Taiping Town Test

After the recent success of the gamezebo last month, we thought we'd have another go. As you'll note from one of the photos I've now got a printed proof of "Taiping Era", so I took this opportunity to test the town fighting rules, which needed a thorough workout, and would inevitably require reference to the rule set on numerous occasions.

What I wanted to try was typical EVA attack on a Taiping held walled village.

I even made some card buildings for the occasion.

Richard and Chris had the Ward/Burgevine era EVA, with four battalions and a similar number of batteries.

Being cocky, they rode up and deployed their guns really close (I'd given them a time limit to capture the town, to ensure the game didn't bog down), not knowing I had protected the gate with some jingals.

With the aid of some mah jong tiles they were able to see over the walls and open fire.

This gave Richard some pause for thought.

The rest of the EVA moved up.

I lined the walls with musketeers.

The front gate soon took a severe hit.

My jingals also took some damage, and dropped back out of sight.

Soon the gate and its supporting wall was rubble.

The EVA didn't attack yet, and decided to bring down even more of the walls.

I was now joined by Phil, and whilst they were dithering, he launched a sally, to try and capture one of their batteries.

He made contact, and a vicious melee ensued...

...driving him back to the walls.

The walls were crumbling along the whole front.

As the EVA stormed through the rubble at bayonet point, Phil's Wang brought up some spearmen and a jingal to throw them back.

It was tense, as the Taipings were driven back, step by step.

Elsewhere we were ready for the onslaught, too.

I was able to spring a trap on the assaulting troops, catching them in front and flank.

The EVA was bringing up their guns. This move wouldn't help them.

We were being driven back in the centre, however.

But we had got the upper hand on the left, pushing the EVA back.

We got ourselves squared up to deliver another two for one on the troops advancing down the main road.

Phil's men had given up the ghost, however, and were fleeing over the rear wall...

...just as we managed to break an EVA unit by the gate, overrunning the guns as well. We'd cut off some EVA units in the town, but at some cost. As the lunch bell beckoned, it was time to call it a day, and the EVA were forced to withdrawn in the gathering gloom.

The system works well enough for this type of game, although it isn't a dedicated set of city fight rules. I was a bit chaotic with the rules (gosh, it was HOT!! when we played), and I let Commanders do too much. I also applied the retire after combat rule incorrectly. You drop back a square, not the equivalent of one unit of measurement, which meant things should have been even more fluid.

It kept the four of us entertained for three hours, with a fair amount of tension, so I count it as a success.

Now, on to correct the proof properly.