For this game I am trying an alternative game setup for an 'encounter' game.

Game Setup

i. Setting Objectives.

i.  In a basic game there will be 5 possible objectives.

ii. The player loosing the initiative places 3 objective markers the player with the initiative places the other two objective markers.

iii. The players take turns in placing their objective markers. The player loosing the initiative roll places the first maker.

Objective markers can be placed on:-

Major hills, road junctions, river crossings or built up areas,

Objective markers may not be placed within 30cm of another objective marker, the table sides or the player's own table edge.

ii. Objectives Values.

When the players write their orders they can allocate up to 100 points to any of the objective markers.

Objective on Player With Initiative Without Initiative

Friendly Line of communication lost  -20 -30

1st   1/4 of the table (0 – 30cm)   10  15

2nd  1/4 of the table (30 – 60cm)   20  30

3rd  1/4 of the table (60 – 90cm)   50  60

4th  1/4  of the table (90 – 120cm)   60  80

iii. Set piece

1. Allocate Units to Blinds

2. Players mark dawn deployment of blinds on map.

3. Each side may deploy Blinds up 30cm onto the table.

4. Both players then place Blinds on table.

5. Players can then allocate Objective points and write orders.

iv. Encounter game

1. Allocate Units to Blinds

2. Players allocate each blind to a line of communication and the

sequence as to when it will arrive.

3. Players allocate objective points and write orders.

4. The 1st command on each entrance road may start on table deployed on the road, up to 30cm onto the table.

5. One command arrives on each line of communication each turn.

In the actual game, the Bavarian 1st and 2nd Corps fight a meeting engagement against the French 12th corps supported by elements from the 5th Corps. The Bavarians win the initiative and the French get the extra objective marker. The French allocate objectives 1,2 & 3 the Prussians allocate objectives 4 & 5.

The Bavarians allocate the1st Corps to the road on their left with the 1st Division and Corps troops allocated to the blind starting on table. The 2nd Corps is deployed on the right hand road with the 3rd Division and Corps troops on the blind starting on the table. Each Corps have their 2nd divisions deployed to advance onto the table on the first turn, after this their dummy blinds were scheduled to arrive. They allocate the following objective points 4=50pts, 3=20pts and 2= 10pts. The 1st Division has orders to take and hold objective 4 and the 2nd Division has orders to attack on their left, The 3rd Division was ordered to take and hold Objective 3, with the 4th Division to move over the central hill to the road to form the link between the 1st and 2nd Corps.

The French allocate their 12th Corps to the Right hand road with the 3rd Division and Corps artillery starting on table and the 3rd division to come on first move followed by the 2nd Div, then the 1st Div. The 5th Corps 1st division and Corps artillery start the game on the Left hand road and the Cavalry Division to come onto table on turn one the two French dummy blinds were allocated to com onto the left hand road after the cavalry. The French allocate the following objectives 1 - 30pts, 3 = 30pts, 4 = 25pts,  5 – 15pts. The French Orders were for the 1st & 3rd   Divisions to take objective 4, the 5th Corps to take objective 3, the cavalry division to advance over objective 1 then to move round the Bavarian right flank to objective 1 in the Bavarian rear. The French 2nd Division has orders to move round the Bavarian left flank to reach objective 1.

In the first turn the Bavarian 1st Corps HQ / 1st Division move up the road to objective 4 but despite having the corps commander and the divisional commander they do not reach the central road. They are followed onto the table by the 2nd Division. The 2nd Corps, 3rd Division and artillery manage to move to the central road and deploy at the road junction and objective 3. They are followed onto the table by the 4th Division.

The French first move was for the 5th Corps to move slowly up the road and deploy facing objective 3 so they do not get caught in close formation by the Bavarians. The French 3rd Division and Corps artillery move up the other road but suffer from low initiative. The 2nd Division come onto the table and move towards objective 5.

Over the next few moves the French 5th Corps artillery lose the artillery duel with the Bavarian 2nd Corps artillery and are forced to move their infantry forward to protect their guns, taking heavy casualties in the process. The French cavalry suffer from poor initiative, making slow progress. The Bavarian 3rd Corps send their attached cavalry regiment to their right to reveal the French cavalry movement base. The French push up on the left is brought to a halt when the Bavarian 2nd Corps commander changes the 3rd Division's orders and gets them to move to the right along the road to seal their right.

On the French right the 3rd Division gets stuck in the heavy going of the broken ground either side of the road and comes under heavy artillery fire from the cultivated area by the built up area. The French artillery is quickly overcome and the infantry brought to a halt. The French 2nd Division blind is spotted in road column by the cavalry regiment attached to the Bavarian 1st Division and their flanking move is slowed as they take time to deploy the individual units. On the other side the Bavarian 2nd Division moves to form up on the 1st Division's left to protect the flank occupying the village (cover 2). The French 1st Division (all light infantry) moves slowly through the wood (open with no move restrictions) and threaten to flank the Bavarian 1st Division occupying objective 4. The Bavarians deploy their infantry to cover but are on the losing side of the fire fight.

Now all the French are on the table the commander of the 2nd Corps orders the 4th Division in the centre to move round to attack the flank to the French light infantry in the woods. At this point the game ends.

The French have taken Objective 1 and 5 (45pts) but have lost objectives 3 and 4 (-55pts) so are down 10 points and have only 80% of their army remaining so have a net 70 points.

The Bavarians have taken objective 2 (occupied by a dummy blind) and objective 3 and 4, giving a total of 80 points, having 90% of their forces remaining the Bavarians end up with 170 points so a major victory for the Bavarians.

Looking at the new scenario I think we need to look at the objective points allocation and allow armies with low leader initiative to allocate more points per objective so they do not have to be so aggressive to be competetive.