Charge! compressed

 

Talking over Zoom with other gamers, I mentioned that I was looking for a version of Peter Young's 1967 classic Charge! that I'd found online. In 1981, it was reissued with modifications by Athena Books, edited by Stuart Asquith and Alan Cook. Several members of the group responded, and it turned out that two of them owned the rules! Graham Knight kindly offered to email me his transcription. It turns out they are related to a couple one-page sets found on Keith Flint's blog which he played with Asquith. (I tried them in a solo battle a few months ago). 

Inspired by some of Andy Callan's beginner scenarios included with various Paperboys books, I decided to start with four infantry battalions and one battery a side. In Asquith's version, infantry regiments number 32 men, while cavalry, engineers and light infantry number 18. I don't know if I'd set this in stone, as many of the Wofun Paperboys are available in five or six eight-man bases, and four six-man cavalry bases. For this runthrough, I kept each battalion at four bases of 32 men. Generals are also prescribed in the rules, but they don't actually play any role in the game (perhaps because of a lack of morale rules; see end of post), so I left them out.

Yet again, I fielded the Irish Brigade with Royal Ecossais alongside. I only have three "normal" French regiments so far in my Wofun collection (though I just ordered a couple more). They are up against the '45 British regiments. All moves and ranges are halved.

The field, with hill and a forest made from Peter Dennis' "crosstrees."

Left: Turn 1: Both sides move, French guns miss at 18". Right: Turn 2: Both sides move; British infantry pivot to give their battery clearance. It misses, but the French guns score a hit and kill two Highlanders.

Left: Turn 3: Further moves, no hits, lines diverging. Right: Turn 4: British realign. Still no hits.

British battery is at canister range, but has moved and failed to fire.

Turn 5: Lines not quite in long-range for musketry (3").
French gunners kill three more Highlanders.

 

British battery fires canister and kills seven of Roth's Regiment.
One base of British infantry also fires and kills two more.

It is only whilst examining this photos I realize some of the infantry bases are facing the wrong way. An occupational hazard with flats...!

Turn 6: Canister kills 8 more Irish, reducing them under half strength.

Would the charge go in? There aren't morale or break rules as such in Charge!, just reduced effectiveness once under half strength. Charges don't just stop, there's no "impetus" roll to push the attackers on. One possibility is if enough troops at the front are killed that the rest don't have the move to reach, but this wasn't so because they were in column. (That was deliberate, to get them through the killing-zone quicker!) I randomly decided they went in, so the guns are eliminated, but the unit must retreat next turn.

Left: Turn 6: Lots of volleys, even at half-casualties for long range, do a LOT of damage to both sides. Right: Turn 7: More carnage as the Irish retreat and Brits follow up. The Highlanders are reduced to half-strength as Roth's Regt skedaddle.

Turn 8: All four regiments on the left, both sides, are now understrength. Since they'd all have to retreat, leaving two guns and shot-up Ecossais facing a near-full-strength redcoat regiment, I think both would withdraw. The armies have battered each other to a standstill, but the French (briefly) carried the guns, so they have honours.

Casualties (out of 136 men a side):

Roth: 17. Dillon: 16. Bulkeley: 18. Ecossai: 13. 64 total.

Blue: 18. Yellow: 17. White: 6. Highlanders: 22. Guns: 8. 71 total.

A very bloody game, and no one even crossed bayonets!

Quick, easy, and fun, though. I remember why I loved these rules when I first read them all those years ago.

Three takeaways: 

• Play a proper scenario rather than a straight-up fight. The 1760 And All That blog suggests using One Hour Wargames by Neil Thomas. 
• Reduce the possible casualties from fire. Even long-range musketry is pretty powerful. The versions on Keith Flint's blog roll one die per two- or four-man stand, and on a 5 or 6 one opponent is hit (or a 6 at long range). This seems workable. Perhaps a die for every eight-man stand, and on a 1 or 2, that many enemy are hit?
• Modify the morale rules. At the least, a general joining an understrength unit should perhaps be able to keep it in the fight. Another possibility is a method from Charles S. Grant's War Game - morale fails on a 1 on a D6, with -1 to the roll for every 10% casualties.