PALO ALTO
MAY 8, 1846

 

(Fought: 16 February 2008)

 

 

 

One day in corporate headquarters in the Game Room (basement of chez Freeman), we began a discussion of what we wanted to do next. Topics abounded and ideas flew, but we kept coming back to SYG. We knew that the scenario booklet was nearing completion and of course, the first thoughts were to produce a second. Musing it over, I ventured that what would really be cool, would be to have a scenario booklet that embraced more than one era, so players could try several different battles all basically involving the horse and musket.

That, of course, is impractical because trying to please everybody means that nobody will be pleased, but the byproduct of that conversation was that we began defining how far we could take the game system. My fear was that the rules would become this object where players can game from the English Civil War all the way to the Franco-Prussian conflict. I can already hear some of you snort in derision of such a claim and I agree. Once again, rules that cover everything, cover nothing and are about as exciting as jell-o (no offense to Bill Cosby).

It was then I began thinking seriously about the progression of arms and what is defined in the core rules of the game. First off, I looked at our design principles. The musket loomed large in this era so to me, that was the first benchmark. The rules could only go as far as the musket could dominate. This gave us now a cap. We could go no further than the Mexican-American War, the last major fight dominated by the combined arms developed during the Seven Years and French and Indian War, refined during the American War of Independence, specialized with the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic period before it reached its apex with the war started in 1846. After this, we see the rise of repeating pistols, rifled cannons and the introduction of the Minie bullet. All of those items would completely trash the old way of fighting in the upcoming American Civil War even though both sides would tenaciously try to cling to the ideals espoused by Jomini fifty years before.

This gave us the chance to expand the rules through scenario type books that would give the owners the ability to try out the War of 1812 with scenarios and just a few additions to what they already knew. So we had to know, would adding some special rules for the period work to give us the same experience we had when pushing lead for the AWI and FIW games? It all seemed so remarkably easy to do, yet we had to maintain that balance where each side had to fight the way they did, not because the rules told you to do so, but because it made sense with you and your armies to behave in that manner. It was at this point, we involved Dollar Bill.

Now Bill is the resident Mexican American War expert. He has so much lead on it that if we were ever nuked, Bill would simply look up from his painting desk and ask what was that noise? While talking with him we looked to keep the battle small, yet with a known historical result. We quickly settled on Palo Alto because it was the first battle in the war and it has been extensively researched (a side note here: as a Historian, I constantly scour the web and libraries for primary source materials on any conflict I study. It is difficult for the FIW, period, a little better for the AWI, but I was stunned by the quantity and quality of references for the 1846 era. I need to get out more!).

So the maps were poured over, the terrain and troops were discussed and we quickly settled on a scale that made the fight manageable on the table top. We noted we would need to discuss adding squares for a new formation, horse artillery for Ringgold and Duncan's flying batteries and we settled on baseline morale values for all of the troops on both sides. We were ready, but would it actually work?

 

No Map Today

Image What happened?!
  The American army set up as they did historically. Taylor was looking to force the Mexican army away from the Matamoros road so he could relieve the siege of Fort Texas, which Taylor had brazenly set up right across from the Mexican city. Matamoros was also where his opposite number, Arista was stationed and this set events into motion that culminated with the battle. The poker chips are how we track artillery ammo. The red ones denote special rounds.
  On the opposite side was Arista's army. They certainly are colorful fellows and it is a grand sight to see the whole army arranged in line. Here we see part of Garcia's brigade with Pedro Ampudia  giving encouragement. No doubt they are already depressed because of all the wargamer obstacles in their way. Yet another devious Yankee trick!
The Americans won initiative and pushed out in front. We removed all restrictions and did not even tell the Mexican players about the fight as we wanted to see how it would all unfold. Arista countered with Torrejon's cavalry brigade and they marched forward to meet Taylor.
Due to technical difficulties, the Mexicans had a hard time answering Churchill's 18 Pounder firing into the Mexican lines. Garcia did have a single 8 Pounder answer in return.
Torrejon got his brigade into gear and began moving forward. This caused Taylor to pull his infantry back into line and prepare for the upcoming storm. That sure is a lot of horse coming down the trail!

Then, instead of charging forward, Torrejon brought his cavalry to the side looking to find a weak spot in the US lines. This was too much for Ringgold and he gave them a whiff of Grape. The small cannon balls did terrible damage to the brigade and shattered it.

The routing Mexico City Light Cavalry also caused the 8th to turn and run with it away from the carnage.
That in turn spooked Garcia's Cannon crews who promptly abandoned their guns and fled off the table!
  In retaliation, the the Rancheros and the Villas de Norte Cavalry sprung out of the woods into May's Dragoon squadron. It looked dicey until they tried to charge. Charge!? Are you kidding! That caused instant consternation in the Mexican militia cavalry and they disordered instead.
Seeing that the cavalry could not win the day and with only some losses to the Americans caused by the 8 Pounder, Arista got his infantry moving forward to rescue the battle. But this also cost him his life. Churchill's next shot missed every Mexican infantry in front but splattered poor Arista from his horse. Ampudia got his wish and became the overall commander but then failed to roll his initiative to take charge of the army!
On the far lines, Ringgold used the cavalry disorder to push his battery out from the US lines and begin to harass the approaching columns, who now thanks to Ampudia's indecisiveness, had to make initiative rolls to move and fight. To the left, Duncan's horse artillery battery did the same.
Seeing that one good push could give victory, May and the Texas Rangers combined fire into the reeling Rancheros, breaking them for good! This also caused the Villas de Norte to flee with them, bringing the Mexicans perilously close to losing the fight.
  Then it happened. After taking the pounding all day from Churchill and his 18 Pound cannon, one shot killed the CO of the 4th Regiment. It was too much for them and they broke and scattered. That was the last loss needed and the US won again!
We were all surprised in how easy it was to play this period with just two simple changes. Not only that, we saw a historical result generated without telling the Mexican players what to do or even how to do it. They fought the battle with their armies strengths and it came out almost exactly like the real battle. In another scary coincidence, even casualties to the Mexicans were very, very close with about 400 KIA or Wounded. The Mexican players did better than history and dropped over 80 of Taylor's men as to 40 historically - and most of those were in the 5th Infantry which was who took the pounding here.

So there is something here and we were all buoyed by the fact that the core game did not need to change. While it didn't look like it here, the US side was severely dismayed by the size and quality of the Mexican cavalry. We also learned why Arista sent Torrejon through the Mesquite trees instead of up the gut like Mike did. Grape is just vicious when in effective range. Another lesson learned is why Twiggs and Taylor kept their men close. They were too small of a fighting force to get clever with. Hmm, history and insight, how many games can give you that!?

Well, technically all of them if done correctly or given a good scenario, but this is still a great start and something we will now look into putting out a supplement booklet with 12 scenarios for the period. There will be more where this came from!

 

September 11, We will never forget.

 

September 11, We will never forget.

Content Owner: 

Larry Freeman

Technical Design:

Larry Freeman

Never forget!