuss table top tactics for General D’Armee 2, though the overriding principles are applicable to any Napoleonic Wargame. Apologies for the sometimes poor audio. It’s an issue I continue to try and improve. The author and co-author of the rules, David and Christopher Brown have also contributed with the following tips. TACTICAL TIPS - GdA2
DEPLOYMENT:
1. Have a plan - however simple! Ensure that your deployment of on-table and Reserve brigades fit your battle plan!
2. If able, always have a reserve. Is the reserve brigade fit for the task? Is it to be used as a stop-gap brigade or is it an assault brigade designed to punch through the enemy?
3. Ensure artillery is deployed on high ground.
4. Deploy Light Infantry (LI) battalions in woods or other rough terrain. This means that they can operate in skirmish or close order depending on the tactical situation.
PREPARING THE BATTLEFIELD:
1. Be prepared to engage in counter-battery fire prior to assaulting. At Long range, counter-battery fire is better (more efficient) in the long run than trying to harass columns.
2. Use Assault Fire to assist with suppressing enemy batteries or shooting your infantry/cavalry columns in.
3. Win the skirmish combat! Be prepared to use LI battalions to reinforce the skirmish line and/or use the Skirmishers tasking to achieve this. If battalions are going to spend long periods of the game "inactive" then considering using them to reinforce the skirmish line. This way the battalion is actively engaging and contributing firepower to the battle. Winning the skirmish combat is the first step towards victory. Don't ignore them as Skirmishers can cause a lot of casualties over time esp. with a tasking.
4. Be efficient with your ADCs. For example, attach your artillery to your assault brigades. Then Brigade attachment taskings keep your brigade moving and your artillery firing at long range.
5. Do not commit your reserves too early. Don't use your C-in-C Commands too early.
THE MAIN ASSAULT:
1. Ensure that you have your brigades in the right place at the right time and in the right formation! Don't get into a volley exchange with infantry lines when in columns! (Or you repeat the peninsular experience!)
2. Chose your point of attack - don't attack all across the battle line. Concentration of effort upon a single objective.
3. When launching attacks or just holding the line use Glory, Forwards and Infantry Assault.
4. Consider Not firing your columns if you wish to charge next turn. An FD result could thwart your breakthrough entirely, all for the sake of a single casualty.
5. Consider using a C-in-C Command at this point - e.g. a clever use of the Chief of Staff command could give you around 7 ADCs - this permits an assault brigade to use a combination of Glory/Forwards/Infantry Assault all together in one turn as your big push. Don't use C-in-C Commands in situations where success isn't very likely. E.g. Cavalry charge vs. a Square.
BLOODY COMBAT:
1. Infantry supports for charges are essential. They create breakthroughs! (They can turn a Double 1 into a Double 6)
2. Have a second Line for units to fall back on. Small or weakened units are best for this as they are still contributing to the battle without being in direct danger.
3. Don't charge fresh supported units. Wait for or create an opening first unless the target is isolated, Unformed, Lost FD, lots of casualties etc.
4. Be prepared to suffer or grimly hold out in one area to achieve victory in another. One shouldn't reinforce defeat - but simply give units just enough to hold out and prevent them from breaking. This permits you to concentrate command effort at your chosen point where you hope to achieve victory.
5. Your tactics/battlefield pressure should be aiming to force your opponent to commit his reserves before you commit yours! (OODA loop.) He who commits his reserve last usually wins - as he can chose exactly where to commit it in to action. Consider C-in-C Command "Commit the Reserves" at this point.
6. Designate sufficient men to BUA combats. Accept you will take hideous losses and plan round this.
7. If you have not yet used your C-in-C Commands now is the point to use them. Do not finish the game with unused C-in-C Commands!
8. Have fun! If you win it's clearly down to your genius and superior tactics. If you lose then obviously your dice have let you down!

Пікірлер: 41

@basement1908 3 ай бұрын

I'm asking myself, "How did I miss this". Thanks Scott

@get_the_lead_out 9 ай бұрын

That was an interesting comment you made about most gamers not keeping a reserve. I think that part of the blame is to be shared by game designers, as most of the game systems I’ve played don’t reward using reserves. In fact, the more troops you can bring to bear the better your chance for victory. The reserve rules are one of the many reasons I enjoy playing Mr. Brown’s rulesets - he not only recommends using reserves, he pretty well guarantees you won’t prevail unless you have them!! And he doesn’t only deal with strategic reserve brigades, but also local reserves within each brigade. You have to keep a battalion behind the battle line in order to fill in gaps, as well as to keep retreating battalions from routing off the table.

@CheckYourLeaderTV 9 ай бұрын

Indeed, rules authors must take a lion’s share of the issue of reserves being made redundant.

@ShaunTame-re5us 9 ай бұрын

That was great, thank you and regards from England. Cheers.

@rct75001 9 ай бұрын

Another great video and discussion - thanks Scott and Carlo

@aaaai81 9 ай бұрын

Great video fellas! Another great tactics book I'd add to the list is "Forward into Battle: Fighting Tactics from Waterloo to the Near Future" by Paddy Griffith. Rory Muir used it as one of his main sources for his tactics book. That Davout book looks awesome, it's really hard to find at any kind of reasonable price unfortunately.

@svenfolkesson7571 9 ай бұрын

Excellent discussion, cheers

@leonleese4919 6 ай бұрын

I’ve found that any attack should have support because attacking troops will more often than not will be too worn to exploit any advantage they may have gained.

@stigofthedump181 9 ай бұрын

Really interesting discussion, I thought you were going to launch into the seven questions there! im looking forward to getting the 2nd edition, it sounds great. cheers.

@CheckYourLeaderTV 9 ай бұрын

Thanks. 7 Questions?

@stigofthedump181 9 ай бұрын

@@CheckYourLeaderTV the combat estimate, its what we used, not sure if its the same in Aus, to be fair its more a planning tool to help with formulating orders etc. 1 - What is the situation and how does it affect me? 2 - What have I been told to do and why? 3 - What effects do I need to achieve and what direction must I give to develop the plan? 4 - Where and how can I best accomplish each action or effect? 5 - What resources are needed to accomplish each action or effect? 6 - When and where do the actions take place in relation to each other? 7 - What control measures do I need to impose? anyway, good vid, are you going to film a playthrough?

@CheckYourLeaderTV 9 ай бұрын

@@stigofthedump181 ah,.. gotcha. IMAP, CMAP, etc. Helpful but given a miniature wargame is essentially a ‘one man show’ without a higher command directing nor do you have subordinates to direct I decided I ought to keep any advice easy to comprehend and simple to formulate and implement. I’ll probably do a video of a play through in a couple of weeks

@stigofthedump181 9 ай бұрын

@@CheckYourLeaderTV yeah, I know, i blame german beer... tell you what, id love a walkthrough of the charge mechanics, its something that we always got wrong when playing GdA and picketts charge. cheers.

@CheckYourLeaderTV 9 ай бұрын

@@stigofthedump181 I do have some play throughs of GdA, PC and ‘O’ Group in the playlist if that helps.

@leonleese4919 6 ай бұрын

I know of no napoleonic rules that cope with assaults on a B.U.A. However the size of even a village may well hold a brigade and if one move takes a total of 30 minutes attacking the enemy either side using artillery to attack the village it depends on artillery is allocated but it could take a possible two hours or more??

@CheckYourLeaderTV 4 ай бұрын

Just noticed this comment. Blackpowder artillery would take an inordinate amount of time to shift a garrison from a village or strongpoint. That’s why villages were taken at the point of a bayonet.

@leonleese4919 9 ай бұрын

The thing that always concerns me is that once you get your brigade or division on the move they will continue until something happens that affects the whole body of troops or the lead brigades being such a heavy fire that could affect them. That is: a morale test. If you don’t have the right supports, secure flanks, sudden heavy artillery fire with a considerable effect.