The Third Stalbanian-Khakistan War

Having had so much fun fighting the Second Stalbanian-Khakistan War, and having some ideas on rule changes I’d like to tryout, I left the terrain from the previous mini-campaign in place ...

Please click on the image to see an enlarged version of the map.

Please click on the image to see an enlarged version of the photograph.

... and over the past few days I have been fighting the Third Stalbanian-Khakistan War.

The main changes to the rules were as follows, and borrowed quite heavily from the PORTABLE WARGAME stable of rules:

• Artillery has a range of two hexes and can fire:
• Independently during the optional Artillery Fire Phase or
• In support of any units with which it is in contiguous contact (i.e., add 1D6 die to D6 dice rolls made by any units in the same or an adjacent hex).
• Units are allocated Strength Points (SPs):
• Infantry: 3 SPs.
• Machine guns: 2 SPs (count as infantry in combat).
• Engineers: 3 SPs (count as infantry in combat).
• Cavalry: 2 SPs.
• Artillery: 2 SPs.
• Train: 1 SP
• Generals: 6 SPs.
• Exhaustion Point (the point at which a side’s losses cause it to stop taking aggressive action): This is one third of a side’s total SPs with fractions rounded up.
• Losses of SPs are allocated to co-located units of the same type in turn (e.g. one to this unit, then one to the next unit, and so on).
• There are three turns per day:
• Morning.
• Afternoon.
• Overnight (units that are not in combat can recover 50% of their lost SPs, rounded down).
• Turn sequence:
• Optional Artillery Fire Phase
• Side A moves.
• Side B moves.
• Combat takes place. (A formation or unit may only initiate combat once each turn but can defend themselves every time they are attacked).
• All combat is deemed to be simultaneous.
• The effect of hits on Generals resolved by rolling a D6 die.
• 1: The General is killed, and 6 SPs are lost.
• 2 or 3: The General is wounded, and 3 SPs are lost.
• 4, 5, or 6: The General escapes injury.

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The defenders

The Stalbanian Army had been completely rebuilt and re-equipped sine the last war with Khakistan and was deployed as follows:

• Fort Ridoni
• Infantry
• 1/1st and 2/1st Infantry Regiment (3 SPs each)
• Artillery
• 1st Field Artillery Regiment (2 SPs)
• General (6 SPs)
• Fort Stelbasan
• Infantry
• 1st Machine Gun Battalion (2 SPs)
• Engineers
• 1st Engineer Battalion (3 SPs)
• Train
• 1st Supply Column (1 SP)

The Stalbanian troops in Fort Ridoni.

The Stalbanian troops in Fort Stelbasan.

The Stalbanian forces totalled 20 SPs and had an Exhaustion Point of 7 SPs.

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The attackers

The Khakistani Army was deployed as follows:

• 1st Division
• Infantry
• 1/1st and 2/1st Infantry Regiment (3 SPs each)
• 1/2nd and 2/2nd Infantry Regiment (3 SPs each)
• Artillery
• 1st Field Artillery Regiment (2 SPs)
• General (6 SPs)

The 1st Khakistani Division.

• 2nd Division
• Infantry
• 1/3rd and 2/3rd Infantry Regiment (3 SPs each)
• 1/4th and 2/4th Infantry Regiment (3 SPs each)
• Artillery
• 2nd Field Artillery Regiment (2 SPs)
• General (6 SPs)

The 2nd Khakistani Division.

The Khakistani forces totalled 40 SPs and had an Exhaustion Point of 14 SPs.

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Turn 1: Day 1: Morning

As had happened during the Second Stalbanian-Khakistan War, the Khakistani 1st and 2nd Divisions advanced towards the Stalbanian defences guarding the entrance to the Banik Pass.

Turn 2: Day 1: Afternoon

The Khakistani 1st and 2nd Divisions reached the villages of Burrat and Mirat respectively where they both encamped for the night.

Turn 3: Day 1: Night

Both sides rested.

The situation at the end of Day 1.

Turn 4: Day 2: Morning

As dawn broke, the Stalbanian artillery opened fire on the encamped Khakistani 1st Division in Burrat. The Stalbanians rolled a D6 die and achieved a D6 die roll score of 5.

The Khakistani 1st Division's artillery fired back also rolled a D6 die and scored a D6 die roll score of 6.

As a result of this artillery exchange, the Khakistani infantry lost 1 SP and the Stalbanians had to roll a D6 die to see if their General survived. They rolled a D6 die score of 5, and the Stalbanian General was unhurt.

Leaving their artillery behind in Burrat, the Khakistani 1st Division assaulted the Stalbanian garrison in Fort Ridoni.

The Khakistani 1st Division's assault on Fort Ridoni.

The Khakistani 2nd Division also joined in the assault on Fort Ridoni.

The Khakistani 2nd Division also joined in the assault on Fort Ridoni.

The Khakistani 1st Division rolled 4D6 dice (1D6 die for each base, plus 1D6 die for each different type of unit taking part in the assault (4 x infantry and 1 x General = 5) plus 1D6 for each of the two different types of unit taking part in the assault = 7. Because they were attacking an enemy that was in fortifications, the number of D6 dice rolled was halved, with any fractions being rounded up = 4.)

Their D6 dice roll scores were 3, 4, 4, and 6.

In reply, the Stalbanian defenders rolled 6D6s. (1D6 die for each base, plus 1 D6 die for each different type of unit in the fort (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, and 1 x General = 4) plus 1D6 die for each of the three different types of unit present = 7. However, because the artillery had already fired this turn, the number of D6 dice was reduced by 1 = 6.)

Their D6 dice roll scores were 3, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 6.

(NB. All Stalbanian dice roll scores are shown underlined so that readers can distinguish them from the Khakistani dice roll scores.)

When the two sets of D6 die roll scores were compared, and once any pairs were removed the results were as follows:

• 3: This would have resulted in a Khakistani cavalry unit losing 1 SP had there been one present.
• 4: This resulted in a Stalbanian infantry unit losing 1 SP.
• 5: This resulted in a Khakistani infantry unit losing 1 SP.
• 6: This resulted in the possibility of the Khakistani General being killed. The Khakistanis rolled a D6 die and scored a D6 die roll score of 4, and the Khakistani General was unhurt.

The Khakistanis 2nd Division rolled 5D6 dice (1D6 die for each base, plus 1D6 die for each different type of unit taking part in the assault (4 x infantry, 1 x artillery, and 1 x General = 6) plus 1D6 for each of the three different types of unit taking part in the assault = 9. Because they were attacking an enemy that was in fortifications, the number of D6 dice rolled was halved, with any fractions being rounded up = 5.)

Their D6 dice roll scores were 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.

In reply, the Stalbanian defenders rolled 6D6s. (1D6 die for each base, plus 1 D6 die for each different type of unit in the fort (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, and 1 x General = 4) plus 1D6 die for each of the three different types of unit present = 7. However, because the artillery had already fired this turn, the number of D6 dice was reduced by 1 = 6.)

Their D6 dice roll scores were 1, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6.

When the two sets of D6 die roll scores were compared, and once any pairs were removed the results were as follows:

• 1: This resulted in the Khakistani artillery losing 1 SP.

The situation at the end of the morning of Day 2.

The first morning's fighting had seen the Stalbanians lose 1 SP and the Khakistanis lose 3 SPs.

Turn 5: Day 2: Afternoon

The Khakistani 1st and 2nd Divisions continued their assault on Fort Ridoni.

The Khakistani 1st Division rolled 5D6 dice (1D6 die for each base, plus 1D6 die for each different type of unit taking part in the assault (4 x infantry and 1 x General = 5) plus 1D6 for each of the two different types of unit taking part in the assault = 7. Because they were attacking an enemy that was in fortifications, the number of D6 dice rolled was halved, with any fractions being rounded up = 4. They then added a further D6 die for the supporting artillery that had been left in Burrat. This was in range of the fighting but was not directly involved in the assault = 5.)

Their D6 dice roll scores were 1, 2, 3, 3, and 6.

In reply, the Stalbanian defenders rolled 7D6s. (1D6 die for each base, plus 1 D6 die for each different type of unit in the fort (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, and 1 x General = 4) plus 1D6 die for each of the three different types of unit present = 7.)

Their D6 dice roll scores were 1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 5, and 5.

When the two sets of D6 die roll scores were compared, and once any pairs were removed the results were as follows:

• 5: This resulted in the Khakistani infantry losing 1 SP.
• 5: This resulted in the Khakistani infantry losing 1 SP.
• 5: This resulted in the Khakistani infantry losing 1 SP.
• 6: This resulted in the possibility of the Stalbanian General being killed. The Stalbanians rolled a D6 die and scored a D6 die roll score of 6, and the Stalbanian General was unhurt.

The Khakistanis 2nd Division rolled 5D6 dice (1D6 die for each base, plus 1D6 die for each different type of unit taking part in the assault (4 x infantry, 1 x artillery, and 1 x General = 6) plus 1D6 for each of the three different types of unit taking part in the assault = 9. Because they were attacking an enemy that was in fortifications, the number of D6 dice rolled was halved, with any fractions being rounded up = 5.)

Their D6 dice roll scores were 1, 2, 4, 4, and 6.

In reply, the Stalbanian defenders rolled 7D6s. (1D6 die for each base, plus 1 D6 die for each different type of unit in the fort (2 x infantry, 1 x artillery, and 1 x General = 4) plus 1D6 die for each of the three different types of unit present = 7.)

Their D6 dice roll scores were 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 5, and 6.

When the two sets of D6 die roll scores were compared, and once any pairs were removed the results were as follows:

• 2: This would have resulted in a Khakistani cavalry unit losing 1 SP had there been one present.
• 4: This resulted in the Stalbanian infantry losing 1 SP.
• 5: This resulted in the Khakistani infantry losing 1 SP.
• 5: This resulted in the Khakistani infantry losing 1 SP.

The first day's fighting had seen the Stalbanians lose 2 SPs and the Khakistanis lose 7 SPs.

Turn 6: Day 2: Night

As those units that had lost SPs were still in contact with enemy units, they were unable to recover any lost SPs.

Turn 7: Day 3: Morning

The fighting continued much as before.

The Khakistani 1st Division rolled 5D6 dice and their D6 dice scores were 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6.

In reply the Stalbanians in Fort Ridoni rolled 7D6 dice and their D6 dice scores were 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.

When the two sets of D6 die roll scores were compared, and once any pairs were removed, the results were as follows:

• 1: This would have resulted in the Khakistani artillery unit losing 1 SP had there been in the same hex as the assaulting troops.
• 1: This would have resulted in the Khakistani artillery unit losing 1 SP had there been in the same hex as the assaulting troops.
• 3: This would have resulted in a Khakistani cavalry unit losing 1 SP had there been one present.
• 5: This resulted in the Stalbanian infantry losing 1 SP.

The Khakistani 2nd Division rolled 5D6 dice and their D6 dice scores were 2, 3, 3, 4, and 6.

In reply the Stalbanians in Fort Ridoni rolled 7D6 dice and their D6 dice scores were 1, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, and 6.

When the two sets of D6 die roll scores were compared, and once any pairs were removed, the results were as follows:

• 1: This resulted in the Khakistani artillery losing 1 SP. As a result, the unit was destroyed.
• 2: This would have resulted in a Stalbanian cavalry unit losing 1 SP had there been one present.
• 4: This resulted in the Stalbanian infantry losing 1 SP.
• 5: This resulted in the Khakistani infantry losing 1 SP.
• 6: This resulted in the possibility of the Khakistani General being killed. The Khakistanis rolled a D6 die and scored a D6 die roll score of 5, and the Khakistani General was unhurt.
• 6: This resulted in the possibility of the Khakistani General being killed. The Khakistanis rolled a D6 die and scored a D6 die roll score of 1, and the Khakistani General was killed and the Khakistanis lost 6 SPs.

The situation at the end of the morning of Day 3.

The second morning's fighting had seen the Stalbanians lose 2 more SPs and the Khakistanis lose a further 8 SPs. This brought the total losses to:

• Stalbania: 4 SPs
• Khakistan: 15 SPs

Turn 8: Day 3: Afternoon

The Khakistanis had reached their Exhaustion Point and were no longer able to continue their assaults. They therefore fell back to the villages of Burrat (1st Division) and Mirat 2nd Division).

The situation at the end of the afternoon of Day 3.

The remaining Khakistan requested and was granted a ceasefire ... and to all intents and purposes, the Third Stalbanian-Khakistan War was over.

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Some after-battle thoughts

As I had hoped, the use of SPs and the Exhaustion Point improved the feel of the rules. Likewise the rule giving artillery the opportunity to fire in support of a formation or unit that was involved in combat or in an optional pre-move Artillery Fire Phase gave the two sides slightly more tactical flexibility.

I am quite happy with the mechanisms that are now in place, although I might be tempted to change the effect of the D6 die roll scores slightly for late nineteenth/early twentieth century battles. Its certainly something that I want to think about and play around with.