Vis Bellica
A Review from the Wargames Journal
CONTENT
Introduction
The Opposing Armies
DOWNLOADS
The English Army
This article first appeared in the April 2003 edition of www.wargamesjournal.com
Medieval Knights from the collection of Neil Fawcett
Before writing a
review of these rules we thought it might be an idea to play the game a few
times, a novel concept but we thought it might help!
Having benefited
from an opportunity to play a game with its Author, Robert Avery, I felt
confident enough to have a go at the local club.
The Vis Bellica
rulebook contains twelve sample army lists, grouped into paired historical
opponents.
The excellent web
site set up to support the rules also contains army lists as well as the usual
Q&A and hints and tips type information.
Robert seems very
approachable through his site in terms of answering questions or even posting
favourite army lists when requested. The New Kingdom Egyptian and the Aztec army
lists were both posted following a request by myself.
Several army list
books are also in production with the first, covering the classical Chariot Wars
period, recently published.
After much debate
and figure collection searches we decided one of the play test games should be
the French verses the English 100 Years War.
What follows is a
discussion of the game and any pertinent rules related points that derived from
playing it.
The dastardly French, still unwilling to
accept that Normandy formed a vital part of England’s green and pleasant land,
was organised into four ‘brigades’ and consisted of the following Units
based on the sample order of battle:
Brigade 1: 4 bases of Knights
Brigade 2: 4 bases of Knights
Brigade 3: 4 bases of Crossbowmen
Brigade 4: 1 base of Brigans and 1 base of Hand gunners.
Un-brigaded: 1 Train base and 2 False Leaders.
The heroic English
were organised as five ‘brigades’ and consisted of the following units:
Brigade 1: 2 bases of Men-At-Arms and 1
base of Hobilars
Brigade 2: 2 bases of Men-At-Arms
Brigade 3: 1 base of Mounted Archers and 3 bases of Archers
Brigade 4: 4 bases of Archers
Brigade 5: 1 base of Heavy Artillery and 1 base of Welsh Knifemen
Un-brigaded: 1 Train base and 2 False Leaders.
A Leader, mounted on
his own base; captained each brigade and each army was controlled by a
Sub-General, also mounted on his own base.
The rules contain
sample order of battle sheets to use for each army that are very reminiscent of
the system used by the well-established Principles of War rules.
Vis Bellica uses an element-based system
with stand sizes different from those used for DBx.
This is a brave move
from the author, as the DBx regimen is basically the de facto standard for the
period.
The rules do contain
the usual caveat that they will work with almost any basing system provided both
sides follow the same basing convention. They also suggest several ways of
adapting other basing systems without the need for re-basing of figures.
‘Official’ Vis
Bellica bases are a standard 6cm x 3cm for 15mm infantry and cavalry. In 25mm
the bases are 12cms by 6cms.
The number of
figures on the base is determined by their ‘order’: defined as close, open
or skirmish. This has the same sort of effect as the old WRG regular or
irregular classifications. Close order bases have 12 foot or 6 mounted figures
on them; open order bases have 9 foot or 5 mounted on them; and skirmish order
bases have 7 foot or 4 mounted figures on them.
For this game I
decided to spend half an hour with scissors and a piece of green card to prepare
the necessary Vis Bellica bases. When these were ready I placed my DBx figures
on to these ready for action.
Lined up ready for
deployment, the big Vis Bellica elements did look suitably powerful, like proper
medieval “battles”.
If you want you
could consider using four DBx infantry stands grouped in two ranks of two
columns and two cavalry bases grouped side by side. I would also use special
units such as elephants based as per DBx.
For infantry and
cavalry this is 2cm wider than the supposed Vis Bellica frontage and also gives
a variable depth to the bases depending on the type of DBx infantry used or
whether it is cavalry. Fudging this for the first few games will however give an
easier way for DBx players to try out the rules.
The rules suggest that players use the optional defeat conditions
to help bring battles between evenly matched sides to a conclusion. We agreed
that both sides would each have a single defeat condition.
The English chose
the rather splendidly named defeat condition “Big Man Down”. This meant that
if King Harry, the English Sub-General, fell during the battle then his men
would flee the field and the French would win.
The French also
chose “Big Man Down” but, exhibiting typical Gallic deviousness, made the
target their Train base.
This meant that
their defeat condition was unlikely to have any effect on the battle unless the
English advanced or the French baggage attacked!
Neither side wanted a battlefield cluttered with too many trees or
hills, although the English were naturally keen to include as many
newly-ploughed fields as France’s EEC farming subsidies would allow.
The rules allow one
standard sized piece of terrain to be placed for each Leader in the force.
Each side places a
terrain feature, including patches of open ground, in turn.
Terrain can either
be Open, Rough, Difficult or Impassable, with the obvious penalties applying to
movement as a result.
In the end, both
sides anchored one of their flanks on a small village, and the centre was neatly
divided into a checkerboard of ploughed fields (Difficult terrain) and carefully
manicured bowling greens (Open terrain).
Vis Bellica uses a scouting system akin to the old WRG 6th Edition
rules and under this the English deployed first.
The rules use leader
bases for initial deployment. These are large bases, each capable of holding up
to six element or unit bases.
There is one leader
base per leader (or brigade) in a force. Units are not deployed from their
allocated leader base until the leader base is spotted.
This allows a
certain amount of deception to take place, especially if using the option for
false leaders, as all you initially see of the enemy is where the leader bases
are: not what’s on them or whether they are false or not.
The English, being
bluff and hearty (and, some would say, distinctly lacking in tactical ability),
deployed their archers behind stakes in a nice long line in the centre of the
field, with the artillery in the centre of the archers. The men-at-arms were
deployed behind the archers, with the two false leaders being used to suggest a
threat to the French sides unanchored flank.
The French stacked
their knights on the right flank, intending to attempt an overwhelming charge at
one end of the English line.
The French
crossbowmen were deployed next to the knights, with false leaders holding the
centre and the handgunners and brigans defending the left flank.
The French had heard
of Agincourt and Crecy, but obviously reckoned they had lost because of
uncoordinated and unsupported attacks, something they didn’t intend to repeat.
Once the troops had been deployed, it was time to give each brigade
their initial orders.
First, each leader
is given an order. There are four possible orders: attack, forward, hold or
retreat.
Attack means that
you have to move at least half of your maximum move towards the enemy and charge
to contact as soon as possible.
Forward can only be
issued to “shooting” troops, and means that you have to move forward into
missile range as soon as possible, although once within range you can do what
you like. Hold and retreat should be obvious.
Leaders must then
issue appropriate orders to the bases or units in their brigades.
At least half of the
bases in a leader’s command must have the same order as the leader. This gives
some tactical flexibility within their strategic orders but not carte blanche.
Orders are marked on
the order of battle sheets for the leaders and units. The French decided to
advance with their knights (attack), supported by the crossbowmen (forward). The
hand gunners would hold until the mystery leader bases opposite them were
properly identified. The English issued hold orders to everyone except the false
leaders, who would advance (attack).
The Vis Bellica turn sequence is simple.
The turn starts with a mandatory phase covering the things over which you have
no control.
This includes
standard fare such as rout moves but also the fighting of any melees.
Next is a command
phase in which you attempt to issue new orders to your troops, and then an
action phase where all the things you’ve ordered hopefully take place.
At the start of the
turn a d6 is rolled for each officer, the result is the number of command points
available to that officer this turn.
Command points can
be used to change the orders of a subordinate general or unit; they can be
passed on to a subordinate officer so that he can use them; they can be used to
rally troops from bad morale or from disorder or they can be used for spotting
enemy leader bases.
On the first turn
with both sides happy with their initial orders the command points were used for
spotting and not much else.
With the battlefield
being obstacle free the English easily spotted all bar one of the French leader
bases, forcing them to deploy their actual unit bases onto the field and too
remove the two false leader bases.
As it was obvious
that the one still-concealed French leader base was another brigade of knights
these were also deployed.
For their part, the
French, crucially, failed to spot one of the English Men-At-Arms Brigades and
one of their false leaders.
This meant that
their hand gunners and brigans were still needed to guard their left flank,
something that would come back to haunt them later in the battle.
Next it was time for
movement. The English stayed put, as per their hold orders, except for the
remaining false leader base on the right flank that moved towards the French
hand gunners.
The French knights
and crossbowmen started across no-man’s-land towards the English left flank.
As both sides were still out of shooting range it was time for the
last part of the turn was, officer casualties. Here each officer rolls a number
of d6 dependent on how close they are to the enemy.
If all of the dice
roll six the officer has been injured and possibly killed. This was great fun,
even at long range, with one English leader almost spontaneously combusting by
rolling three sixes on four dice!
The French now spotted the advancing English false leader base and,
no longer needing them to protect their flank, successfully ordered the hand
gunners and brigans forward to the attack.
The English allowed
the French cavalry and crossbowmen to continue their advance before opening fire
with their artillery and longbows.
Although the
crossbowmen were able to advance across one of the patches of open ground, some
of the knights had got caught up in the ploughed field next to it. The Vis
Bellica system for dealing with movement across bad terrain is quick, logical
and simple.
There is no need to
calculate fractions of a turn in one terrain type, fractions of a turn in
another terrain type, the knights that hit the ploughed fields slowed down and
became disordered.
With the command
system encouraging brigades to stick together and with some of their number
still on open ground, the knights now formed four rough lines of two bases each
instead of the original two lines of four bases each, seemingly mimicking what
happened at Agincourt.
The English opened
up on the leading French knights with three longbow bases and the artillery at
long range causing one casualty to one of the bases. This was marked off against
the unit’s strength on the order of battle sheet
This also seemed to
match what I remembered of Agincourt: long range fire having little effect
except to enrage the French into continuing their impetuous charge forward.
On turn three the
French used their command points to re-order the knights that had become
disordered from bad terrain; and continued to advance across the line, although
the crossbowmen halted at the edge of the ploughed field immediately in front of
the English and prepared to open fire.
The hand gunners and
brigans were now trudging forward across muddy fields.
The English,
meanwhile, were frantically changing orders to meet the developing French
attack. The right hand brigade of archers were ordered forward to allow them to
pivot and shoot at the enemy, and the right hand brigade of Men-At-Arms were
ordered to the left flank to face the main expected point of impact.
These order changes
illustrated one of the strengths of the Vis Bellica command and control system.
The English rolls for command points had been average with barely enough to
change the number of orders needed.
If the English had
been under more pressure, perhaps with bases to re-order or rally, or a complete
change of orders across the board to impose then priorities would need to be set
and not everybody could do what was required of them.
The English then
shot again, and a few more French knights fell. The French replied with their
crossbowmen, doing one casualty to the archers.
Over the next two or
three turns both sides continued to evolve their plans. The French knights
trundled forward and, due to the checkerboard pattern of the terrain, started to
form back into two lines.
However, where they
could, the English had been concentrating their fire on the lead two bases of
knights. Both of these had now taken 50% casualties and had to retire from the
field before hitting charge range.
One base of
crossbowmen had also gone, as half of the longbow brigade had been shooting at
them.
The English now had
the right hand half of their archers forward of their defensive stakes, and were
anxiously gauging the progress of the French brigans and hand gunners.
Fortunately they were still bogged down in muddy terrain towards their flank.
Both sets of English
men-at-arms were now facing the French advance, still with hold orders.
The English
commander was worried that he wouldn’t have enough command points to order
them all to attack at the same time.
The artillery and
rest of the archers had taken quite a few casualties: with one base of archers
routing from the field after three turns of concentrated crossbow bombardment.
Into turn six, the French knights were now able to charge the
archers if they wished.
The French used
their command points to re-organise their disordered knights again, and prepared
to charge. The English still held the knights behind the archers, but ordered
the other brigade of knights to attack.
Both sides now
declared their charges. Seeing the English men-at-arms in position to intercept
a charge at the archers, the lead two bases of French knights charged their
English equivalents, which were also spurring their horses forward into contact.
The rest of the
French knights charged the left hand brigade of archers on the corner of their
defensive formation: if they got to contact, four bases of knights would fight
two bases of longbow.
Charges under Vis
Bellica are resolved in order of proximity: closest first. The four bases of
knights smashed into each other with an almighty “clang”.
Although the English
men-at-arms were, base for base, slightly superior to their French opponents the
French had their king at their head.
Vis Bellica melee
system is relatively quick and simple and is based on a comparison of a unit’s
remaining strength, plus various factors and a random die roll. The system does
use a divisor, which took some getting used to but probably only due to
inexperience.
Melee is another
element reminiscent of WRG 6th Edition. In my opinion it’s one of the
strengths of the system as it manages to recapture the flavour and colour lost
in the DBx systems.
In Vis Bellica it
matters again that only the front rank had shields or only a half of the unit
had Javelins. The system is a lot faster and more intuitive however than the
trauma of the interminable 6th Edition +/- factors list.
In the armoured
clash the result was effectively a draw. Both sides took about one third
casualties and with neither side having any particular advantage, the melee
would continue next turn at the point of impact.
The English archers
decided to try and halt half the French with longbow fire: two bases shooting at
one French base. At short range, the longbows get a bonus, and both target
knight bases were smashed into the ground by a hail of arrows. Not bad going:
the only problem was that there were still two bases of knights thundering
forward.
Seven hundred
charging French knights contacted twelve hundred English infantry and, despite
the stakes, ran straight over them, annihilating both bases!
In the shooting
phase the remaining English archers who hadn’t yet fired exchanged another
volley with the French crossbowmen, one base on either side now going shaken as
a result.
The English then
took a volley in the flank from the French hand gunners who had now finally
advanced into range. Fortunately, the French were penalised for both moving and
for being at long range and the volley was ineffective, but this boded ill for
the next turn.
Officer casualties
then dealt the English another blow. The leader of the English archers charged
by the French knights was horribly wounded, and would pay little part in the
rest of the game.
In the central armoured clash of knight vs knight the better
quality English now began to overwhelm the French. The French were first shaken,
and then routed, with the English hobilars chasing them from the field.
The French knights
having slaughtered the English archers were now themselves hit by the remaining
English men-at-arms (orders neatly switched from hold to attack).
With the French
caught at the halt in disorder they were quickly dispatched with hardly any
casualties to the English.
This left the
remaining English longbow and artillery free to duel with the French crossbowmen
and hand gunners: an equal contest until the victorious English knights joined
in and the French fled the field.
Vis Bellica
certainly provided an exciting battle, and one that seemed to be fairly
realistic in both process and outcome.
The French managed
to concentrate and support their charges better than they did at, say, Agincourt,
and therefore did better than their historical counterparts.
In the end, however,
their knights were neutralised by terrain and longbow fire, and, with equal
points on either side, they didn’t have the strength in depth to win the day
with a straightforward attack.
After the battle the two commanders listed what we had liked and
disliked about the rules.
Liked:
The “look and feel” of the game.
The command and control system (this was excellent).
The movement through terrain system.
Officer casualties
Disliked:
Basing: it doesn’t use either WHAB or DBx base sizes.
In summary the game
was fun and flowed well. We’ll certainly be playing again, and would recommend
the rules to anyone who plays the Ancients or Medieval period for something
different than the DBx norm.
Andrew Walpole