A Group Tour to Paraguay

As the ‘atmospheric river’ that dumped 240mm of rain on us on Friday continued to ruin our summer, on Sunday I organised a trip to Paraguay for seven of our group. We paid a visit to this nondescript location in the middle of South America to play a wargame. 

I stole the basic idea from the Perrys. The table design, in its very rough form, was as follows:

It was a game of objectives. There were three of them and to win the game one side needed to control two or more to win, otherwise the game was a draw. Two objectives are shown in the sketch as a solid black boxes and are relatively easily secured by the side nearest to them. One was a Brazilian hospital based around a church across the river the Alliance left, the other another camp around a small village on the opposite end of the table.

The third objective was a bit more difficult because it was a floating one. It was a Brazilian observation balloon carrying a Brazilian general that has broken loose from its tether and was drifting across the table on variable winds. At the beginning of every turn I rolled two dice (1xD6 and a GW hit dice) and the balloon would move in the direction indicated by the hit dice (a roll of ‘hit’ will force a roll again) the distance indicated on the D6 in increments of 100mm. The balloon could not leave the table and if it got to the table edge there would be an immediate re-roll to get it moving back across the table. The balloon began at an altitude of 300mm but was descending at the  rate of 50mm per turn. The first unit to make contact with the balloon base once it touches the ground could claim the objective. Shooting at the balloon risked killing the general and negating the objective.

The forces were:

Paraguayans 

• Ten standard infantry battalions
• Five standard cavalry units
• Three field guns

Alliance:

• Nine large Brazilian infantry battalions, two standard cavalry regiments and four guns
• Eight small Argentine infantry battalions, two small cavalry regiments and one gun
• Three standard Uruguayan infantry battalions and one gun.

Each side could deploy anywhere along their table edge and could hold up to half their force off table and bring it on at the beginning of any turn..

The Paraguayans had four advantages to represent to their historical aggressiveness:

• They added ‘1’ to any activation score if they are in good order
• The Alliance would deduct ‘1’ to any activation score if they were in good order
• In any close combat the Paraguayans could  count as higher grade troops and
• They would always count as shock troops if charging.

So how did it go?

The balloon started in the centre of the table 

The Paraguayans chose to put the bulk of their force, three cavalry regiments, eight battalions and on their right, opposite the church. They sent a much smaller force of two cavalry regiments, two battalions and a battery to their left.

The Alliance chose to put the Uruguayans on their left, with the Argentine division to their right, while the Brazilians took the far right. The latter were to make the main effort, to take the village then cross the river and swing left. The Uruguayans and Argentinians were to hold as many of the the Paraguayans in place as possible until the turning force was in position, at that point they would cross the river and enter the fight.

The Brazilians deploy 

With the Argentine and Uruguayan troops to their left.

The Paraguayans prepare to cross the river near the village 

While the main Paraguayan force deploys opposite the church

The Paraguayans quickly secured the to on table objectives, now they had to hold them.

The balloon shifts awkwardly in the variable winds, moving right, then back towards the Brazilian lines, then towards the Paraguayan side.

The Paraguayans take the church

Paraguayan cavalry

On the Alliance right the Paraguayan cavalry attacked the Brazilian troopers. The Paraguayans pushed the enemy back but fail to break them. The next turn the Brazilian guns came into action and mauled the Paraguayan cavalry.

On the Allied left the fighting was restricted to an artillery exchange while the Alliance troops waited for the Brazilians to secure the right.

The Paraguayan cavalry await the Alliance crossing  of the river 

Their infantry takes shelter from Allied gunfire amongst the vegetation along the river bank
 

A general view of the field from the Allied left.

On the Alliance right, the Paraguayan cavalry, under relentless Brazilian gunfire, had had enough and quit the field. The Brazilians then split their force, leaving a brigade of five battalions to capture the village, while four battalions and the cavalry moved to cross the river to turn the left of the Paraguayans in front of the church.

As the Brazilians approached the ford the balloon lurched toward the river at the rate of 600mm and landed mid-stream, but right on the ford. The Brazilian cavalry easily secured and repatriated their general, but at a cost as the Paraguayan artillery bit into them. Within two turns the Brazilian cavalry had had enough and quit the field. 

Meanwhile the Brazilian infantry brigade crossed the river and advanced steadily along the opposite bank while their artillery raked the Paraguayan infantry.

The Brazilian guns in action

The Paraguayan infantry feel the pain of Brazilian gunfire

The balloon lands

Finally the two Paraguyan battalions in the village on the Brazilian right were overwhelmed by Brazilian fire (armed with rifled muskets against the Paraguayan muskets the Brazilians could took advantage of their greater range and simply stood back and fired).

On the Allied left the Uruguayan and Argentine troops finally began to move and made an attempt to cross the river in front of the church. The first attempt was thrown back, but with the Brazilians now closing on the rear of the Church, the Paraguayans called “enough” and victory fell to the Alliance.

The Brazilians shoot it out with the Paraguayans in the village 

The game didn’t quite go as expected. I thought the Uruguayan and Argentine troops would contest the ground around of the church more.  But then wargames scenarios rarely go as expected.