Most recently in this column I presented some ideas on campaign rules using the Texas Revolution as an example. In this column I am presenting a spin off of that discussion - a way to solo wargame the culminating battle of San Jacinto. First, I'll present the historical battle; second, we'll look at the issues in fighting this one solo. Third, I'll present the rules I use. San Jacinto - The Historical Battle To this day, scholarly disagreement surrounds the events of this last battle of the Texas Revolution. Most of these arguments revolve around Sam Houston's role as leader of Texan forces. Disagreement aside, the following is a synopsis of events. Following the debacles of the Alamo and Goliad, Houston withdrew with his small force deeper and deeper into Texan territory. Those Texans marching with Houston were angry with their leader for surrendering so much ground. Many deserted to assist their families in getting out of Santa Anna's way. Santa Anna, believing the revolution essentially ended except for blotting up scattered Texan forces, divided his force into columns which were not mutually supporting. Eventually Santa Anna caught up with Houston on a small piece of ground surrounded by water on three sides with no apparent escape route. However, Santa Anna was not anxious for a fight. He believed that he had this modest Texan force trapped. Thus, the Mexican soldiers were allowed to take a much-needed rest on that warm April afternoon. Santa Anna's disposition reflected his nonchalant attitude towards his foe. The Matamoros battalion formed an extremely thin screen across the Mexican front. They were posted behind a hastily constructed and weak breastworks. On their flanks were the two elite battalions, one of consolidated grenadiers, the other of consolidated light companies. In the main Mexican camp were four other infantry battalions, each lacking their elite companies. It never occurred to Santa Anna that Houston would leave his camp among the live oak to attack the much larger Mexican force. Thus, he ordered no scouts forward, no pickets or sentries to provide warning of Texan attack. It appears that Houston was quite willing to attack, but wanted to delay his assault until the following day. However, his highly ill-disciplined men, eager to avenge their comrades at the Alamo and Goliad, took the decision out of their commander's hands. Relenting, Houston ordered his three infantry regiments and miniscule cavalry force of mounted rifles to form up. It appears that Houston's intentions were to move forward on line and engage the Mexicans in a fire fight between formed forces. Among his regiments were a pair of small guns, pushed for-ward by their crews. However, hardly had the Texans moved out when it became apparent that the men's passions would override tactical control. The Texans swept forward a considerable distance before the Mexicans even perceived their movement out of their camp. When a bugler finally sounded the alarm, the Mexicans attempted to form up. With a rousing cry, the Texans broke into a furious charge, pell mell across the last open ground in front of the Mexican lines. The single Mexican cannon got off a few rounds before being overrun. While some Mexicans stood and fought, most withdrew or routed rearward. Their retreat cut off by marshy ground, lakes, and the river itself. The Mexicans were cut down by the hundreds. The Texans would not be restrained despite the best efforts of their officers to cease the slaughter. Santa Anna barely escaped but was captured soon after and forced to grant Texan independence in exchange for his life. The Republic of Texas won its independence and the heroes of the Alamo were avenged. Order of Battle Texan Forces: Regular Battalion (4 companies) 240 [30 figures] 1st Volunteer Regt. (6 companies) 220 [28 fig.] *2nd Volunteer Regt. (9 companies) 260 [32 fig.] cavalry 50 [6 fig.] artillery (2 guns) 37 [5 fig.] *includes Juan Seguin's company of twenty Tejanos. Mexican Forces: Matamoros Battalion (8 companies) 240 [30 fig.] Aldama Bn (6 companies - no elites) 150 [20 fig.] Gerrero Bn (6 companies - no elites) 150 [20 fig.] 1st Toluca Bn (6 companies - no elites) 150 [20 fig.] Guadalajara Bn (6 companies - no elites) 150 [20 fig.] Granaderos Bn (5 companies) 150 [20 fig.] Cazadores Bn (5 companies) 150 [20 fig.] cavalry 60 [7 fig.] artillery (1 gun) 20 [3 fig.] Issues for Solo Play Every set of rules emphasizes different aspects of fighting. The blessing to the solo wargamer is that he can choose exactly what he wants to emphasize in order to make an enjoyable game. I saw three issues that were particularly intriguing. First, could I vary the point in space and time that the Mexicans first sound the alarm? Second, once the alarm was sounded, could the Mexican response proceed at different rates. That is to say, how long it takes the Mexican soldiers to wake up, grab their weapons, and form into units ready to defend themselves? Third, could I simulate the "brittleness" of Mexican morale' given the effects of surprise? We'll take these one at a time but first I want to describe my gaming tools. I wanted to battle this out on a board no more than six feet by four feet. For Mexicans I used 25mm Napoleonic French organized five figures to a three-inch wide stand. Each stand was a company. The Texans were represented by 25mm Confederates, organized two figures to a one- inch wide stand. I used I figure to represent 8 soldiers. My rules are of the beer and pretzel variety; I prefer speed of play over a slavish devotion to simulating every possible dynamic or phenomenon. Sound the Alarm! Okay, my first issue was varying when the Mexicans sounded the alarm. We know that there was a natural although hardly noticeable ridge between the Texan and Mexican camps. So, the Texans would have to be atop this higher ground before the few Mexicans awake along the breastworks would notice them and sound the bugles. So, I started the game with the Texans formed up with their forward most units on the ridge line 12 inches from the breastworks, marked A - A on the map. However, the Mexican sentries were not particularly vigilant and it is entirely possible that the Texans, moving quietly but quickly, could have approached the breastworks for some distance before the Mexican realized what was going on. I solved this problem by allowing the Mexicans to roll a die at the beginning of their turn to see if the sentries notice the enemy and sound the alarm. I gave the Mexican sentries a 50% chance of warning their buddies enjoying their siesta that battle was imminent. However, I had to reduce the mathematical possibility that the Mexicans would be so inattentive as to entirely ignore the Texans approaching their camp. Thus, when the first Texan stand crossed line B - B, (4 inches from the breastworks), the alarm was sounded. So, with the Texans moving 4 inches each turn, here's how it might work. The Texans begin atop the ridge line (A - A). Mexicans roll 1 D6 to see if they notice the rag tag ranks approaching them. (They need a 1,2, or 3.) If the sentries fail to sound the alarm, the Texans come 4 inches closer, and the Mexicans roll again. If those sentries continue gambling, drinking, snoozing, or are otherwise derelict in their soldierly duty, after turn 3, the Texans are on line B B, and the Mexicans toot the bugles and awaken their comrades. You get the picture. Now, I want to complicate the matter a bit. The Texans always have the option of ordering (or just plain spontaneously) charging. No Texan, then or now, can charge without making a tumultuous noise. Thus, the Texans themselves wake up the slumbering Mexicans and alert their fornicating generalissimo and his companion of the afternoon, the pulchritudinous Yellow Rose. Also, once the charge begins, the neatly dressed ranks of Texan infantry dissolve into multitudes of small groups moving in generally the proper direction but at varying speeds. So, here's how I handle this. Any time after the Texans cross line A - A, the Texans (me, the solo player) can order a charge. When the charge is sounded, each Texan stand rolls 1D6 to see how far it moves. Roll: move 1,2: 6" 3,4: 7" 5,6: 8" I will continue to roll for movement for each Texan stand, each turn. Thus, the Texan line will become increasingly confused, and some Texan stands will hit the breastworks well before others. Now, I said that the anxious, irrepressible, stalwart Texans might just break into a furious charge without orders. (Charge without orders! I implore you, say it isn't so.) Once the Texans cross line A - A, I roll each turn with a 33% chance that they cannot deny their ardor and must seek immediate vengeance for their dearly departed brethren of Alamo fame. In summary, the Mexicans roll at the beginning of each turn to see if they notice the wall of sixfoot tall Texan heroes approaching. The Texans can order a charge (thus getting to the breastworks quicker) or their emotions could overcome their scant military discipline and the revolutionaries assault with fury, ever mindless of the growing hail of Mexican lead. In any case, the Mexicans are now awake and responding to this interruption of their right to an afternoon siesta. While shop stewards are registering their complaints at this obvious infringement of the union contract, most Mexicans grab weapons, put on sandals, pour out of their tents, and try to form up in groups while their officers adjust their uniforms and figure out what to do. Fall in on the Breastworks It is reasonable that the soldiers of the Matamoros battalion would spring up with weapon in hand as soon as the alarm was sounded. However, I wanted to roll for the remaining companies. These soldiers were in tents and generally less alert than the screening force. So, for each battalion, I rolled one die at the start of each Mexican turn according to the following chart. If a company was "ready", then it could move and fire that turn. die 1-2 1 company ready 2-6 2 companies ready I put all the Mexicans, except the artillery and the Matamoros, in bivouac areas. When they were "ready", I moved them out of the bivouac area. Those remaining inside the battalion area were not ready to fight and therefore subject to the worst possible morale result, as explained below. A word on the nature of the breastworks, These were quite weak and therefore I assess only a one inch penalty to cross them. However, I also halve casualties to musket fire against targets behind them. Fire/Melee As a solo gamer, you can use whatever rules you like to represent combat. I play tested this game using very simple rules. Each turn, a stand could move or fire. Firearms can reach anywhere on the board with equal probability of hitting a target (a 6 on a 1D6). Thus, I never had to measure range. This is not so odd, as most firing was pretty much straight ahead at targets within 6 inches or so. I gave the infantry opponents equal odds in hand to hand combat. A roll of 1 or 2, a Texan was knocked out, while a 5 or 6 and a Mexican bought the hacienda. A roll of 3 or 4 and the combat went on to the next turn. Cavalry got equal odds against one another and double odds against dismounted soldiers. When troops were outnumbered, I fought engagements equal to the smaller side and gave freebies to the overlap. For example, a line of 5 Texans attacks a line of 9 Mexicans. I fight combats as described above. However, I allow the Texans to be overlapped by a single Mexican on each flank. In these combats, a roll of 1 or 2 and the Texan still loses but all other results are null. The additional 2 Mexicans don't figure in the fight that turn. The cannon could move or fire. I rolled a 1D6 and took half casualties, rounding down. Thus, a six meant 3 casualties, a five, however, was 2 casualties and so forth. If possible, all cannon hits were taken against a single stand, or if necessary, from a stand directly behind it. The breastworks had no effect on cannon fire. Morale This fight was very confused, largely because the units lost cohesion before they made contact. Therefore, I decided to roll for morale company by company. For both the Mexicans and Texans, I rolled morale immediately when they took a single casualty. However, I only rolled for morale once each turn. If a unit rolled once already in a turn, it did not roll again no matter how many more casualties it took that turn. This proved interesting as the Texans had only two men per stand, while the Mexicans had five. Texan results 1: withdraw 2-6: no effect Mexican results 1: rout 2: withdraw 3-6: no effect When a Mexican unit routs, the company is removed from the board, This represents the soldiers scrambling into the swamp to their rear in an (unsuccessful) attempt to escape the vengeful Texans. Withdraw means moving 6" to the rear, facing the enemy. Withdrawing units can move normally again their next turn. This represents units momentarily out of the battle. Rules Summary Turn sequence Mexicans roll to sound alarm Mexicans move or fire Texans roll to charge Texans move or fire Movement Texan Infantry/guns 4" Infantry charge 6"-8" cavalry 8" Mexican Infantry/gun: 4" Cavalry: 8" Mexican sound the alarm Texans between A-A and B-B: 1,2,3 alarm sounded Texans cross line B-B: alarm is sounded Texan charge Texan can order a charge anytime. This means automatic Mexican alarm. Each company rolls to see whether it moves 6", 7", or 8". Texan impromptu charge. Once Texans have crossed line A - A, a I D6 roll of I or 2 means they break into a charge and the Mexicans start their turn alerted. Playtesting I playtested this scenario several times before I achieved the balance reflected in the rules above. My ten year old, Alex, commanded the Mexicans very skillfully and beat me twice. In each game, the battle devolved into isolated fights around the breastworks. Key to Texan victory is scoring a single hit on each of a large number of enemy stands with a significant chance of routing the entire company or at least knocking it back a bit. When the Mexicans had the dice in their favor, they sounded the alarm immediately and got a large number of companies out of their tents and into the fight along the breastworks. However, when the dice were pretty evenly split, the battle was very close. All in all, this is a fast scenario that is always enjoyable. Back to MWAN #105 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2000 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com