Battle for the Trading Outpost: Part 1

The prosperous Trading Outpost near Niliacus, complete with Liftwood supplies

It was with excitement and melancholy that Gav and I setup for our Space 1889 game this morning. Excited because EVERYTHING was going onto the table, including my brand new unit of French Cuirassiers on Gashants! A chance to get all of the last 4 years of building my French Armee de'Mars onto the table!

Mars pour le Francias!    

But also melancholy because this would be out last game for a number of years because I am moving overseas. Even in the wargaming community, Space 1889 is a rare 'niche within a niche' and finding a fellow geek only 15mins drive away who you can have an informed conversation about the relative merits of 'martian tack vs European tack' on Gashant models is rather special and rare!  Anyway, on with the game...

A Martian Artillery Battery - ready to defend!

After recent victories on the pains of Xanthe, French confidence and ambition was high. With conditions set and flanks secured through diplomacy (and slightly shadier means), the invigorated French army attempting to forcibly annex the outlying trading posts of the trading city state of Niliacus. Located on a nexus of four wet canals it offered a strategic access into Mare Acidalium, and a clear demonstration of strength would likely swag its ruler, Prince Dardag, to follow the example of Ideaus Fons and enter into an alliance with France. If this also granted access to the Driftwood plantations around Chryse and helped curb American ambitions from Thymiamata then all the better.

Rarely on Mars have Europeans mounted a Brigade level offensive operations, but that was exactly the plan here: 

- on the Left flank the French Sponsored Sepoys of Ideaus Fons (2 units of Regular Infantry), supported with a mitralleuse (poorly trained), and 2 units of Hill Martian sharpshooters

- on the right flank the légion étrangère (2 units of Regulars) with an attached unit of sharpshooters

- in the centre the Attack column comprised of 3 units of Grenadier Guards (Regular infantry with Fierce and Elite) and an attached company of sharpshooters. Closely supported by Ironclad Squadron with one Heavy land cruiser with Cannon and two Light land cruisers fitted with mitralleuse.

- In reserve, the Cavalerie Brigade, comprising French Curassiers, Lancers (models borrowed from the British garrison but most definitely French!) and Sepoy Cavalry, all mounted on Gashants

- in support, the French aerial gunship 'Le Epee' armed with a cannon

In total this was 19 units - about 3 times the size of a regular TMWWBK game

The Martian 'Red Legion' - gallant defenders of the Trading Outpost against the Earthmen!

The Martian defenders were arrayed in 4 Legions - the Red Legion in the Outpost, and a Legion on each flank on the plains. The Outpost itself offered the benefit of heavy cover at long range (including obscuring targets) but only light cover at short range where targets could be seen better

The Martians also had a supporting Gashant Legion of 3 units, which was both impressive and imposing on the table!

Victory Points would be awarded as follows, with subtle difference between armies

French

• Capture the Trading Outpost 5 VPs
• Capture the Ruins 1 VP
• Eliminate Martian forces 1 VP per 2 units
• Break Enemy Formations 3 VP per Legion
• Have Prince Imperial Louis-Napoléon enter Combat and survive 1 VP (rumours of his demise in Zululand were greatly exaggerated!)

Martian

• Hold the Trading Outpost 5 VPs
• Hold the Ruins 1VP
• Break French Forces 1 VP per unit
• Break French Formations 3 VP per Battalion
• Prince Imperial Louis-Napoléon falls in Combat 1 VP

The Martian 'Black Legion' on the Martian right Flank

Rules:

We used our usual adjustments to the rules, including the 'bag pull' method for random unit activations.

- the French Cuirassiers we treated as standard Regular Cavalry but their armour gave them the equivalent of light cover: that is, requiring 3 hits per casualty vice the usual 2.

- For simplicity, Le Epee got to move automatically but had to roll to activate her cannon armament, which fired as a standard cannon. (We still havent gotten around to making some specific damage tables and effects for Airships and walker Land Cruisers)

To suite the larger game size, we broke the Armies down into Commands of 2-3 units, all of which would be available for activation when their time came. To reflect better command and control, Martian Commanders could activate 2 units for each activation while French Commanders could activate 3 (Units still had to individually dice for activation success when activated)

    - for simplicity, the Commanding Officers of each unit group didn't really have an active role/impact or have individual skills, but that would be a nice addition for next time. The scale and scope of the game, with only 1 player per side, didnt permit it in this case

With the formations set and his orders given, General de Brigade Claude Escargot looked out one last time across the plan and signalled his men to begin the attack...