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Redvers Reverse:
The Battle of Colenso, 1899
by Geoff Noble
Note: This is a solitaire game.
 
On the 15th December 1899 General Sir Redvers Buller tried to cross the Thukela River in order to relieve the Siege of Ladysmith. He was faced by well entrenched Boer commandoes who inflicted a reverse upon the British that ultimately led to Buller being relieved of command.

Redvers Reverse is a solitaire area movement game that recreated the difficulties for the British in trying to affect a successful crossing of the Thukela against the Boer commandoes (who are played by the game system).

The game is at Battalion and Battery level with emphasis upon the leadership of the British at a Brigade level for Infantry and at Divisional level for the Cavalry.

The key feature of the game is to present the player with the problems and difficulties that Buller himself faced. The player is provided with the same level of information and ability to influence events.

Units are activated by orders sent from HQ to the various commanders, with the caveat that the receiving commander may not react as required. Orders remain in place until a rout or a commander initiative role. The nature of orders are to occupy a designated area.

Combat is resolved rolling a 10 sided dice with a minimum number to hit. The impact on the two sides, from hits received, differs considerably due to the asymetrical situation, both historically and in game terms. In addition there are numerous die modifiers for Dug in (mostly Boer), Terrain of area, Density of units in the area, Flank fire etc etc.

Boer fire is usually determined by each Gruppe firing at the closest occupied area but there are certain designated exceptions.

Besides combat loses units can become Disrupted, Suppressed or Rout. Leaders can Stand Firm or Panic. Both Units and Leader can recover from these postures during the Recovery Phase.

For the British it is a race against time, the longer he delays the higher the Boer confidence goes, this is measured by a "Confidence track" which rises and falls according to events on the Battlefield. As the level of Boer confidence, alongside the extent of the Boer loses, is central to determining if the Boer retire and thus the British win, it must be kept low at all costs. This simple rule prevents the British concentrating against the Hlangwane and turning the Boer flank, he just hasn't got the time to redeploy his forces.

There will also be a simple rule to handle Hart's confusion when trying to find a fordable crossing of the Thukela.

The Boer Gruppe are in their historical positions but their exact Firepower can change slightly from turn to turn. The British player does not know the exact firepower of each Gruppe until they are engaged. As loses are inflicted upon the Boer's their firepower will slowly decline and the likelihood of them withdrawing slowly increase. Whether or not they withdraw is determined at the end of each game turn by revealing the full firepower available, the position on the "Confidence track" and a die role.

The British can win but it won't be easy, the system will win most of the time. The intention is for the player to feel that if I give it one more go I can do it.  

  

Andrew Preziosi - Cyberboard Playtest AAR 

Initial Set Up 
 







Initial Set Up


Like I said, I'm starting off slow and a bit unsteady...even though the game deals heavily with Command and Control (and the lack thereof for the British plaBritish Game Turn 1yer)...due to earlier planning by Buller and his staff...the British Player's first Game Turn starts with his Movement Phase. Below are my moves, as recorded by my movement notes during the game. I'll open up the narrative and reasoning the further I get into the game.
British Game Turn 1

Parsons (2nd Art Bde) moves one area (71 to 64A), fullfilling his intial move objective. «--------------------»

Hart's Brigade (5/NFF) moves forward one area (from 79 to 71), closer to his objective area (46). «--------------------»

Lyttleton's Brigade (4/NFF) moves from one area forward (80 to 73) towards his Objective Marker (OM) in Area 66. «--------------------»

Hildyard's Brigade (2/NFF) also moves from Area 80 to 73, towards his OM in Area 52 «--------------------»

Long (1st Art Bde) follows Lyttleton & Hildyard with his two batteries (14th & 66th) from Area 80 to 73, towards his OM (Area 53). «--------------------»

Ogilvy (Naval Section, 1st Art Bde) accompanies Long with his section. «--------------------»

Barton's Brigade (6/NFF), along with the 3rd Irregular Cavalry move forward one area each from 86 to 81, placing them one hex closer to Barton's OM in Area 62). «--------------------»

Hunt and his single battery (7th) from the 1st Art Bde, already placed in Area 81, decides to stay put and wait until the next movement phase to be escorted forward to his OM (Area 42) by Barton's Brigade. «--------------------»


All British moves for the 1st Game Turn are now completed. I have decided not to engage in any fire combat, nor have any of my units come within Boer artillery range, which means Boer infantry units are also out of range. My units advanced in "Open Stance" formation, but that may change for some brigades next game turn due to Command-Control and morale issues. All artillery began the game "unlimbered" (this may now change) and moved forward at the cost of "2" movement points (one to limber up and another to move forward one clear, Level One, area.

Game scale

Unit size: Company/Battalion/Battery
Scale: Area map
Game Turn: Each turn represents 30 minutes

This is a solitarie game.

 Redvers Reverse

 $46 (estimated retail price)
Pledge Price $36 + Shipping
 

Game Components:

Map: one 17" x 22" map
Counters: 140 - 5/8" die-cut counters
Rules: 12 page rule book 
Charts: 2 game play charts
Box: boxed with a slip-cover

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