{"id":5560,"date":"2016-07-28T09:52:47","date_gmt":"2016-07-28T09:52:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=5560"},"modified":"2016-07-28T09:52:47","modified_gmt":"2016-07-28T09:52:47","slug":"colonial-combat-patroltm-play-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=5560","title":{"rendered":"Colonial Combat Patrol(TM) Play Test"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Counting<\/a>
Counting casualties<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last weekend several HAWKs joined me in a combined Colonial and Napoleonic play test day for Combat Patrol(TM) supplements. \u00a0Dave has been working on a Boer and Zulu supplement for Combat Patrol(TM), but because of his busy schedule we had been unable to test some of his ideas. \u00a0In particular, Dave has been concerned that there are no formal leaders at lower echelons during this time period. \u00a0In the British Army, for instance, the lowest level corporal would be in control of 25 or 30 infantrymen. \u00a0This span of control was probably sufficient when units fought in lines, but is not suited for small skirmishes. \u00a0My feeling is that three or more soldiers is a formation and someone would be designated as being in charge. \u00a0Anyway, Dave has developed an interesting concept for leader in the game that provided a different flavor. \u00a0I think there are some ambiguities and second-order effects that have to be identified and resolved, but it worked fine.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The table set up for the colonial game<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The purpose of the day was more about the rules than the scenarios, but we were also looking to have some fun. \u00a0In order to test as much as possible, we had Boers and Zulus against the British. \u00a0The Boers were on the side of the creek in the foreground, and the Zulus were on the far side of the creek. \u00a0The game very quickly turned into two separate games with little interaction. \u00a0I commanded the British on the far side of the creek facing Chris’ and Dave’s Zulus. \u00a0Duncan controlled the British on the near side of the creek, facing Mike’s Boers.<\/p>\n

\"Early<\/a>
Early in the game; most of my British are still strung out on the road<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Zulus<\/a>
Zulus advance on my British infantry in a hasty defensive position<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The situation for the British on both sides of the creek were in a difficult situation, with the enemy on both sides. \u00a0Against the Zulus I was facing superior numbers with most of my men scattered and in the open. \u00a0The scenario began with a single section of British infantry in a hasty defensive position, but the rest of my forces were strung out along the road.<\/p>\n

\"Chris'<\/a>
Chris' Zulus emerge from the scrub to attack my British<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chris had a few riflemen, \u00a0but he had his typical luck, and most of his rifles went out of ammunition early. \u00a0In this scenario, Dave determined that an out of ammunition result would be permanent. \u00a0Chris then quickly charged out of the scrub and toward my forces. \u00a0I tried to seek cover behind the wall you see along the right. \u00a0That helped a little, but there was nothing to stop three units of Zulus from circling around my flanks and overwhelming that section of British infantry.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The battle rages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was busy on the Zulu side, so I didn’t get to see much of what was happening on the Boer side. \u00a0I was very pleased with the way the rules seemed to work for the Zulus. \u00a0When I had British in hasty positions, the Zulus had difficulty. \u00a0Where my infantry was caught in the open, the Zulus were able to circle around my flanks and overwhelm me. \u00a0This felt right.<\/p>\n

\"Dave's<\/a>
Dave's Zulus swarming against my British infantry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At one point, Dave was throwing units at my British in the defensive positions. \u00a0The section in the foreground is about half strength. \u00a0They began in the open and had to fight their way to the defensive position. \u00a0Once there, the Zulus were unable to dislodge them. \u00a0Even when they had 2:1 odds in the hand to hand, the defensive position provide enough benefit that I was often able to push them \u00a0back. \u00a0You can see the white rubber bands on several of the Zulu figures. \u00a0Each band represents a wound. \u00a0When wounds are greater than or equal to the figure’s Endurance attribute (typically 3), the figure is killed. \u00a0You can also see some black rubber bands. \u00a0These indicate stuns. \u00a0When a figure is wounded, it is also stunned. \u00a0It is not allowed to take any actions until it takes an action to remove the stun marker.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The fighting gets desperate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dave brought more Zulu units to bear, and threatened to destroy this section and my sergeant within the defensive position.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
An overhead view of the fight between the British and Zulus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This shot is about mid game. \u00a0You can see the British section in the foreground still trying to make it to cover. \u00a0You can also see the British on the left beginning to circle around my British section at the wall while other Zulu units are advancing toward my Gatling gun at the top of the image. \u00a0I never did get the Gatling gun into operation before the Zulus overran it.<\/p>\n

\"One<\/a>
One of my British sections is overwhelmed by Chris' Zulus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It took several turns, and I was able to inflict some casualties, but this Section of infantry, caught in the open, died to the last man.<\/p>\n

I quite enjoyed the game, and I felt the rules worked pretty well for the period with Dave’s tweaks. \u00a0Some of us are still not convinced of the needed for the added complexity Dave has introduced for leaders and command, but it worked fine. \u00a0It will be included in the supplement as an optional rule. \u00a0This play test also gave us a chance to make sure that we were being completely consistent between Dave’s supplement and Duncan’s Napoleonic supplement. \u00a0We need a couple more play tests, but in general I think the supplement is shaping up.<\/p>\n