PDA

View Full Version : KotR Battle for Normandy



econ21
10-10-2007, 14:21
The battle for Normandy

This thread is to resolve the player vs player battle in Normandy between Hummel and von Salva.

It will be played out in a similar, but simplified, style to that used in the Will of the Senate PBM Civil War. There are two examples:

Battle for Rome:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=75664

Battle for Ancrya

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=74303


How the battle will be played:

1. I will umpire the battle. Ignoramus will control Wolfgang Hummel and his Swabian Household Army 1; Warluster will control Athalwolf von Salza and his Swabian Household Army 2. No other players should advise them or communicate with them during the battle.

2. I have cut and paste all the icons of the units onto a word document.
http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/normandy.zip

3. The terrain is that visible in the Lombary custom battle map for M2TW. I have sketched a simplified representation in SHA_field.jpg. Basically, the field has a half a large hill running from the north edge through the centre of the map. There is a lesser hill in the south edge. Both east and west slopes of the hill have woods that provide cover.

4. The battle will have three phases.
(i) deployment and advance to contact.
(ii) morning
(iii) afternoon
If the battle is inconclusive, there may be evening, night and even second day phases.
At the start of each turn, each player will use Paint to mark his planned maneouvres and send me any accompanying in character orders.

5. Phase I In the battle, both players arrive through the woods and thus their deployment is hidden to each other. Hummel arrives from the west (left) and von Salza from the east (right). The first phase of the game will see both armies giving movement orders from their hidden starting points. By the end of the phase, units will be able to advance up to the halfway point of the map. No melee combat will be possible, although some skirmishing fire from crossbowmen can be expected.

Each player should copy the icons of their units onto SHA_field,jpg and arrange them in the positions they would like to be at the end of the opening move phase. They will then save the file, zip it and e-mail it to me. I will put the two together to show the intial battle deployment and upload it.

They should also submit written orders for the phase to each formation.

Units still in woods, or hidden behind hills, will not be visible to the enemy at the start of the next phase.

6. Players should act like historical army commanders and not try to micro-manage too much. Orders may get lost and things may slip up. The position of the general will be particularly important in determining the outcome of any fine maneouvring - if he is far away or locked in combat, he may not be able to control events. (Best avoid the bad habit of using your general as a spearhead.)

7. I will put the orders together. Execution of movement will be simultaneous, so I will work out the result of any clashes arising based on my judgement - informed by common sense, unit stats, history and experience of M2tW. I will upload an end-turn file showing the state of play together with a brief gamesmaster narrative.

Further notes:

Depict the facing of your units by drawing a coloured line for the front side of each unit icon. Units may be able to change their facing autonomously so if you want a flank attack, make sure you pin the enemy first. Units next to a general may be able to do even more in reaction to an enemy move so make sure you place your general where he needs to be to control things.

Please don't ask me to align unit x to fight unit y - I don't think a real medieval general would get into such a level of micromanagement (unless he was adjacent to unit x). Orders should be given at a formation level.

On the realism of fog of war - a general can only see through line of sight. He does not have a helicopter or interactive total war style map laid out. Once the lines have met in combat, I doubt he could see much - particularly on level ground. He would have to use riders to keep in touch with his divisons, but riders can be lost, reports garbled and orders can be misunderstood (think Balaclava).

Divisional structure and giving orders

To simplify this, please give orders only to groups (“division”) of your army. You may have a maximum of 6 “divisions” in your army.

I have currently assigned units to division based on function (a cavalry division, an archer division etc). You may regroup your units into different divisions before the battle. If you do, please upload a zipped word file with the new groupings. You may also regroup units into new formations during the battle, but there is a risk this will cause disorganisation and unit paralysis.

Please draft your orders in character, as if given by a real general. They should be clear and simple. The more confused or complicated, the more likely the divisional commander will mess up. Ideally, I would like to publish these orders in a battle report (after the battle is concluded – so they will be confidential until then).

You should allow for some contingencies, but if the orders are too complex, the divisional commander may become confused or feel constrained from acting on his own initiative. You can trust your divisional commanders to execute their orders in a competent way (you don’t need to micromanage them and tell them how to fight – I may let the AI control them to see how a division vs division fight would play out). But they will have limited initiative to respond to new developments.

What orders should cover:
- where to move, inc. facing
- which formation to engage or screen (this will help me determine facing)
- for missiles: whether to fire at will or who to target
- for melee units: whether to charge or prepare to receive a charge
- whether to pursue or hold ground once in place
- issues of sequencing (e.g. do you soften up the enemy with missiles before charging? do you wait till the enemy are committed before executing a flank charge etc)

DEADLINE for orders for Turn 1: 24 hours hence.

TinCow
10-10-2007, 14:50
A note for Warluster and Ignoramus:

If the result of this battle is that one of you becomes the prisoner of the other, you will still have much to do during the Cataclysm. You will have various options available to you, though obviously much less freedom (at least initially) than other players would. Do not worry about this being the end of your character... unless of course you somehow manage to get yourself killed.

FactionHeir
10-10-2007, 14:51
Or decide to execute your prisoners :evil:

econ21
10-11-2007, 11:03
I've received Ignoramus's orders for phase I, but not Warluster's. If I do not receive Warluster's orders by the deadline, I will deploy for him but leave his men in the woods.

If he misses the phase II orders deadline, I am inclined to set this up as a battle of Ignoramus against the AI.

Please let me know if there are real life or technical issues holding you up, Warluster.

Thinking about it, there is no reason to require players to work through e-mail. They could always PM me a screenshot of their move plus some orders.

econ21
10-11-2007, 14:50
The deadline for phase 1 orders has expired. I received them from Ignoramus, but not Warluster.

The deadline for phase 2 orders is 24 hours hence. If I do not receive Warluster's orders, I will set the battle up as a custom one for Ignoramus to fight versus the AI.

Warluster
10-11-2007, 21:55
Sorry, I've been asleep for that time...

Will get to work this afternoon.

econ21
10-12-2007, 14:51
The deadline for phase 2 orders has expired. I will adjudicate on the outcome shortly and then we will move to phase 3.

econ21
10-12-2007, 17:22
Phase 1 orders

Orders from Hummel:

"Men, we are here to fight for the independence of Swabia. For too long, we have allowed foolish men like Hans ruin us.

Across that plain lies Athawolf von Salza and his newly trained army. They may outnumber us men, but we have seen action at Brugges and Flanders, and are well trained in the art of war.

Herr Rupert von Uppel, you and your Imperial Knights shall take the left flank. Your main objective is to seize the high ground of the large hill on our left flank. Once you have reached the heights, you shall receive new instructions.

Herr Gerhardt Reinhart, you and the Dismounted Knights are next in the battle line, and shall advance forward to the base of that same hill. Your left flank is more than adequately protected, so march boldly.

Herr Conrad Hohenburg, you will oversee the Pavise Crossbowmen in the centre. You will advance as far as Herr Gerhardt, and prepare yourself for skirmishing against the enemy's crossbowmen. Should any mounted crossbowmen ride within bowshot, then target them before the enemy's crossbowmen on foot.

Herr Rupert von Mainz, you shall be leading our spearmen. You shall advance in line with both Herr Gerhardt and Herr Conrand, and be alert to enemy cavalry.

Herr Frederich Hohenstaufen, you shall be commanding our Zweilanders on the right flank. You shall advance in line along with the other divisions, and be alert to cavalry on the right flank.

Men, I am not one to judge the day before it is fought, but I am confident of victory over this pawn of Hans. The local populace hate Herr Athawolf. The Parisians even declared independence as soon as he had left the gates.

Do not shrink back from killing fellow Swabians. They care not for Swabia, but for Elberhard, and Hans.

For Gott, and Swabia!"


https://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3063/normandydeploymentjf2.th.jpg (https://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=normandydeploymentjf2.jpg)



*****



Orders from von Salza:

No orders



*****



Gamesmaster feedback

To Hummel: Your men make their way to their positions as ordered. There is no sign of the enemy. Scouts reported that he is still forming up in the woods in the east. You now control the heights, but advancing down into the woods would be precarious given that you have no information about the enemies deployment.

Please give orders for the morning turn. You can work from the map which you sent me. If the battle is inconclusive, both you and you will have an opportunity to withdraw.
OOC: Warluster gave no orders, so I deployed his men in the woods. This may give him an advantage, as he can see some of your deployment while his is still concealed. Do not feel obliged to attack. He instigated the battle - if he does not press it, you can maneouvre away.

If he gives no orders for phase 2, I will set this up as a custom battle for you to fight against the AI.


*****
Gamesmaster feedback:

To von Salza: There are delays in getting your men organised and they are still forming up in the eastern wood when you see the Hummel's "Army of the Prinz" emerge from the western woods. They will be able to control the high ground before you can reach it.

You can see pavise crossbowmen enter the open ground between the large hill and the smaller one. A division of armoured sergeants is somewhat to the south of them. You do not know where the rest of Hummel's army is.

Please give orders for the morning turn. Please work from this map:

https://img515.imageshack.us/img515/8449/sdfturn1al4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)
https://img515.imageshack.us/img515/8449/sdfturn1al4.a911e1b59d.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=515&i=sdfturn1al4.jpg)

If the battle is inconclusive, both you and your enemy will have an opportunity to withdraw.

OOC: If you do not supply orders within 24 hours, I will set this up as a custom battle of Ignoramus against the AI.

econ21
10-12-2007, 17:22
Phase 2 orders

No orders received for Hummel

Von Salza's Phase 2 Orders


My orders for the Battle of Normandy.

One unit of Gothic Knights and Mailed Sergeants (Mounted) are to go forth and attack the crossbowmen (frontwards, behind them bring forth one unit of my pavise crossbowmen. if any sign of enemy cav appears, run like hell for my Attacking Cav. They will withdraw back to the forest under cover of the rest of my ranged units

If enemy keeps coming forth, and comes really close to my deployment area, smash them with the rest of my cav, unless they outnumber me or have spearmen.

I wish for my Mounted Crossbowmen, also at this stage, to annoy the enemy spearmen line, SKIRMISH, withdraw to forest if attacked.

Prepare my other men for any suprise attack from the Northern part of the field, be prepared.
IF ATTACK FROM THE NORTH:
If attacked from the North, do not let them gain the northern hill,my spearmen are to attack, they are introduced to the enemy by my crossbowmen, then engage. Athalwolf and his Zweihanders are to, after some time, and if sparmen not broken, is to smash into the would be enemies side. If it turns out that is where he is going to attack, then send the rest of my cav to either smash into their flank, or wheel around the back and stop a rout. Spearmen are to be pecked at by crossbowmen.
IF ATTACKED FROM THE SOUTH:
If attacked from the south, pester them with crossbowmen, then smash them with cav.

There we go, does the suffice?

econ21
10-12-2007, 17:29
Gamesmaster report for Phase 2 (morning):

The situation at the end of the phase:

https://img162.imageshack.us/img162/4289/shaphase2za1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)


Narrative:

The Imperial knights of the Swabian Army of the Prinz crested the top of the large hill. The main body of the Swabian Defence Force was under orders not to let the enemy take the heights, so advanced - spears and crossbows supported on each flank by heavy infantry. The Prinz's mounted knights were powerless to resist this advance and withdrew down the hill, together with the outnumbered dismounted knights who had been at the base of the hill.

To the south, the cavalry of the Swabian Defence Force attempted to ride down the Prinz's crossbowmen, but the latter fell back behind their nearby spearmen. The Prinz's infantry neutralised the advance of the loyalist cavalry and the latter's mounted crossbowmen were unwilling to engage in a duel with the Prinz's pavise crossbowmen.

By mid-day, Von Salza's men had consolidated their position on the large hill and deployed to face the lower hill, on which Hummel's men were making their stand.

Neither side had taken significant losses yet, but disloding either from their hill top positions would be costly.


Request for Orders on Phase 3:

Please give orders for each of your divisions. Detail who they should attack, how and in what sequence.

The deadline for orders is 24 hours hence.

If only one player gives orders, I will implement them assuming the other plays defensively.

If neither player gives orders, or neither player orders an act, the battle will be called off. Hummel will retreat to Caen for reinforcements; likewise von Salza will head to Staufen.

econ21
10-13-2007, 14:59
Von Salza's Orders for Phase 3


My Orders:

Mounted Crossbowmen are to advance and from a range, attack the enemies Zweihanders. Retreat if faced with Pavise Crossbowmen or enemy cav. Pavise Crossbowmen are to advance to the very furtherest hill where they shall ranged attack enemy spearmen and enemy corssbowmen if need be. If enemy advances retreat either side of my sparmen where you shall pester their advance.

Sned one unit of Mounted Sergeants to reinforce my Zweihanders on the left flank.

I wish for one unit of Gothic Knights to advance down towards the enemy through the forest, because they are hidden in the forest, erupt from it and smash into the furtherest unit of Zweihanders. Then after a little fight, or if faced by enemy spear or enemy cav (Including Enemy Bodyguard) retreat back to my line under cover of crossbowmen.

The soldiers are to be ready at a moments notice, expect a attack from the surrounding forests.


Hummel's Orders for Phase 3




https://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8739/normandy2ed4.png (https://imageshack.us)

"We lost the high ground men, but all is not lost. We are still in a good defensive positive, and I doubt whether von Salza has the courage to charge our battle line.

Keep your courage men! We can hold off Hans' lackey.

Herr Ruppel, take your knights behind our lines and reposition on the right flank. Should von Salza's cavalry charge, you must charge as well. We have the better cavalry, and thus have a solid advantage.

As for the rest of you men, stand firm for Gott and Swabia! With Gott's help we will be victorious!"

Pulling Conrad Hohenburg aside for a moment, Wolfgang whispered in his ear, "Make sure the crossbowmen aim at the infantry, not their enemy counterparts. If von Salza should be rash enough to advance within bowshot, then direct all bolts against him."

****************************************
OOC: The Knights are to shift to the left flank. Apart from that, all division prepare to receive the enemy's charge. The Pavise Crossbowmen are to direct fire at the enemy melee infantry, not the crossbowmen. If Athawolf comes within range, he is to be targeted.

Ignoramus.

P.S. I will be away from the 15th - 19th, so GH can issue orders in my stead.

P.S.S. If the battle is a draw, then Wolfgang will tag Caen, leave the mercenary spearmen and the leadt experienced unit of Armoured Sergeants as a garrison, and tag Brugges. He will then prepare to march to Rheims.

econ21
10-13-2007, 14:59
Gamemaster's Narrative

Von Salza's army takes the initiative. It pushes down towards the rebels and then begins a long ranged missile duel. However, this is inconclusive as neither side seeks to press the matter.

On the eastern flank, a regiment of loyalist Imperial knights use the forest for cover and launch a surprise attack on the rebel Zweihanders. One regiment of rebel infantry is destroyed, before the attackers themselves are caught in a counter-charge by the rebel knights redeploying from the west.

As darkness comes, the battle is clearly an inconclusive draw. Both sides break off and retreat back down their lines of communication to resupply and recruit more men.

Hummel's advance on Bruges has been blocked, so he falls back on his citadel at Caen.

Von Salza heads back to Caen to link up with his Duke.

Battle casualties:

Swabian Defence Force:
one unit of Imperial knights
one regiment of spearmen (general attrition)

Swabian Army of the Prinz:
one unit of Zweihanders
one regiment of spearmen (general attrition)