Battle of Imaichi (Chronicles of the Tosando - The Boshin War: Tactical Battalion-Scale Combat) AAR part5

 - Turn 6

 The coalition focused on retreat while the New Government gave chase. As mentioned before, movement off the roads is heavily restricted, and enemy FZs made maneuvering difficult for both sides. The New Government launched attacks in both the west and east, but neither achieved any results.

 On the eastern flank of the battlefield, there was a village hex where the coalition had established its headquarters, marked by a specific coalition marker. If the New Government could occupy that hex, the Direct Command chit of the coalition would be immediately removed from the game, reducing their tactical flexibility. The New Government was eager to secure that village as soon as possible, but the coalition's defensive FZs effectively prevented the enemy from entering that hex.

 Nearly until the Boshin War (戊辰戦争) broke out in 1868, Japan had enjoyed peaceful stability for about two and a half centuries. However, as pressure from Western powers mounted during the mid-19th century, the Bakufu and several domains, particularly the western ones that would later form the New Government, made desperate efforts to quickly modernize their militaries. They trained their troops in Western tactics and imported modern firearms. As a result, the elite forces of both the Bakufu and the New Government domains possessed state-of-the-art weapons, whereas some conservative domains still relied on centuries-old traditional arms. In this game, this stark disparity is brilliantly represented by each unit's Firepower 火力 (FP) attribute, which in this scenario ranges from a low of 1 to a high of 3.

- Turn 7

 The coalition’s Movement chit was drawn and played after the New Government’s, allowing the coalition to cleanly disengage from their pursuers. In the west, two New Government units conducted another intensive assault against the elite dark blue coalition unit, but the battle-hardened defenders held their ground and remained completely intact.

- Turn 8

 The final turn. This time, the coalition's Movement chit was drawn and played before the New Government’s. All blue and light blue coalition units safely crossed the river to the north, successfully slipping away from the pursuing New Government forces.

 The battle concluded. The New Government earned 3 VPs by securing the three hexes of Imaichi, while the coalition matched them with 3 VPs for their safe retreat. The match ended in a well-fought draw.

 "The Boshin War: Grand Tactical Battalion-Scale Combat" (大隊級戊辰戦争) features relatively simple rules. It lacks complex mechanics like unit facing, for example, but its Fire Zone system is unique for simulating 1860s warfare. Additionally, the chit-pull system provides a wonderful mix of excitement and tactical frustration. 

 As mentioned before, "The Boshin War: Grand Tactical Battalion-Scale Combat" (大隊級戊辰戦争) is a spin-off of "The Boshin War 1868." Since the scenario book, "Chronicles of the Tosando" (東山道戦記), which includes this Battle of Imaichi, utilizes the counters from the original game, it faced certain design restrictions in terms of physical components. Yet, if unshackled from this limitation, this compelling game system has the potential to produce even more deeply engaging and attractive battles. It remains unclear whether additional standalone scenarios will be published in the future, but one can only hope.

 

Battle of Imaichi (Chronicles of the Tosando - The Boshin War: Tactical Battalion-Scale Combat) AAR part4

 - Turn 4

 The Shogunate coalition pushed a red New Government unit back into Imaichi. The latter immediately counterattacked, but to no avail. Using  Direct Command chit, one of the two coalition units assaulted the unfortified Imaichi hex and succeeded once again, leaving the red defender Suppressed. Meanwhile, the coalition dispatched two units to the east to intercept enemy reinforcements expected to arrive next turn. The New Government forces in the center of the battlefield continued to harass the enemy's flank.

- Turn 5

 The New Government reinforcements (a red unit and a beige one) arrived from the east. The first chit played was the New Government Direct Command, which they immediately used to rally the Suppressed red unit in Imaichi. Had the coalition Combat or Direct Command chit been played first, the coalition could have driven the defender out and occupied the hex. The coalition launched another assault on that hex anyway, but a successful counterattack by two New Government units forced the elite dark blue coalition unit to retreat in a Suppressed state.

 With the tide of battle turning, the coalition withdrew the Suppressed unit to the north side of the river. This river crossing forced the unit to undergo a Cohesion Check, because a Suppressed unit has only 1 MP, meaning it had to execute an All-out Movement (全力移動). Fortunately, the retreating unit boasted a Cohesion 練度 rating of 4, the highest in this scenario, and with support from an adjacent friendly unit, it easily passed the check.

 In this scenario, the coalition needs to evacuate its units to the north side of the river. Any units remaining on the south side at the end of the game are still considered safely retreated if they can trace a Line of Communication (LOC) to the north. However, if that LOC does not pass through a bridge, and/or if the units are still within an enemy FZ, they must undergo a Cohesion Check. Any failed checks award Victory Points (VPs) to the enemy. This rule means the coalition must maintain a clear path to a bridge and ideally keep their distance from the enemy. Yet, the unpredictable chit-pull system makes conducting an orderly retreat exceptionally difficult, mirroring the chaos of a real battlefield retreat.

 Both sides earn VPs by controlling the hexes of Imaichi at the end of the game, which explains why the coalition had been persistently assaulting one of its hexes. VPs can also be earned by inflicting strength losses on the enemy. However, the coalition’s pressing need to retreat made it difficult for them to execute a sustained, powerful attack, while the New Government failed to gain an absolute upper hand even with their reinforcements. Consequently, neither side was likely to inflict significant casualties on the other. Furthermore, the unpredictability of the chit-pull system reduced the possibility of launching successive, heavy attacks.

Battle of Imaichi (Chronicles of the Tosando - The Boshin War: Tactical Battalion-Scale Combat) AAR part3

 - Turn 3

 The coalition played Direct Command chit, and one dark blue unit assaulted Imaichi. Defying the steep odds, the attack succeeded, and the red defender became Suppressed.

 In this game, when the number of successful hits exceeds the defender’s successful defense rolls, the defender must absorb the difference through retreat, SP loss, and/or becoming Suppressed. The Suppressed status represents a unit being pinned down by enemy fire or suffering from a breakdown in the chain of command, rendering it temporarily ineffective. However, the New Government forces quickly rallied the Suppressed red unit and launched a counterattack with another red unit against one of the besieging coalition forces. This counteroffensive succeeded, forcing the coalition unit to retreat.

 Anticipating the arrival of New Government reinforcements from the east, part of the coalition force redeployed eastward to protect its rear. Meanwhile, the two New Government units positioned south of the town attempted to flank the enemy. Yet, hampered by their limited movement capability, they were unable to move adjacent to the coalition forces.

 One of the most distinctive features of this game is the Fire Zone (FZ) system. Instead of the traditional Zone of Control (ZOC), each unit exerts FZ into its surrounding hexes. This FZ heavily restricts enemy movement: entering or leaving an enemy FZ requires a unit to expend additional Movement Points (MPs) equal to the Firepower 火力 (FP) of that enemy unit, on top of the standard terrain movement cost. Given that the base movement allowance for most units is a mere 4 MPs, this effectively locks down enemy maneuverability. If a unit lacks the necessary MPs to make such a move, it can opt for an All-out Movement (全力移動). However, doing so forces the unit to undergo a Cohesion Check. According to the designer's notes in the rulebook, the FZ represents the suppression range relative to the effective firing range of infantry rifles. The FZ restrictions simulate the tactical difficulty of deploying into combat columns and engaging in a firefight.

 Interestingly, in this game, attackers never suffer casualties during actual combat resolution, regardless of the odds or how formidable the defensive position is. Instead, the deadly nature of defensive fire is abstracted through the difficulty of entering an FZ and the risks of All-out Movement (全力移動), which can inflict severe damage if a Cohesion Check fails. Furthermore, FZs play a critical role during combat aftermath. A defender can choose to retreat to mitigate damage, and a victorious attacker must advance into the vacated hex. In both instances, enemy FZs must be respected. If a retreating defender or an advancing attacker is forced to execute an All-out Movement (全力移動) through an enemy FZ, they must pass a Cohesion Check. Failure results in taking damage. Consequently, an impetuous attack, even if apparently successful, does not always yield a favorable outcome for the attacker.

Battle of Imaichi (Chronicles of the Tosando - The Boshin War: Tactical Battalion-Scale Combat) AAR part2

 - Turn 1

 The former Bakufu coalition forces rushed toward Imaichi and launched an assault on one of its fortified hexes. This aggressive opening was driven by a specific scenario rule: if the coalition fails to attack Imaichi's fortified hexes during the game, the New Government automatically receives a bonus Victory Point (VP). In response, the red New Government forces tightly defended the town, and the coalition’s opening assaults failed to yield any meaningful results.

 This game is driven by a chit-pull system. Each side possesses three chits: Movement 移動, Combat 戦闘, and Direct Command 陣頭指揮. Direct Command is a special type of chit that allows a player to select a single unit and have it perform a move, attack, or rally action. This system makes coordinating orchestrated attacks quite difficult. For example, even if units move adjacent to an enemy to initiate an attack, the defender might slip away before the attacker’s Combat chit is played. Alternatively, the Combat chit might be played before the Movement chit, leaving the attacker unable to strike because they are not yet in position.

 Of the three Imaichi town hexes, the northernmost one is not protected by earthworks or a stream, leaving it exposed to attacks from two adjacent hexes to the east, where the coalition was positioned. However, due to the unpredictability of the chit-pull system and severely limited Movement Points (MPs), the coalition was unable to reach it. In this game, each unit has only 4 MPs, while entering a clear hex costs 2 MPs, which greatly limits maneuvering off the main roads.

- Turn 2

 A New Government reinforcement (a beige unit) arrived from the west, but this unit was so fragile that committing it to direct combat was deemed too risky. Instead, it was moved south to harass the enemy's flank, using Direct Command chit. Meanwhile, the Shogunate coalition brought forward its elite dark blue units to assault the unfortified town hex, but the attack once again yielded no results.

 In this game, each unit possesses three main attributes: Strength Points 戦力 (SP), Firepower 火力 (FP), and Cohesion 練度. While SP and FP are vital for conducting attacks, the latter also restricts enemy movement. Cohesion is a crucial defensive stat; it determines a unit's ability to mitigate damage in hazardous situations and to rally from a disrupted state. (Note on components: a unit's current SP is tracked by the number of markers placed underneath it plus one, rather than the number printed on the counter itself. Because this game utilizes the original counters from "The Boshin War 1868," this design adjustment was necessary.)

 During combat, the attacking player rolls a number of dice equal to their unit's current SP. Each die result equal to or less than the unit's FP counts as a successful hit. The defending player also rolls dice to negate these hits, checking their results against their Cohesion 練度 rating. The defender's dice number can be increased by favorable terrain or adjacent friendly units. If the attacker's successful hits exceed the defender's successes, the defending unit suffers an unfavorable result.

 In the assault by the coalition elite units on the unfortified town hex, each attacking unit had an SP of 2 and an FP of 3, while the red defending unit had a Cohesion of 3. Benefiting from the town's defensive terrain and support from an adjacent friendly unit, the defender was able to roll a total of three dice. One can easily see that securing a successful assault on that hex was no small task for the coalition. As for the other two Imaichi hexes, which were further protected by earthworks or a stream, granting even more defensive dice. They were virtually impregnable.

Battle of Imaichi (Chronicles of the Tosando - The Boshin War: Tactical Battalion-Scale Combat) AAR part1

  The Boshin War (戊辰戦争) was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869. It marked a major political transformation, after which Japan began its rapid modernization and emerged as a rising global power. This conflict began shortly after the conclusion of the American Civil War and concluded just before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in Europe. After nearly two and a half centuries of relatively peaceful rule under the Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan came under immense pressure from Western powers to open its borders to foreign trade and diplomacy. Observing that several Asian nations had already fallen under European colonial influence, and critical of the shogunate’s ineffective governance, particularly its financial struggles, several powerful western domains mobilized. Most notable among them were Satsuma and Chōshū, which had achieved economic prosperity and undergone partial military modernization. These domains rallied around the Emperor in Kyoto. Although the Emperor had long held largely symbolic authority, these forces sought to restore imperial rule and eliminate the political dominance of the Tokugawa house, even after the shogunate, or Bakufu, formally returned governing authority to the Emperor in 1867. Supporters of the Tokugawa formed alliances to resist these imperial efforts, triggering the outbreak of the Boshin War (戊辰戦争).

 The game "The Boshin War: Tactical Battalion-Scale Combat" (大隊級戊辰戦争) is a spin-off of "The Boshin War 1868 (1868 戊辰戦争)."  While the latter simulates the war at a strategic campaign level, the former focuses on individual tactical battles. The scale of the game is 30 to 60 minutes per turn, approximately 500 meters per hex, and companies or battalions per unit, with each strength point representing 50 to 100 infantrymen. Its scenario book, "Chronicles of the Tosando" (東山道戦記), features eight scenarios covering battles fought in eastern Japan between the Shogunate coalition forces and the New Government army.

 The scenario played this time, "The Second Battle of Imaichi," simulates a clash around the town of Imaichi 今市, located about 100 kilometers north of modern-day Tokyo. After evacuating Edo (now Tokyo), the remnants of the Shogunate forces, led by Otori Keisuke, retreated northeast into the allied Aizu domain to reorganize. Otori then launched an offensive to recapture Imaichi but was repulsed. He tried again by constructing a pontoon bridge over the Otani River, which runs north of the town, to assault Imaichi from the east. This Imaichi scenario begins with an offensive by the Shogunate coalition. However, New Government reinforcements eventually arrive from the east, forcing the former Bakufu forces to retreat north across the river.