Donald Featherstone Naval War Games
wagaming with model ships
Sample Pages
Ancient/Medieval Invasion Rules by Geoffry Kelker and Jack Scuby
STAGE ONEPreparations for invasion (prior to commencement of hostilities)
The cause
1. A cause must be thought out and disclosed by the invading player so as to justify the opening of a campaign. This is considered better than fighting odd single battles only with no proper story attached to the game.
Exchange of maps
2. Both players must exchange maps on which the proportions, geography and distances in English miles of their territory are clearly shown. Indicate how map is scaled for easy measuring purposes.
Each player must disclose to his would-be opponent the location, strength and composition of all his garrisons, including his capital and his citadels.
STAGE TWO Departure and approach of invasion fleet
Departure
3. Before invader commences his campaign, he must dis close to his opponent, the defender, which of his garrisons, marked on his map, he has put to sea, also strength and composition thereof. These departing garrisons are to be marked 'absent' on his map. Invader can send as many garrisons as he wishes.
4. For easy calculation, it is considered that all invading ships are of the same size, i.e.
Capacity of ships
Each ship carries: 10 cavalry or: 20 infantry.
If 'mixed', a ship can carry, for example, 5 cavalry and 10 infantry. A departing garrison consisting of 80 infantry (= 4 ships) and cavalry (= 2 ships) would therefore sail in 6 ships only and no morel
STAGE THREE
Arrival of invading ships and landing point
Disclosure of landing point
5. Invader must name his landing point before tossing for safe arrival of ships, as ships can be seen approaching by the coastal guards.
Number of ships to arrive
6. Owing to the hazards of sea travel, it is possible that only part of the invading fleet is able to land. This can only be decided once at this stage, namely when both players actually meet in person.
(a) First toss with one dice, only to see how many times this dice can be thrown.
(b) This established, each further toss will then give the number of ships that will arrive safely at the previously disclosed landing point. Example:
Initial toss = '5', then toss five times.
First " = say 1
Second " = " 5
Third " = " 3
Fourth " = " 5
Fifth " = " 3 = 17 ships will arrive!
Composition of landed troops
7. The composition of the troops thus entitled to land, based on the capacity of ships stated under rule 4, is at the invader's discretion, but the number of landing troops must not, of course, exceed the number the invader has actually previously disclosed as having put to sea. That is why departing garrisons and the composition thereof should be previously named to opponent under rule 3. If originally twenty archers departed, no more than that number are entitled to land! It is as simple as that. No more landings are allowed at this stage.
Invader's marching route
8. This is left at the invader's discretion, but as it can safely be assumed that the landing did not proceed unobserved, he must disclose his marching route to his opponent.
STAGE FOUR
Marching speeds and procedure after first combat
Defender's marching route
9. The defender now summonses his nearest garrisons to meet the invading forces and must also disclose his marchingroute to his opponent.
Marching speeds
10.
Fast speed per day
Missile or light infantry (1 ft. 6 in.) = 18 English Miles
Heavy infantry (1 ft) = 12 English Miles
Heavy cavalry (2 ft) = 24 English Miles
Light cavalry (3 ft) = 30 English Miles
Troops must go 'slow' = half-speed only on every third move to have a marching rest. (Forced marches are permitted on either side, but this would involve casualties due to exhaustion).
Counting of troops survived after battle
11. It is assumed that both approaching armies will thus meet somewhere and give battle. After this first battle, the invading player can only rely, for the time being, on his surviving troops and must therefore count them and disclose their number and composition thereof to the defending player. Before players depart, act on rule 12.
STAGE FIVE
Invader's reinforcements, marching period and measuring
Reinforcements for invader
12. Only possible, if invading player puts further troops of his garrisons to sea, marking them as 'absent'' on his map as per rules 3 and 4, unless some of his original contingent put to sea was not permitted to land before under rule 6.
This agreed on, decide on reinforcements for invader as follows:
1-3 - No ships will arrive yet.
4-6 - Reinforcing ships will arrive!
Should the invading player with a lucky throw be entitled to land further ships, then he must repeat the procedure as laid down under rules 5, 6, 7 and 8. Further action can then be left until the players meet again.
STAGE SIX
Interval until players meet again
Limit of marching days
13. This is the actual interval of days that elapse until the players meet again. The marching days, thus obtained, will become applicable for further movement of troops on either side under rule 10 for marching speeds. Note. A limit can also be set if either player deliberately attempts to lengthen interval so as to gain extra marching days.
Proving marching distances traversed
14. Defending player need not disclose movement of his garrisons until he meets his opponent again. Defender must then disclose all his new positions and prove to his opponent the marching distance covered, based on the marching days that have elapsed under rule 13, regardless whether thus further contact with invasion forces is made or not. Original positions of garrisons if marching away from same to be marked 'absent' by defending player and map to be shown to opponent.
Measuring of marching routes
15. A difficult point to decide on.
(a) The simplest method would be to measure just the shortest distance between two points, namely the airline.
(b) A more realistic way would be to march zig-zag from town to town on roads in order to march 'fast speed' and measure each distance traversed. If across open country, units must go at 'slow speed'. The latter method would be rather time-consuming though.
Example of a Combined Arms Operation 1806
The next example forms a complete picture as it not only gives a set of rules for the operation of the naval battle, but it also gives a most illustrative report on the actual battle itself. It was originally published in the now defunct War Games Digest for March 1959, and was written by the editor, Jack Scruby, of California, USA, who has kindly given permission for its reproduction. This can probably be considered a typical example of what can be achieved in table-top combined-operations.
Report on the naval engagement that took place at Schwein Lake fought between Homer Delabar, commanding the French force, and Jack Scruby, leading the British.
The Pabst River valley campaign took place in the Austrian
Alps country in 1806; Schwein Lake being only a small lake in the Pabst Valley. Since steam had not been discovered, sailing ships were used. The two generals, Scruby and Delabar, constructed the boats of two by fours about 8 in. long, and no masts were used since we needed the deck room for our 30 mm troops.
We played on a flat table-top, 6 ft by 8 ft, and chalked in the outline of the lake, leaving enough room (see map p. 202) for landings to be made. In general, about thirty soldiers were loaded on each ship, and these troops could fire, throw grenades, and board other ships, and regular rules for land warfare were used for this. The range of cannon fire was cut down somewhat, in order that ships could manoeuvre out of range of enemy gunfire.