7.2.14.3 Simulated Battle Tactics and Tips

This section will provide some simple tactics and tips for use in simulated battles. However, these are only guidelines and it is up to every player to decide which, if any, of these tactics should be used.

It is worth spending some time when you receive your simulated battle set-up getting to know the troops that you and your opponent are deploying. Study your opponents army as much as you do your own, try to put yourself in his position and decide how you would fight the battle if you were the enemy. The knowledge gained from this should provide you with clear options and plans of your own, to cover all eventualities.

Altitude levels can be extremely useful in several different ways. When you receive the simulated battle set-up it is a good idea to colour the different altitude levels on the map with coloured pencils (light colours for low terrain and darker colours for high terrain). Now when you study the map the different colours will enable you to see more clearly the valleys, hills, and strategic areas.

Altitude Notes:

Hills or high altitudes are perfect for providing tiered defensive positions, as troops stationed on higher altitudes can fire over the heads of those situated on a lower altitude (see 7.2.7., p81)directly in front of them.

Artillery federations placed on high altitudes within range of the enemy positions (see 7.2.7.3. , p82), can provide covering fire for advancing federations, and pound enemy defences. As a result some of the enemy federations might lose moral and flee before your advancing federations even fire a shot at them.

Defensive positions placed on long sloping hills can provide an extra couple of rounds of long range fire, as the enemy federations use up valuable movement points to climb the hill.

Study the terrain carefully as it can be of great benefit when setting up defensive positions or finding the best avenues of attack.

Terrain Notes:

Infantry placed in entrenchment’s, woods, villages and bushes suffer less casualties and are less likely to lose moral and flee due to high casualty rates (see 7.2.9.3. , p86).

Experienced federations placed in entrenchment’s can prove very difficult to defeat.

If you are planning to attack you must study the terrain carefully, and work out exactly how many rounds it will take for every troop type to cross to a certain point (i.e. artillery is very slow, some infantry move faster than others and cavalry are very quick).

It will take federations moving through woods, bushes, villages and rivers longer to get to a specific point than it would federations moving over clear terrain (see 7.2.6. , p79). If you do not take the time to work these handicaps into your federation movements you may find that your massed attack turns into a trickle of federations arriving a couple of rounds apart (see army notes below). The latter scenario provides defensive federations with a tremendous advantage, as they are only fighting a small amount of your attacking force at any one time. Advancing federations can suffer significantly less casualties and get closer to enemy positions by moving through woods or emerging from behind a hill.

The size of an army can be important in simulated battles, although experience and quality are what really count. Untrained federations can simply lose moral and flee as soon as they are fired upon and poor quality troops don’t have the necessary skill to be an important factor.

Attacking Tactics (see also terrain and altitude notes:)

Before attacking you should decide on a strategy that best suits your army. This could be to capture two strategic points or simply to inflict a high number of casualties on the enemy federations and morally defeating them (see 7.2.12.2. , p89).

When attacking, a general rule that may be followed is to attack in strength. A ‘half hearted’ attack has less chance of success and a higher number of casualties may be taken.

To support an attack it is good practice to place any artillery federations you may have on high ground overlooking the enemy deployment area and strategic points. Allow the artillery time to reach their destination and pour a couple of rounds of fire onto the enemy positions before the main assault.

A combined attack in strength on a small front might provide the important break through and secure a route by having local superiority or by capturing a strategic point. Cavalry with their high Hand-to-Hand combat skill, used in support of an infantry thrust, can be very effective when using this strategy.

Clouds of advancing skirmish federations can inflict a steady stream of casualties on the enemy lines that could gradually weaken them for the main assault. Order thirteen, distance 5 (see 7.2.5. , p74) is a good tactic which will keep skirmishers at their optimum firing range. Remember to delay the attack until the skirmishers and artillery have done their job.

Cavalry attacking from the flanks can provide a diversion by opening a second or third front. In so doing they can provide relief for the federations attacking on the main front.

Elite troops (even numbered troop types) are expensive to rebuild or replace, so don’t waste them by throwing them at enemy lines unsupported. Remember, with their high experience they will fight till virtually the last man.

Federations attacking in line will inflict heavy casualties on enemy federations in column (see 7.2.7. , p81).

Example:

‘e’ = enemy federations ‘s’ = skirmishers ‘g’ = infantry ‘c’ = cavalry ‘a’ = artillery

‘shaded areas’ = bushes ‘P’ = strategic points

The example above represents an ideal attacking scenario, although you might never encounter such a situation, this could be used as a basis for most attacks.

The skirmishers are waiting, in bushes, for the other federations of slower infantry to arrive meanwhile they are firing at the enemy line. When the artillery and infantry eventually arrive, don’t attack for a couple of rounds, so giving the artillery time to set up on high ground and fire at the enemy. When the main thrust is ready to advance, move the infantry several rounds (depending on the terrain) before the skirmishers (see 7.2.6. , p79), allowing them to get ahead of the skirmish line (see 7.2.6. , p79). The cavalry, with a predetermined order (see 7.2.5.4. , p78), can either delay their attack till the main force meets the enemy and then attack a flank, or join in the main thrust to help punch a hole in the enemy lines.

Remember that there is more chance of losing a battle if you employ the wrong attacking tactics.

Defensive Tactics (see also terrain and altitude notes):

When fighting a defensively you should decide whether to defend two or three strategic points. Study the terrain and altitude advantages, and try to look for any obvious enemy lines of attack before committing yourself.

The general rule for defence is to bring as much fire power down upon the advancing enemy federations before they hit your front.

Place artillery federations in strategically important areas (i.e. a position from which they can use their range to good effect), preferably on high ground.

A tactic worth considering is to place the artillery federations in an ‘arrow head’ formation in the middle of your defences, if any high ground is located there.

Example:

‘a’ = artillery federations ‘g’ = infantry federations ‘s’ = skirmishing infantry ‘‘ = enemy advance

This tactic allows your artillery to fire down on enemy federations, whichever front they attack, whilst also providing protection for your flanks.

It might also be a good idea to position some infantry federations on the co-ordinates (ideally on a lower altitude) between the artillery and the enemy, this will provide protection for the artillery against any infantry attacks (see above example).

These infantry federations will engage any attacking enemy federations in Hand-to-Hand combat, allowing the artillery to continue to fire.

If the artillery or infantry federations are placed in entrenchment’s they can prove very difficult to route.

Build entrenchment’s, if possible, on the strategic points you are defending and position federations with good Hand-to-Hand combat ratings in the entrenchment’s.

If a federation, defending a strategic point, is destroyed or flees, it is an advantage to have another federation standing close by with order twenty-four (see 7.2.5. , p74) to recover that specific strategic point (see 7.2.5.2.2. , p77).

A simple tactic than can be of great effect is what could be called the ‘chequer board’ defence. Place infantry federations with superior Hand-to-Hand skill (i.e. Grenadiers) in lines, on alternate squares. Next position infantry federations with superior Long Range skill (i.e. Riflemen) in a line behind the Hand-to-Hand infantry, again on alternate co-ordinates (see example below).

Example:

‘g’ = grenadiers‘r’ = riflemen‘a’ = artillery‘‘ = enemy advance

As enemy federations advance they meet the grenadiers and should move into the empty shaded co-ordinates, engaging the grenadiers in Hand-to-Hand combat.

The riflemen due to their position (i.e. diagonally), are immune to Hand-to-Hand combat. Hence the riflemen can pour fire at point blank range into the enemy while the grenadiers engage them at close quarters - very effective.

If the grenadiers were in entrenchment’s this would provide added protection, so making them less susceptible to moral loss.

This tactic if combined with artillery, placed behind the front line (see above diagram), should inflict heavy casualties on the enemy and could cause many of the attacking federations to flee.

Army Notes:

If you outnumber the enemy 2:1, 3:2, etc. you should be thinking about attacking.

If you are advancing it is good practice to give destination co-ordinates short of where the main attack is going to take place, and an alternative condition (see 7.2.5.5., p79) from a predetermined round to start the attack. That way there is every chance that slower federations or those moving through rougher terrain will arrive and the attack will start at full strength. However, try to avoid placing federations on clear terrain within range of any positions where your opponent may site artillery federations.

If there are equivalent forces on both sides, look carefully at the terrain and troop types before committing yourself to attack (see terrain notes). However, if the co-ordinate is important you might be forced to try a limited attack, which will carry a certain degree of risk, or even a full scale assault.

Try to match your troop types that have special capabilities against the troop types they are most effective against (i.e. lancers against skirmishing infantry, etc.). This will involve a certain degree of good luck or judgement on your part (see 7.2.8., p83).

Work out carefully the effective firing range of each troop type, and place them accordingly (see 7.2.7.3., p82).

If you are fighting a defensive battle it is a good idea if you place your commander in an experienced federation with as many inexperienced federations within his area of influence (see 7.2.10., p86). That way the inexperienced federations will have a better chance of surviving a moral check (see 7.2.9., p84).

If you are attacking place the commander in a federation or detachment (see 7.2.5., p74) whose orders are important to the successful completion of the battle. The extra moral the commander gives the federation might just prove crucial. However, be careful not to place him in a federation where he could easily be killed.

If attacking in force, remember to leave a small number of, possibly inexperienced, federations behind to occupy and guard your own strategic points.

When attacking if your forces have to ford a river, then make sure that where they attempt to cross is far enough away from any enemy federations to ensure that your men get across safely. If your federations try to cross a river within the range of the enemy then your troops may be decimated as they struggle through the water.

If you are defending a fortress against an overwhelming force, try to position your defences in a way that if your federations route they do not become trapped between the fortress walls and the enemy. If this scenario develops then these troops will not return fire on the enemy and will be massacred while trying to scramble up the walls.

When defending always guard your flanks. If cavalry federations manoeuvre around your flank and line up behind your defences and your main front routes, then the fleeing federations will become caught in a deadly crossfire without anywhere to run. They will not fire upon the enemy and will take very heavy casualties before escaping from the battlefield.

Overall the advantage that the defending army has is that it can prepare a good defensive position, although, it must prepare for all contingencies. The advantage the attacking army has is that it can concentrate a large portion of it’s forces against a relatively small area of the defensive line. Battles between evenly matched opponents can be a mixture of both.

In simulated battles it is all down to the imagination of the players and this is the most important aspect of a battle. Austerlitz is a very flexible game, and there are numerous tactics that one can use, some only working under certain conditions. The general principle being; We can only learn by our mistakes and revel in our victories!

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