BREITENFELD 1631
Posted: Wed May 20, 2015 1:15 am
Designer's notes :
For such an important battle, the specialized literature is surprisingly sparse.
The initial set-up is based on the opening Imperial manoeuvres with Pappenheim's cavalry moving towards the Swedish left and the main battle line of tercios supported by cavalry towards the Saxons, while a smattering of cavalry units attempted to hold the Swedish battle line in place :
The scenario reprises the design cues developed for Lutzen 1632, and adapted from my designs for FoG.
Units
All units are individually named. A lot of research went into the full name and title of commanders for added colour. Because each unit has to be created, it was possible to have them with the exact complement of men; but in the end, it made more sense to average out manpower across the army unit types. Residual men for each side are counted in a special accessory counter.
Infantry:
all infantry units are armed with arquebuses in game terms instead of actual historical muskets to reduce the firing range to 2. Movement is also halved for most units. There are a number of immobile units, notably the artillery and some of the protestant cavalry on the right.
The 13 Imperial tercios are 'later tercios' with unitsize of 1000, except for Tilly's unit which is 1100. They are rated 'elite' because it would be too easy for them to get disrupted and fragmented by firepower otherwise. Those units often had to be shot to pieces before they would melt away. That was certainly the case at Breitenfeld. Ideally they should not even have morale tests until they're down to unitsize 600. They're 40 shots, 60 pikes.
'Swedish' brigades are represented by 2 units, each of unitsize 800, except for the three truly Swedish ones that are 900 (Hand, Oxentierna, Teuffel). Ideally they should be broken down into 3 constituent regiments but that would crowd up the battlefield and imbalance the scenario. They are rated 'highly superior' except for the Swedish ones that are 'elite'. They are 70 shots, 30 pikes. One brigade (Winckel) is twinned with Tortensson's artillery and is 80 shots, 20 pikes with attached guns to represent the massive firepower. The decision was taken with the previous design, Lutzen, to not use the stock model for Swedish 'salvo' infantry which makes it a formidable offensive weapon. In fact when the Swedes attacked, such as at Lutzen (and later at Nordlingen), they were bloodied and their elite units virtually wiped out; it was on a defensive footing, such as at Breitenfeld, that Swedish firepower really shone. Saxon infantry has no fire capability and is mostly cannon fodder.
Each side has a couple of independent musketeers units although the Imperial ones are tasked with protecting the two imperial artillery units.
Cavalry:
Imperial cavalry are neatly divided into kuirassiers and harquebusiers. Kuirassiers are superior and harquebusiers are above average. Imperial harquebusiers are 50 carbines.
Protestant cavalry are a mixed lot. The use of detached shots among cavalry give some frontline cavalry units 100 carbines, some 75, thus outgunning the imperial harquebusiers.
All cavalry are unitsize 400.
Artillery:
As with light shots, artillery is not modelled with independent counters. The Imperial artillery is twinned with its supporting musketeers and the Swedish artillery with its nearest supporting infantry brigade. In game's terms, the latter have attached guns.
Map:
There are a few overlays of note: the no man's land in front of the Swedish battle line. On the other side is the imperial battery. There will be a steady flow of casualties from artillery fire over the no man's land.
The other overlays prevent some lateral movements and channel units into their historical attack orders.
Imperial battle line are right on top of the Saxons.
Single player (Swede). There are 20 turns. Swedish breakpoints are 40 and 45%. Imperial breakpoints are 70 and 75% (70 for all intents and purposes)
The goal of the design is to illustrate how superior defensive firepower brought down elite tercios at Breitenfeld. Victory conditions make it a challenge for the player to win in the allotted 20 turns (and not to lose given that the saxons will be swept away and the imperials will race ahead in the casualties count).
For such an important battle, the specialized literature is surprisingly sparse.
The initial set-up is based on the opening Imperial manoeuvres with Pappenheim's cavalry moving towards the Swedish left and the main battle line of tercios supported by cavalry towards the Saxons, while a smattering of cavalry units attempted to hold the Swedish battle line in place :
The scenario reprises the design cues developed for Lutzen 1632, and adapted from my designs for FoG.
Units
All units are individually named. A lot of research went into the full name and title of commanders for added colour. Because each unit has to be created, it was possible to have them with the exact complement of men; but in the end, it made more sense to average out manpower across the army unit types. Residual men for each side are counted in a special accessory counter.
Infantry:
all infantry units are armed with arquebuses in game terms instead of actual historical muskets to reduce the firing range to 2. Movement is also halved for most units. There are a number of immobile units, notably the artillery and some of the protestant cavalry on the right.
The 13 Imperial tercios are 'later tercios' with unitsize of 1000, except for Tilly's unit which is 1100. They are rated 'elite' because it would be too easy for them to get disrupted and fragmented by firepower otherwise. Those units often had to be shot to pieces before they would melt away. That was certainly the case at Breitenfeld. Ideally they should not even have morale tests until they're down to unitsize 600. They're 40 shots, 60 pikes.
'Swedish' brigades are represented by 2 units, each of unitsize 800, except for the three truly Swedish ones that are 900 (Hand, Oxentierna, Teuffel). Ideally they should be broken down into 3 constituent regiments but that would crowd up the battlefield and imbalance the scenario. They are rated 'highly superior' except for the Swedish ones that are 'elite'. They are 70 shots, 30 pikes. One brigade (Winckel) is twinned with Tortensson's artillery and is 80 shots, 20 pikes with attached guns to represent the massive firepower. The decision was taken with the previous design, Lutzen, to not use the stock model for Swedish 'salvo' infantry which makes it a formidable offensive weapon. In fact when the Swedes attacked, such as at Lutzen (and later at Nordlingen), they were bloodied and their elite units virtually wiped out; it was on a defensive footing, such as at Breitenfeld, that Swedish firepower really shone. Saxon infantry has no fire capability and is mostly cannon fodder.
Each side has a couple of independent musketeers units although the Imperial ones are tasked with protecting the two imperial artillery units.
Cavalry:
Imperial cavalry are neatly divided into kuirassiers and harquebusiers. Kuirassiers are superior and harquebusiers are above average. Imperial harquebusiers are 50 carbines.
Protestant cavalry are a mixed lot. The use of detached shots among cavalry give some frontline cavalry units 100 carbines, some 75, thus outgunning the imperial harquebusiers.
All cavalry are unitsize 400.
Artillery:
As with light shots, artillery is not modelled with independent counters. The Imperial artillery is twinned with its supporting musketeers and the Swedish artillery with its nearest supporting infantry brigade. In game's terms, the latter have attached guns.
Map:
There are a few overlays of note: the no man's land in front of the Swedish battle line. On the other side is the imperial battery. There will be a steady flow of casualties from artillery fire over the no man's land.
The other overlays prevent some lateral movements and channel units into their historical attack orders.
Imperial battle line are right on top of the Saxons.
Single player (Swede). There are 20 turns. Swedish breakpoints are 40 and 45%. Imperial breakpoints are 70 and 75% (70 for all intents and purposes)
The goal of the design is to illustrate how superior defensive firepower brought down elite tercios at Breitenfeld. Victory conditions make it a challenge for the player to win in the allotted 20 turns (and not to lose given that the saxons will be swept away and the imperials will race ahead in the casualties count).