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Mar 24 09 7:17 PM

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Our small group are shortly about to embark upon a campaign based in Northern Germany. The intent is to run all the inter-battlefield movement via umpires and email and then once the forces encounter each other we meet up to resolve the combat via a game.

In generating our armies we have all been given a fixed war chest both to recruit the army and supply during the campaign. Recruiting is based on the points system in the rules with a conversion factor into the game currency. I am considering including a couple of companies of engineers. I have scanned the rules in GdeB Scenarios Volume 1 and whilst it talks about the use of engineers and their morale gradings, I can't find any mention of their points cost.

Should I recruit my engineers based on line infantry points rates or equate them to say a portion of an artillery battery? I would welcome your views.
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#1 [url]

Mar 25 09 9:59 PM

I suspect the Engineers are missing from the Points Table because most points-based play is typically a 'one-off' event (such as a club night line'em up and fight match), rather than the more involved campaign format you've chosen. Also, in many armies, Engineers were 'corps-level' or higher assets, so they wouldn't be expected to figure in a points-based 'quickie'. I believe the French corps commanders, for example, were typically assigned two companies of Engineers, unless the also had responsibility for the Army pontoon train. Specific historical research may be needed for the nationalities involved in your campaign.

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#2 [url]

Mar 26 09 8:03 PM

I agree entirely, and most of our games follow that format.

I am basing my forces on the British Waterloo OOB. Within that force a total of 41 Royal Engineers and 800 Sappers & Miners were deployed. Which at 20:1 would be 42 figures for the entire force. I am planning 2 'Companies' of five figures; an engineer and 4 sappers which works out at about 24% of the force. This matches quite well with my other arms; infantry 38%, cavalry 38% and artillery28% of the OOB.

However, within our group there are often spirited points based discusions and I was hoping to head this off.

The compromise we seem to have reached is to cost a company as an artillery model at 30 points, which I suppose if you are giving engineers 'guard' morale factors is not far off 'pricing' them at guards points.

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#3 [url]

Mar 27 09 3:19 AM

Sorry, this is rather long.

The only rules where I have seen points for engineers is in Elan Delux. It would seem that engineers are the same cost as infantry of same grade (line, veteran etc). A good engineering officer should be a rare thing and should cost more than this I would think. When taking into account the sappers and miners, the cost of 30 points for a company seems appropriate.

I have not yet played a campaign, but have given some thought to some of the factors which may affect a campaign. There is some good information in Charles Grants "Napoleonic Wargaming".

I think using points initially is OK, but replacement of some arms was more difficult than others. A limit on the ability to replace artillery and engineers would be appropriate, along with Guard units, cavalry in general, and cuirassiers in particular. This will prevent forces being thrown away knowing they can easily be replaced. It might also lead to (Napoleons) unwillingness to commit the Guard.

Then, many of the losses in the game represent not just casualties, but the degradation of the forces ability to fight during that particular battle. Reading Nosworthy and Rothenburg's books will give some idea as to the kill:wound ratio. A surprisingly high number of wounded returned to active service (sorry, I don't have the books in front of me to give figures).

Forced marches will increase attrition. Guard units may suffer less attrition due to better medical care and provisions, as well as being used to the rigours of campaign. Conscripts will melt away on forced marches.
If lines of communication are cut you may have problems with provisions and replacements.
Captured rear areas may mean your wounded are captured and cannot return.

One of our local gamers is keen on the idea of rewarding units that do well in a battle with an increase in grade, while those that have done poorly lose a grade.

Obviously, you can make things as complicated or as simple as you wish.
To reflect attrition, a simple way may be to use the Angus Wargames Campaign Loss Generator.
http://www.geocities.com/anguswargamesclub/awclinks.html

Hope this is of some help (other than as just a sedative)

Ants

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